Start with the person.
Before writing a programme, I want to get to know you. What do you enjoy about climbing? What are you working towards, and how does training fit around the rest of your life?
CLIMBING COACHING / WELLINGTON & ONLINE
Climbing coaching
with Hugo Richards.
We’ll work on how you move, figure out what needs attention, and put together training that makes sense for you. I offer 1:1 sessions in Wellington and personalised programmes online.
01 / THE FOUNDATIONWELLINGTON & ONLINE
CLIMBING COACHINGIN-PERSON TRAININGONLINE PROGRAMMESMORE THAN THE GRADE
01 / THE VALUES
How I approach coaching.
There’s room to do it your way.
There’s a lot of creativity in climbing. I want to help you understand your movement and try different solutions, while giving you room to develop your own style.
Think beyond the next session.
Training needs to be something you can keep doing. We’ll consider recovery, the time you have available and what’s going on outside climbing, as well as what happens on the wall.
Looking after yourself and the places you climb matters too.
I care about helping people enjoy climbing for the long term, with respect for the sport and its environments.Read the values behind CornerstoneCLIENT TESTIMONIALS
What clients have to say.
A few people I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.
He has helped me to feel like I have a structured path for my climbing and his belief in me has encouraged me to set goals that I wouldn’t have before thought possible.
Read Zoe’s full testimonial
I have been working with Hugo for a little under a year now, and I can genuinely say he is the most dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable coach I’ve ever had. He puts his all into coaching and never makes me feel like a ‘client’. He is professional in all different aspects of coaching and has a love of the sport that is infectious. He has always gone above and beyond, being understanding and kind when there may be stuff going on beyond climbing that can effect my performance. He has helped me to feel like I have a structured path for my climbing and his belief in me has encouraged me to set goals that I wouldn’t have before thought possible. I am very grateful to have him as my coach.
Zoe
Cornerstone Coaching clientHis structured, personalised training plan has helped me improve across all aspects of my climbing.
Read Katie’s full testimonial
Hugo has been my coach for the past year, and I couldn’t recommend him more. His structured, personalised training plan has helped me improve across all aspects of my climbing. Hugo explains every part of the program clearly, so I always understand the purpose behind each exercise. This was my first year competing in the open category, and Hugo’s unwavering support and coaching led me to some great results. He is an amazing mentor who genuinely knows how to develop athletes, no matter what their goals are!
Katie
Cornerstone Coaching clientI would highly recommend his coaching to anyone looking to improve, regardless of their style, ability, or goals.
Read Jack’s full testimonial
Hugo's eye for detail and deep understanding of climbing are unmatched. As a coach, he is not only able to recognise and breakdown the subtle movements and mechanisms behind climbing, but also explain them in a way that is clear and easy to understand. I would highly recommend his coaching to anyone looking to improve, regardless of their style, ability, or goals.
Jack
Cornerstone Coaching clientBEFORE YOUR PROGRAMME
We’ll start with a few sessions together.
Every client completes 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions before signing up for any programme package. This gives us time to get to know each other and work out what your programme needs to cover.
Book your first 1:1Get to know you.
We’ll go through pre-screening and talk about your climbing experience, goals and anything else I need to understand before planning your training.
Work on your movement.
We’ll spend time on climbing technique and movement, as well as resistance training in a fitness area.
Work out what you need.
Those sessions give me a much better understanding of you than a questionnaire alone, and help me write a programme that’s useful to you.
02 / FIND YOUR FIT
Sessions & training programmes.
Start with 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
Then choose the programme support that fits you.
All prices in NZD. Programme minimums are shown below. Before signing up for any programme package, every client completes 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
1:1 climbing coaching
An hour together to work on your climbing. We can look at movement, technique and how you approach a boulder, with time to try things out and talk them through.
$75 / session60-minute 1:1 session
- Individual in-person coaching
- Movement, technique & tactics
- Choose an available time on Calendly
Personalised programme
A personalised programme written for you to follow, based on what we learn in your initial sessions and what you want to work on.
$30 / weekMinimum 6-week commitment · $180 programme minimum
- Personalised training programme
- Billed weekly at $30
- At least 6 weeks of programming
- 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions required before signup
Personalised coaching
A personalised programme with ongoing input from me. I’ll review your videos, make changes as needed, and catch up with you every three weeks.
$45 / weekMinimum 6-week commitment · $270 programme minimum
- Personalised training programme
- Proactive programme updates and adjustments
- Video review
- A catch-up every 3 weeks
- 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions required before signup
Personalised + 1:1
Ongoing programming, adjustments and video review, plus a 1:1 session every fortnight. Those sessions replace the three-weekly catch-up in the $45 package.
$60 / weekMinimum 8-week commitment · $480 programme minimum
- Personalised training programme
- Proactive programme updates and adjustments
- Video review
- A 1:1 session every fortnight
- 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions required before signup
COMPETITION ANALYSIS
Let’s look at your competition.
It can be hard to know what to take away from a competition. I’ll review your footage using Cornerstone software and write a report explaining the data, with recommendations for what to work on in training.
