TBP 317: How to Overcome Climbing Plateaus with Alex Stiger
We’ve all experienced climbing plateaus before. We start off skyrocketing through the grades and then progress slowly starts to come to a halt. If you’ve ever felt like you’re putting in the work and not getting the results you want—or worse, like you don’t even know what “the work” should be anymore — this episode is for you. I sat down with coach Alex Stiger to get specific about plateaus: what they are, why they happen, and what to actually do about them.
Alex explains four different types of plateau:
- psych (you’re just not as excited about your sport)
- strength (your numbers aren’t moving)
- grade (you feel stronger but you’re not climbing harder)
- and mental (you’re not committing to moves you’re physically capable of).
Alex walks through her framework for zooming out before zooming in: checking your training consistency, noticing when you’re leaning too hard on something that already gave you its gains (her hangboarding story is a great example), watching for “trap grades” you’ve gotten too comfortable in, and making sure you’re actually recovering enough to benefit from the work you’re putting in.
She shares concrete tools she uses with clients to actually get better at climbing, and she talks about how she’s getting better at climbing while also being a weaker climber, and what we can all learn from that.
Work with Alex
Alex has three coaching spots open for the first time in a long time: it’s a six-month commitment with eight calls and full training guidance. If you’re interested, email her directly at alex@trainingbeta.com.
Transcript
00:00:01.67
Neely Quinn
Welcome back to the show Alex. Thanks for talking to me.
00:00:04.84
Alex
Hi, Neely. Thanks for having me.
00:00:07.44
Neely Quinn
Yeah, of course.
00:00:07.68
Alex
How are you?
00:00:09.12
Neely Quinn
uh i’m a little bit sick so my voice is gonna be a little bit weird today but I’m fine. um Yeah, i’m I’m doing actually pretty well.
00:00:18.69
Alex
I’m sorry you’re sick.
00:00:20.24
Neely Quinn
Yeah, thanks.
00:00:21.18
Alex
That sucks.
00:00:20.96
Neely Quinn
Me too. Yeah. um But we did get a new bed and… It really actually helps my body. It turns out beds are important for body pains.
00:00:34.80
Alex
I’m like, of all the people I know, I’m the most surprised that your bed game wasn’t like on lock.
00:00:41.44
Neely Quinn
Oh, yeah. in my Like, my side was okay, but… Seth actually was sleeping on a… A huge hill for the past.
00:00:47.81
Alex
Oh my god.
00:00:47.94
Neely Quinn
I don’t even know. I just noticed. I was like, we need a new bed, obviously. So.
00:00:53.96
Alex
ah Congratulations.
00:00:54.00
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Anyway. Thank you. How are you doing?
00:00:59.52
Alex
um I’m good. Yes, I’m very good. I’m actually… Extra good because I feel like I just. Kind of got over a plateau, which is what we’re talking about today And I’m excited. I think that’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk about it today because I’ve been kind of like.
00:01:15.99
Alex
going around grumpy for a couple months being like, I’m not getting better. At StarCraft, at climbing. And. um And constantly reminding myself that my self-worth is not like.
00:01:26.42
Alex
Attached to. Getting better. at random things I want to get good at, you know?
00:01:30.36
Neely Quinn
Yeah. ah
00:01:32.02
Alex
but ah But I did actually make some gains recently and now I’m all happy. and life is great and I want to talk about plateaus. so
00:01:40.19
Neely Quinn
Okay. That’s great. Yeah. So we came up with this. idea and um i think that it’s a common issue with climbers I mean I work with climbers all the time in mindset coaching who are like like Why am I not getting better?
00:01:55.82
Neely Quinn
I feel like I deserve to be better given how much work I put into this, et cetera, et cetera. And I’m positive that you come across that yourself all the time with your clients too.
00:02:05.61
Alex
Oh yeah. And experience it.
00:02:08.68
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:02:08.63
Alex
All the time. Yeah.
00:02:10.63
Neely Quinn
Yeah. So. What would you define as a plateau in climbing?
00:02:15.13
Alex
Oh, that’s such a good question. I think Well, first of all. I’m pretty sure we’ve talked about this topic. if not directly, indirectly in quite a few of our other podcasts. So I wanted to kind of come at it from a different.
00:02:30.43
Alex
angle perhaps and just get super geeky about it.
00:02:33.75
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:02:33.89
Alex
And so I kind of spent some time and I was like, well, what are the… Three kinds of ways we see progress in our sports. And. There’s that like I just got into a sport and progress is linear. Like every time I go or every other time I go, like I’m seeing.
00:02:51.03
Alex
gains Like I’m getting. better.
00:02:53.32
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:02:53.89
Alex
And that’s so addicting. And unfortunately, it’s not sustainable.
00:02:58.99
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:02:59.62
Alex
it It ends, right?
00:03:01.17
Neely Quinn
It has to end at some point.
00:03:03.18
Alex
Yeah. And then I think. There’s another type of progress, which is kind of growth spurt or block progress where you struggle, struggle, struggle, you don’t feel like you’re making gains, then all of a sudden, like it’s like,
00:03:17.23
Alex
boom, big bang, like I’m better. And sometimes it’s a little bit, sometimes it’s a lot of bit. And I think that’s pretty common, especially in that. mid-life cycle with a sport or an activity.
00:03:29.26
Alex
Or when you’re… doing it a lot. Like if you’re around. a puppy that’s growing you might not notice it’s growing every day and then all of a sudden you’re like oh you’re bigger
00:03:38.75
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:03:38.52
Alex
Right. Like, like that. um So I think a lot of us kind of function in. that realm. And then…
00:03:46.38
Neely Quinn
Well, you and you did for sure. You had a big growth spurt.
00:03:48.23
Alex
Yeah.
00:03:50.02
Neely Quinn
at yeah uh-huh
00:03:50.12
Alex
Yeah. For sure. and um Yeah. I mean, that’s a perfect example. Like I was at a similar level for like four or five years.
00:04:00.38
Neely Quinn
Mhm.
00:04:00.39
Alex
Then all of a sudden I was like. I’m better. and And that was cool. um But it doesn’t give enough emphasis on. That. four to five years of Being in basically…
00:04:11.86
Alex
the same spot, trying hard, wanting to get better. so Okay, that’s that. And then the third. way, I think we get better at something is kind of Where? I’m at in my climbing right now, which is.
00:04:26.16
Alex
oh waves A wave type. progression. where there’s ups and downs and ebbs and flows. And I just hope that every time I peak, I’m peaking a little higher in some way.
00:04:36.24
Neely Quinn
Mm-hmm.
00:04:36.89
Alex
But there’s decreases.
00:04:40.12
Neely Quinn
Right.
00:04:40.22
Alex
Like there’s getting worse.
00:04:40.35
Neely Quinn
And those. Right, right.
00:04:42.78
Alex
That’s part of that process. Yeah.
00:04:44.68
Neely Quinn
Which comes from injuries. lack of motivation, finding a new passion and hobby and getting more psyched on that for a while. then you’re kind of low and then you come back up and It seems like you’re.
00:04:54.55
Alex
Yeah. And getting closer and closer to your upper end capacity. I think that’s just a natural way it’s going to. Gotta go.
00:05:02.06
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. And so you’re experiencing that right now.
00:05:06.96
Alex
Yeah. Yeah. Like I was at a for sure low where I’m like, I’m climbing less hard than I was. I’m trying. harder on less hard things than I was before where…
00:05:18.75
Alex
Um. my motivation is lower type of deal. And. And now I’m coming out of that and it’s awesome. But I understand that it for me, where I’m at in climbing, it’s a wave type thing.
00:05:30.61
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:05:31.05
Alex
And so I don’t expect that this. Newfound love, joy. Psych I’m feeling is. permanent I just know it’s I could ride it out, you know?
00:05:40.25
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that’s the cool thing about the wave. Like you said, you. ah at a certain point in as you age as a climber you understand that it is a wave and even though you’re in a a low point you probably will will get back to a higher point.
00:05:56.04
Alex
Yeah.
00:05:56.15
Neely Quinn
Like we just sort of trust the process more.
00:05:58.23
Alex
I mean, I feel like it actually correlates to lots of areas of our life, like relationships, jobs, all all the things, right? Like the the longer you’re in it, the more. wave like it’s probably going to Be.
00:06:10.27
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:06:10.34
Alex
And that’s that’s cool.
00:06:11.93
Neely Quinn
Actually, climbing and relationships are so similar.
00:06:12.12
Alex
That’s fine.
00:06:14.54
Neely Quinn
It’s like this linear progress in the beginning.
00:06:17.66
Alex
I mean I just have to say I love your latest podcast. So like, yeah, and all the correlations drawn between.
00:06:20.47
Neely Quinn
Oh.
00:06:23.76
Alex
all of that anyway.
00:06:24.83
Neely Quinn
Yeah right.
00:06:25.05
Alex
Just saying.
00:06:25.38
Neely Quinn
There were a lot of correlations. Yes.
00:06:27.27
Alex
Yes.
00:06:27.27
Neely Quinn
She’s talking about the consent on and off the wall episode, if you’re interested. Okay.
00:06:31.67
Alex
Yes, it was great.
00:06:32.98
Neely Quinn
and
00:06:33.62
Alex
Okay, so now for defining plateaus. I… I wanted to just… break it down a little. Because I think there’s several types of plateaus we can be experiencing. And if we’re just…
00:06:46.56
Alex
generally labeling it as a plateau, it might be really hard to dig ourselves out of it. So. So one is like a psych plateau. I’m not as psyched as I was or want to be.
00:06:58.81
Alex
towards my sport. It’s bringing me less excitement and satisfaction.
00:07:02.63
Neely Quinn
h
00:07:03.51
Alex
And the way we go about that is probably going to be different if it’s a I feel I’m not strong enough type of plateau. Like I’m not getting stronger. I’m not seeing. my strength numbers go up.
