7 climbing coaches, from Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou to Roman Krajnik and Udo Neumann, with achievements, years active, athletes coached and nationality.
Under each of the 4 names sit the record, the span of the career, the teams and the nationality, so a national team spell is easy to tell from a lifetime at one club. How we ordered them is our own call on rock climbing, and the FAQ below answers the rest.
If you are working through the subject more broadly, we keep the same kind of list for rock climbing books and rock climbing films and documentaries.
Best Rock Climbing Coaches:
- Udo Neumann
- Justen Sjong
- Mark and Mike Anderson
- Chris Sharma
- Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou
- Roman Krajnik
- Josh Larson
Get some inspiration for your next social media post by reading our rock climbing Instagram captions.
#1 Udo Neumann
- 🏆 Achievements: Pioneering climbing coach, author, and visual artist
- 📅 Years Active: 1980s to Present
- 👕 Teams Coached: German National Climbing Team
- 🌐 Nationality: German
Udo Neumann is widely recognized for his innovative coaching techniques and contributions to the training methods in rock climbing. As a coach for the German national climbing team, he played a significant role in developing the team’s competitive edge, particularly in the disciplines of bouldering and lead climbing.
His work extends beyond the realm of physical training; Neumann is known for his application of creative problem-solving and exploring the psychological aspects of climbing performance. His insights have been influential in shaping the way climbers approach the sport both mentally and tactically.
Neumann’s legacy is also captured in his written work. He is the author of “The Art and Science of Bouldering,” which revolutionized the way climbers think about movement, training, and the sport as a whole. His approach has inspired a generation of climbers and coaches to think more deeply about the nuances of climbing.
#2 Justen Sjong
- 🏆 Achievements: Renowned climbing coach with a focus on mental training
- 📅 Years Active: 2000s to Present
- 👕 Teams Coached: Individual athletes, Team of Two
- 🌐 Nationality: American
Justen Sjong has made a name for himself in the rock climbing world as a coach who specializes in the mental components of climbing. Known for his ability to help climbers break through personal barriers, Sjong has become a go-to coach for athletes looking to elevate their performance.
Sjong’s philosophy centers on the notion that a climber’s mind is just as important as their physical strength. Through his coaching services, including Team of Two, which he runs with fellow coach Kris Peters, he helps climbers develop their mental fortitude to approach climbs with confidence and clarity.
Having worked with some of the best climbers in the sport, Sjong’s impact on their achievements is well-documented. His capacity to inspire and instill a growth mindset in his clients continues to make him one of the most sought-after coaches in rock climbing.
#3 Mark and Mike Anderson
- 🏆 Achievements: Creators of the Rock Prodigy training method
- 📅 Years Active: Late 1990s to Present
- 👕 Teams Coached: Climbers of all abilities through their training programs
- 🌐Nationality: American
Mark and Mike Anderson are not just coaches but also innovators in the climbing world. The brothers co-developed the Rock Prodigy training program, a systematic approach to climbing training that has gained widespread popularity and acceptance.
Their method is detailed in their seminal book, “The Rock Climber’s Training Manual.” It outlines a comprehensive training regimen that has helped many climbers achieve breakthrough performances. The Anderson brothers’ scientifically grounded approach to training has democratized high-level climbing coaching, making it accessible to the masses.
Both Mark and Mike are accomplished climbers in their own right, and they continue to test and refine their methodologies through their own climbing experiences. Their contributions to the training and coaching realm of rock climbing have left a lasting impact, enabling climbers of all skill levels to structure their training and progress systematically.
#4 Chris Sharma
- 🏆 Achievements: Legendary climber, established top-grade routes, shares climbing philosophies
- 📅 Years Active: 1990s to Present
- 👕 Teams Coached: Climbing community at large, through clinics and his climbing gym
- 🌐 Nationality: American
Chris Sharma is one of the most iconic figures in rock climbing, known for pushing the boundaries of the sport and establishing some of the world’s hardest routes. While his main focus has been on his professional climbing career, Sharma has also taken on a mentorship role within the climbing community.
His climbing gym, “Sharma Climbing,” serves as a hub for climbers of all levels to learn and train. He occasionally conducts clinics and workshops where he shares his climbing philosophies and techniques, effectively coaching aspiring climbers indirectly through his vast experience.
Chris Sharma’s name is synonymous with inspiration in the rock climbing world. His contributions to coaching may not be in the traditional sense of leading a team or individual athletes, but his influence on climbers globally through his achievements and shared knowledge is undeniable.
#5 Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou
- 🏆 Achievements: Founded the Team ABC youth programme in Boulder in 2003 and coached several Olympic and world championship climbers out of it, entering the Boulder Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
- 📅 Years Active: 2003 to today
- 👕 Athletes Coached: Brooke Raboutou, Colin Duffy, Margo Hayes, Natalia Grossman, Emily Harrington
- 🌐 Nationality: United States
Erbesfield-Raboutou was world cup champion four times as a climber, then built a youth gym in Colorado at a point when competition climbing in the United States barely existed.
A single programme produced two of the three American climbers at the Tokyo Olympics plus the first woman to climb 9a+. That is not a coincidence of geography.
#6 Roman Krajnik
- 🏆 Achievements: Professional coach since 2000 who guided Janja Garnbret to Olympic gold in 2020 and 2024, and coached the Austrian national team in 2018.
- 📅 Years Active: 1996 as a club coach, professional from 2000, with Garnbret from late 2019
- 👕 Athletes Coached: Janja Garnbret, Mina Markovic, Maja Vidmar, Jakob Schubert, Jessica Pilz
- 🌐 Nationality: Slovenia
Slovenia is the strongest competition climbing nation per head of population, and Krajnik has coached most of the athletes who made it so.
Janja Garnbret is the most dominant competitor the sport has produced, and she changed coaches to him shortly before the first Olympic cycle.
#7 Josh Larson
- 🏆 Achievements: National team head coach of USA Climbing, responsible for the American senior squad.
- 📅 Years Active: Current as of 2026
- 👕 Athletes Coached: The USA Climbing national team
- 🌐 Nationality: United States
The American squad has grown from a handful of competitors to a full Olympic programme in one decade, and the head coach role now covers boulder, lead and speed.
Larson was a competitor and route setter before taking the job, which in climbing is the normal path: the people who set the problems understand what they demand.
FAQ
Who is the greatest rock climbing coach of all time?
It’s subjective, but Ueli Steck is often celebrated for exceptional achievements and training techniques, influencing climbers worldwide before his death in 2017.
Who was the most successful rock climbing coach?
Heinz Zak is one of the most successful, known for coaching and photographing elite climbers, and contributing to the popularity of sport climbing.
