|
Post by ehowell on Jul 3, 2017 11:52:48 GMT -7
I know this has been addressed in other threads, notably ones on power, but I'll start fresh here. I've decided that I'm probably where I need to be physically to accomplish my goals (although I'm always working to get stronger and more powerful), so I've decided to work on three aspects that are critical to me: (1) Mobility (getting weight off my arms/fingers), (2) movement skills and body tension (see #1), and (3) general aggressiveness.
I've been bouldering a lot more lately, and frankly I'm not very good at it. I think all 3 items listed above are partly to blame, but coming from a mostly sport climbing background, I often find myself sitting back on the pad thinking to myself that I could try harder. I climb quiet (rarely yell, etc to psych myself up), and I have trouble getting myself in the Ondra-style demonic mode; something I see a lot of great climbers switch on really fast. I think part (or perhaps most) of this is ego driven, especially on terrain that I want to believe is moderate for me; I don't want to look like I'm fighting on boulders/routes that "should" be fairly easy.
Has anyone had much success in addressing this in their climbing?
|
|
|
Post by Charlie S on Jul 9, 2017 15:56:25 GMT -7
The only time I'm aggressive is when I'm trying to coax my work leadership to do something. Turns out that it's not always the best approach.
Similarly with climbing, I've found that "getting angry" doesn't really do it for me.
Generally, channeled focus (like really channeled and channeled through the muscles) has helped. Yelling/grunting as part of your breathing goes a long way (it reminds me to breathe too).
And then being pretty far above marginally placed gear has an acute way to make my climbing as accurate and powerful as possible...
|
|
|
Post by Chris W on Jul 9, 2017 20:10:12 GMT -7
I can't stand watching video of Adam Ondra because of the freakish way he yells and throws tantrums.
You may be associating "aggressive" climbing with noise. I am very aggressive when I climb, but it is very focused and controlled, not manic. I do yell and grunt, but I don't swear or flail. Trying as hard as you can doesn't have to mean you're noisy. It just means you're trying really hard.
I think you may be on to something with your comment on feeling self conscious. I was this way in my teenage years and early and mid 20's, WAY before I started climbing, and I still have to guard against it. It was the single most performance crushing issue I have ever had to deal with. It's sometimes easier on your ego to be seen struggling on a 5.13 than it is to be seen falling on 5.10. This self conscious climbing, in my opinion, should be your main focus. Even now, on the rare occasion when I'll go to a climbing gym, I'll catch myself trying to "be cool" and not fall on a V3/4/5 etc.
It's too late at night for me to think of too much intelligent to say to help you, but what I did is take a big step back and start working on climbs I was "too cool" to fall on. I think I did this in 2014 when the book came out. I was trying to climb a local classic 11c, but after reading the book I decided that my "route pyramid" was more like a very fragile totem pole. I went back and made a list of all the 11's that weren't total choss piles and dedicated an entire season to climbing them, starting at 11a. I allowed myself to be a bit embarassed and fall and be seen in public. I ticked off all the 11's and learned a ton and got lots of good "moderate" mileage in.
Once I worked up to my goal route, a 11d, I had a cool break through. I was high on the route with a lot of air underneath my behind and trying really hard and gave a few good yells, just from the pure energy of the thing. I heard a lot of cheering and looked down once I had the rest saw a big group of the regular locals, 5.9 to 5.14 climbers, cheering me on. They didn't care that it was 11d (some of them warm up on the local 13a), they were psyched to see someone giving it all on a classic climb.
I've gotten a little less self conscious as I've gotten older. Practice, be humble, accept where you are and identify what you need to move one step ahead, not 5 steps ahead.
Now I'm moving 10 steps down the hall to go to bed.
|
|
|
Post by willblack on Jul 10, 2017 5:08:32 GMT -7
I would echo what Chris said about trying hard not necessarily needing to involve Sharma noises. I also have trouble getting psyched when boildering sometimes, especially when I'm tired and conditions are bad, which tends to be the case where I live in the summer. I find its helpful for me to commit to trying each move on a route 7 times before dismissing the route as too hard (I heard about this strategy somewhere but can't remember where). If I can do all the moves it's a lot easier for me to tap into some aggressiveness and send (sometimes)
|
|
|
Post by ehowell on Jul 10, 2017 6:35:45 GMT -7
Thanks guys. Yeah, just to be clear, I'm not aspiring to pitch tantrums and mini fits on the end of a rope! I'm a huge fan of Ondra, but I admit that the tantrums are a bit of a distraction. That being said, he probably climbs closer to 100% of his capabilities than anyone on the planet, hence the immense emotional outpouring when he falls.
Basically I'm nowhere near this. I get that focusing and trying hard don't necessarily equate to screaming. I'm just looking for tips or cues that get you guys into that realm of high arousal, however it manifests itself. Not to say I never get there, it's just not happening enough.
|
|
|
Post by willblack on Jul 10, 2017 6:46:41 GMT -7
Listening to aggressive music (I like hip hop, personally) and thinking about all the times I've come really close to sending and wished I'd had an extra 2% helps me try really hard when training. I may not be inspired by the plastic in front of me, but I'm definitely inspired by the routes I'll be trying in a month, and so I try to carry some of that over to my gym sessions.
Also, if throwing huge wobblers could make me climb half as hard as Ondra I'd totally do it. I have no shame.
|
|
|
Post by willblack on Jul 10, 2017 10:00:25 GMT -7
Also, assuming the absence of tweaky moves that introduce a legitimate risk of injury, I try to never "give up" when I'm bouldering. I realized a while ago that I was giving up more often than falling, even if sometimes giving up looks just like trying hard and legitimately falling, there's a difference. I think just realizing that and aspiring to give the last move 100%, regardless of whether I think I'm going to fall is a good way to cultivate a habit of trying hard while bouldering.
|
|
dsm
New Member
Posts: 48
|
Post by dsm on Jul 10, 2017 16:54:22 GMT -7
I actually think it's kind of individualistic so try to think about times when you personally were able to be aggressive in the way you want to be, and think about what got you there.
For me, it's generally (1) listening to music, (2) visualizing doing the moves I'm failing at, (3) knowing I am close (because I've done the move before or because I can touch the holds),and (4) being in a focused state/environment. I personally have trouble focusing if a lot of other people are around. For example, my gym is full of people who spend a lot of time socializing, which is totally fine, but I need headphones or I just get distracted by other people.
|
|