00:07:15.61
Alex
In terms of. like grip strength numbers or hanging or some sort of training thing we’re doing or just in comparison to routes we’ve done before. Like I’m not making progress on my project or I’m not.
00:07:29.50
Alex
able to do, or I’m. this boulder that I’ve done a bunch on the boards feels harder. So there’s that kind of like. strength side. And. Then I think there’s a…
00:07:43.45
Alex
Hold on, I wrote this down. grade plateau where you’re not seeing your Grades go up. And maybe you are feeling stronger, like you’re getting better, you’re seeing progress, but you’re not climbing. harder grades and that can feel really.
00:07:59.93
Alex
hard and frustrating. But so there’s that kind of like objective plateaus and subjective plateaus type categories where. we’re not actually in control of the grades that are around us. So using that as a measure is.
00:08:12.66
Alex
a tricky tricky way about it at the best of times. And. Finally, I… I wrote down mental. Plateaus.
00:08:23.80
Alex
Because for me, that’s super relevant where. I don’t feel like I’m getting. braver. Like.
00:08:30.65
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:08:31.50
Alex
I’m getting on climbs. I’m scared. I’m scared on my project. I am not. committing to moves that feel hard for me. Like it. If I look up and I feel.
00:08:42.28
Alex
like I have a 70 % chance of doing a move I’m not committing for that. on a consistent basis and that Feels very plateau-y to me. Cause I want to be like.
00:08:51.06
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:08:52.49
Alex
pushing that up. trying harder on the things I’m doing.
00:08:56.29
Neely Quinn
It’s interesting because it all leads to the same place. It seems like all of these reasons for the plateau means that you’re not. Sending. as hard as you want to, as quickly as you want to, and all of those things.
00:09:11.11
Alex
We’re seeing progress. Like leaving feeling like I got better today. Yeah.
00:09:18.20
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:09:19.06
Alex
Yeah. And I mean, that’s. I say this a lot to my clients actually, that at a certain point in whatever activity you’re pursuing, you’re going to get to a place where it’s actually pretty easy to partake in the activity and not get any better.
00:09:34.34
Alex
Like. At some point, just doing it isn’t. Going. to mean getting better.
00:09:40.36
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm. Mm hmm. And… I want to take a moment here. Because… In our culture. It- It’s… We…
00:09:50.74
Neely Quinn
What? We strive for achieving. We strive for progression.
00:09:54.67
Alex
So much.
00:09:55.42
Neely Quinn
Every single person I’ve ever worked with. the One of the reasons they love climbing is because they love seeing progression. They’ve used that word. And. Because they want to.
00:10:08.45
Neely Quinn
see what their potential is as a human. But I just want to normalize like… It’s okay to be in a plateau. Like I’ve been in a plateau for 15 years.
00:10:17.23
Alex
yeah
00:10:19.71
Neely Quinn
And. At a certain point, I’m just like, you know what? This might. be it for me. And I’m really proud of what I’ve done. And it’s enough. And no matter what grade you’re at, I just want to.
00:10:33.03
Neely Quinn
Put that out there as like an option to consider.
00:10:35.61
Alex
Hell yeah. I wasn’t unhappy. in climbing when I wasn’t making progress. I really wasn’t. Actually, I’ve been my most unhappy in climbing when I’ve.
00:10:47.63
Alex
Feel. Like I am peaking.
00:10:51.86
Neely Quinn
what What do you mean?
00:10:53.24
Alex
Mmm. Like. I feel like I’m getting stronger. I’m psyched. All the things are there. And then I put a lot more expectations and pressure on myself.
00:11:02.02
Neely Quinn
Yeah. mm-hmm
00:11:04.45
Alex
And like when I’m at like the bottom of a wave coming up. That’s when I’m happiest.
00:11:10.25
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm. Yeah, right. Yeah, we talked about that. That’s why you love doing new hobbies, because you love the growth mindset.
00:11:15.80
Alex
Yeah, I love it.
00:11:15.70
Neely Quinn
You love the
00:11:16.54
Alex
And I love just…
00:11:16.87
Neely Quinn
The beginner, yeah.
00:11:17.93
Alex
connecting with it.
00:11:19.37
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:11:19.44
Alex
constantly. Yes. Yeah.
00:11:22.01
Neely Quinn
That makes sense. Yeah. So, I mean, I could probably do a whole. like monologue just about. having acceptance for where you are. And be kind to yourself.
00:11:33.15
Neely Quinn
having less comparison with others. you know, like Really understanding why you feel like you need to be achieving more and more all the time. um So i I understand that we’re here to talk about how to get out of plateaus, but I just want to embrace the plateau.
00:11:50.81
Alex
Well, I think we should reframe that.
00:11:50.82
Neely Quinn
for a moment.
00:11:52.20
Alex
like i in that mental Type of plateau I mentioned. I think that is where For me… And a lot of my clients.
00:12:04.50
Alex
the frustration is coming from is they’re sick of feeling comparison for others they’re sick of feeling like they should be getting better all the time like Eh. maybe that is the plateau. It’s just more acceptance and more happiness in our sport. co-exist actually m topic and conversation.
00:12:22.43
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:12:23.34
Alex
It’s not just about getting better. It’s about. being happier doing what you’re doing.
00:12:27.29
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. Like the plateau is not always something to. overcome. But.
00:12:32.61
Alex
No, it’s normal.
00:12:32.60
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah, it’s normal.
00:12:34.48
Alex
Yeah.
00:12:34.70
Neely Quinn
And. we’re We’re also here to learn how to, yeah. how to deal with it and what to do about it.
00:12:42.47
Alex
I like it
00:12:42.73
Neely Quinn
Okay, so we went through… The four… ways that you like what the plateau can be. um
00:12:50.94
Alex
yeah and to summarize just get specific about what your plateau actually is
00:12:51.66
Neely Quinn
What?
00:12:56.22
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:12:57.51
Alex
That. That’s it. Right.
00:12:59.55
Neely Quinn
And it seems it seems like it could be. One or. more of those things.
00:13:04.19
Alex
Absolutely.
00:13:05.17
Neely Quinn
Yeah, could be all of them.
00:13:05.83
Alex
Life is complicated.
00:13:07.15
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:13:07.44
Alex
Unfortunately. Yeah.
00:13:09.04
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:13:09.70
Alex
So the next thing I want to talk about is. Zooming out before you zoom in. Because I do this a lot myself and I see it done a lot where.
00:13:21.10
Alex
We. We want to. address our dissatisfaction with where we’re at by doing something. very specific. Like we want to be like, if my fingers were stronger, I’d be climbing harder. I’m going to start hangboarding.
00:13:35.40
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:13:36.29
Alex
And we often… react instead of zoom out. and actually look at the bigger picture. So. When it comes to zooming out.
00:13:47.52
Alex
and looking what our big picture actually looks like, there’s a couple things I think we should check in with. And one is always consistency. and dosing, like just how much are you doing the thing?
00:13:59.75
Alex
Are you doing too much or too less? like We’ve had hope. podcast about that. like
00:14:04.56
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:14:04.87
Alex
Listen to our overtraining podcast. But… I think that’s often one of the reasons. Like. Somebody’s like, oh, I’m climbing. I have.
00:14:16.56
Alex
Like once or twice a week and it’s inconsistent. And then I have a week where I climb four times at once. And I’m like, okay, well that’s probably. the most important thing is just to find the dosing that fits your lifestyle and works well for you
00:14:30.29
Neely Quinn
h
00:14:31.41
Alex
to to see the results you’re after.
00:14:34.68
Neely Quinn
Right.
00:14:34.88
Alex
So. Yeah, lack of consistency. And within that, I said too much of one thing. And what I mean by that is like. Too much projecting. Like I see this all the time with people who are frustrated where they’re at. I’m like, well, what do your sessions look like? They’re like, I’m trying to send.
00:14:51.81
Alex
Certain greats. And I’m not. And I’m like, okay, well, how many times a week are you trying to send these grades? They’re like. two or three times every session. I’m like, okay, well, that’s…
00:14:59.02
Neely Quinn
h
00:15:01.12
Alex
Probably part of the… Problem, you’re you’re doing too much performance. And not enough balance between. like skill volume, like set like check the box type sessions where you just do the work and you have goals within that.
00:15:15.52
Alex
Um. Too much of a thing you’ve milked for all it’s worth already. Like… What I mean by that is we get so attached to.
00:15:26.95
Alex
things that have gotten us better in the past. that We keep doing them thinking. that we’re going to get more gains from them. But unfortunately, like… I really don’t think that’s how things work. I think like the first.
00:15:40.40
Alex
The end. initial phase, when you start something new, you’re gonna get this like you might see a big increase from it. And then it’s going to be diminishing returns.
00:15:50.80
Neely Quinn
Like what give an example.
00:15:50.89
Alex
after that. Like. The first time I did a… eight-week hangboarding protocol. I got stronger. And then now I think hangboarding is basically useless for me.
00:16:07.22
Alex
just actually useless.
00:16:09.11
Neely Quinn
Wait why do you think that it’s useless?
00:16:11.61
Alex
Because my finger… strength isn’t my problem. Like I want to blame it all the time, but it’s not And like I could do six months of hangboarding for a. 0 .2 % increase in my finger strength from where it’s at. And that’s just not Gonna do it.
00:16:28.08
Neely Quinn
Because what’s your problem?
00:16:31.18
Alex
I hesitate before. hard and challenging moves. And I have. a really hard time motivating myself to do. To be uncomfortable.
00:16:43.64
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:16:44.41
Alex
I wanna be comfortable.
00:16:45.57
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:16:46.46
Alex
And I want to feel great all the time.
00:16:48.62
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:16:49.19
Alex
when I climb. And when I don’t, I don’t want to climb. And so that’s an issue.
00:16:52.40
Neely Quinn
And. Can you give me one more example of too much of a thing you’ve already milked for all it’s worth?
00:16:58.45
Alex
Yeah. I… really see people get attached to volume.
