Custom plan participant of 2021 & 2022. Adam is a writer by trade, so it should come as no surprise that he is introspective, thoughtful, and a highly effective communicator. He is a highball connoisseur and spends most of his climbing days wrestling the gorgeous granite blocs of Tahoe, or wandering around looking for new lines to scrub and send. Adam holds this unique blend of determination and humility that we could all stand to learn from.

“My 6-week custom plan with Taylor was the first formal coaching I’ve had after over 8 years of climbing. Taylor was really thorough with my athlete evaluation, taking the time to understand my goals, strengths, and weaknesses – both physical and mental. She translated this information into a kick-ass training program that was challenging but attainable. Throughout the process, Taylor made herself available for questions that came up and our weekly check-ins were always really enlightening. After working with Taylor, I can’t really imagine investing in coaching that doesn’t address the non-physical aspects of climbing. Taylor’s approach really is holistic and I came out of the program feeling way more prepared to send my projects and enjoy the process.”

Custom mental training and self-written training plan review; 2021. Beth is a teacher to her core, whether to school children or those wanting to learn yoga. I have a hunch that her patient and caring nature would bleed into teaching anything though. We worked on some big mental shifts in our months together. I was, and am, continually impressed by her willingness to lay it all out there.

“I can’t begin to describe the value Taylor has in my life. As a person who loves to get better at activities and to train, I have trained specifically for climbing for years. When Covid hit I already had a concussion so I was forced to take time off completely. When I finally could get back to training I decided to try to work with Taylor. Her support and knowledge has been amazing for my climbing. I didn’t realize before her how much my head game was affecting my climbing performance. She is able to really get to the issues when you work with her. Every session, every conversation and every activity I do I learn something new from her. Her mental flexibility and understanding is always on display. Her knowledge base is profound but she always willing to dig deeper with me. It’s hard to put into words how much that kind of support can mean.”

Custom plan participant of 2021. Blake is a USAC L4 routesetter that is dedicated to shaking up the boys club status quo every time he builds a crew for a championship event. He describes himself as an introspective extravert, an overthinker of all things, and a breaker of social inertia. Beyond routesetting, he runs the competitive youth team at Highpoint in Birmingham, AL. Besides climbing, he enjoys NPR, movies, and cats.

“I truly loved working with Taylor. As a coach myself for several years, I wanted someone to hold me accountable and read between the lines of what I thought I understood about my climbing. Taylor surpassed all expectations with the sheer volume of compassion and close listening she put into all our interactions. I appreciated tremendously her ability to empathize with my routesetting career and the way it complicates traditional training schedules. Taylor's thoughtful modules and weekly conversations got us to a place where she was regularly helping me interrogate my own approach to climbing, my mentality around goal setting, and the cheap talk I had about my goal setting. I look forward to future seasons working together, and I'd gladly send other folks her way.”

Custom plan participant of 2021. Chris is one of those unassuming humans who is highly skilled at anything he puts his mind too. He’s been an accountant, a personal trainer, a chef, a business owner, and as you can see in his words below, has worn many other hats. A long-time pillar in the St. George climbing community, Chris has given back to the place he calls home in innumerable ways over the years. Beyond climbing, Chris enjoys running, skating, surfing, and snowboarding.

“As a long-time climber, guide, coach, instructor, trainer; it's hard for me to see through all the noise sometimes and create programming for myself based on my needs and goals. It's also hard not to favor my strengths, ignoring the aspects I need to train the most. Taylor has been able to help me see through all the hang-ups and history I have with climbing and training and develop a focused program based on my needs and goals. On top of that, she emphasizes that climbing is primarily a skill sport and hence focuses more than most coaches on the mental and emotional aspects of being a climber. Taylor takes a holistic approach, which is rare in the climbing training world.”

Custom plan participant of late 2019; has worked with Taylor several times since then. Maiza is a wildly bright soul. She has this powerful ability to fight on route. She’s an incredible climbing partner. Her laugh is loud and contagious and her heart is huge. I’m endlessly impressed by her courage to wear her heart on her sleeve; her vulnerability gives her undeniable strength.

