Thoughts on progression

I've never been a particularly good or strong climber. I usually see new climbers rapidly surpass me in ability. 

I have been loving rediscovering my passion for the sport, and have greatly enjoyed my time climb non-technical mountaineering type routes, but lately I have had the bug to actually get better at rock climbing. 

This has taken some self-reflection, why have I been stuck as a 5.10 climber? What is holding me back?

Warming up on an easy route at Rock Creek. PC - Teresa Brooks

There are a few things, first - my focus on mountaineering certainly has held me back somewhat. Especially this past year training for Denali took a lot of energy and time. But I think most importantly, is I have been really afraid to TRY HARD. Like may of us, its difficult to push outside of one's comfort zone.

Trying hard on Crocodile Tears (5.11c). PC - Michelle Johnson

I have compiled a list of things that I think are holding me back, and things I need to improve upon:

• Fear while leading steep routes
• Trying hard, giving it a real 100% effort
• My ego gets in the way
• I don't like to work routes
• Fear on steep gear routes 
• Too much time climbing in my comfort zone
 

So with this in mind, I have been spending the past 4 weeks or so trying to improve on this! I have been heading out to Shuteye a lot, and seeking to climb routes in the 5.11 range. 

 

Shuteye Ridge

 So far I have tried the following:

• Crocodile - "Poacher" 5.11a -- on-sighted the route
• Crocodile - "Crocodile tears" - 5.11c - many hangs
• Magic wall - "'Slight of Hand" - 5.11a - on-sighted the route
• Forty Licks - "Cornered" - 5.11a on-sighted the route
• Volcanics - "Unnamed" 5.11a - Red pointed the route
• Runnel Vision "Struggle withing" - Hung several times, lead fall

 

Michelle - showing me how to try hard!

 

Teresa and Penny after a day of hard climbing at Runnel Vision.

I have also really adjusted my gym climbing strategy. rather than just randomly climbing routes, I am now actively projecting (TR) as well as trying to get more comfortable on lead on steep routes.

 

Each gym session I warm up roughly as follows

5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, lead a steep 5.10d or 5.11a.

Then I move to a TR project in the 5.11d or 5.12a range. I do burns on the route for the rest of the session. Each time I come back to the gym, I don't move onto a new climb until either the route setters take it down, or I send it clean on TR.

 

So far I have successfully climbed 3 x 5.12a and 3 x 511d. It usually takes me at least 2-3 gym sessions to get the project clean. 

 

Teresa has been super supportive of this, and she has been doing a similar thing with her climbing. I think its already starting to yield benefits. I feel stronger, and more confident.   

Soon I plan to transition to projecting on the lead wall, with the goal of getting comfortable trying hard on lead! 

Teresa - as always super supportive.

With no real big alpine objectives on the near horizon, I plan to keep this up, focusing on my rock climbing until at least the late winter. I'll start to get back into mountain shape for the summer, maybe tarting in March.