#130 - PRO TIPS: Cameron Horst's Training Secrets Behind a 5.15a Send
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
Release Date: 06/09/2026
#131: Endurance Masterclass: Training and Tactics to Beat the Pump!
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
Want to climb longer, recover faster, and finally stop getting pumped off your project? Then this episode is for you. In this special coaching session with Ryan Devlin, I deliver a deep-dive masterclass on rock climbing endurance training, sport climbing performance, and the science of building lasting endurance. We explore why improving endurance isn't just about surviving pumpy workouts—it's about becoming a more efficient climber by eliminating hidden energy leaks caused by overgripping, poor pacing, inefficient movement, fear, hesitation, and mental tension. You'll learn how better...
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#130 - PRO TIPS: Cameron Horst's Training Secrets Behind a 5.15a Send
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
Cameron Hörst recently completed the hardest route of his climbing career: Big Bone (5.15a/9a+), a king line out Utah's massive Fynn Cave. What makes his first ascent especially compelling isn't just the grade—it's the journey. Big Bone was a project that demanded years of training, 60+ working goes and redpoint attempts, countless setbacks, and a level of patience few climbers ever develop. In this episode of the Training for Climbing Podcast, Cameron unpacks the entire process. We dive into the physical, mental, and tactical challenges of working a multi-year project, the...
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#129 - WEEKEND CRUSHER: From Florida to 5.13d - The Jessica Jenkins Story
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
In this inspiring new “Weekend Crushers” feature, I sit down with Florida-based climber Jessica Jenkins to unpack her incredible journey from a teenager climbing plastic in Orlando to recently sending her hardest route ever: the iconic Red River Gorge testpiece Swingline (5.13d). Her story is far more than a tale of grades and performance—it’s a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, patience, and building a life that supports your passion even when circumstances aren’t ideal. Whether you live far from outdoor climbing, struggle to balance work and family with training, or simply...
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#128 - CRUSHERS: 5.14c at Age 45 - The Aaron Shamy Comeback Story
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
In this inaugural Weekend Crushers episode of the T4C podcast, Eric Hörst sits down with Aaron Shamy—an inspiring example of what’s possible when passion, persistence, and smart training intersect with real life. Aaron’s journey spans elite youth climbing in the 1990s, a 15+ year hiatus, and a remarkable comeback culminating in a 5.14c redpoint at age 45. This is more than a comeback story—it’s a masterclass in long-term progression. Aaron shares practical training insights, mindset strategies, and real-world tactics that apply to middle-aged climbers and weekend warriors of any...
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#127 - Turning Gym Gains to Real Rock Performance: Bridging the Gap
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
After a winter of disciplined training, stronger fingers, improved fitness, and high motivation, most climbers head outdoors expecting breakthrough performances. But the reality often hits hard—routes feel awkward, sequencing is unclear, your mind spirals with fear, and the pump sets in faster than expected. In this episode, Eric Hörst breaks down the critical gap between gym strength and outdoor performance—and why even your best training cycle doesn’t guarantee immediate success on real rock. The truth is simple but often overlooked: Climbing outdoors is a far more complex, nuanced,...
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#126 - 15 Quick (Powerful) Tips to Climb Your Best This Season!
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
Spring climbing season is here—and it’s time to translate all those winter training gains into real performance on the rock. In this episode, Eric Hörst shares 15 practical mindset and strategy tips to help you climb your best this season. While physical strength matters, experienced climbers know that mindset, decision-making, strategy, and emotional resilience often determine whether you send or fall short. These quick but powerful ideas will help you approach training, projecting, and performance with greater clarity and purpose. Apply even a few of these insights consistently, and you...
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#125 - EXPERT: The Great Nutrition Reset - Unlocking the New Real Food Pyramid
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
In this episode, Eric Hörst and nutrition science graduate student Jonathan Hörst discuss the newly updated U.S. dietary guidance and the concept of a “flipped” or re-prioritized food pyramid that emphasizes nutrient density, whole foods, and protein—rather than carbohydrate-heavy intake patterns of past guidelines. Drawing from current nutrition science and academic discussion at the University of Utah, they explore both the strengths of the update and the practical challenges of applying it. Key takeaways for climbers and athletes include prioritizing adequate protein, limiting...
