UKC

"Do you want to improve in your climbing? Improvement can be very desirable, but for many of us it isn't as easy as it appears. I believe that regardless of ability, goals, or climbing styles, improvement starts with having and applying a good basic attitude..."

In this article regular contributor Fiend takes us through the steps and attitudes needed to see real improvements in our climbing. From understanding what real improvement is to the difficulties we need to accept in order to make that improvement.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2648

In reply to UKC Articles:

Thank you for posting this Jack.

I hope people find it useful.

In reply to Fiend:

hurrah!

In reply to Fiend: Thanks for this, I liked it - provides a useful prompt and perspective to go through the mental check list and reassess where I'm at and what I'm hoping to achieve.

I know I should really be capable of doing this mental check myself but lazy thinking makes for lazy climber

In reply to UKC Articles:

good article Fiend!

I went through a rather arduous learning experience in another sport where I had to learn the right ways to think and deal with problems like those you mention and it took a while. It can be difficult so I doubt many people will read the article and suddenly understand the meaning of life, but I bet there'll be plenty who pick up on something that improves their way of thinking a little which is invaluable. So yeah, good one!

In reply to Fiend:

I'd have liked to have read more about how climbing physically without fear can improve your abilities, maybe by repeatedly trying routes at above your physical limit on a top rope...........



Otherwise, I agree with the article completely, far more usful to see the bigger picture about improvement rather than concentrating on exactly how many seconds a dead hang should last for and using whihc grip.

In reply to Fiend: Guess the crag - the minging cave on windy ledge at Stoney.

In reply to UKC Articles: Excellant artical, i am not a great climber and i do not wish to be its about my own goals, challenges, adventure, failing on climbs then going back and doing a climb, or boulder problem, the people that you enjoy climbing with, reading about other peoples successes, adventures but not to copy them, but enjoy watching them climb with ease, i am passionate about climbing and being on rock and everything outdoors, the article makes me feel good within myself and if you enjoy what you do then thats what its all about.

In reply to UKC Articles:

I like the minimal clothing recommendation. Very Fiend.

Guess the crag: The through cave in that massive rave cave on the Orme?

In reply to victim of mathematics: That'd be my guess too; Elephant Cave on the Great Orme. Do we win a prize?

In response to the article, it's hard to imagine how anybody could get the same amount of pleasure from climbing if all of those things didn't come naturally.

In reply to Glyn Davidson & Victim:

No you don't win a prize, because you're not correct

Glad some people are liking the article. I'm hoping it will end up as a long-lasting reference article, because it was partly inspired by seeing a lot of posts on here by people wondering how to improve, and seeing common threads in those posts.

In reply to Fiend:
Guessing the crag: could it be Attermire Scar in Yorkshire?
looks a bit like deeper parts of Attermire cave...

In reply to UKC Articles:

Just want to add that I thought this was a very good article. A cut above some of the others.

In reply to Simon Preuss:

Nope!!




Straggler: Thanks.

In reply to Fiend:
Is it Llangattock Escarpment??

In reply to Fiend: Is it the cave through the buttress from Windy ledge at Stoney Middleton? I've never seen it illuminated as it was the done thing to go through it in the dark.

Al

In reply to tradlad:

That was my assumption - the keyhole shape in the photo suggest it could be keyhole cave!

Chris

In reply to All:

A year after coming out of hospital following a very serious illness, the trad-fuhrer Fiend climbed his first Fr 8a (Sufferance) at Dumbarton this week. Well done that man!