At the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, Climbing made it's Olympic debut and it returned at Paris 2024. We caught up with Natalia Grossman who competed in her first Olympic Games with Team USA in this sport! We wanted to know more about the sport, her specialty of Bouldering, how her career has been going as she went pro in 2019, where she enjoys climbing around the world, what it means to be an Olympian and to be in the Olympic Village. We also wanted to know about what self-care means to her as well as to partner with Olay.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is your first memory of climbing?

NATALIA GROSSMAN: I think that my first memory is just walking into the climbing gym and I still remember it pretty vividly. Just, being in awe of how tall the walls looked and all of the bright colors. I was just very drawn to it.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to climb professionally?

NG: Probably pretty late in life honestly. It’s pretty hard to be a professional climber. I feel like there is just a handful of us in the US who make a living off of it. So I’m very grateful to be able to do that. It probably didn’t occur until my first success in 2021 on the World Cup scene that I realized that this could be my job.

AM: How does one train to become a climber professionally?

NG: It’s just like any other sport! You have to dedicate a lot of time, commit to it, and be dedicated. I wouldn’t say that it is anything crazy! Climbing is the best way to be a climber!

AM: We have had the pleasure of talking to an array of athletes across various sports. So when we talk to those that swim, fence, or surf they have a specialty that they do like swimmers who only do backstroke. Is there a specialty in climbing that you do and can you tell us more about that?

NG: So we have 3 different disciplines in climbing. I partake in 2 of them. I’d say that I am best in Boudlering so that’s my specialty, but there are 100s of moves within Boudlering. I’d like to think that I am a pretty well rounded climber, but Bouldering is definitely my favorite discipline. (Editor’s Note: Climbing consists of Speed, Bouldering, and Lead. Speed Climbing is one of form of indoor rock climbing where athletes compete for the fastest time to the top of the climbing wall. Bouldering Climbing is a form of free climbing that is performed on small rock formations of artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harness. Lead Climbing involves attempting to climb as high as an athlete can on a wall measuring more than 15m in height within 6 mins.)

AM: Climbing is obviously a total body workout for training. But is there anything else that you do besides climbing to optimize you in the sport?

NG: Honestly, not too much. We do off the wall weight training, lots of PT stuff, rehab, maintenance like body work and massage work. We do dry needling (Editor’s Note: A treatment that uses thin needles to stimulate and break up muscle tissue knots to help with pain and movement issues), ice baths, and saunas.

AM: You have climbed all over the world! Do you have 3 favorite spots that you like to climb?

NG: I guess with climbing, there is outdoor climbing, but there is also indoor competitions. Or sometimes competitions that are outside, but they are on an artificial wall. I’d say that my favorite place to climb on real rocks is Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, and my 2 favorite spots that I like to climb that are indoors is Innsbruck, Austria is the Kletterzentrum Innsbruck which is the largest gym in the world! It’s awesome and has 60,000 square feet of climbing surface. Another place would probably be Arco, Italy. I have lots of memories there and I love the little town there.

AM: When you realized that you would be going to Paris for Team USA, what did that mean to you?

NG: Yeah, I qualified back in Nov. and it was just such a special moment to have all of the work that I have done to pay off. It has been such a goal of mine to be here.

AM: Are you staying in the Olympic Village and if so, have you met any athletes that are on your bucket list or have you tried the Chocolate Muffins that everyone is raving about?

NG: I am staying in The Village and I have met a couple of other athletes as I have tried not to fan girl too much! I was pretty siked to meet Noah Lyles (Team USA Track & Field G1, B2) and that was pretty cool. Yes, I have had the muffins every day and I guess this would be day 5!

AM: In 2021, you became the World Champion which had not been done by an American climber in 20 years, and you did this very early on in your pro career which is quite an accomplishment. Your mantra is Smile and Fight. What does that mean to you?

NG: I mean, 2021 was kind of crazy! I feel like it kind of came out of nowhere and to me, just smiling and fighting through every moment, through every competition, kind of became my trademark and it’s just something that my coach came up with and I always want to enjoy what I am doing. So if I am enjoying it, I am going to smile and I always want to give my best effort so I will keep fighting!

AM: What the next tournament or competition that we should keep an eye out for?

NG: I’ll be competing next most likely in the IFSC Climbing World Cup Prague 2024 which is in late Sept. as well as the IFSC World Cup Seoul 2024 which is in early Oct.

AM: You have partnered with Olay which is the Official Facial Cleanser of Team USA, why is this partnership important and synergistic to you?

NG: I think that skincare and coming up with a routine is very important and I am someone that thrives off of routine and I love routine! So being able to use the cleansing melts, the moisturizers as an everyday routine that I can do when I travel or when I am home, it gives me that sense of consistency.

AM: We feel that when we do our beauty routines, it’s a great way to start and end our day in terms of self-care. What does self-care mean to you and why is it so important?

NG: I think that self-care can mean lots of things and physically being able to do the things that make you feel good and takes care of your body, but also it’s about taking care of your mind. You need to feel your emotions and have people that you can talk to and not hiding what you’re really feeling.

AM: Your biggest tool is your hands we’re sure. Are there specific things that you do to keep them ready for your next climb?

NG: I mean, I use gloves whenever I apply products on my body and I will use chalk when I am climbing to make sure that they are dry.

IG @natalia_grossman

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 78 Daniel Milchev/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 80 Erich Spiess/ASP/Red Bull Content Pool G | PG 83 Olay |