Mental Training

Over the last two years, I've been attempting to climb Freerider on El Cap. I have years and years of Yosemite climbing experience and most of the route doesn't bother me a bit. I've climbed 5.12 in Yosemite and have even redpointed 5.13 there years and years ago.

BUT...

I'm an old guy.

I'm 60 years old, and will be 61 when I get back to the route next spring. I ain't no spring chicken and it takes me longer to recover than my younger climbing friends.

SO, I started thinking to myself this summer, with big plans for Freerider this fall, what do I need to do to get myself closer to success?

I trained, I bouldered, I lifted weights and climbed, but I thought needed more. I started telling myself, "Hudon, you have to be the best climber you've ever been. You have to float everything. You have to technique the hell of of EVERY SINGLE MOVE. You have to climb elegantly, and never use strength when technique can solve the problem".

You know how quite a few Yosemite climbs have that grovelly bit? That wide section with hand jambs way in the bacK? That weirdo flare where you loose a lot of skin and strength? Freerider has lots of that and more.

Every time I even thought about climbing, I thought about climbing elegantly with perfect technique and using no strength. I thought of never struggling, never reaching further than I should and always being aware of my breathing and heart rate.

Well, pretty much it worked. I didn't free climb Freerider, more because of bad weather and crowds, but when I was on the route, I was climbing really, really well and it was really fun.

I calmed myself before attempting a pitch. I planned my climbing on the pitch. For example, on the Monster, I asked Dustin Moore, who was hanging on a rope and taking photos, to give me a timed 15 minute rest at two different points. I did the down climb into the Monster and climbed up a few feet to a chimney/rest. I hauled up the gear, climbed 20 feet further to a comfortable spot and took the first 15 minute rest. I then climbed the next section to right below the crux and took my second 15 minute rest. I cruised the crux and had enough mental fortitude to climb the ramp (not really difficult but sort of scary and certainly run out) to the anchor without any gear at all. (I had forgotten about that section and hadn't haul up any gear for it) As a result, I barely lost any skin and didn't climb the crack with too much effort at all! I wasn't pumped, I wasn't breathing hard and I wasn't sweating (or swearing) I made small moves and never working against myself.

After Adam Ondra arrived and started to work the Dawn Wall I stared to explore some other ideas. He walked up one of the first 12b pitches. He thought it was scary but still, he walked it. I've climbed 12b but I certain don't walk 12b. I tried to understand the difference between me and Ondra. Well, okay, he's Adam Ondra and I'm not but, still, there must be something that I can learn from him climbing 12b. He wears climbing shoes that aren't so much different from mine, rubber is pretty much rubber. His feet have to support his weight. He has to stand on a hold and move up off it and on to others. I've been climbing for far longer than Ondra has been alive and I have pretty good technique. So what's the difference?
I didn't come up with an answer but at the very least I have to figure that he is more relaxed with less security than I'm used to climbing with. He's relaxed with holds he's moving on and off but he doesn't need security on those holds.

BTW, I introduced myself to him and he is a very, very nice guy.

.12b for Ondra is like .10 for you. Seriously its 3 number grades below his highest rated climb. Think about how much more confident you are on easier routes. The key is to get stronger.

Getting stronger is important but certainly not the whole solution, which is pretty much the point of this thread.

Mark, even with your years on the rock, I bet Ondra still has more climbing mileage (rock and plastic) than you have. Combine that with hard work and talent (both physical and mental), you got Ondra.

I'm way below your level Mark, but could it be you don't completely trust your belay? Or pro? Or the fall? (Different from not wanting to fall)

I'm quickly learning, but if I trust my belay and the fall I'll just go for it. Maybe you'll surprise yourself?

I doubt he has more time on rock than me, I've lived a pretty full rock climbing life. Still though, and even if he does, what can we learn from him? Trust the gear and belay more? Okay, work on that. Simply believe you can do it? Okay, work on that.

The point of this thread is to explore ideas beyond the physical to get better at climbing. My positive reinforcement over the summer did in fact help. I think I was climbing the best I've ever climbed.

Mark Hudon wrote:which is pretty much the point I'm trying to make of this thread.

Fixed that for you. I'm unconvinced so far.

Interesting. Can you toprope those 12b+ moves effortlessly? If so, then you can say trust in the gear and the belay are problems. If not, then it is something else.

The unwanted/unrealistic answer to your original thread is to go train to climb >5.14 sport routes and come back to see if you can float >5.12 in Yosemite. I think that beyond the physical strength, there is probably an unspoken inner confidence. He knows that he has frequently climbed 3 number grades higher. You state that you have occasionally climbed 1 number grade higher. You may not like it, but 12 grades versus 4 is a big difference in that past-experience-confidence factor, such that every 12b handhold is that much less.

Mark Hudon wrote:I have to figure that he is more relaxed with less security than I'm used to climbing with. He's relaxed with holds he's moving on and off but he doesn't need security on those holds.

Here's another theory:
Adam Ondra has say 30% more finger strength and endurance than you do - (and perhaps slightly smaller fingertips?). So the handholds and footholds feel more secure to him because they are physically more within his bodily limit.

