Modus Cafe: Conversations Beyond Climbing

Do you feel slow or static on most climbing moves or steer clear of dynamic moves? It might be a telltale sign of insufficient power if you're avoiding dynamic movement like the plague. In this podcast, we're joined by Steve Bechtel, who will unpack the critical role of power in climbing. We'll explore effective ways to train for power so you can be confident in your approach, clarify common misconceptions about what power training isn't, and discuss how to effectively integrate these strategies into your climbing programming. Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

You don't have to project or climb your limit to climb hard in your sessions. In this podcast, we redefine what trying hard means, and it looks different depending on the session.    Mercedes shares a bit about her training process coming back from an injury, and limit climbing is not in the cards for her. She shares what she does instead.    Katja share her transition from strength phase to her current phase which includes some outdoor climbing.    We also share some of our favorite drills to that help you improve your climbing capacity without completely wrecking yourself. Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Our special guest today shares her experience as a mom, training with little time, while in her fifties! She is seeing progress and finds joy in her training. Join us today as she shares her tips for training and how to keep consistent if you're a busy human. Enrollment is open for our climbing training membership, where we take care of your climbing training! Sign up here: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together

At Modus, we love drills, and we do many of them! But we thought we would share two drills that are our favorite and our go-tos if you have minimal time or have a tough time deciding what you need to focus on. If you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced climber, these two drills will change how you experience climbing, and as a bonus, you'll also become more confident. Katja shares her upcoming climbing plans and the importance of effective bouldering warm-ups, while Coach Merc introduces a game-changing drill that promises significant improvements in reach, control, and body tension. We discuss the benefits of these techniques, how to use them, and provide insights into incorporating them into your routine. Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want a simple training program to follow? Join our amazing group training membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together  

Join Coach Merc & Katja from Modus Athletica and climbing coach Steve Bechtel from Climb Strong in an in-depth conversation on Specific Training for Climbing. We cover more nuanced climbing training topics, emphasizing the critical balance between general strength and specific climbing training. Learn from Steve's expert insights on various training boards, the role of technique over raw strength, and the effective use of video self-assessment to refine climbing skills. For climbers who aim to stay in the sport long-term while balancing performance, this episode offers perspectives on improving finger strength, understanding the importance of overall athleticism, and exploring efficient strength gains. This episode is perfect for climbers at all levels looking to push their limits and coaches seeking fresh insights into climbing training methodologies. Links mentioned in the episode: Project direct article link. https://www.projectdirectcoaching.com/blog/whatmetricsmatter Slow-motion climbing https://youtu.be/isZ176DKNN4 High step strength drill https://youtube.com/shorts/p18uP1bzGlc  

There are subtle ways our ego can creep into our climbing sessions, especially when we are in "training" mode. This podcast discusses signs of ego, how we sabotage ourselves without knowing it, and how we avoid looking weak by sacrificing what's best for us.   There is also a big difference between training and performing, which is important to define and realize if you are currently training.    Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Do you ever feel like you don't belong in climbing spaces? Or maybe you don't quite feel like a "climber" yet? This episode explores cultural reasons why this happens and what you can do if you want to "belong." This one was definitely a deeper more emotional episode, and I was happy to have the opportunity to discuss this one!

If you ever feel heavy, like you're walking through mud with your training, or even having a hard time showing up at the gym, it could mean you are suffering from burnout.  This happens to most folks to devote time and effort to a skill. The grind is real.  In this episode, we give you a few things to consider to help you overcome burnout, or signs that you can might be reaching burnout.  Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Here is the second episode in our training series with Steve Bechtel. We discuss the importance of general strength training for climbers as well as across our human lifespan. We discuss exercise selection, bodyweight vs resistance training, how to choose the right intensity, and Steve's favorite exercise. We still have our free pull-up masterclass available which you join here: https://www.modusathletica.com/pullup-masterclass-signup If you'd like to join our 12-week coaching program, hit this link https://www.modusathletica.com/pulling-strong  

In this episode of Modus Cafe, Mercedes discusses the benefits of developing pull-up strength for climbers and non-climbers. She also covers the essential exercises to nail your pull-up and provides a pull-up program framework that you can start working on. If you'd like to get our free pull-up masterclass, join here: https://www.modusathletica.com/pullup-masterclass-signup If you'd like to join our 12 week coaching program, hit this link https://www.modusathletica.com/pulling-strong Some of the topics covered in this podcast: Pulling movement in climbing Pull-ups for women/sex differences Do we need pull-up strength in climbing? How to build a strong pull-up Difference of opinion in this pull-up exercise Pull-up intensity Why arching pull-ups are great for climbers. Antagonist training. How long does it take to get a pull-up? Recovery. How to train without getting elbow tendonitis

In this episode, we discuss the impact of failure in the context of climbing. Failure is part of our beautiful sport, and as climbing coaches, we often see that failure can lead to feelings of inadequacy and unhappiness. We propose a slightly different approach to change or redefine failure, celebrating effort and progress rather than focusing on final achievements. We also question why near-successes are perceived as failures. Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

