That's Not Real Climbing

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Danaan is a Pro Climbing League (PCL) co-founder and they just released pre-sale tickets for the 2027 season. In this episode, we’ll hear about the goal of PCL, learn how they financed the huge prize pool, get responses to some of the biggest critiques of their first London comp, and we’ll talk about how comp climbing is ethical climbing.

Guest links:
PCL Website/Presale Tickets
Instagram

Reference links:
Qualifiers Information

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
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Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:13 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:03 - Athlete house at boulder fest
6:22 - The birth of PCL
13:22 - All the people who made PCL possible
17:52 - They're already setting for PCL now...
21:05 - The Goal of PCL
24:03 - How to make climbing into a career
28:06 - How do you afford PCL?
32:30 - Criticism 1: Speed bouldering?
39:04 - Nobody cares about climbing, it's about competition
47:32 - Criticism 2: No seeding round streamed?
50:38 - Critique 3: Was there too much athlete interview?
52:40 - 2027 season format
59:26 - Ideal schedule
1:02:55 - Comp climbing is ethical climbing??
1:13:42 - AUDIENCE Q: Plans for non-boulder formats?
1:15:54 - AUDIENCE Q: Thoughts on not seeing a slower climber excel in this format?
1:16:31 - AUDIENCE Q: Any restrictions from World Climbing on PCL?
1:17:40 - AUDIENCE Q: Geriatrics PCL??
1:19:13 - Important comp dates!

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Charlie is the founder of Paradigm Climbing and he has been coaching climbing athletes from the beginner to elite level for over 17 years. In this episode, we’ll hear about a suspicious supplement sponsorship he had when he was a kid, what his world cup experience was like back in the day, why he thinks competition climbing has turned way too much into not real climbing, and of course everything coaching related.

Guest links:
Paradigm Climbing Website
Instagram
Youtube

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:18 - Insane schedule
7:02 - Getting into climbing, competing, and coaching
11:31 - Sketchy sugar daddy athlete sponsorship??
17:05 - How he would coach his younger self
22:10 - Strengths and weaknesses
26:57 - His experience competing at world cups
36:14 - Coaching goals
38:21 - How personalized does coaching need to be?
52:09 - How to learn movement
55:05 - The importance of spray wall
1:06:18 - AUDIENCE Q: How to improve as a coach?
1:08:48 - World Climbing Setting is too far gone?
1:16:58 - What the US is doing wrong with training
1:22:52 - AUDIENCE Q: Can you tell when a kid will be a v17 climber?
1:27:43 - AUDIENCE Q: Fingerboarding vs board climbing?
1:29:24 - AUDIENCE Q: How to train big dynes?
1:32:09 - AUDIENCE Q: Dream clients?
1:35:14 - Words of wisdom and where to find Charlie

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Ardch is a boulderer for the Thailand team, and he has made semis several times in World Climbing. In this episode, we’ll hear why he thinks climbing is performative in Thailand, why it’s hard to grow climbing as a spectator sport, and we’ll talk about where we draw the line on setting that is too trendy. Hope you’re ready for some hot takes and strong opinions in this one!

Guest links:
Ardch's Instagram

Reference links:
PCL Bouldering Project Qualifiers

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:16 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:07 - Winning Seattle Boulderfest + PCL
9:31 - Moving to the US, getting into climbing
15:47 - Performative climbing in Thailand?
25:49 - Lack of World Climbing level Thai climbers
33:15 - Should it become a D1 sport in the USA?
39:13 - How to grow climbing
47:39 - Goodbye dirtbags
51:03 - Outdoor paddle dynos
58:20 - What climbing trend goes TOO FAR?
1:03:15 - What does it take to make semis and finals in world climbing?
1:12:29 - Salt Lake City and Mental Pressure
1:15:05 - Why is the mens field so unpredictable?
1:20:43 - AUDIENCE Q: Wow factor to making finals?
1:25:42 - Glazing Sorato
1:28:38 - AUDIENCE Q: Most underdeveloped part of climbing?
1:31:27 - Words of wisdom and where to find Arch

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Bharath and Vishak are climbers from team India who now have experience at several world series events. In this episode, we’ll hear about the unique challenges they face climbing and training in India, some crazy stories about the worst bouldering nationals ever, why they think the average age for comp climbing will get older, and how they aim to grow climbing in India by routesetting and making climbing shoes.

Guest links:
Bharath's Instagram
Vishak's Instagram

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:28 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:19 - Training in Japan
7:01 - Getting into climbing and competing
15:10 - India climbing scene then vs now
16:57 - The state of setting in India
23:36 - The worst comp EVER
28:31 - Outdoor climbing in India
30:11 - What happens in World Climbing ISO
36:11 - Best tips from pro climbers
40:47 - Give Bharath some skin advice please!
44:00 - Team dynamics in ISO
47:21 - Crazy coaching practices in India
52:34 - Will comp climbing stop being so young??
1:00:54 - New school moves and coordination rock climbs?!
1:03:10 - Making climbing shoes
1:09:35 - Balancing training and setting
1:13:08 - Asia cup goal
1:17:57 - AUDIENCE Q: What do you wish you knew before you started?
1:21:37 - AUDIENCE Q: Dealing with plateaus and injury?
1:24:11 - AUDIENCE Q: Getting through tenosynovitis?
1:26:48 - AUDIENCE Q: What is your inspiration to keep going?
1:29:16 - AUDIENCE Q: Plans for a Youtube channel?
1:31:38 - AUDIENCE Q: Sneaking out of boarding school?
1:33:48 - Words of wisdom
1:39:37 - Where to find Bharath and Vishak

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!
Lučka is a lead climber from Slovenia who recently won bronze at the European championships and came back to the world climbing scene after undergoing cancer-removing surgery in 2025. In this episode, we’ll hear about how her cancer diagnosis affected her climbing, training, and mental health, we’ll learn about the Slovenian team, and we’ll put together a tier list for the worst things that can happen in a lead comp.

Guest links:
Lucka's Instagram

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/
Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com
Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast
Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp
Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics
0:00 - Intro
1:29 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!
2:24 - Finger injury before European champs
5:54 - Getting into climbing and competing
11:11 - Reading and memorizing the lead route
15:38 - Ranking the worst things to happen during a lead route
20:02 - Training plan
22:11 - Thyroid cancer diagnosis + emetaphobia
31:20 - How long it took to return to climbing
35:50 - The mental effect of returning to competition
38:56 - Does the Slovenian team train with Janja?
42:53 - Dating within the team
45:50 - 2028 Olympic hopes?
47:58 - Post-climbing plans?
53:12 - Future dog plans
56:53 - AUDIENCE Q: Are you afraid of falling?
1:00:15 - AUDIENCE Q: Previous Slovenian legends?
1:01:36 - AUDIENCE Q: How many routes and what difficulty in 1 session?
1:05:53 - Where to find Lucka