Thought patterns that hold climbers back
Photo: Remy Franklin on “Air France,” by Emily Trombly
Most rock climbers hold themselves back by not training their minds. There are many facets of mental training for climbing, from motor pattern brain training to increasing self-awareness. But the most straightforward way to start training our minds for climbing is to develop an awareness of our thought patterns.
You have more than 6,000 thoughts per day. But have you noticed that a lot of those are repeats? A little self-observation will reveal that your brain likes to dwell on some ideas and worries more than others. We all have our favorite pet thoughts.
As a life coach and rock climber, I’ve spent years watching my brain loop back through its typical patterns. Observing myself and talking with my clients, I’ve noticed some consistent thoughts that get in the way of climbing performance and enjoyment.
Thought patterns that get in the way of climbing performance and enjoyment
Let’s look at five limiting thought patterns that hold most climbers back. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a valuable starting point to prompt your self-awareness.
As you read, consider: Which of these thoughts does your brain like the most? To what effect?
Each pattern is accompanied by a suggestion for retraining your mind to focus on thoughts that will improve your climbing.
1. Identifying with your weaknesses (and strengths)
I used to say, “I’m a bad boulderer,” and I could prove it. When I climbed my first 5.14, I hadn’t done a V7 outside! I knew I needed to boulder more to send more challenging sport routes, but I never did.
Eventually, I realized that identifying as a “bad boulderer" (and “good on endurance routes”) was holding me back. We’re unlikely to take actions that don’t align with our self-perception. Only when I started seeing myself as an “all-around climber” (proficient at sport, trad & bouldering) did I buy an extra crash pad and start projecting boulders!
Practice: Observe your climbing identities by writing as many statements as you can think of in the format “I am a ____________ climber” (fill in the blank). Which identities on that list do you love? Which ones are you ready to release? Take a small action to reinforce an identity you want to develop.
2. Wishing things were different
Most climbers waste energy wishing “the holds were better” or “the conditions were better.” We’ve all gotten down from a redpoint attempt and complained, “if only I hadn’t forgotten my beta at that move!”
When you step back for a moment, it’s easy to see the absurdity in statements like this. Things are the way they are. What happened happened. And if we look even closer, we'll usually realize that we got on the climb in the first place because the holds are small! If you had wanted an easy send, you would have climbed at your warmup grade all day.
Practice: Stop complaining at the crag (this will be harder than you think!). When it’s drizzling, smile and say, “I love the rain!” before climbing another pitch. Make a habit of embracing the circumstances as facts, and you’ll free up some energy to enjoy the challenge and perform at a higher level.
3. Being vague
Do you have climbing goals and a training plan? When you go to the crag or the gym, do you have an intention for your session?
If you care about improving at climbing, you need to get specific and have a plan: What are my priorities for this session? What are my goals? How will I get there?
Being vague is just another guise for fear of failure. We can't fail if we never set the goal.
Practice: Begin to notice when you're vague about your climbing and ask yourself what it might look like to be more precise. Incorporate purposeful practice by writing down an intention, plan, and method before each climbing session.
4. Focusing on the outcome
Ironically, performing at your highest level requires a mental state wholly detached from the desire to achieve. If you’re focused on sending, you're more likely to fall.
The best climbers have learned to shift their thought patterns from outcomes-oriented thinking to focusing on the process of climbing. Eric Horst sums this up nicely in Maximum Climbing, his tome on mental training for climbing:
“One of the greatest ironies of the performing arts - and one that all climbers should recognize - is that the mindset of needing to succeed at a difficult task and the mindset required to effectively undertake that endeavor are mutually exclusive.”
Practice: When you notice you're focused on the outcome (e.g., "I hope I send!"), consciously focus on something else instead. My favorite places to focus are gratitude & curiosity. “I’m so lucky to be out here climbing!” I tell myself. “What can I learn from this climb?”
5. Unreasonable fear of falling
As climbers, we have to learn to distinguish between reasonable and unreasonable fears. Fear of falling is often reasonable. But on an overhung, well-bolted sport route (with a competent belayer), falling is very safe.
Practice: Managing fearful thoughts is a skill that takes practice. Take time before you climb to make a list of your fears, and identify unreasonable ones. These irrational fears won’t disappear, but they lose some of their power when you observe them.
Which thoughts hold you back?
As you develop more awareness of your thought patterns, it’s essential to be compassionate with yourself. There’s nothing wrong with being vague, wishing things were different, or being afraid of falling. But these may be thoughts you want to focus on a little less.
Pick one of the categories above - or another thought pattern you’ve noticed - and set the intention of catching it for the next week. When you notice that thought pattern, gently apply the practice technique and see what happens. With time and practice, you’ll empower thoughts that take your climbing performance and enjoyment to the next level.
Written by Remy Franklin | www.remyfranklin.com | @remyfranklin