Enquire about competition analysis$225 NZDOne round
For example, semi-finals.
$275 NZDAll rounds competed in
For example, semi-finals and finals.
Footage required
Supply the entire 4- or 5-minute climbing period for every boulder you attempted in each round being analysed. Please include the full period, rather than individual attempts or highlights.
Review your footage.
Choose one round or all the rounds you competed in. I’ll analyse the full climbing periods using Cornerstone software.
Explain the findings.
You’ll receive a written report with the data insights and an explanation of what they mean for your climbing.
Recommend what to work on.
The report includes a list of recommended training interventions. If you’d like help working on them, we can also discuss a personalised programme.
Interested in a programme afterwards? Programme packages are a separate service. Before signing up for one, every client completes the required 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
WORKING ON MOVEMENT
Sometimes a different approach helps.
We can spend time working through a move, trying different positions and figuring out why one approach feels better than another.
03 / THE PERSON BEHIND THE PLAN
Meet Hugo.
Always in your corner.
I’m Hugo. I started climbing in 2012 and have spent seven years coaching, with a professional focus since 2023. I enjoy getting into the details of how people move and helping them understand what’s happening when something does or doesn’t work.
I’ve coached four New Zealand team athletes and have run hundreds of climbing classes across Christchurch and Wellington. I’m also head coach of Dynomites, Wellington’s regional climbing team. I’ve worked with people at different stages of their climbing, and getting to know each person is a big part of how I coach.
I gained my Level 4 Personal Training certification in 2022. My study at the University of Canterbury followed, with a major in Performance Data Analysis and a minor in Nutrition in 2026. I bring that background into how I look at climbing performance and plan training.
I want you to understand why you’re doing something in your training, and to feel comfortable asking questions or telling me when it isn’t working for you. We’ll talk it through and make changes where they’re needed.
Available at Faultline Climbing and Hangdog Rock Climbing, with online services available too. Message me on Instagram to talk about your goals and session location.
Say hello on InstagramMOVEMENT / CURIOSITY / EXPRESSION
A few photos from Faultline.
Some time on the wall in Wellington.
Faultline Climbing photography: WellingtonNZ.
04 / YOUR NEXT STEP
Keen to get started?
Book a session below, or get in touch if you’d like to talk about which option makes sense for you.
01Book 1:1 climbing coaching60 minutes · $75 NZD · book on Calendly02Let’s talk about your programmeEmail Hugo about coaching or online training03Cornerstone on FitrVisit Hugo’s coaching profile
Bookings open in Calendly. Enquiry buttons open your email app with a draft to Hugo; review and send it from there. You can also email hugo@cornerstoneclimbing.co.nz or message @h.ugorichards on Instagram. After your initial sessions, Hugo will confirm your package and send the right Fitr invitation. Existing clients can continue using their Fitr app or saved login.
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW
Before you start.
Do I need initial sessions before starting a programme?
Yes. Every client completes 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions before signing up for any of the three programme packages. These sessions combine pre-screening, technical movement coaching for climbing and resistance training, and time to understand your goals and needs. This helps Hugo create a programme that fits you.
Where do I book my sessions?
In-person climbing coaching bookings use Calendly. Use “Book 1:1 coaching” to open live availability for a one-hour session. A standalone 60-minute 1:1 session is $75 NZD.
Where will I access my training programme?
Training programmes currently use Fitr. Existing clients can continue using their Fitr account, and new clients can email Hugo about online training. Visit Hugo’s Fitr profile. Use the package details on this website and speak with Hugo before enrolling; he will send your Fitr invitation once your initial sessions are complete and your package is agreed. All programme packages require 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
How much does coaching cost?
A 60-minute 1:1 session is $75 NZD. Personalised programmes are $30 per week of programming, with a 6-week minimum ($180). Personalised coaching is $45 per week with a 6-week minimum ($270). Personalised coaching plus a fortnightly 1:1 session is $60 per week with an 8-week minimum ($480). All programme packages require 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions before you sign up. Email hugo@cornerstoneclimbing.co.nz to discuss the right programme for you.
How do the three programme packages differ?
All three programme options are personalised. The $30 option provides a programme written for you. The $45 and $60 packages both include proactive programme updates and adjustments, plus video review. The $45 package includes a catch-up every 3 weeks and has a 6-week minimum. The $60 package replaces that catch-up with a 1:1 session every fortnight and has an 8-week minimum.
Can I get competition analysis without a training package?
Yes. Competition Analysis is a separate service: Hugo reviews one round ($225 NZD) or all rounds you competed in ($275 NZD) using Cornerstone software and provides a written report with data insights and recommended training interventions. Supply the full 4- or 5-minute climbing period for every boulder attempted in the rounds being analysed. If you want help putting those findings into practice, you can then enquire about a paid personalised programme. Programme signup requires 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
Where can I train with Hugo?
In-person coaching is available at Faultline Climbing and Hangdog Rock Climbing. Message Hugo on Instagram to confirm your session location. Online services are also available.