Circle Up!

In this episode—brought to you by OCUN, engineered for climbing—Kyra Condie and Freddie Kolwey dive into the numbers behind elite bouldering: how many women have climbed V14 or harder, how many men have climbed V16 or harder, and why climbing media still doesn’t give women’s achievements the attention they deserve. They unpack the shrinking space for stories that aren’t tied to being “the first,” and how that pressure shapes which accomplishments make headlines. They also explore the frustrating pattern where a climb seems to lose some of its perceived impressiveness once a woman does it, and how this dynamic can unintentionally pit women against one another. Later, they break down the recent World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, and Kyra shares her experience at a uniquely formatted competition in France. Join our Patreon for free or as little as $3 a month for extra members-only content! patreon.com/circleup And follow us on instagram to show support! https://www.instagram.com/crcleup/

Welcome back for another episode of the Circle Up! Podcast. In this episode, Kyra and Allison go over what Allison has been up to in the recent months since she hasn't been on the podcast for a while. She's mainly been in the "pain cave" focusing on training now that she's healthy and was able to have a proper "off" season. Allison shares what she's been focusing on and how that focus on improving her weaknesses has actually helped hone in her training over the last couple months and make tangible improvements, even if it costs some margin on her strengths. Her and Kyra then go on a long tangent about board climbing and how it can be helpful in anyone's training of any level. Kyra shares some big updates on her end, like how she's gotten into trail running, her new position on the IFSC Board, and what events she has coming up.

In this episode Kyra Condie and Freddie Kolwey chat about how sometimes your mood (and let’s be honest) your self worth is tied to sending a rock. Kyra experienced this on her latest trip to Africa, talking about how projecting was wearing down on her and how she had a specific day where the goal was to stand on top of “anything”. Kyra and Freddie both share stories relating to how their mood has improved after sending or how they’ve managed that, and whether that is an inherently “bad” thing or not. Then they talk about what it’s like to climb with a climbing parter who has a very different ability level than yourself, whether that’s much better or much worse. Freddie shares how she’s framed climbing with people who are stronger than her and Kyra shares how she sometimes finds it easier to climb alone when the social dynamics get too complicated or are taking away from the quality of her session. Like what you hear? Join our Patreon! 👉 patreon.com/circleup Follow us on Instagram: 👉 instagram.com/crcleup

Welcome to the Mentorship Sessions! In this episode of the mini series, Kyra and Freddie interview long time friends, climbing partners, and extreme adventure multi-sport athletes Will Gadd and Tim Emmett. Tim is a professional climber, ex–base jumper, and freediver who’s pioneered deep-water soloing, pushed the limits of ice climbing, and thrown himself into the extremes of every sport he’s tried. Will is a climber, ice climber, paraglider, ex–base jumper, and kayaker with X Games gold medals, Ice Climbing World Cup wins, Canadian sport climbing national titles, and the former world record for the longest paragliding flight, including gliding over the Grand Canyon. The two first met at an Ice Climbing World Cup and quickly bonded over a shared appetite for adventure and risk. We talk about how they met, how they approached big goals, like ice climbing Helmcken Falls, and how they assess risk, coming from two people who used to base jump but quit it before it "quit them". You wont want to miss this episode! Like what you hear? Join our Patreon! 👉 patreon.com/circleup Follow us on Instagram: 👉 instagram.com/crcleup

Ever wondered whether route‑setters should be throwing monos into competition climbs? Kyra and Allison had noticed an increase in the use of monos in competitions recently and so they dig into the great mono debate. Is it a legitimate test of skill or just an injury waiting to happen? Allison pulls from her own mono‑training journey, sharing what worked, what back‑fired, and whether she thinks training monos improved her normal crimping strength. From there, they compare their personal hang‑boarding routine tweaks: Allison has been adding lock-off hangs to her program while Kyra had to do more straight‑arm hangs because of an injury recently. They chat about whether switching up your program is a good idea to keep workouts fresh and muscles "confused" or if its better to only work on the things you're good or bad at. Next they dive into the various safety concerns that arose at recent competitions. Pad stiffness, sketchy moves, and why comp floors sometimes feel like hitting concrete. Kyra pitches her idea of a World Cup circuit that tests different skills at different stops, similar to how F1 or the Tennis circuit tests on different courses/court types. They then debate where “new‑school” setting crosses the line into just plain weird and what the actual job of competition routesetters is. Stick around till the end to hear about: Our new Tier on Patreon: Check out our latest member-only episode about doping in outdoor climbing at patreon.com/circleup Get excited for our upcoming special mini series "The Mentorship Sessions" with guest host Freddie Kolwey from Buddy Check Podcast! First episode featuring Kyra and Freddie will come out August 5th to introduce the series.

