[ica]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all doing well in these strange confinement times nearly all over the world. As you probably all can feel the same, people start looking into himself/herself more by standing alone more and so it is unavoidable to notice some interesting things going on in different parts of our lives.
I can call myself a fairly well-trained alpinist (I have done the “alpine test” a year ago and I was at the beginning level of an elite athlete) because of my (more or less) same approach to all major types of climbing (big walls and couloirs both in summer and winter, mixed routes, sports climbing, bouldering etc.). I started climbing nearly 13 years ago with some big gaps in between but especially the last 4 years I can really say I trained my body for very different objectives and types of climbing. However, I have to admit that I have never taken into account the mental part of climbing seriously so I am suffering from that. I feel that my limiting side is the mental side, not the physical. I can not even get close to my physical skills in the mountains because of the mental barriers.
I have never been that person who goes to the mountains at least twice in a month because of the region that I am living and my life in general (first it was studentship and then the job). So, as far as I deduced, my mental barrier, “fear” to say more clearly, comes from my loose foundation which should have been full of very easy hiking routes, some easier routes, some technical ones, easy long trans mountains etc.
I can not go to the mountains now like most of the others. But just after this strange period I would like to apply my “mental foundations” plan immediately. But before, I would like to ask whether this makes sense or should I care about different things as well? I, of course, wouldn’t let my physical capability go during the time, but would “fulfilling the base” enough or should I try to do some routes at my limits in between as well, for instance?

There wasn’t any topic about “mental” or “mental training” so I felt like I should put the question to the related type of climbing topic which I hope wouldn’t be a problem for the forum rules. And I hope the question or the answers would help the other forum users, as well.

I wish you all excited confinement days and a better future full of mountains,

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on April 9, 2020 at 5:44 am #40332

Hi Ica,

This UA article might be a good start: https://uphillathlete.com/know-thyself/. It sounds simple, but I think it takes a lot of thought and effort and experience to get it right (and it’s a continual process).

It’s hard to get a sense of exactly what you’re looking for, but reading somewhat between the lines, it seems like maybe you already know the answer/solution. My (perhaps incorrect) interpretation of what you wrote is that you have been working hard (student/job) and using your little available time to achieve big, hard objectives. Awesome. Now, maybe, some of those objectives have started to become a little scary. And now, perhaps, you still have limited time, or even more limited time, and maybe you’re a little older, and you feel a pressure to keep pushing, but you don’t feel quote comfortable, and you don’t know where to go from here? You mentioned that what you think you might be missing is a foundation of easier, non-scary routes, well-within your abilities. Is the solution simply to dedicate some time to routes of this kind, in a gradual progression, until you feel confident again? The big stuff will still be there when you’re ready…

[DominicProvost]

DominicProvost on April 9, 2020 at 10:10 pm #40373

Mental Training: How to Raise Your Risk Ceiling

This article is relevant too.

[Steve House]

Steve House on June 2, 2020 at 10:04 am #42325

Ica,
I can’t overemphasize how valuable a simple sitting meditation practice can be. I followed a series of Vipassana courses, but there are many good approaches. Even, I hear, some good apps available if you you like. Good luck and thank you for opening up this line of discussion.

[Felipe Q]

Felipe Q on June 3, 2020 at 9:49 am #42354

I’m just flagging this reply by dienmayhieunga.com as a spam advertisement for videoconference services. Hope a moderator can remove it and the user. Thanks.

[Steve House]

Steve House on June 9, 2020 at 10:02 am #42578

Thanks for the heads up!