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NEW ARTICLE: Psychology in Climbing - by Dr Rebecca Williams

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 Jack Geldard 27 Jun 2008
Dr Rebecca Williams is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Senior Academic Tutor at Bangor University, as well as being a climbing instructor.
In this article she explores different psychological approaches and techniques that could help your climbing.

These include; identifying problems, over coming fear and anxieties and what to do if 'this stuff doesn't work for you'!

Read More: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1127
 UKB Shark 27 Jun 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Looking at her website I thought the following was intersting:

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is both an old and a new concept, drawn from eastern philosophies of being in the moment, and now widely used to help people manage anxiety and improve their self development. It is closely allied with meditation, but rather than a sitting, still meditation, mindfulness can be practised anytime, anywhere, simply by becoming more present in the here and now. It is the focus on the here and now, rather than the past or future, which can be extremely beneficial for climbing.

Sounds easy in theory, but mindfulness requires practice, as our brains often run away with us, filling up with unhelpful self talk and judgments. When climbing, this may take the form of ruminating about what might happen eg “I’m going to fall, I’m going to fall” or what may have happened in the past eg “oh god, last time I had a complete wobbly”, to even making judgments about our own internal state eg “why am I always so scared, why cant I keep it together”. Mindful climbing allows us to observe those thoughts and let them pass, gently returning our attention to the here and now and back into our bodies eg “what can I feel right now, how is my body positioned, where are the areas of over tension”. This more helpful, focused attention on the here and now allows us to climb more efficiently and dissipate anxiety.

Mindfulness in climbing does not require us to fight our fear, as that will take valuable energy away from the goal at hand. Rather it allows us to be anxious, to acknowledge it is a valid feeling in the moment, and then to return to the physical here and now. A mindful approach to climbing may also involve you questioning your underlying motivations for climbing. For example, why are you climbing? Is it to improve (and why, for who?) or is it for the aesthetic, the atmosphere, being outdoors and so on. Cultivating a mindful approach requires more focus on the journey than the end point, which can feel counter intuitive in our goal-orientated society, but for climbing can actually be more productive in that it can create the conditions for the flow experience through improved technique and attention.


 racodemisa 27 Jun 2008
In reply to Simon Lee:
> (In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC)
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> but for climbing can actually be more productive in that it can create the conditions for the flow experience through improved technique and attention.

To access 'flow'one of the best ways is to identify challenge v personal skills(rts that are not to hard or not to easy).In climbing a good example of this is really climbing loads of easyish volume-practicing all the process orientated stuff-breathing,technique skills(on different angles etc).Applying perhaps alot of what has been written by Arno Ilgner(and others) not on ultimate long term goals but building up through stages and in practice situations and hopefuly accessing the zone,flow whatever by doing this.I am sure people do it al the time perhaps but have not developed the 'fine tuning'.
Sounds like a good course.
 Kempster 29 Jun 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

As a clinical psychologist in training and a climber myself, I thought this article was a really useful addition to the eternal conversation on 'how can I climb better!'. I try very informally to apply aspects of psychological theory re visualisation and challenging fear etc to my training...but often easier said than done! However, this was a good reminder of the evidence base for trying to do things differently, in a way that might help untangle areas in training where I get stuck. Thanks : )
 chris wyatt 29 Jun 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Just a thought/question on mental training. If your lead trad grade is close to your Top rope/second grade is that evidence that your mental attitude is good? (and Vice Versa)
 UKB Shark 29 Jun 2008
In reply to chris wyatt: If your lead trad grade is close to your Top rope/second grade is that evidence that your mental attitude is good?


It could be evidence that you are switched on by lead climbing and switched off by top roping/seconding ...or it could be that you have a deathwish
In reply to Simon Lee: What is the normal gap between someone's lead grade and top-rope grade?

Other than one route that I didn't onsite, but got second go after working out the crux moves, my trad onsite grade is my top-rope grade.

