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How the Scientific Method Informs Routesetting – CBJ Podcast with Carly Snidow

The Impact Driver Podcast Ep. 21 with Carly Snidow - How the Scientific Method Informs Routesetting
Graphic by Climbing Business Journal; all photos are courtesy of Carly Snidow

On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, host Holly Chen sits down with Carly Snidow. Carly is a routesetter at VITAL’s Lower East Side location in Manhattan, New York. She has been climbing for almost a decade, and her setting career started like many others—setting college climbing walls and bugging local routesetters. Now, Carly is a USAC Level 1 routesetter with a dozen competitions under her belt up to the divisionals level. She has set for several citizens’ comps as well, including Siege the Southeast. Carly is also a coach and personal trainer. Prior to setting, Carly studied philosophy, neuroscience and psychology. She has extensive lab experience spanning multiple disciplines, from microbiology to behavioral neuroscience and developmental psychology. Carly brings that scientific lens to the show today, challenging how we think about goal setting and success in the routesetting field.

General Topics Covered

  • How the scientific method can inform routesetting 
  • The most common success indicator for setters in climbing competitions: separation
  • Breaking away from separation as the only success indicator
  • What is inductive reasoning, and how does it relate to routesetting
  • Process versus outcome-oriented goal setting
  • How process and outcome-oriented goal setting influence our perceptions in climbing and routesetting

Sickle line by Trango

Show Notes

Closing Notes

If you’d like to nominate someone as a guest, have a topic you want to see us tackle, or have questions, we’d love for you to reach out. 

The Impact Driver podcast is a production of the Climbing Business Journal. Today’s episode is sponsored by Butora and Essential Climbing. It was edited and produced by Holly Yu Tung Chen, Scott Rennak, and the team at CBJ. Our theme music is by Devin Dabney.

Carly Snidow setting volumes onto the wall

Carly carrying a hold and drill during a setting session

Carly Snidow sport climbing outside

Holly Yu Tung Chen

Holly grew up in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Now she lives in Denver where she reports, writes and routesets. Beyond the Climbing Business Journal, her writing has been published by Alpinist Magazine, Climbing Magazine, Gym Climber and Sharp End Publishing. Holly's motto has always been: "keep it interesting." Read our interview with Holly: Storytelling Through Movement