Karly Rager is back on the podcast and is joined by Casey Elliott to talk about the factors that affect climbing performance. We’ve got three engineers in one podcast, and we geek out on the data! Do things like weight, height, and ape index affect how hard you can climb? Is max finger strength more important than days spent climbing outside? Listen to find out!Check out The Nugget on YouTube:youtube.com/@thenuggetclimbingThe Nugget is brought to you by BetterHelp!betterhelp.com/NUGGETUse this link for 10% off your first month!Check out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app!Check out Green Chef!greenchef.com/nugget60Use code "NUGGE60" at checkout for 60% off plus free shipping!Check out Rumpl!rumpl.com/nuggetUse code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!Check out Rhino Skin Solutions!rhinoskinsolutions.comUse code “NUGGET” at checkout for 20% off your next order!And check out EP 22 with Justin Brown to learn more about how to use Rhino products! We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Renzollama, Zach Emery, and Brandt MickolasBecome a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/karly-and-caseyNuggets:0:06:18 – Karly’s time in El Salto, Mexico0:09:39 – Casey joins us from a legit recording studio, his engineering studies, and coaching vs. engineering0:16:06 – An update from Karly on Project Direct, and how she got connected to Casey0:19:19 – Decision fatigue, and wearing lots of hats0:20:42 – Casey’s climbing and coaching background0:25:51 – Mikey Schaefer calls out Casey, and the connection between dating and projecting routes0:30:03 – What was the goal of this multi-variate statistical analysis?0:32:59 – What is a multivariate statistical analysis, and how does it work?0:40:09 – The 600 people whose data was used in this analysis, and getting away from statements like “I have 5.13 finger strength”0:49:12 – What % of climbers have climbed 5.13?0:50:56 – List of the variables used in this analysis0:53:45 – Casey’s simple model using three variables0:55:15 – How important is climbing outside vs. max finger strength?0:56:35 – Why climbing outside ended up being the most heavily weighted variable in the multivariate model0:59:10 – Higher-end statistics require interpretation1:00:47 – Check out their blog post and the climbing calculator!1:02:08 – Do height, weight, wing span, or BMI affect how hard you can climb?1:07:57 – Thoughts on how age affects how hard you can climb, and playing to your strengths as a short climber1:09:37 – What the data doesn’t tell us1:11:06 – The range of climbing abilities in the 600 participants1:12:36 – How the coefficient for max hangs turned out to be negative, and what that likely means1:18:08 – What should people spend their time on to get better at climbing?1:20:59 – How training can lead to expectations, and getting good before you get strong1:24:38 – Getting creative with skill drills1:25:34 – Watching climbing videos, and filming your Kilter Board sessions1:27:49 – Diving deeper into what you should do to climb harder boulders and sport routes1:32:06 – Looking for low-hanging fruit1:35:03 – How Karly used the online calculator before her trip to El Salto1:36:08 – How to use the online climbing calculator, and how to take the assessment1:39:34 – How many outdoor days does it take to be a master?1:42:35 – Injury prevention isn’t captured in the model1:43:41 – What variables would Karly and Casey like to see in their dream multi-variate statistical analysis?1:46:39 – What is Mikey Schafer up to?1:48:16 – Skiing this winter, and finishing his masters1:48:52 – The momentum that comes with doing hard things, and looking at high performers1:51:56 – Final thoughts and wrap up