Coach Nate Drolet: Gym Boulders are Too Tall, Hueco Tanks Reflections, and Advice to His Younger Self

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Coach Nate Drolet is back for another thoughtful conversation, including:

• Reflecting on his recent Hueco Tanks trip
• Climbing while injured 
• Collecting rejections like Stephen King
• Are gym boulders too tall?
• The problem with "easy" classics
• Advice to his younger self
• Falling 101
• Is Coca-Cola Coffee aid?

If you'd like to set up a consult with Nate, or explore coaching options, hit him up at: njdrolet@gmail.com

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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

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• Kilter: Award winning, adjustable, light-up board. It’s what I’m training on at home, and if you’re psyched to join me then use code STRUGGLE at checkout when you build your board, and you’ll score up to $1000 off plus a free gift pack let’s goooo!

 

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Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Weekend Warrior Life: Busy Schedules & Climbing Ambitions 03:07 Coach Nate Returns: Fresh Off Waco Tanks (and a 16-hour Drive) 05:16 Why Waco Matters: History, Style, and Coming Back After 7 Years 08:02 The Mystery Hand Injury: Rehab, PT Visits, and Still Sending 10:29 Low Dryer Send Story: Deconditioned, Tactical, and ‘Sport Climb’ a Boulder 14:05 Mindset Lesson: ‘Collecting Rejections’ Between Try Day and Send Day 20:06 Bouldering Trip Strategy: Limited ‘Great Goes,’ Rest, and Managing Stoke 25:58 Sponsor Break: Scarpa Veloce L + Kilter Board Training Setup 29:06 Ryan’s Vegas Injury & The Big Question: Am I Too Old for Outdoor Bouldering? 33:05 Gyms Are Too Tall: Risk, Training Value, and Smarter Bouldering as We Age 37:04 Indoor vs Outdoor Bouldering: Skills, Safety, and Choosing Lowballs 43:02 Injuries Happen: Low Back Pain, Randomness, and Playing Devil’s Advocate 43:59 Rope Climber’s Dilemma: Are Outdoor Bouldering Falls Worth It at 46? 45:19 Movement vs Highballs: “British vs French” Boulders & Why Classics Get Tall 47:58 Finding Low-Risk Outdoor Classics: Traverses, Short Gems, and Star Ratings 50:46 Bulldog/Puppy Dog Strategy: Pads, Topouts, and Managing the Mental Crux 54:04 Topout Skills Bootcamp: Mantles, Slabs, and Safe Practice in Chattanooga 56:20 How to Fall Better: Rolling, Tumbling Drills, and Building Confidence تدريجيًا 01:07:55 Keeping Sport Fitness During a Boulder Phase: ARC, 4x4s, and Seasonal Planning 01:16:56 Wrap-Up & Plugs: Coaching, “Affordable Atrocities,” and Supporting the Channel  

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Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. A hero indeed!

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This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

 

 

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!