“My time working with Project Direct has been amazing. I came to PD looking to get stronger of course, but I've improved my climbing in ways that I had never envisioned when I started working with Karly.

Not only has Karly been able to increase my strength by leaps and bounds, but she has also provided invaluable insight into my climbing movement and my head game. I didn't think head game was something that I needed to focus on this training season, but Karly showed me how wrong I was.

I've learned so much over the last few months, not only about the physical part of climbing but also the mental part of it and how climbing fits into my life as a whole. The things I have learned and the progress I have made over the last 6 or so months would have taken me years to learn on my own - Karly and the Project Direct team are not only climbing coaches, but are truly guides for a lifelong climbing journey.”

-1 on 1 Athlete, Daniel Loudenback

“I tried everything to fix my head. I read books. I asked random fearless strangers at the crag how they did it. I attended fear of falling workshops by pro climbers. I experimented. Nothing worked…

Fast-forward to now, and I’m not scared anymore. It’s kind of crazy. Karly is the best investment i have made for my climbing. She has completely transformed my head game. I am performing better than ever and having more fun. Headpoint Training is truly priceless.”

-Headpoint Training Athlete, Hayley Mckinney

"Project Direct totally changed my idea of what I thought was possible for my own climbing progression! Karly keenly identified weaknesses and wrote wonderfully structured sessions.

I have seen my strength, technique, and climbing ability grow massively - I even flashed my first 5.12a on gear, in no small part due to Karly's training program!”

-Project Direct Athlete, Olivia Wetzel

I started climbing in my thirties and hadn’t ever trained or gotten coaching before, but after a recurring shoulder injury, I had gotten a little stuck with progressing in shoulder strength, confidence to commit to harder (shouldery) moves, and knowing how to progress my headgame while climbing.

Working with Karly has been amazing for both my strength and my mind! With Karly’s thoughtful, specific feedback on my lifts and programming I have learned how to engage my back to keep my shoulders stable and I’ve been able to progress in my strength training, both of which have allowed me to approach harder moves with way more confidence and ability!

The second major aspect of my climbing I’ve worked on with Karly is my headgame. Having a structured, progressive set of mental training exercises to work through, and Karly’s positive framings and perspectives has been an absolute game changer! While working with Karly I’ve bumped up both my onsight and my redpoint grades, but the biggest gift of this training has been being able to climb with much more presence and focus.

I feel like working with Karly has put me on a new track in my climbing and provided me with skills and knowledge I’ll use for as long as I climb. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to get coaching from Karly!

-1 on 1 Athlete, Emily Francis

“Karly Rager is a structural engineer turned climbing coach. We talked about what led her to start her own coaching business, being a female in two male-dominated industries, mental strategies for managing focus and fear, and cultivating longevity in climbing.”

The trenches of transition between different climbing disciplines, the Original Route on the Rainbow Wall, and the hardest thing Karly has ever climbed.

Statistically, what training metrics matter most and what that means for you.