00:17:02.85
Neely Quinn
Not necessarily for you. Yeah. Okay.
00:17:06.42
Alex
So… like they’re like I think doubles and triples and volume and climbing 12 pitches and doing. More climbing. gets me better because at some point in their climbing career, it did.
00:17:17.96
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:17:18.86
Alex
yeah like all of a sudden they were ah they learned how to become a better climber by climbing tired But. But you learned the lesson. There’s no, like, it’s it’s done. Like, you know, like, you figured out how to flag. and back step and keep weight in your feet and keep your arms straight because you are climbing tired.
00:17:38.51
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Well, honest.
00:17:39.28
Alex
And now you’ve learned that.
00:17:40.51
Neely Quinn
Honestly, I learned that from you, ah not the and So like.
00:17:44.43
Alex
I was like, oh, thanks.
00:17:45.67
Neely Quinn
ah No, no. A few years ago.
00:17:47.23
Alex
Yeah.
00:17:48.12
Neely Quinn
I… or a while ago, you asked me, we asked each other what we did in the gym. when we climbed. And I was like, yeah, I just do doubles all the time. And you were like You didn’t say this but you were like, that’s dumb.
00:18:00.92
Alex
I might have said that.
00:18:01.05
Neely Quinn
Um,
00:18:01.70
Alex
I say that to me.
00:18:02.08
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah, and but you said you were like, I just go in there and I do i do like four pitches or five pitches or something and I’m just projecting.
00:18:03.34
Alex
Like… Yeah.
00:18:10.57
Neely Quinn
when I am root climbing.
00:18:12.28
Alex
Yeah.
00:18:12.24
Neely Quinn
And I started doing that and I started getting way better, like immediately. Because I actually had the energy to project and to send things and my confidence grew, et cetera, et cetera.
00:18:15.100
Alex
Yeah.
00:18:21.13
Neely Quinn
So, um, I, did I. did that. Yeah.
00:18:24.19
Alex
Yeah. and We all do. Because it’s such an easy trap. Another common one is trap grades. So let’s say. I’m just going to use this example.
00:18:36.99
Alex
You work really hard to break into 12 minuses. You’ve been climbing on 12 minuses. You start to really like them. You start to send some of them. And then all you want to do is climb on 12 minuses. And so.
00:18:48.38
Alex
I worked with somebody. uh yesterday even who I was like, okay. You’re projecting 13A, you seem. well capable of sending this.
00:19:01.18
Alex
what grade do you spend the most time on? 12 minors. I’m like, okay, well, how many 12 pluses have you done? like Three or four. And how many… 12 minus have you done like… Over 50.
00:19:11.51
Alex
And I’m like.
00:19:12.17
Neely Quinn
mm-hmm
00:19:12.67
Alex
Okay, well, like… That’s now a trap grade. Like it’s probably. It still feels engaging. It still feels like appropriate challenge, but it’s just.
00:19:23.33
Alex
Not doing it anymore.
00:19:24.93
Neely Quinn
Well, honestly, I would put this in a whole other category of Uh, pyramids. Like I work with people who
00:19:31.19
Alex
Hmm.
00:19:32.76
Neely Quinn
They have climbed, like you said, 101 grade. and they’re like well i should probably do some more before i even try the next grade So they just won’t even. move up.
00:19:44.37
Neely Quinn
and it’s because they’ve been taught at some point that you have to have a pyramid and then they made some arbitrary numbers up for what that pyramid should look like and i’m like what
00:19:44.54
Alex
Yeah.
00:19:53.45
Alex
I think pyramids are so stupid.
00:19:55.15
Neely Quinn
Yeah, obviously you’ve never had a pyramid.
00:19:57.12
Alex
Yeah. Yeah. But I do think there’s pathways that make sense, like logical progressions.
00:20:05.30
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:20:06.38
Alex
Like if you go to a climbing area and you’re like, I want to get. I wanna start. getting better at this climbing area there’s smoother paths to take.
00:20:16.64
Alex
If you do this route, it… prepares you for this route. And this route helps prepare you for this route.
00:20:21.83
Neely Quinn
agreed. Yeah.
00:20:23.11
Alex
Yeah. Okay. So. The next one. is lack of getting paid for your work. And again, whole podcast on this. Listen to the overtraining one. But i I just see this all the time where people are doing all the right stuff, but they’re not actually recovering enough to get paid for that work.
00:20:40.20
Neely Quinn
oh
00:20:41.42
Alex
so They’re not getting better. And I think it’s so easy in climbing to do too much show up tired and then not actually be able to train or.
00:20:52.13
Alex
try it ah at a level that’s helping you get better. because you’re just too tired and like if your core is tired if your shoulders are tired Like. You don’t.
00:21:03.54
Alex
It’s hard to identify that as the reason.
00:21:06.14
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:21:06.74
Alex
even though it is like if I Bench press and then go climb on roots. I feel. 40 % more scared. at clips like I don’t want to climb up a bolt I’m worried I won’t be able to clip I just think I’m.
00:21:22.54
Alex
Maybe. about to menstruate or something. I don’t realize I’m like, no, I’m just. tired. Like my shoulders are tired. Like I don’t trust my body as much. And so I like the blame goes somewhere. It shouldn’t.
00:21:36.75
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. And I would just, last thing on that, I would just encourage people. If you think that you are doing too much, if there’s even an inkling in there. I challenge you to take most of a week off.
00:21:52.40
Neely Quinn
And like, maybe do. mild, very short climbing sessions during that week. And take at least two days off between sessions.
00:22:03.62
Neely Quinn
And then try.
00:22:05.45
Alex
Yes.
00:22:05.52
Neely Quinn
Hard. Like really try hard, like go in and project something and see how you feel. and and like note it. note that because that’s the only way you’re gonna get out of that loop of overtraining because you’re like addicted to it.
00:22:20.32
Alex
Yeah. It’s a thing.
00:22:22.20
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:22:22.52
Alex
I have one final thing on that, which is. I can’t. Tell everybody how many clients I’ve had send their projects after I’ve made them take three rest days.
00:22:32.26
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:33.85
Alex
They’re like Whoa, I sent And I’m like, of course. Yeah.
00:22:38.58
Neely Quinn
Right.
00:22:38.92
Alex
And.
00:22:38.65
Neely Quinn
and Going back to the plateau part, like what does that do for them?
00:22:39.73
Alex
Yeah.
00:22:42.60
Neely Quinn
as a climber and in a plateau when they’d send.
00:22:47.11
Alex
They now are out of it. It broke free like a little egg, you know? like
00:22:51.52
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:22:51.64
Alex
You’ve been in that egg. You’ve been. doing stuff in there and now you’re like Aha! I’ve arrived.
00:22:57.66
Neely Quinn
Yeah. You gain confidence. You get to move on. You. Yeah, it’s amazing. And it’s just three days.
00:23:03.10
Alex
Yeah. It’s just three days but those three days and i’ve fallen into this trap
00:23:04.51
Neely Quinn
Like. Yeah.
00:23:09.36
Alex
Where I’m like, well. A plus B equals sending if three rest days equals sending and I feel close to sending. At some point, I just get weaker. If I keep resting three days before my project every week, like, and then I’m like, now I’m not fit enough.
00:23:20.07
Neely Quinn
you Right, right. Yeah, yeah. Totally.
00:23:24.64
Alex
This sucks.
00:23:24.64
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Right, you can’t just…
00:23:25.77
Alex
ah So there’s a balance, right?
00:23:27.26
Neely Quinn
and Yeah, you can’t just continually take three days off.
00:23:28.47
Alex
Yeah.
00:23:30.06
Neely Quinn
between Yeah, totally.
00:23:30.92
Alex
Yeah. Uh…
00:23:32.31
Neely Quinn
I mean you can. You can’t, but.
00:23:33.33
Alex
You can. Yeah. um And then finally, I said in my little outline. not having structure that ensures minimal gains. And.
00:23:45.68
Alex
I mean… I think of this kind of into like like money stuff. like you can invest in stuff that’s high risk, high reward, or you can invest in a structure that just kind of is safe.
00:23:59.36
Neely Quinn
Yeah, it’s like Bitcoin.
00:23:59.79
Alex
Like it’s safe progress.
00:24:00.34
Neely Quinn
versus index funds.
00:24:01.24
Alex
Yes. Yeah. And. personally where I’m at in my climbing and with Starcraft with anything I’m trying to get better. I really look for those investments that I just know will pay off.
00:24:14.74
Alex
For example, in my Starcraft, I… Have a lesson, a two hour lesson once a week. Because. That’s an investment that I know regardless of my ups and downs, my struggles, my motivation. like Probably end up better in two years because of it.
00:24:31.43
Alex
Yeah, like it just. guarantees progress.
00:24:35.12
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:24:35.93
Alex
And. um And to me, that’s really important. And I think it comes down to kind of a mindset of sets and reps with stuff like I use. a set and rep mindset in my climbing all the time where I’m like,
00:24:49.75
Alex
Oh I’m struggling with this move. And let’s pretend it, let’s just say it’s on the kilter board. and so I’ll Be like. I can’t do this move at 40 degrees.
00:25:00.70
Alex
So I’ll pit the board at. 35 degrees and I’ll do it three times. with two minutes rest in between.
00:25:07.81
Neely Quinn
huh
00:25:08.53
Alex
And then I’m done. And then I increased my odds. of getting better and stronger at doing that move for next session.
00:25:16.67
Neely Quinn
Yeah, you are really good at that. I mean, obviously you’re really good at that. You’re a coach. You’re constantly. prescribing sets and reps to people. But. You do. usually put numbers to things which makes it really concrete and when I’ve used it in my own life or I’ve told other people about it Um,
00:25:35.44
Neely Quinn
You’re like even, okay, I’m going to try this project six times or. four times before I give up on it to really give myself a chance.
00:25:41.14
Alex
Yeah.
