The Bookshelf - April 2025
The Sports Gene by David Epstein
Every month in the Climb Strong newsletter, I try to recommend a book for the athletes and coaches that follow CS. I’ll be putting those books here.
The Sports Gene by David Epstein is a deep dive into the nature vs. nurture debate in athletic performance, questioning whether elite athletes are born or built. Epstein takes readers through a number of case studies and the associated research, revealing that raw genetic potential and relentless training don’t exist in isolation—it's the interplay between them that shapes champions.
From high-altitude Kenyan runners to baseball players with nearly superhuman reaction times, he unpacks the role of fast-twitch muscle fibers, oxygen efficiency, and even the ability to handle pain. But he doesn’t just leave it at the lab; he brings it to the dirt, the court, and the track, making the science tangible and immediate. This is huge for me, as I have the habit of reading and nodding along, but never bringing lessons into play.
Epstein doesn’t offer easy answers, and that’s the point. Some people are genetically primed to be great rock climbers, while others adapt through years of grinding effort, but no single formula creates “greatness.” For climbers, lifters, or any athlete looking for a way forward, this book reframes the way we can think about training. It challenges the myth of pure talent while respecting the brutal reality of individual limitations. The takeaway? Knowing your body—its strengths, its weaknesses, and its potential—is as important as the work you put in.
