Dr. Tyler Nelson: How to Test Critical Force and What to Do With the Results

Test YOUR Critical Force, break through plateaus, and make every session count with a free 14-day trial of Intentional Climber.

https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/intentional

Join the email list to get a FREE private finger training clinic with Dr. Tyler Nelson (normally $15) www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/strong

Dr. Tyler Nelson returns to dive deep on Critical Force, including:

• How to test critical force
• Why it matters
• My critical force test
• Why MVC is still king
• How critical force tells us what to train
• Improving power endurance on and off wall
• The big change I’m making to my training now
• What boulderers should focus on kill
• Why so many pros don’t test finger strength

Dr. Tyler Nelson's Critical Force Field Test is on the Intentional Climber app! Test your CF and get instant training recommendations from Tyler based on the results.

Here are Tyler's other episodes to check out:

• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-on-finger-strength/
• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/expert-analysis-training-with-dr-tyler-nelson/
• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/pro-clinic-power-with-dr-tyler-nelson-free-preview/
• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-pro-clinic-on-building-endurance-for-bouldering-and-sport-climbing/
• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/dr-tyler-nelson-stronger-wrists-stronger-climbing/
• https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/pro-clinic-dr-tyler-nelson-on-how-to-maintain-and-gain-strength-beyond-age-35-free/

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BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

• Arc’teryx: Inspired by and tested in the Coast Mountains of BC, Arc’teryx makes gear to go the distance! If you’re out adventuring in the elements, Arc’teryx has got you covered. Shop their full collection at Arcteryx.com
• Intentional Climber: Stop spinning your wheels. Start making real progress. Plan smarter, train harder, and stay consistent with world-class coaching plans, mindset tools, and powerful analytics built specifically for climbers. Download on Google Play or the App Store and use code STRUGGLE to unlock Kris Hampton’s 6-week Stronger Fingers program.

And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

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Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

00:00 Critical Force Teaser 00:22 Show Intro and Focus 01:39 Critical Force Explained 05:20 Host Updates Australia 06:47 Meet Dr Tyler Nelson 08:05 Testing Protocol Breakdown 11:07 Interpreting Your Numbers 15:27 Energy Systems and Plateau 18:23 Testing Method Matters 23:58 Who Should Use This 25:43 Arc'teryx Academy Ad 26:59 What Results Mean Training 31:42 Route Goal Flower Power 33:28 Training Interventions Percentages 41:49 No Gear Testing Options 43:49 Treadwall for Endurance 45:28 How To Train From Metrics 47:38 Critical Force Takeaways 48:57 Power Endurance Priority 50:28 Training Tools Setup 52:09 Active Rest Explained 53:39 80 vs 60 Percent Blocks 56:11 Retesting and Progress 57:35 Elite Curve and Technique 01:01:47 Why Pros Skip Testing 01:04:00 More Quality Attempts 01:09:31 Repeater Protocol Details 01:11:41 In Season Projecting 01:14:52 Peaking for Fall Season 01:19:57 Outro and App Protocol 01:23:49 My Current Training Plan 01:27:25 Final Wrap Up

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Shoutout to Aiden Schlatter, Michael Martin, and Kent Olmstead for supporting at the Hero level on Patreon. So mega!

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Follow along on Instagram and YouTube: @thestruggleclimbingshow

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This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

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!