00:25:46.06
Neely Quinn
And stuff like that where you’re giving yourself a structure.
00:25:49.63
Alex
Yeah, I just think structure. right like like give yourself a structure build a structure use a structure which is very different than go to the gym and project. And.
00:26:00.60
Alex
Throw yourself at something hard three times a week.
00:26:03.36
Neely Quinn
Right. Yeah. With no plan, with no, yeah.
00:26:04.70
Alex
that That’s what I’m saying. Like, I like.
00:26:06.11
Neely Quinn
Uh-huh.
00:26:06.66
Alex
a plan.
00:26:07.77
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:26:08.06
Alex
Um. And it. And really the principle there is, did you increase your odds of doing better? next time. And I think of this. All the time. like whenever Like if I’m on a route in the gym and I fell.
00:26:23.84
Alex
And I want to just come down, but I’m like. If I come down, do I have better odds of doing better next time? And maybe the answer is yes, because I i need to be fresher.
00:26:35.94
Alex
Like I don’t want to waste any energy like I just needed like I really think I could do the move. I just need to be fresh enough to do it. Let me down. I’m gonna rest. I’m gonna try again. But a lot of times the answer is.
00:26:48.18
Alex
No I didn’t learn anything. Like I need to go do that move or learn some new beta, find some new beta. I need to just do that move two or three times until I’m comfortable. I need to take some fall practice there so I’m not scared there. Like there’s work to be done.
00:27:03.69
Alex
Toot. have a better chance of doing better next time
00:27:08.10
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:27:08.93
Alex
And I just see so often in climbing where we’re settling for. We’re playing Hope. We’re Hope Climbing. I hope I’m gonna do better next time. <unk> Like, I don’t want to hope.
00:27:20.48
Neely Quinn
mm-hmm
00:27:20.56
Alex
I want to know that I have a good chance of doing better next time.
00:27:23.98
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:24.74
Alex
Yeah.
00:27:24.86
Neely Quinn
Love that. Yeah, that’s a great parameter or great question to ask yourself. And it.
00:27:30.55
Alex
Yeah.
00:27:31.57
Neely Quinn
What was it again?
00:27:32.94
Alex
It’s like Do I have a better chance of doing better next time? Am I increasing the odds?
00:27:35.90
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:27:36.71
Alex
I just call it increasing the odds
00:27:37.27
Neely Quinn
Yeah. yeah
00:27:39.88
Alex
Yeah.
00:27:40.05
Neely Quinn
Perfect. Okay, so I just want to remind everybody. on your outline, which you. Made, it’s great. We’re talking about zooming out. before we zoom in. So like zooming out to the big.
00:27:50.97
Alex
Yeah.
00:27:51.89
Neely Quinn
picture things and you had one other one which was Try and find some false narratives in your. So tell me about that.
00:27:59.61
Alex
Yeah. Um. That’s… Me showing up to work with the coach being like. My fingers aren’t strong enough. Can you get my fingers stronger so I can climb harder?
00:28:12.59
Alex
And then we do some testing. They watch me climb. They’re like. Your fingers aren’t the problem. I’m like, well, darn, then what is? Yeah, I.
00:28:23.07
Alex
I just see the false narratives all the time. Um, And… Can you give some examples, like any any ones you tell yourself on a regular basis? Or…
00:28:35.92
Alex
occasionally.
00:28:38.01
Neely Quinn
Uh.
00:28:38.01
Alex
about why you’re not getting.
00:28:38.28
Neely Quinn
So…
00:28:39.55
Alex
improving in a way you want.
00:28:42.27
Neely Quinn
I… I don’t, I think my narratives are. are Pretty. pretty spot on like I don’t. ah I’m trying to like, I don’t. do as much weightlifting outside of climbing as I should so I feel tweaky or I no I can’t think of anything right now
00:29:05.14
Alex
hi But… But I think that’s a good example of like. It’s a conversation. it’s hard it’s hard to navigate this it’s hard to figure it out and and i think um A lot of times.
00:29:17.87
Alex
the reason we tell ourselves we’re not getting better, isn’t it?
00:29:22.61
Neely Quinn
hu
00:29:22.100
Alex
Just saying.
00:29:24.87
Neely Quinn
Well, I do think that when I was Projecting at my limit. i I was like. I was thinking that… I…
00:29:35.06
Neely Quinn
Did need to do more strength training. And… I think what I actually needed to work on was my head. Like you do, like we both do the same thing. We both hesitate.
00:29:45.74
Neely Quinn
We both don’t like to be uncomfortable. we both like That’s what I actually needed to be working on. And I feel like I was kind of wasting energy doing the training that I was doing.
00:29:55.36
Alex
mm-hmm
00:29:55.28
Neely Quinn
When I could have just been learning how to try hard and be uncomfortable.
00:29:59.68
Alex
Right.
00:30:00.54
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:30:01.24
Alex
Yeah, I’ve wasted so much time. doing things I think are. Or what’s going to make me better? And then I’m like. Oh, no, I just had to be open minded defining new beta.
00:30:11.36
Neely Quinn
Yeah, yeah
00:30:12.74
Alex
and And this is a… This is a huge one for me. But. I… have continued to climb better. As I’ve gotten…
00:30:25.86
Alex
Undeniably weaker.
00:30:27.93
Neely Quinn
ah Yeah. i wouldn
00:30:29.84
Alex
And that drives me crazy.
00:30:31.83
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:30:32.45
Alex
I hate that. Like, cause I want to just know that like. If I can do a weighted pull-up with… like plus half my body weight. I could perform. I could climb hard.
00:30:43.37
Neely Quinn
a plus b equals c yeah It’s easier, yeah.
00:30:43.58
Alex
If I can do this. Yeah, yeah. it’s so much easier for me. And that’s just not. Spin. my case study results.
00:30:52.95
Neely Quinn
Why do you think you’re climbing better? while being weaker and why do you think you’re weaker?
00:30:57.08
Alex
lower expectations, the mindset, like.
00:30:58.91
Neely Quinn
Ah.
00:30:59.55
Alex
For me, it’s always mindset stuff.
00:31:01.75
Neely Quinn
wow
00:31:03.24
Alex
Yeah.
00:31:03.39
Neely Quinn
And how do you know you’re weaker?
00:31:06.25
Alex
Because I can’t do things that I could do before. Like, like I can’t do a body weight and a half bench press.
00:31:09.31
Neely Quinn
Like what?
00:31:12.87
Alex
I can’t do a weighted pull up plus 50 pounds. I can’t. Pick up. 95 pounds. because I have these standardized things that I’ve peaked at or trained for and done.
00:31:26.23
Alex
And then I could check in with them. I know I’m weaker or like because I’ve been climbing on boards for years, there’s problems that I’ve done and I just can’t do.
00:31:35.22
Neely Quinn
Yeah. And you… So you’re saying that even though you’re weaker, you’re climbing better. And how do you measure that?
00:31:46.48
Alex
I… doing better on my projects. I’m climbing harder projects. I’m doing harder projects quicker. like i’m ah I’m able to send harder.
00:31:56.61
Alex
Great. On the kilter board. i’m like
00:32:02.07
Alex
There’s… i’m comp I’m able to compensate for not being as strong in ways that are just. way more results giving. than when I was actually super strong.
00:32:14.96
Alex
in certain ways and not perform like not sealing the deal. Not doing moves, not committing to moves.
00:32:19.30
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Which in ways is kind of like… Are those things actually that you thought were correlated with climbing harder actually correlated with climbing harder?
00:32:32.03
Alex
but I mean, I keep walking away and being like, well, I’m a strength coach. I’m a coach. I’m like, I want them to be.
00:32:38.05
Neely Quinn
Yeah, exactly.
00:32:39.19
Alex
I think it’s complicated. it’s not one or the other.
00:32:43.66
Neely Quinn
Right.
00:32:43.86
Alex
Um.
00:32:43.69
Neely Quinn
Do like one arms absolutely mean that you’re going to be a. Better climber.
00:32:48.01
Alex
Yeah. But for me… getting stronger enough. to not feel scared was always super different than addressing the fear itself.
00:32:57.44
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:32:57.47
Alex
When I get scared, so… as I’ve gotten better at a skill of addressing when I’m scared, like I have better tools for that, I climb harder.
00:33:05.52
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:33:07.12
Alex
It’s not like I can climb hard from the first pitch of the day when I’m. Strong enough to not be scared.
00:33:13.96
Neely Quinn
h
00:33:15.35
Alex
Does that make sense?
00:33:16.76
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:33:19.48
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:33:19.83
Alex
Yeah.
00:33:19.75
Neely Quinn
And my mind kind of drifted there for a second. Cause I was like, you know what, when I think of most professional climbers, they have also been in a plateau for.
00:33:30.81
Neely Quinn
a decade. Or more, you know, like, I just don’t think that.
00:33:32.18
Alex
Yeah.
00:33:35.44
Neely Quinn
I don’t know. I don’t think it’s just that their plateau happens to be higher than. most people’s plateaus. Like. what’s the difference their genes their environment their stress their body their body’s ability to not get injured blah blah blah Anyway.
00:33:52.83
Neely Quinn
That was just an aside.
00:33:52.92
Alex
Anyway. It’s good stuff.
00:33:55.19
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:33:55.50
Alex
Okay, so moving on. um The next thing. I wanted to talk about was how to get better most of the time. you go to the gym or climbing.
00:34:06.24
Alex
Like. Just saying more time is probably not the answer. It’s more intention. And so. Going back to when I said it’s so easy to go to the gym, go climbing, get on your project, walk away and not get any better. Well, what are tools to actually get better?
00:34:23.51
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:34:24.09
Alex
So the first one is. get really good at constructing wins. And I’ve started calling this close the system. And what I mean by this is I watch a client.
00:34:36.06
Alex
video, we’re assessing their climbing together. and a coaching call. And they try a hard move. They try it three times and then the video ends. And I’m like, you didn’t close the system.