In this episode Kyra and Allison discuss multiple topics surrounding the "grey areas” of ethics within climbing. Things like, does a top rope ascent “count” as the first ascent of a climb? Can you down climb a climb to preserve the onsight? What about having an “oh shit” rope draped next to a highball top out as a safety net in case you panic? These are the important questions that we don’t have answers to, but do have opinions on. Hopefully none of this is too hot of takes for anyone, we kept it to our opinion and are not trying to shame or influence anyone with these thoughts and ramblings. If you enjoyed this episode, follow us on instagram or join as a free member on Patreon for more content! patreon.com/circleup https://www.instagram.com/crcleup

In this episode, supported by OCÚN, Kyra is fresh off competing with the new scoring format at Team Trials. Kyra and Allison together unpack what they missed when they talked about it before actually experiencing it, and how it might change the sport moving forward. They wonder how World Cups will be impacted and get excited for the season to officially start with Kyra heading to China just a few days after this episode was recorded. Then they dive into the latest Olympic announcement: three medals will be awarded for Sport Climbing in LA28 with 76 total athlete spots across lead, boulder, and speed. They take a few educated guesses at how the selection might work, and what this shift means for climbers who’ve traditionally excelled in more than one discipline. Along the way, they veer into a quick race walking and x games tangents, chat about the Olympics as a brand, and talk about Brooke Raboutou's impressive First Female Ascent of Excalibur, 5.15c, becoming the first woman to climb a route of that grade. Check out our Patreon! Extra content for paying an non-paying members alike. https://www.patreon.com/circleup This episode is brought to you by OCÚN Climbing https://www.ocun.com/

In this episode, Kyra chats with Jesse Grupper, her good friend, roommate, and fellow Olympian. Jesse and Kyra start off by sharing some insight into their house and their similarities and differences when it comes to training mindset and planning. Jesse shares his thoughts about being an "underdog" in the past and how its helped him push himself and his limits while achieving benchmarked goals along the way. They then talk about how that's changed throughout the years. Jesse shares insight into why he feels so restless on rest days and him and Kyra chat about how climbers can try to use their platform to make a positive impact.

In this episode of Circle Up!, Kerry Scott shares her journey through the ups and downs of her climbing career. She talks about transitioning from competitions to outdoor climbing—and then back again—and how moving across the country to work in the climbing industry influenced her path. Kerry reflects on the pressure she felt to downplay her competitive side, something she realized wasn’t encouraged in young women the way it often is in men, something both Kyra and Allison heavily relate to. She also tells the story of how training for lead climbing unexpectedly turned her into a boulderer. Throughout the episode, Kyra and Allison share their own thoughts and insights, adding their perspectives on competition, outdoor climbing, and what it means to find purpose in the sport. It’s a thoughtful conversation about balancing ambition and the joy of climbing. To watch this episode and get more exclusive content, follow us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/circleup!

In this episode, Kyra is joined by Dan Beall (who's stepping in for Allison while she's off crushing boulders in Vegas) and together they dive into the moments when they first saw major breakthroughs in their own climbing and talk about what they believe made the difference. Then, they explore a common challenge among climbers: truly trying hard. Many unknowingly hold themselves back in training, stopping short of their full potential because unlocking 100% effort can be uncomfortable and . Kyra and Dan share insights on how to push harder, embrace a "glass half full" mindset, and get the most out of every session. Loved this episode? Head over to Patreon for an exclusive extension—free for all members! patreon.com/circleup

In this episode, Kyra sits down with Campbell Harrison, Australian Olympic climber and passionate advocate for athlete representation, to explore a wide range of topics. They discuss the impacts of social media on their careers and mental health, and how it can be especially challenging following the Olympic explosion in popularity. They talk about the outdoor industry as a whole, and how climbing stars may be outgrowing the scope of the climbing industry in years to come. The conversation then delves into the challenge of advocating for topics that are close to the chest and putting what is best for the group above what is best for yourself. throughout the episode, Kyra and Campbell discuss the all-too-familiar struggle of fighting the inner voice that creates guilt around taking necessary rest days, indulging in small joys, or stepping back from the grind to focus on holistic well-being. **They discuss drinking alcohol and taking time off drinking, so if this is a sensitive topic for you, skip 27:00-32:45.

In this Episode, Kyra Condie and Dan Beall went into the recent top posts from r/climbharder and talked about some of the topics and themes they saw reoccur in recent hot posts. They talk about how, if you want to, to avoid "life as a mediocre climber" and what small changes and tweaks you can make to your attitude and everyday schedule to improve your climbing. Then, they break down the art of projecting—what it truly means to push your limits and challenge yourself on a climb. Plus, they debate whether anyone could climb V15 in perfect conditions, if Kyra has what it takes to dunk a basketball, and which training exercises are criminally underrated (or totally overrated). T-shirt link: https://tinyurl.com/Circleuppodcast Interested in coaching with Dan? Email at danbeall.climbingcoach@gmail.com for details (availability is limited)