That said, if I convert my top trad onsite into a sport grade and compare it to my hardest sport redpoint it's about 1 full french grade less (6b+ trad onsite vs 7b+ sport redpoint)

My sport onsite is only about 1 letter grade more than my trad onsite (6b+ vs 6c+)

What does that all mean then.....?
 UKB Shark 29 Jun 2008
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: Alasdair Fulton: What is the normal gap between someone's lead grade and top-rope grade?

Presumably by top rope grade you mean onsight first go on a top rope as opposed to worked ?

The normal gap between lead and redpoint as a project, in a day and onsight is a full letter grade ie 7b project redpoint, 7a inaday redpoint and 6c onsight for a balanced scorecard. If you put a lot of effort over days into your 7b+ redpoint then your sport onsight for a more balanced scorecard 'should' be 7a+. Given that redpointing a project is not much more difficult than toproping it (unless it is sparsely bolted or the clips are tricky)then that should also be your onsight top rope grade as well. If that is the case maybe you havent tried enough 7A+'s or you lack in an area like reading moves quick enough. An extended bolt clipping trip to Spain required ?

Also you cant convert trad grades to sport grades as easily as you suggest. Each trad route can be graded with an equivalent sport grade individually if you top rope it but it doesnt cross over well generically as in 6B+ is always E3 etc.

 chris wyatt 30 Jun 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

I was climbing with someone in Pembroke recently whose sport onsite Grade is 6b+ but whose trad onsite grade is VS and he really did not feel he wanted to go beyond that yet.

My sport onsite grade is 6c/7a and Trad is E2 5c, Trad second E3 5c.

So I reckon I am Lead climbing with only a relatively small safety margin to my limit. My friend's safety Margin is massive. So what does the difference come down to ?


. Not being comfortable with placing gear, route reading
. Getting phased by the waves and environment at pembroke
. Not trusting even bomber trad gear.

In my opinion he can only rectify the first issue by getting the mileage in within his comfort zone. He should at that point look at the mental issues - or is that just another excuse for stagnation?

Opinions please
 UKB Shark 30 Jun 2008
In reply to chris wyatt:

I think you should respect that persons decision. It is perfectly valid to have slow progress or no progress if you still enjoy your climbing. All you are doing is judging him with your own values and motivations in mind.
 chris wyatt 30 Jun 2008
In reply to Simon Lee: Hi Simon. I don't think I am judging him at all - sorry if it appeared that way. He was asking me about how to improve his head game and I'm trying to work out whether its that and/or experience that is holding him back
 UKB Shark 30 Jun 2008
In reply to chris wyatt:

You said: "(his) trad onsite grade is VS and he really did not feel he wanted to go beyond that yet" which is why I commented as I did. If he is also saying he wants to improve then that is contradictory or at least half-hearted and wistful. Maybe advising him to get a coaching session with Adrian Berry or similar would be the best singular piece of advice you could give him.
Ackbar 02 Jul 2008
In reply to Simon Lee: mindfulness does not really seem the right word as your mind become less cluttered, not more. But mindlessness doesn't sound very good either
 Paz 03 Jul 2008
With the article there's nothing really objectionable in that, and it's not wrong to say sort out any negative thoughts you have, and simply climb more (and if you don't like slopers or roofs, then tough shit, climb more on slopers and roofs). But even after all these years since planetfear started doing them, I'm still amazed that people will pay for this stuff, even if I am a Sylvie fan.

Just drop your grade, get as much mileage as possible in. Over time you'll get better, it's inevitable. Use your feet. Make sure your rockboots are clean and fit properly so you can stand on a pebble. Then do so. It's not rocket science. No amount of courses or UKC articles is a substitute for total confidence in your ability to climb 4c.


In reply to chris wyatt:

The former and the latter (not placing and trusting gear, and route reading). If he keeps climbing in Pembroke he'll run out of VSs soon enough, or get sick of the polish.
 James Oswald 03 Jul 2008
In reply to chris wyatt:
Or maybe you have an irrational fear of top-roping?

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