00:34:48.55
Alex
You did it. Construct a win. That’s it. Like, that’s all we saw. You tried this move. You didn’t do it. You walked away. I don’t do that very often. Like I always try and close the system. So I’ll like get a power spot so I could do the move or I’ll.
00:35:05.11
Alex
Like… climb up, get the hold I was going for and hold it for five to eight seconds. So like I learned what it feels like to do the move or I lower the angle or I add a foot or I add a hand like I scale to win.
00:35:17.71
Neely Quinn
m
00:35:18.81
Alex
Always. And then… My butt goes and sits back down. So. I’m super big on having a set number of attempts with things. So ah when I have a kilter board session, I’m allowed eight attempts.
00:35:32.93
Alex
And. Each attempt. comes with up to one minute of work. so If I go and I fall on the second move and I go sit down that’s an attempt.
00:35:44.92
Alex
I want to close the system. I want to use that attempt for everything it’s worth. So I’m not going to do that. I’m going to. pull back on and go to the top. I’m going to hold an isometric in that position. I’m going to search for new beta. I’m going to.
00:35:57.25
Alex
Like. Stay invested and construct a win in that minute. Does that make sense?
00:36:02.63
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Does that mean that you’re like watching the clock or are you just feeling that minute?
00:36:06.52
Alex
No, it’s intuitive
00:36:08.48
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:36:08.60
Alex
but I just don’t do the try and sit.
00:36:11.71
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:36:12.75
Alex
Like I use my attempt.
00:36:14.97
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:36:15.53
Alex
And this is so important in busy gyms in which so many of us are. Right. Like you’ve waited your turn. You get to try your climb. And then you fall on the second move and then you go sit down and you just feel defeated and unsatisfied.
00:36:28.87
Alex
I like. don’t settle for that. Like I don’t settle for that. I only settle for wins. Um.
00:36:34.66
Neely Quinn
What about on roots?
00:36:37.70
Alex
On roots, that’s often… often for me that the win this the thing that like really banks satisfaction is getting to the top So… Oh.
00:36:48.38
Alex
However, I have to do it if I get to the anchors. my satisfaction score goes way up, which is another thing I think is really cool is and I I use this a lot is how satisfied am I?
00:37:02.07
Alex
And. I used to settle for a really low number all the time just because I wasn’t asking myself that question. And sometimes I’m like, I’m satisfied. I went down.
00:37:13.34
Alex
I’m done. I’m good. But a lot of times it’s like, I’m not actually. like if I go try a move and I fail and I go sit down like I’m not satisfied with that But if I go and I like learn something about it or I go to the top or I do like I link a move into it and out of it.
00:37:30.21
Alex
Now I’m satisfied.
00:37:32.11
Neely Quinn
m
00:37:32.29
Alex
Now it feels like I won. It feels like I made progress.
00:37:36.41
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:37:37.07
Alex
yeah but it’s a mindset it’s discipline to do that It’s habits.
00:37:40.35
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:37:41.10
Alex
It’s like creating a routine that’s different.
00:37:44.10
Neely Quinn
Yeah, it’s much easier to give up.
00:37:47.10
Alex
Yeah, or just wait. Like, oh maybe next time I’ll make more.
00:37:49.27
Neely Quinn
mm-hmm
00:37:51.68
Alex
Like I’ll do better next time. Like that’s what I used to do. And now I’m like, no, there is no next time. There’s only now. Like…
00:37:58.07
Neely Quinn
Yeah, right.
00:37:58.96
Alex
oh what What has to happen now?
00:37:58.78
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:38:01.70
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:38:01.72
Alex
um And in my Starcraft, it’s like I lose a game and I’m upset and I’m grumpy. And the easiest thing ever is just to click the button for another game. And I only feel like I’m making progress when I.
00:38:14.60
Alex
get out of that habit and instead i opened the replay and i’m like why did i lose
00:38:19.33
Neely Quinn
oh
00:38:19.63
Alex
And just by doing that, like. Just by asking the question, it’s not like I have to come up with something profound, but now my satisfaction is higher and I feel like I’m making progress.
00:38:29.02
Neely Quinn
Yeah, and now you’re treating your your sport and your hobby like… a professional athlete would. They’re reviewing the tape.
00:38:35.72
Alex
There’s more intention.
00:38:37.46
Neely Quinn
Yeah. They’re talking.
00:38:38.21
Alex
Right? We’re not just doing the thing.
00:38:38.86
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:38:40.80
Alex
Yeah. Yeah. So. That I think is. really big that kind of closed the system And.
00:38:51.53
Alex
Kind of just as a summary. find something challenging, work on it. Win. Like scale it, whatever you have to do until you’re like. That’s my win here. Construct the wind. The next thing is.
00:39:04.83
Alex
Have a plan that makes it easy to be more intentional. So. I have… Let’s say right. I’m just going to use the example of what my sessions look like right now.
00:39:16.43
Alex
I have three sessions per week. And one of those sessions, my intent, it’s bouldering, it’s projecting. and It’s to try and send one to three boulders that take at least three attempts.
00:39:29.14
Alex
That’s my plan.
00:39:31.57
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:39:32.26
Alex
that’s it Simple. and That helps me step away from grade. Because maybe on that day, it’s a V4. maybe on that day it’s a like maybe i find a v9 and it fits that maybe it’s a cool v2 that like Is it really anti-style for me? that’s Awesome.
00:39:47.60
Alex
But it helps me. detach from grades and just look for appropriate challenge.
00:39:52.63
Neely Quinn
h
00:39:53.96
Alex
The next session I have is. um a flash practice because this is super important for me and I think for everybody actually like and it’s fun and it’s engaging but it’s specific so what I do is I identify or pick One to three roots I want to try and flash. Or.
00:40:15.48
Alex
three to five boulders I want to try and flash. And then the system I use now is that I. I give myself two attempts. So I try and flash it. If I don’t, I rest one minute and I try again.
00:40:27.23
Alex
And then I move on to the next one. Yeah. But on roots, I don’t do that. I just try and flash it if I don’t. That’s okay. I move on.
00:40:35.86
Neely Quinn
h
00:40:36.02
Alex
come down, move on to the next one. And then the second part of that is revisiting the stuff I tried to flash. So if I… didn’t do it I returned to it and now I’m like do I want this to be a project what does it have to teach me like dot dot dot Or it turns into a want session and I just do whatever I want. If I don’t want to return to any of those climbs, that’s fine. I’m like.
00:40:56.35
Alex
I’ll use the rest of this session for whatever. But I have this specific. Flash practice. that I find to be really important for me. And the next session is just something that’s structured. So it’s like… two minutes on, two minutes off, any hold, any move on the kilter board, or it’s three sets of doubles, or it’s…
00:41:15.19
Alex
um Every minute on the Minute Boulders. It’s… One like work on one boulder for five minutes, rest five minutes times five. It’s… It’s a structure that it makes it so there’s no performance involved. It’s just as long as I check. As long as I do the thing, I win.
00:41:32.48
Neely Quinn
And why do you think that makes you? get better most of the time.
00:41:38.40
Alex
Because it it gets the ratio of our performance in check. Right. Like. I want to try and perform. Like. Like for me, like the ratio I found is best is one of three.
00:41:54.51
Alex
like I put that pressure that like excitement that performance anxiety that bold like that trying hard one out of three times. And then my other sessions, like it’s sandwiched between just like. I can’t fail at this.
00:42:07.70
Alex
Like there is no failing. And as long as I. do like one boulder every minute on the minute for five minutes, rest five minutes times three, whatever those boulders happen to be, I won.
00:42:18.11
Alex
Because that was my that was my goal.
00:42:18.28
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm. Yeah, which keeps you from feeling the fatigue of. performance all the time.
00:42:26.25
Alex
Yeah. all the time.
00:42:27.93
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:42:28.02
Alex
Yeah. And I just know I’m getting better. like Like I’m getting fitter by doing it or or whatever.
00:42:34.55
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:42:34.56
Alex
Yeah. Okay. So.
00:42:39.60
Alex
Um. And some. I’m just going to move on to the next thing. so I just said. become super good at creating three session goals. And this is something I think is a skill that we could all get better at.
00:42:56.38
Alex
but it’s one of the most useful things for me ever. So what I mean is I… Go. And I’m like. I want to… push myself and challenge myself. I want to do an endurance session where I do.
00:43:08.93
Alex
any hold, any move on the kilter board. at the steepest angle, like I want to find what the steepest angle I can do is And then so I go and I find out I’m like, okay, I could do one set of 50 moves at 65 degrees.
00:43:22.11
Alex
And I’m like, okay, that’s cool. What’s a three session goal? And I’m like, I want to be able to do. and i did And then the next time I tried it, I did 30 moves. So I’m like, I want to be able to do three sets of this.
00:43:35.78
Alex
I have a 75 % chance of doing that within three sessions. Like it’s appropriate. It makes sense. It feels relevant based on where I was in that moment. And then I’m going to. do three sessions of that and they don’t have to be back to back. I’ll do that once a week.
00:43:52.57
Alex
And. After that, I’m… Done. I find a new three session goal. So I go to the gym and I’m like, I want to do three sets of the hardest doubles I could do. And I just see where I’m at. I’m just curious. Where is that? And then what’s a good? goal for three sessions from now.
00:44:07.43
Alex
And after three sessions, I mix it up. I’m done. I’m done doing that. regardless of whether I completed it or not.
00:44:13.54
Neely Quinn
Mm-hmm.
00:44:14.74
Alex
Yeah, what are your thoughts?
00:44:16.78
Neely Quinn
ah Yeah, I think it’s… it keeps things fresh. It keeps you disciplined. It keeps you very. focused and intentional.
00:44:25.20
Alex
Yeah. I love, I love this. like number, like a short little goals that we put in that we then move away from.
00:44:34.03
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:44:34.24
Alex
Right. Like process goals. But it it’s a skill because. the more you do that, the better you get it like deciding what the goal should be.
