Purpose:
To encourage you to move away from measuring success by whether a climb is completed or not
Where: wherever you like
This drill can be done in any environment on any hold types.That said, it works best on boulder problems
When: during the Learning Window
Climbs should be easy enough to allow thought process but not so easy as the drill feels contrived.
The Drill:
Select some boulder problems that you are fairly certain you can get to the top of. Climbs you have completed previously work well here.
- Complete all of the moves, up to the last move
- HOWEVER as you go to reach for the last hold, do not grab the hold, instead either jumping off or retreating on to another climb
- Repeat for around 6-10 climbs
- Now continue with the exercise but ask yourself: if you are not climbing the route in order to reach the last hold, what can you gain from this climb instead?
- Continue for another 5-10 climbs, identifying new reasons for climbing the route other than completion
The Outcome: How do you know when it’s working?
Over time, you should find that you begin to focus more on the process of climbing and less on the outcome i.e. less about whether you finished the route and more what happened along the way.