“Tay is more than just a climbing coach! Yes, I’ve never had so much information handed to me in the 6 years I’ve been climbing. I had been struggling with training but even more with someone to guide me through the process of training, applying my training outside, projecting, resting, and putting in the mental work. One of the things that I quickly realized about her is that she didn’t want to provide the solution to my problems but she would challenge me to dig deep and find the answer myself. A huge part of climbing is the mental aspect and it’s so important to have a coach to talk to you and go through all the struggles and why you feel the way you do and why we have fear. Tay wrote me a training program to peak last spring. I remember texting her the last week saying: “I feel so damn strong, I’ve never felt so good.” COVID hit and didn’t allow me to go on my trip so I kept on conditioning, asking her questions and trying to maintain my fitness at home. Two months later, I sent my hardest route ever and then sent yet even harder a few weeks later. She’s the best and has so much knowledge and patience.”

Custom plan participant of 2021. Matt is an incredible photographer and graphic designer, working through his business, Simple Elevations. He actually designed the sick Tangent logo that we all know and love! Aside from being really great at his job, Matt is an amazing person who is incredibly attuned to the balancing act that is life. He describes himself as “kind of an asshole,” but adds that he’s pretty good once you get to know him. Trust me, it’s worth anyone’s time to get to know this guy.

“Working with Taylor was exactly what I’d been searching for in a coach. I wanted more than just a training plan - I wanted someone who would listen to my needs, ask questions that showed me what I was missing, and reviewed my ACTUAL climbing to fill in all the blanks. I felt like I’d been given drills, tasks and a routine that was made specifically for me (because it was). The weekly modules are amazing, the check ins are always insightful and the proof is in the pudding. I’ve progressed several V grades very quickly, I also started putting down routes in the 13a/b grade substantially quicker than I had before. Nearly doubling my sends at that grade year over year. I’m a huge fan. I’d recommend her to anyone.”

Summer Training Cohort of 2021, and custom plan participant of 2021/22. Mads is a professional guide in St. George, facilitating time outdoors through all sorts of avenues from biking to climbing to canyoneering. Her persistence, determination, and positive attitude make her a welcome presence at any crag. Her unique level of patience keeps her on track and working hard towards her goals in a way that most climbers really struggle with.

“I first started training with Taylor of Tangent Climbing this past summer. I signed up for the Summer Training Cohort, and the customizable plan exceeded my expectations – Taylor designed the plan so that I could efficiently train while also dealing with my physically demanding day job. I felt so much stronger and in control of my climbing progress after the Summer Training Cohort, that I decided to sign up and move forward with an individual Fall/Winter climbing plan as well. Not only does Taylor make sure you understand the training and climbing drills, but how to balance sleep, REST, nutrition, and general mental wellness as well. Working with Taylor and receiving her input has helped keep me accountable for my climbing and training progression, and I definitely recommend her to anyone who wants to feel empowered in their own climbing trajectory.”

Custom plan participant 2021. Parker is a genuine all-arounder. Climbing has been a huge part of his life from the time he was in high school and on the Junior Mountaineering Team. Parker has extensive experience as a guide and climbing instructor. He is passionate about sustainable and responsible urban planning, inspired by many months of his life spent in rural Nepal working for The Oda Foundation.

“I've been climbing for roughly 11 years and have never really had any formal coaching. After taking roughly a year off of climbing, I decided to reach out to Taylor and get a more systematic approach to training. Taylor helped me reach new benchmarks and become more consistent with the routes I was climbing. Perhaps the greatest value in her approach to coaching is being empathetic and understanding towards my goals, hesitations, and challenges I have with the sport. She produced a handful of great training plans that highlighted mental and physical areas of improvement, while helping me feel more confident and less anxious on the wall. Her compassion and genuine interest in helping you achieve long term goals is invaluable.”