00:44:44.45
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. Cause you’re trying out all different kinds of goals all the time.
00:44:47.66
Alex
Yeah. Which to me crosses over. 100 % to projecting hard roots.
00:44:53.39
Neely Quinn
Mhm.
00:44:53.39
Alex
Because when I’m like, what’s my next goal on this route? I used to be really bad at that. I’d be like send. And I was like, no, actually I need to be able to do this move three times with one minute rest in between each time.
00:44:59.42
Neely Quinn
Yeah, right, exactly
00:45:05.91
Alex
Like I need to be able to do this move three times in a session. I need to be able to link from this bolt to this bolt. I need to be able to not be scared here. Yeah, like like it just helps you.
00:45:18.35
Alex
identify what those are. It’s a skill.
00:45:19.96
Neely Quinn
m Yeah.
00:45:20.96
Alex
That. that I think we can get better at.
00:45:23.77
Neely Quinn
Yeah I love that.
00:45:25.59
Alex
Okay. Next up is… um three point fall slash no takes uh If you’ve worked with me, we’ve talked about this, but I look at videos of people climbing and I look at how they fall.
00:45:39.01
Alex
And I’m like, okay. You have three points available to you, and the more points you get, the better. The first point. Did you actually go for the hold? The second point. Did you do? Did you fight the fight to give yourself a chance to go for the hold or did you like cop out?
00:45:56.71
Alex
like, or or not be, you weren’t willing to struggle in the moment to try and win. And the third point is. Did you increase your odds of doing it better next time? That’s it.
00:46:06.97
Alex
Yeah, so. So when I look at myself fall, I’m like. Did I go for the hold? Yes or no? Did I just want out of the uncomfortable situation or did I really fight for it?
00:46:18.50
Alex
Like… Watch a World Cup. Watch a World Cup finals on lead or something. They get into a sticky situation. And they don’t like. They don’t just like…
00:46:30.38
Alex
Jump for the next hold. They don’t just like slap and fall. They fight their ass off to do everything in their power to get. to like try and unlock the situation they’re in.
00:46:42.19
Alex
And that’s what I’m talking about there.
00:46:44.13
Neely Quinn
h
00:46:44.92
Alex
um An analogy I use is when I… ah was. playing a lot of chess and I had a coach and I’d go to a tournament. and we would look at my games and they’re like I’d write down how long I spent on each move.
00:46:57.09
Alex
They’re… The coach would be like. Okay, so… You basic. You basically couldn’t lose in this situation. There’s like eight moves you can make. They’re all fine. And you spent 10 minutes.
00:47:09.09
Alex
And then you have to find this one move not to lose. And you spent 20 seconds.
00:47:13.94
Neely Quinn
m
00:47:15.08
Alex
And it’s because I know it, it’s it’s just uncomfortable. It’s like scary. It’s like hard to be there. And I want out. like Yeah, like I’m like, um I’m good.
00:47:27.18
Alex
Yeah.
00:47:27.22
Neely Quinn
Yeah. So how do you…
00:47:29.22
Alex
Yeah.
00:47:30.61
Neely Quinn
Can like, how do you. get your clients to spend more time in that discomfort.
00:47:37.83
Alex
I just actually want them to spend more time there. like when i look at the video i’m like look you spent one second trying to figure this move out I want you to be up there for 30. like Try different beta. Try something. bail to a jug.
00:47:53.79
Alex
And then grab the hold you’re going to. Like. Don’t just like… Take the easy way out that doesn’t. progress you in some way.
00:48:04.82
Neely Quinn
And what would they eat?
00:48:04.97
Alex
And it’s a.
00:48:06.22
Neely Quinn
What?
00:48:05.100
Alex
It’s a fine line, right? Because like i like I said, I like to hesitate before doing hard things. So for me, I have like the hard thing for me is to like. see a dynamic move and just go for it.
00:48:18.74
Alex
instead of spend 40 seconds trying to find a static way to do it. That’s not what I’m talking about. like You have to identify what your uncomfortable thing is.
00:48:29.31
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:48:31.27
Alex
Yeah.
00:48:31.33
Neely Quinn
Yeah, that’s really tricky. And honestly, I think it. can help to have feedback from others. look at video, have a coach.
00:48:36.80
Alex
Videos. Look at videos.
00:48:38.56
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:48:39.40
Alex
Cause like what we feel like real versus feel is so off.
00:48:42.03
Neely Quinn
Right. oh
00:48:43.51
Alex
I’m like, I spent an hour trying to figure out that move and then I’m like two seconds you know
00:48:49.29
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:48:50.14
Alex
Or like, I rested for so long. And then you’re like, that was 20 seconds. like
00:48:53.87
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:48:54.85
Alex
Like we’re just so wrong all the time.
00:48:57.34
Neely Quinn
Yeah, it’s true.
00:48:58.36
Alex
yeah or like i really went for that move and my hand never left the hole that was on
00:48:58.22
Neely Quinn
It’s tough.
00:49:04.33
Alex
Like… That happens to me all the time.
00:49:07.08
Neely Quinn
The other part of this was no takes, you said. do you tell your clients to do that?
00:49:11.46
Alex
Use this for my, yeah. Yeah, I’m like… Oh, I hear that you’re really stuck. I hear that you want to be leading. things that you’re not I hear that you want to be sending boulders and going for moves that you’re not and I’m like so set a period set a specific period of time and have a no-take rule. It doesn’t mean you have to be risky.
00:49:31.99
Alex
yeah but it means like and i say this to my bouldering clients all the time it’s like you took Like you didn’t go for the move you took. That’s a take. Yeah. And. For my rope clients, like I actually mean.
00:49:44.77
Alex
Don’t take. Like if you need to take a fall, take a fall at your bolt. Your bolt can be above you, but you’re not allowed to say take for two months.
00:49:53.15
Neely Quinn
Whoa.
00:49:53.08
Alex
Like it’s totally fine.
00:49:55.01
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:49:55.14
Alex
Um, Yeah, that’s kind of extreme, but… Very effective.
00:50:00.77
Neely Quinn
Yeah, I mean, that’ll break a habit.
00:50:02.68
Alex
I mean all team kids basically have to do that. Yes. periods of their coaching time and that’s why they’re like brave little monsters, you know?
00:50:10.46
Neely Quinn
mm-hmm
00:50:11.78
Alex
So there’s that.
00:50:13.32
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:50:13.52
Alex
But just kind of looking for those moments. Okay. Cool. Um… The next one is spend time climbing training with people who are…
00:50:24.19
Alex
more advanced than you. i I think it’s one of the most like. safe investments you can make.
00:50:31.60
Neely Quinn
I think so, too.
00:50:31.71
Alex
Spend like… 25 % of your time climbing with people or around them. You don’t even have to talk to them. just Don’t run away from that part of the gym when they’re there. Go to that part of the gym when they’re there. and And like. interact like climb on the same stuff, be around.
00:50:47.96
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:50:48.97
Alex
Yeah.
00:50:49.35
Neely Quinn
What do you think that?
00:50:49.65
Alex
yeah what are your thoughts Yeah, I’m like, explain, Neely. Yeah.
00:50:53.69
Neely Quinn
I mean. ah Yeah, I think that that was a huge turning point for me. And like when I shot up in my climbing. was in rifle when I heard about, I it wasn’t even around them necessarily. I just heard about women. doing 13b 13c 13d And I was like.
00:51:14.74
Neely Quinn
I mean, this was a long time ago, so that wasn’t like super common. And I was like, I didn’t even know that that was possible.
00:51:19.21
Alex
Yeah.
00:51:21.27
Neely Quinn
So, and then I remember it just entering my brain. I was like, I could do that. And it was simply by having models.
00:51:27.69
Alex
They freaking did. Yeah.
00:51:29.82
Neely Quinn
Yeah, totally.
00:51:30.25
Alex
Yeah.
00:51:31.06
Neely Quinn
So. I agree. But I think that a lot of people are intimidated. you know. to hang out.
00:51:38.11
Alex
Yeah.
00:51:38.11
Neely Quinn
With.
00:51:39.60
Alex
But again, like. Making progress isn’t always about getting better. It’s about… wanting to do things that are intimidating to us and not doing them Like that’s a plateau.
00:51:51.07
Alex
It’s like wanting to climb with somebody who’s stronger and then.
00:51:51.31
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:51:54.32
Alex
feeling too scared to do it.
00:51:58.72
Neely Quinn
Well, What do you think it does? for people to be around people who are more advanced.
00:52:05.74
Alex
Well, you get smart advice. It. open it like break it like like what you said it opens your idea of what’s possible which is necessary for…
00:52:17.56
Alex
Okay, here’s an example. the first ascent of every climb.
00:52:23.80
Alex
It’s actually harder. than it is for like the Five hundredth percent.
00:52:31.05
Neely Quinn
Mm-hmm.
00:52:31.05
Alex
of it, right? Like, like, once you know, it’s possible It’s a different deal. Like anytime you’re trying to do something that you don’t really embody is impossible. it’s going to be so much harder.
00:52:43.69
Neely Quinn
h
00:52:43.98
Alex
Like when I moved to Boulder. Um. from the middle of nowhere, Texas. And I’m like, i’m like okay. climbing v5 is a Girl was super.
00:52:55.07
Alex
ah like super up there where I lived. And now I’m watching 70 year olds climb V5. That’s cool. And also… Whoa. Like.
00:53:05.49
Alex
I could climb. Maybe I can climb harder then. B5. And I’m seeing it all the time. And that’s one of the things I love about living where we live, actually, is like anything I want to do, there’s always.
00:53:18.89
Alex
people who are more advanced at it. And I started liking to use the word more advanced than better. Like, I think it’s just. Like, I think there’s some language there that’s important in our brains. Because.
00:53:28.91
Neely Quinn
h
00:53:29.72
Alex
It’s just like a different place on the. the line of doing something.