This episode embraces long-term, consistent training as a transformative lifestyle choice. Discover why dedicating a minimum of three months to training is just the beginning of experiencing significant enhancements in strength and endurance. We share insights on the pivotal role of tracking progress, physical and mental health impacts, and the art of redefining "training" to ensure clarity and purpose. With time, you'll experience the rewards of persistence and the beauty of adapting to the ebbs and flows of training life. Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

In this limited series, we welcome Steve Bechtel from Climb Strong to discuss the main facets of climbing training. We'll cover Endurance, Strength, Power, Power Endurance, Recovery, and Program design. In this episode, we will cover Endurance 101 for the climber who needs and wants to train endurance. We cover what the endurance energy system is, its role in climbing, assessments, how boulderers and sport climbers can train endurance, and chat about common mistakes and myths. We hope you enjoy this episode! If you have any questions, please comment below, and we'll answer them in a follow-up episode. Check out Steve Bechtel's training programs and resources right here https://www.climbstrong.com/ Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together

In this podcast episode, we talked about the subjective nature of climbing grades. We question the reliability of the grading system, highlighting the variability among climbers and potential bias. As we know, climbing should be viewed as a skill-based sport rather than being tied to a grade, so we offer some options on how to measure your own progress, and what value you should place on your climbing.   We also share some of our favorite quotes about grades. Here the Intagram link to the post I was referring to. Please feel free to share your own one liners that make you feel motivated about climbing and seeing progress. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3qKb0mJEr6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Healthy humans make healthy climbers. At Modus, this is our focus when we train our athletes. Our goal is to help athletes feel good, and perform well. Listen to today's episode to see which areas we focus on, and we highlight 3 aspects that you can take action on in your training. Did you know grip strength is a main measure of longevity? Being able to hang for 2mins means your at the top percentile for living a longer, healthier life. We have an amazing program dedicated to this! We train you to hang for 3mins, while improving your grip strength, shoulder strength and mobility, and your gateway into hangboarding: https://www.modusathletica.com/hanging-tough Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/  

A plateau might not be what you think it is, but no matter what the definition is, if you feel stuck where you are at right now in your climbing, this podcast will help you understand where you can make changes, and possibly even change the perspective of your performance.   If you want a training program that will help you change your current level of climbing, as well as help your technique, strength and flexibility, join our training membership, Stronger Together https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   We also have a free training Masterclass you get start with: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier  

Modus Coach Katja shares how she went from wanting to break into V6 to sending many V6's and climbing V7's in about 12 weeks working with Mercedes in her program, Modus Performance Training. She'll share some of how she got there and what you can do too.   If you'd like to join Modus Performance Training, our next round starts February 26th! Hit this link for more info https://www.modusathletica.com/mpt   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

In this podcast, we got a little personal and talked briefly about what it was like living in Germany, and recent travels Mercedes did. Then, we dove into the two best opportunities for recovery, so that you can climb and feel your best. As we know, recovery is an important aspect of rest, but how do we do this so that it's not overwhelming? We hope to answer this in this podcast. We outline a few ways to easily include recovery and some bonus strategies so that you can recover just as hard as you train for climbing. Topics include the importance of proper movement, auto-regulation, managing stress levels, sleep, and the benefits of protein in the diet. We are excited to open up enrollment to Modus Performance Training! This is our amazing 8-week training course to help intermediate climbers learn to train and experience a new level of climbing. If you're looking to break through a plateau and want a world class coaching experience, join now with an early bird price! We begin February 26th. https://www.modusathletica.com/mpt Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Warming up is more than just increasing blood flow to your muscles. We cover some lesser-known topics and reasons for warming up. We even go into how to change the warm-up based on the session type, for example, climbing endurance versus climbing projecting. If you want to get started with training, we have a webinar The Ultimate Guide To Your First Training Program that includes strength training with climbing drills. You can sign up for it right here: https://www.modusathletica.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-your-first-training-plan And we are excited to be running our 8-week training program starting February 19th, Modus Performance Training will take care of all the details, you just show up to train! Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

In this podcast, we talk about the importance of strength training for climbers, and cover in-depth the 5 fundamental movement patterns that you should focus on as a climber and human. We talk about where to start with each one and how to progress or regress the exercises to suit your needs. We also talk about whether you actually need to train your end ranges as a newer trainee and the common mistakes that occur that lead to injury. We hope that this information arms you with the confidence to start strength training. We talked about the stick hinge, here's the link to learn the movement, a super old video, but a good one lol https://youtu.be/NPHXCwVV-LE If you want to get started with training, we have a webinar The Ultimate Guide To Your First Training Program that includes strength training with climbing drills. You can sign up for here Right here! And we are excited to be running our 8-week training program starting February 19th, Modus Performance Training will take care of all the details, you just show up to train! Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

