Crag Confessions - A Climbing Podcast with Morgan & Cynthia

Morgan Li
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Crag Confessions - A Climbing Podcast with Morgan & Cynthia

Friends, slay-dies and amateur crushers, Cynthia and Morgan, share personal stories from their climbing lives. Updates twice a month. www.cragconfessions.com Instagram: @cragconfessions Email: the.gals@cragconfessions.com

  1. 06/02/2023

    Ep. 16: Crimposium

    Cynthia and Morgan discuss their divergent training philosophies, or the principles they apply as they try to improve and progress in climbing.  Professor Cynthia, channeling FDR, explains the Four Tenets that she employs to get better at climbing.  Morgan counters with a hedonistic, “anti-training” training philosophy.  Along the way, the gals discuss the role of motivation in devising a training plan, the benefits of training strengths versus weaknesses, what it means to be a “good climber,” and what training advice they would give each other.  Can it be that their philosophies are actually not so different after all?  Tune in and hunker down for some Deep Thoughts about climbing. Listener Question:  What is the definition of a good climber?  What is your training philosophy?

    56 min

  2. 03/07/2023

    Ep. 15: What's in Your Bag?

    Cynthia and Morgan unload the essential climbing gear that has earned its way into their backpacks.  The gals go deep on their climbing shoe choices, how their chalk bag reflects their personality, and whether sport climbing gear is really that important. They also discuss how they protect themselves from the elements (one puff is not enough), and Cynthia’s very important food strategy.  Tune in for a fun romp through our climbing bags!

    45 min

  3. 02/23/2023

    Ep. 14 - Mr. Hueco Tanks (feat. Albert Alvarez)

    The man, the legend, Albert Alvarez! In this comeback episode, Cynthia and Morgan soak up the wisdom of the ages from Albert, longtime Hueco Tanks guide, gym owner, and certified crusher.  Albert started climbing at Hueco Tanks 20 years ago, and through many ups and downs is still as psyched as he was the first day.  He shares his unique climbing philosophy and how it comes through in his guiding and his gym, Sessions Climbing. He also reflects on how the spirit of competitiveness has affected the sport over the years, and offers valuable advice on how to stay motivated for the long term. This episode was recorded in September 2022, only a few weeks after Albert’s gym, Sessions Climbing in El Paso, first opened.

    45 min

  4. 06/12/2022

    Ep 13: A Roast

    We love climbing and all… but sometimes a good old-fashioned rant is just what the doctor ordered. Cynthia and Morgan complain about what pisses them off in the world of climbing.  From the mundane to the ridiculous, from the gym to the crag, join us while we whine over a staggeringly broad range of pet peeves.  No minor annoyance is too petty!  The #ugh list includes: unsolicited dude beta, un-psyched climbers, unprepared party members, belayers who force their leaders up, dogs, kids, huge groups at sport crags, screamers on rope, boulderers who sit on crashpads, and gyms with bizarre rules. Listener question:  Tell us what your climbing pet peeve is!  Did we miss anything?   www.cragconfessions.com/Instagram @cragconfessions/the.gals@cragconfessions.com

    39 min

  5. 05/29/2022

    Ep. 12: So Inspiring

    Climbing is inspiring, and Cynthia and Morgan wouldn’t be the climbers they are today if not for the inspiring people, places, and stories that they have encountered on their climbing journey.  These #inspos get them out of bed, to the gym, to the crag, and psyched to climb over and over again.  The gals recount their personal climbing inspirations—from the pro-climbers whose jaw-dropping accomplishments they want to model, to the mentors who fired them up to try their absolute best, to the communities that have transformed how they view themselves in the sport.  Tune in and get inspired! Mentioned in the episode:  https://youtu.be/cVLic8TYfU4

    34 min

  6. 04/28/2022

    Ep. 11: Confessions of a Routesetter (feat. Ryan Smith)

    The routesetter is simultaneously the subject of climbers' reverence and disdain; a puppeteer and a punching bag; a figure both removed from and essential to the climbing experience. In this episode, we peer into the mind of one routesetter - Ryan Smith, head routesetter at Central Rock Gym Manhattan. Incredibly articulate and genuinely thoughtful, Ryan shares how he became a setter, his personal routesetting principles (keyword: "athletic empathy"), his frustrations with the role, as well as candid views on his career in the short and long term. He sets the record straight that routesetters are - despite what you might think about the pink route in the corner - actually not out to get you.

    45 min

  7. 04/08/2022

    Ep. 10: Working Overtime (feat. Beautiful Brian)

    How does an amateur but passionate climber work a full-time job while climbing outdoors 4-5 times a week? Brian Luce (AKA "Beautiful Brian") Crag Confessions' first guest, manages to succeed at both, climbing hard sport and working as an architect in Las Vegas. In early 2021, Brian decided to move from New York City to Las Vegas in order to be closer to outdoor sport climbing, and started working remotely for his firm on East Coast hours. Managing his time meticulously, he has progressed through 5.12s at Red Rock and is now working on his first 13a. He shares his experience balancing work and climbing, the compromises he has made, and his aspirations for both in the coming year.

    51 min

  8. 04/02/2022 · BONUS

    Bonus Content - Responding to Comments on The Performance Gap

    We got a lot of great comments and questions on our Episode 7 - The Performance Gap. We compiled the best, along with our responses, into this short BONUS mini-episode. Featuring original beatboxing and mixing by Cynthia and Morgan!

    16 min
See All (17)

Ratings & Reviews

About

Friends, slay-dies and amateur crushers, Cynthia and Morgan, share personal stories from their climbing lives. Updates twice a month. www.cragconfessions.com Instagram: @cragconfessions Email: the.gals@cragconfessions.com

Information

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada