Attention Climbers

Crystal Ding
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health

Sharpen your senses. Peak your perception. Attend to your soft skills your off the wall, to climb hard on the wall.  My name is Crystal, and welcome to Attention Climbers! Season 2: Guest episodes beginning with healthy self-perception - the foundation of success for vision, attention, and visualization training for climbing.  Season 1: Stories, summaries and guided meditations for focus, stress reduction, and rock-solid climbing instincts. This is where climbing performance and mind-body health - intersect.  Rest day? Check. Injured but want to still be climbing"? Check. Pre-climb tune-in? Check. Mid-session rest-and mental reset? Check. Post-climb cool down? Check. Stressy, messy, life moments where you'd rather be climbing? CHECK!  Whatever version of you as a climber and a human that is here now - is all you need.  Climb well, be well, and thanks for listening! 

  1. 5d ago

    To Climb Stronger, Train Your Vision and Proprioception with Strobe Glasses | Tiffany Frankovich

    Send a question or comment! What if you could make your climbing (and all movement) feel lighter, sharper, and more effortless by giving your brain LESS visual information and forcing it to re-learn how to move?   Welcome to the world of sensory strength training!  In this episode, we sit down with Tiffany Frankovich, CEO of Senaptec, ex-professional distance runner, and climbing lover, to dive deep into the world of stroboscopic vision training. Training with strobe glasses is grounded in research and used by high level athletes across multiple sports to improve their coordination, reaction time, spatial awareness, injury recovery speed, and more.  From professional runners experiencing heightened body awareness, to climbers navigating complex routes, Tiffany breaks down how flickering strobe glasses force the central nervous system to activate "sensory re-weighting"—shifting balance control away from central visual fixation and onto the "6th sense" (proprioception) and peripheral attention (soft attention). We explore the eye-brain-body connection, how stress and screen time disrupt our movement, how visual attention directly impacts grip strength, and why rehab and high-performance training are truly two sides of the same coin. If you're curious about how a simple pair of glasses can make you feel smarter, more confident, and more committed on and off the wall - contact me (Crystal :D) for guidance on how they work, or explore all the gear on  www.senaptec.com!  *This is NOT a paid promotion of Senaptec products, but an exploration of shared passion for vision and sensory training through strobe glasses. As of recording this episode, I am NOT an affiliate. I reached out to Tiffany without buying any of their products, because I had been separately using them with tremendous benefits with strobes supplied by a company called Amblyopix (www. amblyopix.com), before becoming aware of Senaptec as well. It is our shared passion for sensory training that brought us to this conversation.* Key Takeaways Eyes Are for Scanning, Not Balancing: Most people are over-reliant on central vision to keep themselves upright. Strobe training teaches the brain to rely on proprioception for balance, freeing your eyes to scan your environment. Proprioception as a 6th Sense: Depriving the brain of continuous visual feedback forces it to rely on "snapshots," accelerating spatial processing and motor control. Attention Strength Training: Toggling fluidly between central visual focus (targeting precise hand/foot holds) and peripheral vision (overall spatial alignment) optimizes athletic efficiency. Neurological Grip Strength: Visual and neurological focus directly correlate with motor unit activation—sharper visual attention yields stronger grip output. Rehab Equals Performance: Whether recovering from an injury or pushing for peak athletic performance, visual-cognitive training reactivates foundational movement patterns.

  2. Oct 20

    Max Attention at Max Intensity: Burpee Training for Climbers | Max Edwards

    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, philosophy professor at the University of New Hampshire and 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.  (Get 2 weeks off the Busy Dad training app with this link! https://busydadtraining.com/join/?ref=busydadtraining) 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.    We dive deep into interoception at high intensity, moving past superficial "motivational self-talk" to ask: How do we pay loving attention to temporary pain and suffering at the crux? Key Takeaways The Physical Crossover: How Navy Seal burpees build antagonist chest power, core tension, and hand-foot match mobility directly applicable to climbing. Overcoming Movement Panic: Why "thought is the problem" when detached from sensation, and how seemingly "positive" self-talk can trigger panic under effort. Interoception vs. Exteroception: Balancing internal body awareness (burpees) with external spatial awareness (climbing) as attentional antagonists. Attention as Love: Drawing on 20th-century philosophers Simone Weil and Iris Murdoch to study physical discomfort with curiosity and compassion rather than fear.

  3. Oct 13

    Recognize, Regulate, Rehearse, Repeat, Review: Rewire Your Stress Response | JD Tremblay

    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

  4. Oct 6

    Tears, Tantrums, Attention: How to Craft the Ideal Climbing Mindset | Louis Parkinson

    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 and other book sellers now :D https://www.amazon.com/dp/1839813040?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

