Hooked on a Feeling
Years ago, I was a climbing guide in Hueco Tanks. Each winter, people would travel from around the world to try those iconic boulders. While some would have the trip of a lifetime, many climbers would realize that they were unprepared for their aspirations. They would spend the whole trip talking about how when they got home they would finally train their fingers and core so that they could come back the next season and get revenge on these dream boulders.
They knew they had been slacking before this trip, but this year would be different. This time they felt inspired. This was the wake up call they needed and they were going to do something about it. At least, they’d do something about it when work or school or family life settled down in a few weeks. Now that they think about it, next year's Hueco trip is a long ways off. They’ll start training fingers and core when the trip gets closer and they have more time and less responsibilities…
The year would come and go, and I’d guide them again to the same problems and hear the same things:
“I wish I would have started training sooner.”
“I’m going to hangboard so much when I get back.”
“I’m going to train core and flexibility every day this year.”
Inspiration is intoxicating. We love those moments where the path forward is so clear and obvious that not following it would be an insult to the universe. Inspiration often fades as quickly as it shows up though.
“Waiting for a feeling is a luxury we don’t have time for.”
Stop waiting for a flash of inspiration to set your climbing on the perfect course. You know what you need to work on. Start today, and start small.
You want a stronger core or better mobility? Start with three minutes of exercises before your climbing sessions. It will be over before you know it, and you get the reward of climbing afterwards. When it feels too easy, add a minute or progress the exercises.
You want stronger fingers? Climb on worse holds. After you’re fully warmed up, choose a boulder with awful little holds as your first hard problem of each session. If it’s the first problem you go to then you’re guaranteeing that you won’t be too tired for it.
Pick something to work on. Decide on a method that’s so simple to follow that you’d feel ridiculous not to stick with it. Then do it.
Would you rather be the person who is known for dreaming of big elaborate training plans or for being the person who gets results?