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#124 - 15 Concepts That Changed My Life
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
If there’s one podcast you listen to this week, I hope it's this one! I’m genuinely proud of this episode, as it distills some of the most powerful concepts I’ve learned, refined, and applied over the past 30 years. I believe you’ll find it thought-provoking and impactful—and for some listeners, it may even prove life-changing. To mark the new year, I’ve intentionally broadened the scope of this episode beyond climbing-specific training...to explore human performance, mindset, values, and intentional living. For this month, think of it as a true training for life podcast. At the...
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#123 - Effective Training - Part 2 - Applying a Systems Approach to Program Design
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
In this second installment of a two-part series, Coach Eric Hörst takes the high-level systems philosophy introduced in and brings it down to earth with practical, actionable guidance. This episode walks listeners through the nine elements of an intelligent training system and illustrates how each one applies directly to climbing preparation and long-term improvement. Eric emphasizes that as climbers progress beyond the beginner stage, climbing and training grow increasingly complex—requiring intentional, organized, and year-round development of strength, technique, mental skills, recovery...
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#122 - Train More Effectively: The Systems Approach That Will Transform Your Climbing
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
This episode is the first in a two-part deep dive into designing a comprehensive, long-term systems approach to training. Coach Eric Hörst unpacks—in rich detail—how systems actually function, and he highlights how transformative climbers throughout history “shake up the box” with innovative, highly effective methods to achieve big goals and push the boundaries of our sport. Eric blends a concise climbing history lesson with an engineer-like breakdown of how intelligent systems operate. Part 2 of this series will deliver the actionable strategies you can use to build a personalized,...
info_outlineCameron Hörst recently completed the hardest route of his climbing career: Big Bone (5.15a/9a+), a king line out Utah's massive Fynn Cave.
What makes his first ascent especially compelling isn't just the grade—it's the journey. Big Bone was a project that demanded years of training, 60+ working goes and redpoint attempts, countless setbacks, and a level of patience few climbers ever develop.
In this episode of the Training for Climbing Podcast, Cameron unpacks the entire process. We dive into the physical, mental, and tactical challenges of working a multi-year project, the breakthroughs that finally moved the needle, and the lessons any climber can apply to their own long-term goals—whether you're projecting 5.10 or 5.15.
One of the most fascinating takeaways is that the breakthrough wasn't a sudden gain in finger strength or power. Instead, it came from years of accumulated training adaptations, comprehensive energy system development, improved recovery, refined tactics, and learning when not to climb. Cameron shares how he finally broke through a plateau that had stalled his progress for multiple seasons.
RUNDOWN
2:00 – What Does It Feel Like to Send a Multi-Year Project?
5:00 – Inside Utah's Incredible Fin Cave
7:00 – Anatomy of the "Big Bone" Project
9:50 – Why the Route is So Difficult
12:00 – Cameron's Three-Year Journey on the Route
13:50 – Breaking Through a Plateau
16:40 – Training Lessons from Big Bone
18:00 – Recovery: The Secret Weapon
21:00 – Sending on the Second Try
24:10 - Energy System Training and the benefits of becoming more fat adapted
26:00 – Mental Growth and Performance Psychology
28:30 - Discovery of Fin Cave
31:30 – The Evolution of "Bone Tomahawk" and "Big Bone"
32:00 – Friendship and Mentorship with Joe Kinder
34:20 – Balancing University, Life, and Elite Climbing
40:00 – The Importance of Partners and Community
44:00 - Debating 5.15a versus 5.15b -- how to grade a hard FA?
47:30 - Ultimately, the grade isn't important -- the journey is what counts!
48:10 – Coaching, Exercise Science, and Helping Others
- Follow and contact Cameron on Instagram @cam_horst
- Visit Cam's website at: www.CameronHorst.com
49:28 – What's Next?
51:05 – Eric's summarizes 8 Key Tips and Takeaways from this interview.
54:30 - Sponsor Discount:
- Save 15% off full-priced PhysiVantage Nutrition with code: PODCAST15 (North America only)
56:00 -⭐ Enjoy the podcast?
- Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode with a climbing partner!
56:40 - Hörst Out!
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