What does it take to climb your first 5.13a? In this episode, you'll hear my recommendations for Ryan Devlin as he closes in on completing his first 5.13a, a Red River Gorge classic named "The Force". This is a follow-up to episodes #86, #91, and #94, in which I coach Ryan through the long process of training for and working on his first-ever 5.13. You will hear where Ryan is at with his project--you'll learn some of his struggles along the way, including a minor finger/hand injury early this year. We'll discuss Ryan's training plan for the next 6 to 8 weeks until the Autumn "send season" arrives. We'll also dig deep into these important topics:  What went right and wrong on the almost-send last season How to carry a project over from one season to the next The secret to being a successful route climber Aerobic vs Anaerobic endurance training The science of building route fitness Why many climbers are training endurance wrong So lean into this podcast and learn what actions, exercises, and strategies you might take and apply to your training for the next goal or grade, whatever it may be! This episode is a collaboration of Ryan's "The Struggle" podcast and my Training For Climbing podcast. I hope you enjoy it! Listen to and subscribe to The Struggle Podcast here >> T4C Podcast sponsor -- Visit PhysiVantage.com the leader in climbing-specific performance nutrition. Get 15% off full-priced items with checkout code: PODCAST15 (North America only). Europe and elsewhere visit EPIC-TV Shop or BananaFingers.com to get your PhysiVantage! SAVE on La Sportiva shoes here >> Thank you! La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs Music by Misty Murphy Follow Eric on Twitter @Train4Climbing Check out Eric’s YouTube channel. Follow Eric on Facebook! And on Instagram at: Training4Climbing Copyright 2024 Eric Hörst | Horst Training, LLC.