  5. Sep 29

    Belinda "Coach Be" Fuller | Drilling Feelings for Fine-Tuned Climbing Technique

    Send a question or comment! We sit down with Belinda Fuller—known and loved in the climbing community as "Coach Be"—who coaches everyone from complete beginners to Team GB athletes. Coach Be unpacks the paradox of structure and freedom in movement. We discuss why a lack of "natural talent" forced her to break down 15 years of complex climbing movement into intuitive, feeling-based foundations that anyone can learn.  From micro-cues like tracking your knee over the little toe and "belly button over toes" to using the inside edge flag, Be shares how mastering technique isn't about rigid rules. It's about expanding your movement vocabulary so you can expand your self-expression, freedom and joy on the wall. Here's what you'll hear about!  1. How NOT being a gifted climber lends well to learning climbing and teaching it to self and others  2. Balancing strict curriculum discipline with total movement freedom 3. How to translate complex technique into intuitive bodily "feelings" 4. Unlocking plateaus by training your uncomfortable weaknesses 5. Micro-cues: The power of the inside edge flag and "lock and rock" 6. Supporting Climbing Out of Depression (COOD) Check out COOD (Climbing Out of Depression) at https://cood.org.uk/ to learn more about their free coaching sessions aimed at supporting mental health through climbing. For in-person or remote coaching with Be, see her YouTube collaboration series with Hannah Morris Bouldering, or book on her website at https://www.beclimbing.co.uk. I have personally taken her coachng coaches course and would highly recommend that also!

  6. Sep 22

    Body Awareness Fundamentals for Climbers, Dancers and Humans | Sigrid Vik

    Send a question or comment! Body awareness is crucial for learning and performing climbing movement in a state of enjoyment. Yet if we pay attention to our bodies only to make them perform, send or do we make them do, our progression in body awareness as a skill and a source of pleasure - is limited.  In this episode, Norwegian jazz and contemporary dancer and activist, Sigrid Vik, shares experiences and tips on how to connect with a sense of joy, "feel the body" and build a relationship with the body when you don't "need" anything from it, so that this baseline skill stays with you in clutch moments on hard climbs, and in hard life situations. We cover:  The Horse & Rider Metaphor. How to let the mind direct while allowing the body to naturally experience the movement. Attention as Rest. Why true rest isn't just sitting still, but actively redirecting your focus to internal somatic sensations. Beyond "Being Good". Unlocking playfulness, overcoming fear of unsending, and letting go of performance pressure. Practical Body-Awareness Drills. Simple tactics like fingertip tracing, gaze shifts, and 5-minute micro-rests to reset your nervous system. Move, dance and connect with your body with Sigrid and other lovely movers, if you're in or around Oslo!  https://www.klubbtaplass.no/ https://www.instagram.com/ktpvibrations/

  7. Sep 15

    This Attention Shift Unlocks Rest for Climbing and Life Performance | Bunny Love-Schock

    Send a question or comment! If you're a climber or a human who overtrains, overworks, and gets stressed at the mere idea of resting - this episode with Bunny Love- Schock is for you.  Our conversation draws attention to the following and more: - Microdrills and techniques to get you more comfortable with resting | - Exploring shame around resting despite its importance for performance - A grounding exercise using the skin on our fingers (say what?!) to use during climbing sessions and other stimulating or stressful environments  - How to use your attention to place yourself gently in states of rest  - A wee pinch of vagus nerve-based stress management neuroscience  Bunny's life purpose is to help people befriend their bodies, needs and nervous systems en-route to well-rooted, grounded greatness in their craft or discipline. She is a Neurosomatic performance coach for corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes and creatives. This means she harnesses neuroscientific body-based tools and principles as the foundation of success in any field involving a combination of mental and physical expertise.  Bunny's extensive experience includes - serving as an interfaith minister, years as a professional dancer and choreographer, previous Art Director for the city of Surrey, England, and working with a broad range of clients including Adidas and The North Face within the athletic corporate sector.  To contact Bunny, visit her website! https://loveschock.com/work-with-me

  8. Sep 8

    Childhood Trauma and Climbing Issues | Live 1:1 Coaching Session with Evan Gregor

    Send a question or comment! Climbing too much. Resting too little. Under-committing to moves. "Negative mindset" in social settings around other climbers. These sound like issues that we climbers can simply "behave differently" in response to.  But for many of us, what if these and others problems negatively impacting climbing performance and enjoyment, are rooted in unprocessed childhood experiences of abandonment, isolation, and fear - where we felt unsupported, unseen and alone?  In this special episode, I am back with with clinical EFT practitioner and inner work coach Evan Gregor in a 1:1 childhood trauma processing live session for climbing - which inevitably, ends up having nothing to do with climbing itself. You will hear me raise genuine issues I've struggled with, and we will be pausing for Evan's commentary on how you can integrate this process for yourself - or with a practitioner.  To work with Evan or find out more about his work as a clinical Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner and inner work coach, visit https://innerworkcoach.com/

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Sharpen your senses. Peak your perception. Attend to your soft skills your off the wall, to climb hard on the wall.  My name is Crystal, and welcome to Attention Climbers! Season 2: Guest episodes beginning with healthy self-perception - the foundation of success for vision, attention, and visualization training for climbing.  Season 1: Stories, summaries and guided meditations for focus, stress reduction, and rock-solid climbing instincts. This is where climbing performance and mind-body health - intersect.  Rest day? Check. Injured but want to still be climbing"? Check. Pre-climb tune-in? Check. Mid-session rest-and mental reset? Check. Post-climb cool down? Check. Stressy, messy, life moments where you'd rather be climbing? CHECK!  Whatever version of you as a climber and a human that is here now - is all you need.  Climb well, be well, and thanks for listening! 

Information

  • Creator
    Crystal Ding
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Attention Climbers
  • Show Website
    Attention Climbers