John Dunne Podcast

John Dunne is an internationally renowned climber who has been involved in all aspects of the climbing industry for a long time. Cutting edge in his time, John has established many World class new routes over the last 25 years. He was instrumental in bringing competition climbing to the UK in the late 1980s and understands the benefits of coaching, training and the need for careful injury prevention first hand. In 2005 John set up the Manchester Climbing Centre and has since established the Climbing Centre Group with major indoor climbing centres in Harrogate, Reading and Huddersfield.

John is passionate about supporting the pathway through climbing and is ideally placed to scrutinise the Coaching Scheme from the point of view of a climber, a coach and a climbing centre owner. In this podcast we hear him talk to Nicola about the benefits of coaching and who benefits from the Mountain Training Coaching Scheme. What will you hear?

Hear John begin by talking about “who benefits from coaching” and the evolution beyond the instructed basics in our climbing centres.

For climbing coaches, hear how the scheme provides a career pathway and structure to developing your coaching skills in a climbing centre.

At 4:22 we get the “climber's perspective” as John describes how climbers will learn more; progress more quickly; and inherit fewer bad habits thanks to quality coaching.

At 6:13 “Changing Attitudes”: coaching is no longer the reserve of high performance climbing and the greatest benefits can be seen at the grass roots of climbing.

At 6:47 John and Nicola explore “The Value of personalised coaching at all levels” and the differences between individualised coaching and a “one-size-fits-all” training plan

At 8:27 For Climbing centres, the “Value of the Coach:Climber relationship” and the positive impact on repeat business

10:28 The Coaching Process: coaching is a separate set of skills and the best climbers do not necessarily make the best coaches.

11:25 The Olympics: The exciting opportunity of stepping into the mainstream interest; and the challenges of embracing new (and different) people into our sport.