been thinking alot about sport climbing 'strategery' lately and came across a rad quote from fred nicole:
Absolute strength is less important in climbing than the ability to unleash your strength at the right time. Too many climbers believe that one-arm pull-ups will help their climbing. I believe that knowing yourself and your body is much more important. When Elie Chevieux on-sighted his first 5.14 I do not think he could do a one-arm pull-up, but he knew how to read the rock and anticipate the moves with incredible intuition. He also knew how to give maximum effort at the precise moment it was needed. That is power.
i am definately having a problem alternating between the power necessary for hard cruxes and then relaxing on the moves afterwords. i guess too much bouldering taught me only how to climb in high gear. I can tell i am climbing well when I feel and flow where my body is increasing and decreasing effort in relation to the difficulty of the moves. oddly focusing on relaxing and breathing seem to help me the most.
i have also noticed that trying to climb in a flowy state doesn't work. actually the harder you try the more unlikely it is that you will achieve it. i have to relax and let go. but at the same time i have to try hard. if i try to hard i climb like crap, if i don't try hard enough i climb like crap.
i have to disassociate my ego and attachment to success without giving up the desire to try really hard.
combining that with the fluctuations in power and I have a very complicated mental state to try to get in to send stuff. still i do it once in awhile. hopefully i will learn how to focus like that more frequently.
Merrick, have you read any Dan Millman ? I just read Arnos book and that was ok, kinda repetitive but worth reading. As I read more from the authors he recomends it all starts making more sense and imo you start using the philosophies without really trying. If you truly make a concious attempt to use the teachings it will make a difference. It has helped my lead head on scary/harder routes and has allowed me to find the "flow" on eaiser terrain and enjoy the moment without ego and climb without the "success/failure" only mindset. Stop trying to climb "hard" and just climb......
http://www.redriveroutdoors.com
If you need to contact me , email me. Less Internet, less stress
Merrick,
When you were fencing full time could you find the "flow" easier ?
Don’t take me wrong on Arnos book. I thought it was very helpful would still recommend it to anyone, not just for climbing but as a way to approach many aspects of daily life.
http://www.redriveroutdoors.com
If you need to contact me , email me. Less Internet, less stress
