Connor Herson: Trad Phenom, 5.15 Without Hangboarding, and the Value of 'Easy' Days

Join The Struggle’s Patreon community to get 100+ hours of Bonus Episodes, Pro Clinics, Uncut Videos, and Submit Questions for Future Guests. FREE TRIAL available! https://www.patreon.com/thestruggleclimbingshow - In this episode, elite climber Connor Herson explores: What social media doesn't reveal about the process of hard climbing Struggling with training, and avoiding hangboarding and weightlifting How projecting 5.15 feels similar (and different) to projecting lower grades Lighter is not better on big walls His unexpected send of Magic Line , one of the hardest trad crack climbs in the world Movement and technique vs strength and power Creative gear placement strategies for trad climbing The benefit of top rope sessions The tradeoff between comp climbing and outdoor climbing Why climbing easier routes is so important - CHAPTERS: Struggle: (0:10:48) Training: (0:29:10) Nutrition: (0:47:05) Tactics: (0:51:46) Mental Game: (1:04:22) Purpose: (1:06:13) - BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO: Rúngne : Soft threads and high performing chalk! Use Code STRUGGLE for 15% Off Bags, Buckets, Chalk & Apparel from Rúngne! Rungne.com Boulder Bears: Taste like candy, kick like coffee! Each caffeinated gummy bear contains collagen and 20mg of caffeine so you can take care of your tendons while dialing in the perfect level of boost and focus for your sesh. Plus, they're crazy delicious. Score a free travel pack plus 15% off using code STRUGGLE Rhino Skin Solutions : Perform, Cleanse, Repair… repeat! The absolute best skin care products crafted specifically for climbers, whether you’re pulling hard indoors or out. Use code STRUGGLE to score a whopping 20% off your purchase! 5-Year Training and Performance Journal : The most important climbing tool I use! Takes just a few minutes each day, and yields amazing insights year after year. If you’re psyched on training and performance, this is the journal for you. Log, reflect, send. And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals - Shoutout to Matt Waltereese for being a Victory Whip supporter on Patreon! So mega. - Follow along on Instagram @thestruggleclimbingshow and YouTube /@thestruggleclimbingshow - The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation , whose mission is to promote solar energy for a more equitable world. - This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry. - The struggle makes us stronger! I hope your training and climbing are going great. - And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!