Jackie was the routesetting director at the Pro Climbing League (PCL) comp and is also the co-founder of Kilter! In this episode, we’ll learn more about the unique challenges that came with setting for PCL, why she thinks it’s important to have more women setting for women’s comps, and how YOU could maybe try climbing the same exact boulders set at PCL.

Guest links:

Kiter’s Website

Jackie’s Instagram

Pro Climbing League Website

Kilter Youtube

Reference links:

Underrated hold

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

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Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Intro

1:20 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!

2:00 - Still cleaning up from PCL

5:42 - Interesting Kilter free-standing option

7:34 - Getting into climbing, setting, and Kilter

13:38 - The political path to becoming an IFSC setter

15:34 - Starting the Woman Up Comps

20:00 - What grade do you need to climb to be a route setter?

22:31 - AUDIENCE Q: How did you build the PCL routesetting team?

28:46 - What made setting different for PCL

32:09 - How to get separation

36:30 - AUDIENCE Q: Was this speed bouldering, was women's setting too easy?

41:57 - Is sanding down holds fair?!

43:47 - Why it's hard to calibrate for female competitors

51:16 - How boulder changeover worked

55:37 - The slab that didn't get shown

58:24 - Different competition strategies

1:03:27 - AUDIENCE Q: Harder to gauge setting than World Cup?

1:04:18 - AUDIENCE Q: Did the setting matter more than a World Cup?

1:07:04 - AUDIENCE Q: Mixed gender events in the future?

1:09:13 - AUDIENCE Q: idea - 2 betas per boulder?

1:11:12 - AUDIENCE Q: Are setters more impressed or annoyed by beta breaks?

1:17:23 - AUDIENCE Q: What makes Kilter stand out?

1:22:30 - Underrated hold?

1:25:02 - Shoutouts and long work hours

1:26:51 - YOU can reset the PCL climbs and experience them!

Mickael is a french boulderer and he is the bouldering world champ from Bern 2023. In this episode, we have an extremely honest conversation about how growing up poor motivated him to make money as a climber, why he stuck with climbing despite the lack of financial prospects, what his training looks like which includes warming up with 80 pull-ups, and of course, what happened during the Bern world champ finals. Shoutout to Madrock for hosting this interview at their headquarters!

Guest links:

Mickael’s Instagram

Reference links:

Climbing with Jonathan Sin Video

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Intro

1:30 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!

3:46 - Starting climbing with his brother Bassa

7:45 - AUDIENCE Q: Being one of the few black climbers in the IFSC

13:39 - Affording climbing when growing up poor

24:31 - Pro climbing only pays enough for the present

28:10 - Why he would not choose climbing in hindsight

30:51 - Why he still chose climbing

34:34 - AUDIENCE Q: Will you ever compete again in the IFSC?

38:33 - The goal: be rich

45:25 - Bern World Champs finals boulders

53:26 - Encountering no-tex for the first time ever

1:01:59 - Mickael's crazy pull up training

1:06:12 - How to work on your technique

1:11:47 - The secret to French slab

1:14:28 - Why he trains alone

1:21:59 - Keeping up with the evolution of climbing

1:25:44 - His future in climbing?

1:31:01 - New climbing goal

1:33:38 - AUDIENCE Q: Who were your role models growing up?

1:34:46 - AUDIENCE Q: What's your family like?

1:39:28 - AUDIENCE Q: How to maintain strength without getting injured?

1:44:50 - Where to find Mickael

Mo is a paraclimber in the AU2 class, and she is trying to qualify for the 2028 Paralympics! She has been climbing for over 22 years and had actually retired from competing…until hearing about the Paralympics. In this episode, we’ll learn more about what it’s like climbing with a stump, whether outdoor, indoor, or comp setting is most friendly to her impairment, we’ll talk about petty drama in the community, and what sport shopping is in the Paralympics.

Guest links:

Mo’s Instagram

Mo’s Website

Reference links:

Thank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/

Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.com

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Join the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zp

Join Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast

Timestamps of discussion topics

Timestamps of discussion topics

0:00 - Intro

1:18 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!

1:59 - Lifting at a bro-y gym

3:28 - The 'stump' impairment

7:40 - Getting into climbing and competing

13:39 - Thoughts on gym setting for her stump

22:10 - Becoming a real sport means drama

28:16 - "Training" back then vs real training now

29:29 - World Cup appearances 2026 and 2027

30:55 - What we know about Paralympics qualifications

32:18 - How the Paralympics have changed paraclimbing

35:49 - Paralympic "Sport shopping"

38:09 - Heartbreak over which sport classes got chosen for the Paralympics

42:17 - What her training will look like to qualify at 39 years old

46:44 - Audience Q: What does the process look like to qualify for Paralympics?

48:59 - Dealing with comp nerves

50:49 - Is outdoor climbing more friendly for her stump?

52:38 - Outdoor projects and first ascents

58:00 - AUDIENCE Q: Favorite comp memory?

1:01:02 - AUDIENCE Q: Podium cupcake story?

1:03:20 - AUDIENCE Q: Getting sponsored by North Face and tips for getting sponsors

1:06:20 - Words of wisdom and where to find Mo