June 24, 2026

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

Show Notes

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)
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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:

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

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

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

Follow along on Instagram and YouTube: @thestruggleclimbingshow

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!

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

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