Molly Thompson-Smith, professional rock climber and Olympian, has become a standout in her sport, not only for her skills on the wall but also for her role as a commentator during the 2020 Olympic Games. In October, she joined fellow athletes at The North Face Global Athlete Summit in Gateway, Colorado. Sharing a heartfelt post on Instagram, she wrote, “Lots of laughing, learning, growing & bonding. Grateful for it all and the people that I got to spend the last few days with!”
Smith’s dedication to climbing shines through her disciplined training, mindful nutrition, and commitment to staying balanced. Whether she’s warming up before a climb or prioritizing rest after an injury, Smith exemplifies the importance of listening to your body and training smartly.
Smith makes sure to train on a consistent basis. She shared her routine in an interview with Stylist. “My training schedule and regime change throughout the year, but during my main training season I’ll climb six days a week for between three to six hours and do fingerboard training [a type of training climbers do to improve grip strength] for roughly two hours a week. I also do about four hours of strength and conditioning a week. “
Smith makes sure to eat healthy. She shared her go-to pre and post workout foods with Stylist. “My go-to pre-workout meal is a savoury/sweet toast combo: a fried egg on a piece of toast, and peanut butter and a sliced banana on a second piece of toast. It keeps me satiated and energised for a big session. After training, I like to get some protein, carbs and fat in, so I’ll usually have a big bowl of Greek yoghurt loaded with fruits, nuts and some granola.”
Smith tells Stylist that she is working on getting enough sleep each night. “I usually get about eight hours a night. That sometimes feels like enough, but more often than not I wish I’d had an hour or two more. I’m not the best sleeper (I really struggle to nap or snooze) and I’m naturally an early riser, so I have to be really careful with winding down well before bed and avoiding late nights.”
In an interview with PHD, Smith revealed that an injury forced her to not train so intensely. “If I want to climb at a high level for a long time, I need to listen to my body and put its needs first. That means giving it rest when it needs it, and giving it the fuel it needs to train hard. The start of my relationship with PhD coincided with my change in attitude to start training smartly, and I was immediately attracted to their focus on what it means to perform smart, and how easily their products fitted into my training and daily life routine.”
In her Stylish interview, Smith shared how she warms up before a competition or climb. “I’m not superstitious, which is probably a good thing, as climbing competitions change location and format frequently. But I do have a warm-up routine that I do before every event: I start with some yoga, followed by some finger boarding and then some climbing. I always pack my bag the night before an event though.”