British rock climber Shauna Coxsey, renowned for her strength and skill on the wall, has launched her latest journey, “Project Come Back Stronger,” aiming to reach new heights after becoming a mom. Recently, Coxsey shared a motivating Instagram post in two-piece workout gear, showcasing her dedication to climbing and fitness. Reflecting on her career in an interview with Women’s Fitness, Coxsey shared, “I love the freedom [rock climbing] gives me.” Now embracing a balanced approach, she focuses on less intense yet challenging climbs, while maintaining four core training sessions each week. Coxsey is mindful of her nutrition too, fueling her body with high-calorie, nutrient-rich meals to stay energized through training, competition, and the demands of new motherhood.
Coxsey shared her training schedule in her Women’s Fitness interview. “I wouldn’t say I have a training plan anymore, but I have my four ‘bare-minimum’ training sessions that I like to do each week to keep me ticking over,” she explained. “These include two finger- strength sessions, one board session, and a climbing session either on the wall or outdoors that lasts for four hours (that used to be my minimum). It’s only recently that I’ve been able to climb for three days in a row, which I find mind-blowing because I used to train nine days on and one day off.”
Coxsey talked about what climbs she takes on in an interview with Women’s Fitness. “In the past, I focused on doing very hard climbs that pushed me to my limit, but now it’s nice to try climbs that might be a bit tricky or weird, but not immediately at the cutting edge. It’s also great to get back to my roots and connect with the climbing community way more than I used to. Because the competition wall is so elite, I did isolate myself massively to get where I wanted to be, but rock climbing has reopened my whole world of climbing.”
Coxsey shared her approach to eating in her Women’s Fitness interview. “My diet hasn’t changed much, but I’m having to be very conscious about eating more calories,” she revealed. “I weigh quite a bit less than I did in Tokyo – I’d prefer to put more muscle mass on. It’s hard when you’re training full-time and breastfeeding, and there’s little research on the subject, but I’ve been working on having more food and snacks around so it’s easier to eat. I turned up to bouldering recently with all of Frankie’s snacks and water, and I hadn’t even packed my climbing shoes and chalk bag, let alone snacks for me!”
Coxsey shared her typical diet with Red Bull. She says that she makes sure to eat healthy when she’s training and competing. “I’ll always eat a big protein and carbohydrate-rich breakfast and tailor the diet for the day based on when I’m competing so I have enough energy without feeling full. I’ll have snacks through competition and Red Bull before and during the event. Afterwards I’ll refuel with a protein-rich snack.”
Coxsey shared what she likes about climbing in an interview with Women’s Fitness. “I’ve moved into rock climbing which has been a huge change because there are so many layers to it. I love the freedom it gives me. With competition climbing, I had to perform at that time, on that day, in that moment. There was no ‘I didn’t sleep well’ or ‘I feel a bit funny’, and I trained to be the best and to beat everyone else on their best day.”