00:53:34.07
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:53:36.69
Neely Quinn
Yeah. I mean, you can get… stuck in comparison traps. Like if… But it it does show you what’s possible. and And you can emulate.
00:53:44.96
Alex
Yeah.
00:53:46.96
Neely Quinn
what people are doing in their own training, in their own diet, in their to a certain extent to in their own like self-care to help yourself.
00:53:54.68
Alex
Yeah. Yeah.
00:53:56.74
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:53:57.57
Alex
yeah and just like feedback in the moment like somebody be like Oh have you tried this foot? And then you try that foot and you do the move and you’re like, I was strong enough.
00:54:08.11
Neely Quinn
h
00:54:08.71
Alex
Like you rack up those moments you’re gonna get better
00:54:11.82
Neely Quinn
Well, or like the difference between climbing with a bunch of beginners rather than climbing with like. my husband, right? If. There are a lot of times beginners are just going to go up a thing and then come down.
00:54:25.35
Alex
Yeah.
00:54:25.56
Neely Quinn
having flailed all over it.
00:54:27.59
Alex
Mm hmm.
00:54:27.80
Neely Quinn
and Whereas my husband, if he were bullying them, he’d be like Heat. you should stop there and work that out. And that’s like.
00:54:35.81
Alex
And they speed up the process.
00:54:35.91
Neely Quinn
a benefit.
00:54:37.48
Alex
Such a benefit.
00:54:37.75
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:54:38.75
Alex
Yeah.
00:54:38.78
Neely Quinn
Right. Just little things.
00:54:40.88
Alex
And I am going to say that I have worked with a lot of people who. uh are The majority of them, I encourage them to climb with people who climb harder than them. But there are some cases where their confidence is so shot.
00:54:55.46
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
00:54:56.17
Alex
And they’ve forgotten that they’re good at what they’re doing already.
00:54:58.92
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:54:59.62
Alex
Like, and I’m like. Have you been a mentor recently? have you Have you been a better person? Like the more advanced person? In your… Like. Go do that.
00:55:10.84
Alex
Go remind yourself like how far you’ve come.
00:55:13.45
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:55:14.22
Alex
Like it’s so good.
00:55:15.47
Neely Quinn
Yeah that’s really valuable.
00:55:17.12
Alex
Yeah. Okay. So. My next… big thing I wanted like the next like kind of Big topic is changing it up. And. I mean, I’m autistic. Change is not like my deal. Like. And ah unfortunately.
00:55:33.75
Alex
Every time I’m in a plateau and I get out of it and I feel super awesome, it’s been after some sort of change. Because like…
00:55:40.71
Neely Quinn
Wait.
00:55:40.78
Alex
To me defining a plateau might also be like just stuck doing the same thing over and over wanting
00:55:40.97
Neely Quinn
Every time.
00:55:45.89
Neely Quinn
Okay.
00:55:46.44
Alex
a different result right
00:55:47.46
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:55:48.70
Alex
So some sort of change. like Like if you take three things from this podcast that you weren’t doing before and you start doing them, to me, that’s change. but I’m also talking about Like…
00:56:02.32
Alex
If you feel stuck bouldering. Maybe try getting on roots once a week. If you feel stuck on roots, maybe try bouldering once a week. if you’re feeling stuck on vert climbs like and you’re only climbing vert or slab, like spend 50 % of your time on steep stuff for three months. like If you are feeling stale at your gym and you have options to go to a different gym. Peace.
00:56:26.12
Alex
Change your membership for a month. Like. go to a different place like i’ve been feeling stuck and stagnant in the red and i’m like Maybe we need to not go to the red this month. or this year for a month. Maybe we need to Change it up.
00:56:39.85
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:56:40.32
Alex
And. It’s hard to do, right? because Because it gets so easy to just like do what we do. but I think. changing it up is like one of the biggest ways of getting out of a plateau.
00:56:53.53
Neely Quinn
Yeah. I agree. I totally agree It’s pretty boring
00:57:00.18
Alex
and Climb with a different person. yeah like ah like that is awesome like sometimes I’m like I’ve just been feeling Weak in comparison to Luke. all the time and not even weak just less psyched a lesser like i’m not having as much fun as he is And that’s.
00:57:18.47
Alex
The only person I’m climbing with, I love climbing with him, but maybe I need to climb with a girlfriend once a week for three weeks. And just remember like that it’s fun to just like.
00:57:24.64
Neely Quinn
Wow.
00:57:27.73
Alex
talk and interact and
00:57:30.00
Neely Quinn
What?
00:57:29.94
Alex
be in the community and say hi to people.
00:57:32.24
Neely Quinn
And on that note, you are a different person depending on who you’re climbing with sometimes.
00:57:35.87
Alex
Yeah.
00:57:36.74
Neely Quinn
and
00:57:37.03
Alex
That’s such a good point.
00:57:38.22
Neely Quinn
especially if you ah don’t totally trust the belayer which is way more common than I thought it was if you don’t trust the belayer that you’re always climbing with So you’re not.
00:57:48.21
Neely Quinn
able to go for things and try hard climbs like that’s huge find somebody who you do trust
00:57:53.02
Alex
Yeah. So change the people, the place, the situation. Right? Um. and And I put as an example here, like you always climb on the kilter, try the tension.
00:58:05.35
Alex
um Like… I’m constantly doing that for clients. Like. What are you super comfortable with that’s like… not actually doing it for you anymore.
00:58:16.38
Alex
How can we change it up a little bit? Not that the thing you’re doing is bad.
00:58:18.11
Neely Quinn
h
00:58:20.01
Alex
Come back to it. But like. Mix it up.
00:58:24.23
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:58:25.43
Alex
Yeah.
00:58:25.59
Neely Quinn
Totally support that. Yes.
00:58:27.86
Alex
Sweet. Um. And. I… Like… An example here is I was feeling stagnant in my strength training routine.
00:58:38.98
Alex
So I had a two-part approach to it because I was rehabbing my shoulder and just feeling stagnant. I did an eight-week. shoulder rehab program with Natasha Barnes. Changed it up. Got me doing stuff. Got me like.
00:58:50.57
Alex
So helpful. And then. I started to feel stagnant after that ended. And like, I’m like, yeah, I’m strength training. I’m doing my stuff, but am I doing it? So I started working with a strength training coach once a week.
00:59:02.29
Alex
And… Now I’m like, oh, my deadlift is getting better. My bench is getting better. It makes sense. I’ve offloaded like. Sometimes we just need that.
00:59:10.24
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
00:59:10.56
Alex
that That’s what I need to get out of a plateau.
00:59:13.17
Neely Quinn
Yeah. I mean. I i would don’t know if I would put this in plateau, but. I’ve been so bored. I mean, I love the Boulder Rock Club. and i’ve been going there for like almost 30 years but i am so bored of it Just the angles, the the height, the everything.
00:59:30.57
Neely Quinn
And so I just started going to G1 and the spot and. basically anywhere else.
00:59:38.53
Alex
And how’s that been for you?
00:59:39.66
Neely Quinn
And it’s been great. I feel motivated. I feel like excited when i while I’m climbing. when I come down. um And. I feel like it’s it’s made me like.
00:59:51.02
Neely Quinn
inspired again.
00:59:53.21
Alex
I love that And I think that’s attainable actually for a lot of people these days.
00:59:58.34
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:59:59.02
Alex
Like.
00:59:58.88
Neely Quinn
I think so too.
00:59:59.85
Alex
Yeah. And we just don’t realize it. Like you could freeze your membership. They’re like, but I don’t know anybody there.
01:00:04.13
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:00:05.53
Alex
I’m like, but it’s gonna be scary and exciting.
01:00:08.97
Neely Quinn
Well, and be I mean.
01:00:08.92
Alex
Yeah, and maybe you need some spice. yeah
01:00:11.34
Neely Quinn
I think that people don’t want to spend any extra money on it. And I totally get it. Some people just can’t. But I also think like if climbing is your. It’s like the thing that you spend the second. most more most time.
01:00:26.46
Neely Quinn
Was that? Makes sense. thing It’s like, you’ve got work. and family and then climbing. It’s a… pretty high priority. And so I just think that it.
01:00:34.79
Alex
Yeah.
01:00:36.57
Neely Quinn
It. deserves a little bit more. financial energy, if you have it.
01:00:41.78
Alex
Yeah. Yeah. I agree. um Okay. then I said here… um
01:00:53.71
Alex
smarten up your goals. And what I meant by that was… There’s the SMART acronym, which is specific, measurable. Um… appropriate or applicable.
01:01:07.61
Alex
relevant, timely. And then I like the EN because I like entertaining. And I like newer.
01:01:16.11
Neely Quinn
Hmm.
01:01:15.90
Alex
Yeah. So smarten. Yeah. Like. Bye. Are you excited about what you’re doing? Like. Or are you in a routine that is kind of boring? Do you feel like you’re clocking in or do you feel excited about it?
01:01:28.28
Alex
um So just kind of. re-look at your goals. i think that’s really important. I actually had a fun conversation about this with a Starcraft player recently. where Whereas like, I don’t know what I want to be doing in my climbing. well, what are your climbing goals right now? Like, and I was like,
01:01:45.79
Alex
what are my climbing goals like what are the actual little ones that like would fill me up.
01:01:50.58
Neely Quinn
m
01:01:50.66
Alex
And I didn’t actually have any. And so I started thinking about it. It’s like, oh, well, that’s cool. Like I needed to revisit my goals. um Yeah.
01:02:02.10
Neely Quinn
So… You, what are your climbing goals right now?
01:02:07.85
Alex
Well, it’s to send a piece of cake And you could see how that alone.
01:02:11.05
Neely Quinn
huh
01:02:13.89
Alex
cannot do the trick.
01:02:16.08
Neely Quinn
Right.
01:02:17.12
Alex
Right. So I’m like, OK, well. What are they? And I’m like, I was at a loss. And so i’m I’m actually, it’s still a work in progress, but I was like.
