EP 293: Joel Unema
February 23, 2026
Joel Unema is a high-performance rock climber and coach for Climb Strong, and has climbed V14 and 5.14b. We talked about how Tyler Nelson helped him unlock V14 finger strength, how Steve Bechtel helped him send a 20+ move roof boulder, how to optimize your power endurance for a sport climbing trip, and much more. Buckle up for a good old-fashioned training chat.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
The Nugget Training App:
⬇️ Increase Your Finger Strength by 10% in 1 Month
training.thenuggetclimbing.com
Download FREE Finger Training PDF:
⬇️ The GRINDS Program
The NUG:
⬇️ Check out The NUG
frictitiousclimbing.com/products/the-nug
Show Notes:
Related Episodes:
References:
Simple Finger Training Article
Do Hard Things by Steve Magnus
Joel’s Links:
Nuggets:
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:00 – Hurricave
00:04:37 – Dirtbike crash
00:07:22 – Balance vs. compromise
00:12:30 – The bigger picture
00:16:22 – Joel’s breakthrough season
00:22:43 – Finger Training with Tyler Nelson
00:37:20 – Roof Training with Steve Bechtel
00:46:51 – Ice cube moments
00:58:58 – Hi-Low
01:05:53 – Training for a sport climbing trip
01:11:54 – Pacing & metabolic specificity
01:15:45 – Training for a sport climbing trip continued
01:18:10 – Riding the rollercoaster
01:26:18 – Floor & ceiling
01:35:55 – Achievement to experience
01:39:00 – Strength training
01:45:39 – My Hueco goals
01:49:03 – Joel’s goals
01:52:13 – The Teacup
01:56:03 – Wrap up