“Mastery lies not in the capturing of a summit, but in a oneness with each detail of the experience.”
— John Gill, bouldering legend
The blog
Mental training is often overlooked as the most powerful way to take our ability as climbers - and humans - to the next level. That’s why we’re on a mission to elevate ideas and resources at the intersection of climbing and personal growth. On this blog you’ll find our favorite beta about everything from brain training and life coaching to holistic wellness and yoga - all for climbers.
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Thought patterns that hold climbers back
Most rock climbers hold themselves back by not training their minds. There are many facets of mental training for climbing, from motor pattern brain training to increasing self-awareness. But the most straightforward way to start training our minds for climbing is to develop an awareness of our thought patterns.
Let’s look at five limiting thought patterns that hold most climbers back. As you read, consider: Which of these thoughts does your brain like the most? To what effect?
My 5 Keys to Mindfulness
“Blake, you’re thinking fast.”
Those words, patiently stated by my climbing partner, brought me back to reality.
This moment was a turning point in my understanding of mindfulness and self-awareness. For years I was convinced I could not meditate, my brain too fast and loud. But this experience of overwhelming fear (during a relatively safe climb) shook me deeply.
How to get comfortable with being uncomfortable
A few weeks ago I climbed Freerider for the first time and I almost gave up. This is a 3,300' rock climb up the southwest face of Yosemite’s El Capitan. You may have heard of Alex Honnold climbing this route without ropes in a recent feature-length documentary called Free Solo. Like everyone in history besides Alex, I climbed Freerider with the protection of ropes. The route is still a huge undertaking.