Nate and I sit down to discuss how we feel about climbing gym grades. Do they matter? Should they be taken seriously?

It's the journey that matters most. Or is it?

With the amount of available information on training for climbing growing rapidly, it becomes increasingly harder to know what is worth keeping and what's trash.

Good thing the outdoors doesn’t have comment cards.

It's exactly the same amount of challenging for you no matter what number anyone attaches to it.

How often do you give 100%? REALLY give 100%? I make my living coaching climbers, and I seldom see a climber try their hardest.  Myself included.

If you want to be physically prepared for rock climbing, you need to concern yourself with the following components:

Let's face it, there are some really bad ideas out there.

A lot of us feel like we know the right answers, but aren’t sure which out of the seemingly endless stream of "right answers" we should be using.

What if wanting to be a better climber is the reason you aren’t improving?

Even the sprayers with good intentions might be harming you.

Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.

It's the new buzzword that's been around forever: sandbagged.

Fact is, I train hard.  I train smart.

There are loads of pro-climber "training" videos out there that are at best, silly, and at worst, irresponsible.

Goals aren't made to be met.

While in the gym, for the most part, boulderers are closer than sport climbers to training the correct way.

You aren’t training. You’re working out. There’s a difference.

If you believe that cross-training will help you become a better climber, keep reading.

There are two main dangerous types that thrive in the chalky environment in climbing gyms: The Lurker and The Exspurt.