01:02:30.33
Alex
I have to think about it They’re not just coming to me.
01:02:34.89
Neely Quinn
Yeah, because for a while it was like make progress on Piece of Cake.
01:02:39.01
Alex
Yeah.
01:02:40.17
Neely Quinn
And…
01:02:40.38
Alex
And it still is like, I have a lot. It’s like, I want to one hang piece of cake. I wanted like, there’s my projecting checklist. But ultimately… those goals aren’t making me like.
01:02:52.29
Alex
psyched for climbing.
01:02:54.44
Neely Quinn
Well, and in your case, they’re not making you more psyched for climbing than you are for Starcraft.
01:03:01.02
Alex
Very true.
01:03:02.39
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:03:03.79
Alex
And I’m just having to be okay with that, actually.
01:03:03.66
Neely Quinn
You’d have to really…
01:03:06.02
Alex
Like, like is it bad that I want to… be a better Starcraft player right now. then I care about being a better climber.
01:03:13.49
Neely Quinn
Uh huh.
01:03:13.82
Alex
And for me, the answer is I’m okay with that. I just want climbing to be in my life. I want to support my partner. I want to have fun. I want to be engaged. and i want to be doing the thing so that when inevitably that psych does come back full force i’m not like so far removed from it that it’s like oh well Ooh, what a journey.
01:03:33.42
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:03:34.87
Alex
Yeah.
01:03:35.64
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Okay.
01:03:37.76
Alex
Yeah.
01:03:37.73
Neely Quinn
Smarten up your goals. Got it.
01:03:39.54
Alex
So revisit your goals. Think about them.
01:03:41.90
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:03:42.07
Alex
um And… I mean, that’s kind of what I wrote down, but I wanted just to talk about some, like what I think is actually really important, like the takeaways. like the summary.
01:03:52.38
Neely Quinn
Okay.
01:03:53.20
Alex
Yeah, which is just…
01:03:53.17
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:03:55.80
Alex
There are tools to increase your satisfaction. And when thinking about getting over a plateau, it should be to increase your satisfaction with what you’re doing. It’s not always about getting better. it’s so like Are you enjoying what you’re doing at the level you want to be doing?
01:04:10.01
Alex
or like the level you want.
01:04:10.16
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:04:13.66
Alex
So. their tools like we talked about. throughout the podcast. Peace. Deal to send. That’s when I have all my clients do. And I’ve started being super specific about it because I was like, I need to see one video of you scaling. And then I see one video of them like.
01:04:27.64
Alex
adding a hold and doing a move and I’m like that’s almost it but I’ve started saying at least one time in your session I want you to scale descend So I want you to find something you can’t do, scale it, send it.
01:04:39.92
Alex
And that’s unlocking so many doors.
01:04:42.92
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:04:44.32
Alex
um So. tools Yeah, like. Sets and reps. If there’s a move you can’t do or a theme of a move you can’t do, find a version you could do. Like if if I’m like.
01:04:56.57
Alex
I suck at dynamic movement. So I’m going to find a big move. And. I’m gonna find a big move that I can do. and then i’m gonna do it once i’m gonna rest two minutes i’m gonna do it three times and i’m gonna be like I did my work Yeah, like I got better at it today.
01:05:12.88
Neely Quinn
h
01:05:13.06
Alex
Um. I get asked this a lot. like What drill should I do first? to climb better on steep stuff. I’m like, Find a boulder that you cut feet on and don’t cut feet.
01:05:24.31
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:05:24.55
Alex
Like and do like Do that every time you clap. Like… Find a boulder that’s like challenging for you not to cut your feet on that’s steep and like you’ll get better body tension on steep stuff.
01:05:36.35
Alex
Um.
01:05:36.34
Neely Quinn
Okay.
01:05:37.76
Alex
Yeah. And. Balance the performance versus the training time. It’s so easy and climbing just to be chasing sends and I think it always ends up in ah in a burnt out plateau feeling.
01:05:52.12
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:05:54.21
Alex
And the second one is that change one, right? People, routines, places, people, expectations you have on yourself. change it like you gotta you gotta to find a change and The third one is…
01:06:08.90
Alex
Conversations. Like my conversations with the Starcraft person where I’m like. Oh, I didn’t realize that I don’t have any like… sports psych approved goals right now in my climbing.
01:06:21.01
Alex
Like. I forgot. God. to do that. like And it’s been a minute. you know like like talk to people about how you’re feeling about what you’re doing. um Ask for feedback.
01:06:30.00
Neely Quinn
m
01:06:33.59
Alex
talk to yourself about it. Like you don’t even have to talk to other people.
01:06:37.26
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:06:37.60
Alex
But that’s like that zooming out, you know, like. Like really get curious about that bigger picture.
01:06:43.27
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Mm hmm.
01:06:45.37
Alex
Boom, we did it. What do you think? How was that? Was that helpful?
01:06:48.55
Neely Quinn
I think. That was great. And I think it’s interesting because I… think that most people well maybe knowing us they would know better but If the…
01:06:59.02
Neely Quinn
Clicked on this episode. they might have thought that you’d be like, okay, if you’re weak at this train, this, if you’re. weak at this, train this, you know.
01:07:09.99
Neely Quinn
And that there are specific drills for specific. you know, deficits in your movement or there are, and And I do think that all of that is totally true.
01:07:22.12
Neely Quinn
There really are things that… People can train. and drill. If there are really specific weaknesses and deficits. And so I don’t want to.
01:07:33.75
Neely Quinn
I don’t want to like undercut that. I think it’s valid. And I think that like getting a coach or talking to friends or. getting a program, whatever could. help that.
01:07:44.58
Neely Quinn
but you more focused on like the softer parts of it what do you think about that
01:07:50.40
Alex
Yeah. Because. That’s what’s given me the most benefit. like if like I… I’m prone to being way too specific. and when I get a little more general I get better.
01:08:04.01
Alex
So like, if I’m like. I don’t feel very strong right now like I’m struggling on the level of moves I could do. like the moves on my project feel too hard i’m just gonna i’m gonna Project on the kilter board once a week.
01:08:18.29
Alex
or a board once a week. If I’m like. I… don’t feel like I have enough endurance to do links on my project. I’m like. I’m going to commit to four to six sessions of doubles on roots.
01:08:30.51
Alex
I’ve learned that I don’t have to be more specific than that.
01:08:33.77
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:08:34.97
Alex
Like… A plus B plus C. Does equal. what you want sometimes, but it could just be one thing. And that one thing could be anything, like so many things.
01:08:43.97
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:08:46.75
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah.
01:08:48.01
Alex
Yeah. And I mean, these are the conversations I’m having with my clients all the time where it’s just like, this is why you continuously end up in plateaus or you have been and you feel like. perma stock.
01:08:58.93
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:08:58.97
Alex
It’s because you’re not being general enough.
01:09:01.50
Neely Quinn
Mm hmm.
01:09:01.49
Alex
You’re looking for that specific. one solution and it’s It’s not it. like
01:09:08.39
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:09:08.41
Alex
It’s that you’re not like constructing wins. You’re not leaving the gym feeling satisfied. You’re leaving the gym feeling. Dissatisfied.
01:09:17.56
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. Cool. Well I think you covered a lot today.
01:09:21.28
Alex
Yeah.
01:09:24.20
Neely Quinn
And…
01:09:24.52
Alex
I hope so.
01:09:25.69
Neely Quinn
It obviously came from. Lots of experience, not only with yourself, but with all of your. many, many clients. So as usual, thank you for your wisdom.
01:09:36.51
Neely Quinn
Um, Is there anything else you want to add?
01:09:40.49
Alex
I just I mean, I love hearing from people. So if you listen to this and you found certain elements of it helpful to you, you have certain takeaways, please message them to me. I think that’s always super rewarding. I think one of the things I get the most bummed about sometimes is like.
01:09:56.42
Alex
We… Like you put something out there. And then you hear people like it at some point in time, but you’re like, I never got any individual like. I like, I want interaction.
01:10:07.18
Alex
so Feel free to interact.
01:10:07.45
Neely Quinn
h
01:10:08.28
Alex
with me.
01:10:09.42
Neely Quinn
Yeah. Yeah. And you can email her at alexatrainingbeta .com. And then also you’re taking new clients right now for the first time in a long time.
01:10:16.65
Alex
I have three new spaces. Yeah.
01:10:18.71
Neely Quinn
Yeah.
01:10:19.48
Alex
ah And i I expect those will. fill up pretty quick and if you You want one of those. It’s not like I’ve opened up the thing on the the sales page, but just. email me I think that’s the best way and we’ll get you in I’ll let you know If it’s still available, but that space, I’m only working with people in eight call packages at the moment, just because that’s what I love.
01:10:42.68
Alex
I don’t. I love. diving in. And so it’s a six plus month coaching program. And like I said, I have three spaces available and then probably won’t have more for another six months. So if you do want to work with me, reach out. like as soon as possible
01:10:58.80
Neely Quinn
Okay. So there are three spaces. They work with you for six months. It’s how much?
01:11:05.99
Alex
1650.
01:11:07.93
Neely Quinn
And that can be paid monthly or in the six month block.
01:11:12.42
Alex
Correct.
01:11:13.22
Neely Quinn
And they can email you if they’re interested and you will get right back to them. And that’s alexatrainingbeta .com.
01:11:20.61
Alex
mm-hmm Yep.
01:11:22.13
Neely Quinn
Okay. Cool. All right. I think that’s it then. I hope that you have a great day. Are you playing StarCraft today?
01:11:29.64
Alex
Of course.
01:11:29.52
Neely Quinn
Do you have clients?
01:11:31.35
Alex
Yes. Yes and yes.
01:11:33.30
Neely Quinn
Yes. and Yes. All right. Well, have a good one and I’ll talk to you soon.
01:11:36.79
Alex
Bye, Nealey. Thank you.
