Mind Games

[sendit]

Sometimes I get so anxious for a send that it causes me to shit on myself. So I like to think about the potential shit in my pants in the grand scheme of things and how insignificant it is. It helps me to relax and get back to just having fun trying to send a route without all the poop.

I also tend to lack confidence and to get over that I look at the number of non-pant shitting people that have sent a route which helps me to realize that I can send it too without crapping all over myself. By non-pant shitting folks I mean regular people like Ray that have to train super hard to not shit all over themselves. For example, seeing Adam Taylor do a route and shit all down his legs does nothing for me in terms of how possible it may be for me to send it with poop coming out of my harness. But seeing someone like Ray send a route with shit erupting from all corners gives me an automatic send in my head which usually turns into the real thing.

[caribe]

i talk to myself out loud. usually saying encouraging things to myself but sometimes just talking to talk. it's really silly . . . it also has a side benefit of entertaining my belayer.

Yes, it is very entertaining when you do this. It is too cute for words!!!

[caribe]

It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the juice of sapho that thoughts acquire speed,
the lips acquire stains,
the stains become a warning.
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion."

[bcombs]

If the situation is such that there is a rest before the crux I rest the required amount and then count the moves through the crux. Once I'm ready I go and then count the moves down back to zero as I'm doing them. Most of the time I've already counted the moves, but the excercise of doing the counting is a temporary distraction and causes me to stay at the rest just a bit longer.

[Clevis Hitch]

We climbed at roadside today. I finally sent A.W.O.L. First time in history. I've red pointed 12d slab and onsighted 12b. 5 just sent A.W.O.L. today, I've climbed it for years, never sent till today. It's one of my proudest sends. It's a scary climb with GFP till you clip the third bolt. After the DP into the hueco when you grab the ashtray, I got all weak in the knees. Not pumped. More like wanting to pass out. It was because of what lay ahead. The weak rest and then the crimps to the top. My left foot never feels secure when I go to the last left-handed rail/jug. I hate that climb and it is one of my proudest sends cause I hate that climb.

[ahab]

i don't have the power!

[SCIN]

Maybe over confidence is the answer to sending? Sounds like it works for Sharma.

From BigUp website:
"Trying to shoot first ascents of groundbreaking routes is a game of patience and luck, and with Chris it's tricky to time, because he goes to the crag every day with the belief that he might do his project, even if he's still falling three or four times. You never want to bet against him, because somehow you know the one day you don't go to shoot is the one day he'll send - "you shoulda been there, man..." "

[rjackson]

You gotta believe. You gotta want it. You gotta give more than you think you have.

I used to use a bunch of mind tricks to try and send when I was first climbing sport, and then I realized I climbed a lot better when I just started training smarter and trying harder.

But to stay on topic... When climbing on gear I am guilty of occasionally placing a suspect piece and telling myself it might hold, just to get my head to make the next move and not 'feel' run out.

[caribe]

When climbing on gear I am guilty of occasionally placing a suspect piece and telling myself it might hold, just to get my head to make the next move and not 'feel' run out.

A slippery slope.

[rjackson]

A slippery slope.

Indeed.

But we're talking Jedi here, right? I know my last pieces are good and I'm just not wanting to be so run out - the next moves are (usually) within my ability and leading to better placements. Just a little game to perhaps quiet Elvis.