There’s a lot of failure in climbing. Sure, it would be great if climbing was all clipping chains and toping out boulders, but in reality climbing anything truly difficult for you requires a lot of falling and failing. Even for climbers who have been through the projecting process many times before, the frustration of failure can build and even become a impediment to eventual success.
To help you learn how to deal with the frustration of failure more effectively, here’s an article from Climbing Magazine by Heather Weidner. Heather is no stranger to long redpoint campaigns having worked on the route China Doll 5.14a R for over a year before sending. We can all definitely learn from her process and how she manages to stay positive and continue trying her hardest attempt after attempt.
“Pro climber Heather Weidner spent over a year projecting the Dream Canyon crack climb China Doll (5.14a R) on gear. On June 15, 2016, she finally redpointed this 40-meter right-leaning crack in a single pitch, becoming the first female to climb the route entirely on gear. After getting through the crux, Weidner explains in her blog, she had to stop herself from involuntarily shaking to finish the 5.11 topout.” – Johanna Flashman
Heather Weidner – 4 Tips for Overcoming the Frustration of Failure
While Heather is known for her route climbing, these tips aren’t sport climbing specific as they are not about the physical tactics of working a route. Instead, Heather’s tips deal with the mental side of climbing and how you approach your project mentally.
As a result, not matter what kind of climber you are these tips can help you stay positive and see your project through to completion. Click through below for the full article and to read Heather’s tips yourself. Mental strategies like these may not make you physically stronger, but mastering them can have just as big of an impact on your climbing performance as another training cycle to get stronger.
Full Article: Climbing Magazine – 4 Tips for Overcoming the Frustration of Failure
(photo courtesy of climbing.com)
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