Building TryHard

Just like anything else, some are by nature going to have the ability to turn it on full blast, but for the rest of us, is it safe to say that through training we are learning how to try harder? I struggle cranking hard on boulders, and am definitely more of an endurance climber. So, I'm looking for feedback on ways to increase my try hard.* Warmups, training regimen, climbing psychology, whatever you can think of. Small side question below. 

If you just started climbing and gave it all you had, right off the bat, you'd injure yourself. My other question and thought is that, raising your physical strength ends up giving you a wider tolerance of max performance before injury, and training for climbing is a fine line between injury and progression. Especially as you get older. Dave Macleod, with his hang board videos, is the inspiration for this thought. He turned me on to the idea of really cranking and trying to actually pull hard.

Oh yeah, Trolls, welcome!*

Why do you think you have trouble trying hard, what’s the blockage?

Same idea as getting your lead head back after a period of no rope climbing. Make yourself take a bunch of clean falls until it feels natural. I suspect a lot of try hard blockages come back to fear in some way shape or form, and the best way to tackle that is just deliberate repeated exposure in a controlled environment, IMO.

Also can be helpful to have a mental cue/mantra, have your beta totally dialed, and visualize yourself succeeding while trying super hard. Don’t just visualize an image of you sticking the move, visualize the feeling of all your muscles engaging at maximal intensity in perfect concert, think about how that will feel. Before you start climbing, know what beta you’ll use and commit to executing it with no hesitation. Once you get to the crux, there’s no adjusting, no looking for a better foot, no pausing to think about how bad a hold is. Summon that feeling you imagined of the muscles in concert and all that and give it hell!

Did you feel satisfied with how hard you tried? If not, wash rinse repeat, and try a little harder.

Ma Ja wrote: Just like anything else, some are by nature going to have the ability to turn it on full blast, but for the rest of us, is it safe to say that through training we are learning how to try harder? I struggle cranking hard on boulders, and am definitely more of an endurance climber. So, I'm looking for feedback on ways to increase my try hard.* Warmups, training regimen, climbing psychology, whatever you can think of. Small side question below.

If you just started climbing and gave it all you had, right off the bat, you'd injure yourself. My other question and thought is that, raising your physical strength ends up giving you a wider tolerance of max performance before injury, and training for climbing is a fine line between injury and progression. Especially as you get older. Dave Macleod, with his hang board videos, is the inspiration for this thought. He turned me on to the idea of really cranking and trying to actually pull hard.

Oh yeah, Trolls, welcome!*

Work the shit out of a route. I mean until you wanna puke. And then come back to it asap. Yes, keep in mind that if you over do it, you get injured, stop before you get injured. Be extremely self aware of how your body is feeling, with time the power will come.

                     -Tradiban

Great suggestions. As for my wall, I'd say physically it's just my finger strength has always lagged behind my technical skills and endurance. It's slowly catching up. I'm starting to regularly get 6's in the gym, and the moon board is starting to be a useful training tool and not just a 45* skin remover. Never really had any mental hurdles where fear is a concern, I just sort of stop when I sense when my fingers are at their limit.

Maybe my ultimate question is how do you mentally transition from sport climbing efficiency-climbing, to all out savage bouldering mode. I'm definitely a, cheat my way through the crux and use the least amount of energy as possible, kind of climber, and am looking for tricks to train my mind to just push a little harder. I like the suggestions above already. 

The obvious things that have helped so far are Moon Boarding, Campusing, and Hangboarding. 

Lift heavy

Large quantities of meth :)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gq2CMoTsp5Y

Rob warden The space lizard wrote: Lift heavy

That's something I've avoided. It may be the next step. Weighted pull ups have definitely helped a bit. Any particular workouts?

JNE wrote:

For me a couple of big, violent, dynamic movements gets me mentally back into tryHard mode, and this is specifically because big, violent, dynamic movements require a tryHard attitude. They will pack the most possible force into the smallest possible interval of time, and thus require the most recruitment, or tryHard, from your muscles. You thereby create a situation where you have to mentally tryHard in order to succeed. As long as you don't overdo it, your now heavily recruited muscles can be used to tryHard on other things, too.

So moonboarding? That's the one thing that I've found that forces me into that for the majority of the moves. I still climb it like it's a 100ft long though

Been climbing on a Moonboard lately and I think it trains ‘try hard’ without question.  That being said, I think any true limit bouldering, where you’re attempting 1-4 simple moves you can’t do would suffice.  Obviously physically taxing but even harder to get your headspace correct and be okay with not topping anything out during a session.

Important to note that 100% effort attempts require longer rest between goes and you should end the session at the first sign of a power decline.

Ma Ja wrote:

That's something I've avoided. It may be the next step. Weighted pull ups have definitely helped a bit. Any particular workouts?

deadlift and weighted pullups

I deadlifted for about two years and saw a noticeable increase in core strength when it came to climbing. Then I moved away from my gym and started doing yoga 3-4 days a week. After about a year of doing yoga regularly, I exceeded the gains I had achieved deadlifting (as far as it translates to bodyweight movement and climbing). I definitively have a stronger back and core now and need less recovery time than when I was deadlifting.  This, of course, comes with the caveat that I am only doing this as cross training for climbing (and to stay active) NOT attempting to be any sort of power lifter.  Regular yoga also helped me overcome tendonitis in my elbows and wrist pain. Would recommend.

I have also followed the Anderson Bros hangboard, max bouldering, and campus board training program- all of which were really good at training strength and power.  I never followed their entire plan, as I don't structure my whole climbing season around a few redpoints (and my work schedule didn't cooperate). I interspersed all of those with ARC training as well. I think they have a pretty good training program, which is worth looking into -Rock Climbers Training Manual.

The two things that come to mind are time (be patient and you'll be cranking in no time) and to climb with experienced and hard climbers.  Watching difficult moves and being encouraged from a good mentor goes a long way.

For me, trying hard has come from bouldering, with a focus on attempting/projecting lots of boulders that are maybe just a hair under my maximum vgrade level. If you’re predominantly a rope climber this will help you overcome cruxy sections on longer climbs. Holds and sequences just feel easier. I’m admittedly a terrible onsight/flash climber but I accept that ATM and structure my strategy to compensate for that when I’m outside on a route i REALLY want to send that day ( definitely has something to do with fear/doubt and a little over gripping). I generally go bolt to bolt on sprt climbs above 5.12b with the intention of figuring out the perfect sequence. Lately those first burns of sussing out the moves have gone smoothly. I attribute this to bouldering outside. After the first burn, it’s all about convincing your brain that you can do it. Assuming your technique is up to par, this strategy could work really well.

As for supplemental training, I notice quick gains in muscle recruitment and hand eye coordination when I do one or two campus board sessions a week. Helps for moves when you really have to deadpoint to a hold of any size really... That coupled with intense core exercises on a pull-up bar (supersets are best)  have helped me the most when trying to break through plateaus or get ready for hard sends. Taking two days off, climbing fast up to each rest/before cruxs are my other two not so secret, secrets.