Question 1

What skills separate podium climbers?

Accepted Answer

Physical abilities over a large and diverse range of skills. Mental flexibility and competition maneuverability. Large-scale and nuanced tactics - both on the wall and on the mats. A deep understanding of movement and how to apply their own specific strengths to overcome areas of deficiency. An experienced coach with a full-focus on the athlete's progression.

Question 2

Is the investment worth it?

Accepted Answer

Private coaching compresses years of trial and error into focused, intentional work. You're not paying for time on the wall — you're paying for a personalized roadmap, expert feedback, and accountability from someone who has set and coached at the highest levels of the sport.

Question 3

I'm already strong — what could a coach really add?

Accepted Answer

Strength is one piece of the puzzle. Most experienced climbers hit plateaus because of movement, psychology, technique, tactics, timing, and other forms of kinesthetic learning — not raw power. A second set of trained eyes, combined with a structured plan, often reveals the fastest path forward.

Question 4

You set the comps — is that a conflict or an advantage?

Accepted Answer

It's the advantage. I have chiefed multiple USA Climbing national events over the past 20 years and set at IFSC World Cups and the 2023 World Championships in Bern. I know how modern boulders and routes are designed, what setters are testing for, and where athletes usually lose points — and I coach to that reality, never to inside information about a specific event.

Question 5

How do you prepare a youth athlete for Regionals, Divisionals, and Nationals?

Accepted Answer

We back-plan the season from the event that matters most. Regionals are typically about clean execution and confidence on familiar styles; Divisionals raise the technical bar with more coordination and slab; Nationals and Worlds demand full comp literacy — iso routine, observation, attempt budgeting, and recovery across rounds. Each block trains the style and tactics the next event will actually ask for.

Question 6

Is training safe for a growing climber?

Accepted Answer

Youth programming is built around long-term athlete development, not short-term grades. That means skill and movement first, conservative loading of fingers and shoulders, real rest, and honest conversation about volume with parents and coaches. My kinesiology background guides how load is introduced as an athlete grows.

Question 7

How are parents involved?

Accepted Answer

Parents get a clear picture of the plan, the goals for the block, and what support looks like at home and at events. Video reviews are shareable, so progress is visible rather than described. My job is to keep the sport motivating and the pressure healthy. Parents are welcome to attend sessions, as long as the athlete is able to maintain focus throughout the training.

Question 8

How do you train advanced multi-step movement patterns?

Accepted Answer

Modern comp boulders are rarely one hard move — they're chained sequences where the exit of one move sets up the entry of the next. We build multi-step movements designed to compel you to flow through positions, balancing power, timing, hand and foot sequencing, movement generation, and opposition. Breaking down these large scale patterns into smaller, palatable pieces allows us to train the foundational components and fine-tune nuances necessary to put you at the top of your game. I can assess these patterns and set them in a way that allows deep learning on a kinesthetic level. We progress or regress the movement step by step until the pattern is yours.

Question 9

My slab is my weakness. What do you do about it?

Accepted Answer

Slab is decided by precision, patience, and trust. We work on foot accuracy and weighting, hip position over the feet, quiet movement, commitment to smears, and reading friction and hold orientation from the ground. Slab is also a pacing and nerve problem, so we rehearse it under the same clock pressure you'll face in isolation. You'll train this on The Grand Slab at Boulder Union — widely considered the best slab wall on the East Coast, if not the country.

Question 10

Do you cover competition tactics and preparedness?

Accepted Answer

Yes — A to Z. Season planning and peaking, taper weeks, travel and sleep, pre-event nutrition and hydration, warm-up protocols you can run in a crowded iso, observation and route reading, attempt budgeting and the clock, rest between boulders, reading the scoreboard and knowing what you need, managing iso nerves and downtime, in-round adjustments, between-round recovery, finals routine, and a structured post-event debrief so every comp feeds the next block.

Question 11

Do I need to be an advanced climber to work with you?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. I work with climbers from V0 up to World Cup level. The only requirement is genuine curiosity and a willingness to try something new. If you're newer, we'll build solid fundamentals and movement patterns. If you're experienced, we'll refine the details that unlock the next grade.

Question 12

Do you use video analysis?

Accepted Answer

Every athlete gets video analysis and review. We film attempts, slow them down, and look at what actually happened versus what you felt happened — body position, timing, foot placement, tension, and recovery between moves. At the higher levels this is not optional: it is the fastest way to see the gap between intention and execution, and it is vital for continued progress and learning.

Question 13

How much time do I need to commit?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are two-hour blocks, and programs run in 4- or 6-week blocks. We will work together once a week, and outside of our sessions you'll have targeted homework — but it's designed to fit into a busy life, not take it over. For competitive adult and youth athletes, there is also a big commitment for climbing on your own through a structured program that I will provide you. The work between sessions is where the adaptation actually happens. Consistency beats volume.

Question 14

What if I'm scared of falling or failing?

Accepted Answer

Fear is part of climbing, and it's one of the most coachable parts of the sport. We'll work on fall practice, breathing, sequencing, and building trust in your feet. Progress happens when challenge stays just ahead of comfort — never so far that it shuts you down.

Question 15

What happens if I don't improve?

Accepted Answer

For V0–V5 climbers, I offer the Two V-Grade Guarantee: follow the program, put in the work, and if you don't climb two grades harder, I keep coaching you until you do. Elite-level results depend on many variables, but my commitment is that you leave every session better than you arrived.

Question 16

Do I need to train at Boulder Union?

Accepted Answer

Typically, in-person sessions are held at Boulder Union in New Bedford, MA — roughly an hour from Boston and 40 minutes from Providence, so athletes travel in from across the region. If you're traveling or live elsewhere, reach out — I take on remote athletes with video review and structured programming, and depending on the situation I may be able to travel to you.

Question 17

How is this different from a group class?

Accepted Answer

Group classes are great for general exposure. Private coaching is entirely about you: your movement habits, your goals, your mental blocks, and your timeline. Every drill, exercise, and piece of feedback is tailored to the climber in front of me.

Question 18

What should I bring to the first session?

Accepted Answer

Climbing shoes, chalk, a notebook and pen, comfortable training clothes, and an open mind. I'll handle the rest — the assessment, the plan, and the first concrete steps toward your goals.

Climbing coaching questions &
objections

V3–V5 — Learn to perform

Preparedness from season to finals

Season & block planning

Event week

In the round

Between rounds & after

Real results, real credibility

Two grades harder — guaranteed

Coached at the highest level

Nearly 20 years of experience

Video analysis on every athlete

Youth national championship chief

Still not sure?

Climbing coaching questions &objections