Neil Gresham, Training & coaching profile

Neil Gresham is widely regarded as Britain's leading climbing coach. He has over fifteen years of coaching experience and has also climbed 8b+ sport and E10 trad. He currently writes the popular 'Masterclass' column for Climber magazine and 'Ask the Coach' for Rock & Ice in the USA. He was the first British coach to offer personalised training programmes and to run masterclass sessions at climbing walls. He was also the first to run coaching holidays abroad and he produced the world's first technique and training DVDs: the infamous 'Masterclass series' Parts 1 & 2. His 1:1 and group sessions have helped climbers of all levels and ages to improve their standard both in the UK and overseas. Neil has worked with many of Britain's best climbers such as John Dunne, James Pearson, Leah Crane and Kitty Wallace and he is currently a coaching consultant for the British Competition Team.

Neil is head coach on our Masterclass Coaching Holidays and is available for one to one and group coaching in London at The Westway, please see our one to one coaching page for more details.

List of Neil's Coaching achievements

• First regular training columnist for a British climbing magazine: 'OTE' 1993>95
• Most experienced British climbing coach (started 1992)
• First ever dedicated coaching holidays to Kalymnos in 2001, Sardinia & Fontainebleau.
• First coaching course for climbing instructors at the Westway climbing centre in 2004
• The only climbing coach to offer a dedicated internet training programme service.
• Director of the first dedicated British DVD on training and performance climbing - 'Masterclass' Part 1 & 2.

Praise for Neil's coaching

'It goes without saying, that Neil is an excellent coach. He is obviously skilled and is amazingly enthusiastic, infectiously so, inspiring us to be the best we can. He is also fully committed to doing the best job he can. He actively seeks feedback from the group and acts on the feedback.'
- Gary Gerauld, Kalymnos (2005)

'relaxed yet professional coaching from Neil. It never seemed like he was working or doing a job.'
- Harvey, Fontainbleau (2003)

'Neil is an inspirational coach, and also really friendly and approachable.'
- Andy & Alison Cairns (2005)

Steve Golley coaching profile

Steve Golley is Neil's co-coach on our Masterclass Coaching Holidays. Steve's relaxed but observant coaching style compliments Neil's approach and his abilities in sports massage and Yoga play a crucial supportive role on the trips.

Having redpointed 8a and onsighted 7c on a rope and bouldered Font 7C, Steve's climbing speaks for itself, but his ability to demonstrate good technique and explain the inner game of sport climbing is what makes him such a valuable coach.

Steve and Neil coach on the Masterclass Coaching Holidays and Steve is also available for one to one sessions at The Arch, The Reach and Mile End climbing walls in London.

Praise for Steve's coaching

'Steve Golley's coaching style really suited me. He was very analytical and really seemed to be able to relate to people climbing at much lower grades than himself.' 
- Stephanie Charnaud (2005)

'His personality complement's Neil's very well... Steve had that kind of explanation and contemplative attitude that I much appreciate.' - Gary Jerauld (Kalymnos 2005)

'The combination of Neil and Steve as the coaching team was perfect... They really showed that they cared that people had a good time and progressed with their climbing.' - Julie Pearson (2005)

'They made a great team, working well together, and Steve's masseur skills were particularly useful in giving Alison some useful tips for avoiding future injury. '
- Andy & Alison Cairns (2005)

Szymon Dziukiewicz coaching profile

Szymon Dziuekiewicz has been a regular training partner of Neil's since he moved to London in 2003. He made rapid improvements during the early stages of his climbing, reaching 7a+ onsight and 7c redpoint within 2 years, as a result of his hard work ethic and no-nonsense approach to training. He has climbed many sport routes in the F8s, all over Europe and has redpointed 8b+ in Poland (which probably means 8c anywhere else!) Szymon specializes in helping his clients to carry out hard but safe physical training sessions to gain the necessary strength and endurance for harder, steeper routes.

Surely we are all occasionally prone to being a little too soft on ourselves when it comes to training, but Szymon won't allow any of that! He compliments Neil's approach by showing you that pushing hard will produce results, and he is the ideal coach for anyone who is looking to adopt a more disciplined and focused approach.

Szymon is available for one to one sessions at The Westway, The Arch and Mile End climbing walls in London, please see our one to one coaching page for more details.

Robbie Phillips coaching profile

Robbie Phillips has been climbing since he was 15 and has been a climbing coach for the past two years. Robbie coaches at EICA: Ratho in Edinburgh doing 1:1 climbing sessions with adults and kids, local YCS (Youth Climbing Series) competitors and several British Junior Climbing Team members. He has travelled extensively around Europe in the last few years and has onsighted 8a. He also enjoys competitive climbing and has won in his category at British Lead Climbing events as well as represented his country internationally as a member of the British Junior Climbing Team.

Robbie is a training enthusiast who is, by his own admission, is obsessively focussed on the pursuit of improvement. In embracing his own personal challenge improving to climb ever harder grades Robbie takes great satisfaction from helping others to do the same whatever their level. According to him, coaching others on how to improve, how to train and how to better themselves in any aspect of climbing and accomplish their goals is as satisfying as ticking a hard project!

Robbie coaches at EICA Ratho in Edinburgh, please see Robbie's site for more details.

Shaun Jansa coaching profile

Shaun is an exceptionally enthusiastic climbing coach and climber. He grew up climbing in the famous Rocklands and has since climbed in many of the top international venues, Bouldering Font 8A and Redpointing 7c

Whatever you need to improve your climbing, whether it is fine tuning your technique (or learning it from scratch), building power and endurance or adjusting your psychological approach, Shaun will be able and psyched to help you improve!

Shaun coaches on the Masterclass Coaching Holidays and is also available for one to one sessions at Mile End Climbing Wall, The Reach and The Arch in London.

Leah Crane Coaching Profile

Leah Crane is one of the most inspiring new talents on the British coaching scene. Having trained at Neil Gresham's Masterclass Coaching Academy, she knows exactly how to help climbers to target their weaknesses and train to achieve their goals. When Leah is coaching, she draws on the wealth of experience she has gained in high-level sport climbing and bouldering all over the world. Leah is perhaps Britain's most successful female competition boulderer, having won the British championships in 2009 & 2010. She has climbed the mythical grade of Font 8a (V11) with the first ascent of her problem, Fuerte a Muerta at Arastradero in Albarracin, Spain. Leah is also a highly accomplished sport climber and is one of a handful of British females to have climbed French 8a+.

Leah has been coaching since 2006 and has helped climbers of all ages and abilities to improve their performance and increase their enjoyment of the sport. Her charisma is effortless and infectious and she remains approachable despite her success. Now that she is back from her European adventures and living in London she is on hand and available for coaching in the South of England.