Find your own climbing style.
Your reasons for climbing, the way you see a problem and how you move are personal. Coaching starts with understanding those qualities and helping you develop them.
CLIMBING COACHING / BUILT AROUND YOU
Your own style.
Your own journey.
Your climbing.
Climbing brings together sport, creativity and individual expression. Find what makes your climbing yours, with personalised coaching and training that supports you for the long run.
01 / THE FOUNDATIONBUILT AROUND YOU
CLIMBING COACHINGIN-PERSON TRAININGONLINE PROGRAMMESMORE THAN THE GRADE
01 / THE VALUES
A person first.
A climber in your own way.
Make room for creativity.
Climbing is sport and self-expression, with a new puzzle in every move. Explore ideas, build movement skills and discover solutions that work for you.
Build a lasting relationship with climbing.
Preparation, recovery, self-care and thoughtful use of your time all matter. The aim is sustainable training that supports your climbing journey, with progress that means something to you.
Care for yourself. Care for the places you climb.
Positive mindsets and respect for the sport and its environments belong in the climbing journey too.Read the values behind CornerstoneWORDS FROM THE WALL
Their climbing.
Their words.
A few words from the people
behind the programmes.
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
Get to know you.
Build it around you.
Every client completes 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions before signing up for any programme package. These sessions help us understand you and build a programme that fits.
Book your first 1:1Understand your starting point.
A pre-screening process and a chance to understand your goals, experience and individual needs.
Work on your movement.
Technical movement coaching on the climbing wall and in a fitness area for resistance training.
Shape your programme.
What we learn together informs your personalised programme, so it is built with a clearer understanding of you.
02 / FIND YOUR FIT
On the wall.
And working towards it.
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
Explore how you move, how you read a climb and the techniques that suit you. A session built around your climbing and your goals.
$75 / session60-minute 1:1 session
- Individual in-person coaching
- Movement, technique & tactics
- Choose an available time on Calendly
Personalised programme
A programme written for your goals and starting point, with structure for purposeful sessions, preparation and recovery.
$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
Personalised training with ongoing feedback and adjustments, keeping your programme connected to how you’re progressing and what you need.
$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
Bring your programme and movement practice together, with ongoing support and regular 1:1 coaching.
$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
Your whole competition.
A clearer way forward.
Go beyond the result. Using Cornerstone software, I review your selected competition round or all rounds you competed in and turn the data into a written report, with insights and recommended interventions for your 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.
The full picture.
A review of one round or all rounds you competed in using Cornerstone software, looking beyond a single attempt or final placing.
Insights you can use.
A written report explaining the competition data and what it means for your climbing.
A direction for training.
A list of recommended training interventions. Use the report to guide your next steps, or ask about a paid personalised programme built around the findings.
Analysis → recommendations → personalised programming. Programme packages are a separate service. Before signing up for one, every client completes the required 1–3 initial 1:1 sessions.
SAME BOULDER. A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
Stuck doesn’t mean
you’ve reached your limit.
A change of feet. A different body position. A moment to read the climb.
Sometimes the next move starts with seeing another possibility.
03 / THE PERSON BEHIND THE PLAN
Meet Hugo.
Always in your corner.
I’m Hugo, the coach behind Cornerstone. I started climbing in 2012 and have spent seven years coaching, with a professional focus since 2023. What’s kept me hooked is the problem-solving: trying something, getting curious about why it didn’t work, and finding another way.
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. Those experiences have taught me how different every climber is, and how much it matters to understand the person behind the performance.
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. That background helps me connect what we see on the wall with purposeful training off it.
I want you to understand your training, develop your own style, and feel supported when things aren’t going to plan. Whether you’re getting into climbing, working towards a personal goal or preparing for competition, I’m here to work through it with you.
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
More than one way to climb.
Different holds. Different angles. Space to find your own solutions.
Faultline Climbing photography: WellingtonNZ.
04 / YOUR NEXT STEP
Less searching.
More starting.
New here or ready for your next session?
Choose where you want to go.
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.