At Modus, we LOVE strength training, and we program it for all of our clients and members. To explain further why we do this, we decided to do a series on the importance of strength training. In this podcast, we discussed various aspects of strength training, including its benefits for climbers and the general public, the misconceptions and myths of strength training, and the importance of consistency and learning movement patterns. We also talked about the specific benefits and exercises for climbers. We also discussed the importance of intensity in strength training and the various movement patterns involved. Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier  

Learn how to optimize your resting tactics and skills to stay on the wall longer. Resting on the wall is a skill; we cover the best way to start practicing this. For example, relaxing certain body parts, doing specific shake outs, focusing on specific parts of your body, focusing on breathing etc. We also talk about 1 trick you can do to change your focus on a sport climb. Want a jump start to your training?   Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

You don't need a fancy training program to get better at climbing. But what you do need is consistency. In this podcast, we cover tips on being more consistent as a busy human, and common pitfalls that you can avoid. This includes things you can do to create a habit, using placeholders if you can't make it to the gym, using the 80% rule and using the mantra of "anything is better than everything." Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier  

In this episode, we talk about everything you can expect from our climbing training membership. Training can be overwhelming, if you're new or even if you're a seasoned climber. And we know it can be hard to get answers to your training questions. That's why we created Stronger Together training membership. If you'd like to join us, you can sign up here https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Goals setting doesn't have to be an overwhelming or complex thing to do. New Year's resolutions also get a bad wrap. So in this episode, we are going to approach goal setting together to help us get motivated, align our focus, and learn something deeper about ourselves. Putting some intention into our goal setting can prioritize what we really want in the next year. Get a pen and paper and let's do this! Enrollment is open for our climbing training membership, where we take care of your climbing training! Sign up here: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

In today's podcast, Katja covers 4 breathing techniques you can add to your training or projecting days to see a change in energy and performance. The four breathing patterns we talk about: Pranayama, physiological sigh, nasal breathing, and forceful breathing. A breathing practice could help you be more present and slow down to enjoy what's around you. James Nester's book Breath Audiobook https://amzn.to/416xT6q or paperback https://amzn.to/4a6LG0Tcovers   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

There are many misconceptions about climbing training, especially if you are new to training. Some misconceptions are that you will automatically develop a routine if you start a program, or you start to believe in a certain progression and that your body will always respond the same way to training. In this podcast, we cover bad training habits that can be developed as a new trainee, and how to view training from a longevity perspective, slowly changing habits so that climbing training can be fun, structured, and doesn't have to involve suffering at the gym. Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Starting a training program can feel very overwhelming for a new trainee. You might feel very excited and overwhelmed at the same time. New trainees and climbers might not know how to use the equipment at the gym, or how to set up circuits etc. We will cover how to approach your first training session and program best so that you set yourself up for success! This is also great advice for someone who wants to get an edge on their new program without getting sore and frustrated their first week. Want a jump start to your training? Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

Generally, there needs to be more education around hangboarding, if beginners should hangboard, and how to approach hangboarding if you're new to training. In this podcast, we will discuss how to start hangboarding as a beginner, what it means to start as a beginner, and things to avoid when you begin hangboarding. We have a whole hanging program that will improve your grip strength, shoulder strength and mobility, and your gateway into hangboarding: https://www.modusathletica.com/hanging-tough Join our of 3500 subscribers for articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

This podcast revolves around reframing "When should I start training?" to "When is an optimal time to start training?" It also delves into the concept of climbing training, emphasizing that it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing commitment, and instead a structured approach to improvement. Sign up here to get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support? Join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier  

We share 5 simple tactics to improve your next climbing session. If you feel tired, sore, have low motivation, or maybe you're just looking for a good boost, check out this episode to feel great in your next session. Jump start your climbing training and get instant access to our free Intro To Training Masterclass: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass Want community and coaching support? Join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together  For one on one coaching and other support options click here https://www.modusathletica.com/store    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier

This is such a simple exercise that derives huge benefits for climbers. It's also a great way to develop the tissues for pulling, climbing, and hangboarding. Find out how to best apply this exercise to your climbing training. Here's the Lat assessment to measure your shoulder flexion https://youtu.be/gUAR5MIBFh8 Here's the link for our Hanging Challenge on Instagram highlights https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18135577813099125/ The German Hang tutorial https://youtu.be/v0nsZ-u-_Vg The book I mentioned: Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention John Kirsch MD https://amzn.to/3QHjSYc We have a whole hanging program that will improve your grip strength, shoulder strength and mobility, and your gateway into better pull ups: https://www.modusathletica.com/hanging-tough Join our list of 3500 subscribers for free mini courses, articles, and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier  

In this episode we redefine what fear is, how fear helps us, how it can hold us back, and the top two tips of how to manage fear in climbing. Join our family of 3500 subscribers for weekly articles and updates https://www.modusathletica.com/ Want community and coaching support, join our amazing group coaching membership Stronger Together: https://www.modusathletica.com/stronger-together  For one on one coaching and other support options click here https://www.modusathletica.com/store    Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modusathletica/ Check out our website: https://www.modusathletica.com/ Learn with us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mercedespollmeier