Send a question or comment!

Welcome back to Attention climbers! Today, we’re diving into a simple, structured system to train your antagonist strength, your explosivity, and your dynamic lower body mobility - and ability to try-hard when you're SUPER uncomfortable.

If you struggle to apply maximum effort or mental focus to the wall when it counts, you may benefit from the specific practice of explosive and sustained muscular and cardiovascular intensity without the added altitude, and burpees are a fantastic practice ground.

I chat with Max Edwards, a.k.a. “The Busy Dad”, and the founder of “The Busy Dad” Burpee Training Program (https://busydadtraining.com/), about the burpee movements, the program itself, and Max's experience of using burpees as attention training and body awareness training under high intensity and the impending sense of muscular failure.

The structure: 2 types of burpee movements, 20 minutes as-many-reps-as-possible per workout, 4 workouts a week - 2 x 20 minutes for each movement.

The movements:

1. The 6 count military-style burpee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eroWyZxZNlA&t=28s

2. The Navy Seal Burpee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqWQkblauo8&t=11s

If you struggle to find the time or discipline to train antagonists for climbing - which we ALL have been told endlessly to do (for good reason :D) - then this program is for you - and leaves plenty of climbing time to spare. The best part? There is no pressure for a “minimum requirement” - every single burpee done with intention - counts. Your antagonists will thank you for showing up, whether as part of a focused, meditative climbing warm-up, a "pure" training day, or a post-climb burner to channel your fall-frustration into preventative strength training that communicates "safety", and therefore "try-hard", to your body.

Get 2 weeks off the Busy Dad training app with this link! https://busydadtraining.com/join/?ref=busydadtraining

Send a question or comment!

In this episode of Attention Climbers, we sit down with Olympic-level Canadian triathalon coach and values-based life coach JD Tremblay to discuss how to rewire your brain's threat perception and prediction system for better performance and well-being in sports, relationships, and life.

JD breaks down his 5 R framework (Recognize, Regulate, Rehearse, Repeat, Review)—a tactical system used to reduce stress responses, manage non-physical pressure, set firm value-based boundaries, and navigate the psychological triggers that hinder performance. Whether you are over-attempting climbs, struggling with social comparison, or trying to cultivate focus under pressure, this conversation will offer you insights to hone your craft.

Key Takeaways:

Threat Perception & Performance: How the brain may interpret safety, calm, and boundaries as hidden threats, and how everyone perceives threat differently

The 5 R Framework: A practical 5-step process to recondition your responses in any high-stress situation, climbing, relationships, or otherwise.

Overachieving vs. High Performance: How the former comes from adverse childhood conditioning, and the latter comes from deliberately noticing and resolving triggers using the 5 R framework.

Values Over Feelings: How to ground your climbing, relationship and life decisions in core values rather than momentary emotion or comparison.

To discover more about JD and his coaching, visit the Hungry Warrior Academy Website: https://hungrywarrioracademy.com/

JD would also personally love your feedback on this episode: https://speakerhub.com/cta/9CwhCG

Send a question or comment!

I interview my climbing coach, Louis Parkinson, former Team GB climber and head of Catalyst Climbing, on how he experiences his own mindset training - so that we can all learn from his insights. We had such a great time recording, and hope you enjoy listening!

Get ready for a gripping episode where Louis deep dives into his internal monologue and how he works with it, tells climbing stories where he experienced "crippling nerves" and "tantalizingly close" attempts, and reveals moments of extreme stress and how he coped with them. You'll also hear about Louis' new book on strengthening mindset, and how you can use it to catalyze changes in both climbing and life.

What You’ll Learn

1. Rewiring the Climbing Mindset

The "Ideal Mindset" Defined: High performance isn't about forced positivity, but achieving a quieter mind focused strictly on movement.

The Practice vs. Performance Split: Practice intentional mental awareness so you can trust your instincts under pressure.

Treating Mindset Like Movement: Train your attention and intention on the wall with the same diligence you use for physical technique and precision.

2. Managing Nerves, Fear & Frustration

Reframe Pre-Climb Nerves: Transform the feeling of "I'm nervous, so I'm not ready" into "This sensation is what being ready feels like" .

Eustress vs. Distress: Recognize that pre-climb anxiety can automatically shift into useful, exciting energy once you start moving.

Healthy Frustration: "Engaged frustration" ("I almost had it!") keeps climbing fun without threatening your ego.

Navigating High-Stress Moments: How the brain operates at different fear levels—from manageable doubts (9/10) to total freeze responses.

3. Nervous System Regulation & Self-Worth

Uncoupling Performance from Personal Worth: Tools to play a high-stakes movement game without letting the result define your value as a person.

The "Inner Child" & "Animal Training" Metaphors: How responding to your inner monologue with compassion rather than harsh judgment speeds up learning.

The Fish Pond Visualization: Learn to step back, observe intense emotions, and "be the pond, not the fish" when things go wrong on or off the wall.

4. Insights from Louis' book, co-authored with psychotherapist Joel Robertson: "Get a Grip" : A Climber's Route to Stronger Mindset and Better Mental Health"

Curiosity Over Judgment: How Louis’s book uses real-world analogies (like spilling a cup of coffee) to reveal your underlying psychological patterns.

"Get A Grip" is available on Amazon preorder now :D

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1839813040?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback