Maybe, just maybe I’ll become a better climber because of it.

Whilst spending a couple of weeks at home last month and really getting to settle back down for a few minutes, I decided to create a new training regime for myself. I haven’t really trained that hard for a long time and to be honest I do miss really pushing myself from a training point of view. Whilst its great to be travelling a lot and climbing in amazing places with great friends etc etc……I really like spending time working on weaknesses and improving in all aspects of life.

I have been listening to different people for quite sometime now, both professional and amateur to try and obtain a good approach. Some are quite funny when giving advice and just simply say climb more or climb harder. Whilst this advice is great it’s not really helpful nor is it really guidance. Although I must say it is based on many years of experience. I would never take that away from anyone. Especially some of the people I have had coaching from.

Visualising the movement is a great way to set it in your mind.

I only recently discovered some things that were completely lacking in my technical ability and identifying them took some serious time and contemplation. Spending the time looking at videos and watching many other people climb I found some fundamental weaknesses. It really made me stop and think about what I had been neglecting in my training in previous years. Also they were things that were never raised in any coaching I had received……ever!!

Anyway, I have found them and now its time to really start focusing in on developing these weaknesses to use them for good and to continue going out and having fun at the crags.

Nailing the right-hand crimp in the second crux……super powerful for me.

Yesterday I decided to work a route that was completely out of style for me and I knew it! But, I didn’t care. All I wanted to do was try it and see what I needed to do to move well on it. I had no expectations about how it would go and I just wanted to have some fun and get completely physically smashed on it by the end of the day. And that is exactly what happened.

“Capita Cassolae” 7a (23) is twelve metres of powerful and unforgiving technical bouldering. It really is ON from the ground to the anchors. For me the route packs a punch and it really does have all of the movement that I have recently been working on.

and then the even smaller left hand crimp and marginal feet……..squeeze the butt and core…….and hold on.

Body tension from the first move and a powerful shoulder position through the bottom crux. The amount of pressure I need through my feet, legs, hips and core is incredibly. So much so that I am feeling it today as I write this.

People say pick your routes and play to your strengths, but sometimes its worth spending time just working on what you’re not good at. I plan to continue to work on my weaknesses and maybe, just maybe I’ll become a better climber because of it.