TBP 267: Why Your Gym Training Isn't Translating to Outdoor Climbing - Coach Karly Rager

Karly Rager is a climber and a climbing coach with her business Project Direct Coaching. Her approach to coaching climbers is a little different than what I've seen anywhere else, which really caught my attention when I discovered her on Instagram.

While she does the normal strength training and tactics education with her clients, she also focuses a lot on mindset. In fact, she has an entire mindset coaching option to help climbers with their "head game," including fear of falling and nervous system regulation while climbing. 

I asked her to be on the show to talk about ways she helps her clients manage fear, but also to discuss the reasons why our training in the gym doesn't often prepare us for climbing outside. Sometimes it's surprising when we go outside to find that we don't climb the same grades, things feel harder, and it's just weirder out there.

So she breaks down the reasons that's happening, and what you can do to make your outdoor climbing better, both physically and mentally. 

We also talk about Karly's own progression in climbing, what she loves about it so much, and what it was like to quit her full time engineering job to start a climbing coaching company. 

Here's what we talked about:

• How she trained for her first 5.13c this year
• Outdoor vs Indoor climbing tactics and training
• Cognitive strategies to manage fear
• Movement patterns and strengths required for harder climbs
• Shoulder engagement on harder climbs
• Fewer points of contact on the wall
• How to practice and train all of these things