Footholds?
It's not just about rubber.
Finger strength+endurance and smaller fingertips matter for security on tiny/slopy footholds also.
Because the more physical force you can sustain on a small handhold, the more you can hang outward off that hold. If you can sustain a little more outward pull on the handholds, (by Newton's Third Law) that gives your feet more inward push against the rock surface.
Which implies physically more friction of rubber against rock, and physically more leverage for the shoe edge to stay on top of a small rock edge.

Ken

P.S. John Gill ... Someone was observing his brilliant footwork.
Another viewer replied, "Of course it's not as hard to get great footwork when you can do single-finger pullups."

> okay, he's Adam Ondra and I'm not but, still, there must be something that
> I can learn from him climbing 12b. He wears climbing shoes that aren't so
> much different from mine, rubber is pretty much rubber.
> His feet have to support his weight.

or maybe not.

Here's a "mental" strategy (like you asked for) ...
Adam Ondra is said to have been doing intense phases of "campus" training lately.

Jan Hojer (currently one of the top competition boulderers in the world) in his famous Training Video
said that he likes to practice campusing because on many of the hard boulder problems nowadays the feet are so dicy that he might as well learn to do hard moves with No feet.

So how about ...

Climbing with No feet as "mental" training for moves with tiny slopy feet?

Ken

isn't there a book on this?

warriorsway.com/the-rock-wa…

Hi Mark,

First off, congratulations on what sounds like a really solid push on Freerider. It sounds to me like your mental and technical game is pretty spot on, but of course, always room for improvement.

I really like your topic, and while I agree with many on here the Ondra's strength certainly makes a big difference, that's missing the point (as you've pointed out already).

I think in addition to being an extremely strong climber, Ondra is an extremely skillful climber, both mentally and technically (which can be hard to separate in climbing). He climbs with great speed and precision, great focus and commitment, breathes incredibly well through all the different phases of exertion in climbing, uses aggression when needed and struts/floats when it's easy. I love the video of him onsighting Il Domani, because I think it illustrates much of what I've described above. These are all skills and each can be developed.

Sure, he can do more pullups than any of us, and on fewer fingers, but he also focuses-in and gets "present" better than than almost all of us before even beginning a pitch. There's no reason we can't improve that. Similarly with his breathing - listen to the different ways he breathes through the different sections of Il Domani, it's feakin' enlightening. I can bring that into my climbing sometimes, but too often I don't. Same with the other qualities mentioned in the paragraph above. Cool stuff!

Good luck on Freerider in the Spring! I'm pulling for you!!

Hi Mark,
I was focused on Freerider for 2 years almost a decade ago but after my first 5 day push on the route the reality set in that in order to climb the route I really needed to be more than a 5.12 trad climber. I was not going to get there by memorizing the beta and dialing in the the pitches. It wasn't about the mental game, or the crux moves. It was about the fact that I could not hope to possibly be climbing at my limit while also dealing with the complexities and rigors of big wall climbing. It just wasn't going to happen unless I quit my job and moved to the Valley for a season.

If you look at the majority of climbers who free the route you will see that they are either locals or are 5.13 climbers. I know that for me it seemed much more feasible to just keep dialing in the beta, but I do feel that the real key is to just get stronger. You have more big wall experience than most guys out there and from the routines you have posted it sounds like you have an equal base of fitness. I hesitate to believe with your soloing background that it is a problem with your head.

My recommendation is to spend the next 6 months becoming a climbing machine. Don't bother with fitness, just focus on power and strength. Then in the spring start to up your endurance training, while maintaining basic fingerboard training. Check out some new training ideas rockprodigytraining.proboar…

Assume that what has gotten you to where you are today will not get you to the next level. Trust in your abilities and your iron will.

Looking forward to the next trip report!

You either have to be younger, stronger, or you have to let go of something.

Awesome, Kevin, thanks. That's my plan.

Still though, I want to keep exploring the mental aspects of climbing improvement.

Have you checked out the book "Vertical Mind"? I think this might be a good resource.

amazon.com/Vertical-Mind-Ps…

Disclaimer: I started reading it and was please with the first 1/4 of the book but I lent it to a friend who was having major head game issues after a climber fell on him.

Interesting thread.

Mark, here’s a question. Do you think your risk assessment of falling has changed as you’ve gotten older? I’m 56, climbing for forty years. I’ve spent a lot of time in recent years working on the mental aspect of climbing - strategies, technique, relaxation, breathing - all that stuff. I don’t climb at the same level as you, but no matter, I want to be the best I can be.

I love the mental challenges, but one thing I am comfortable with is that my perceived risk of falling has increased. I think there are two primary reasons for that. One, I heal more slowly, as you said earlier. Injuries suck. But probably more important - I know that even with great partners, good weather, good gear - shit still happens sometimes. I’ve seen lots of it. I’m comfortable with my changes in risk perception. I place more gear, double up more often, and back off when I need to.

But I think that level of comfort with my own risk perception, even if I perceive risk more cautiously, has made me a BETTER climber, because once I move past that and get into a climb or sequence, I can focus more clearly, and with less emotional struggle. And then the other mental techniques help me more than ever. Being comfortable in your own climbing skin is a big plus in the mental game.

Don,

When I'm not climbing well is when I'm worried about falling. At times I get into "the odds are going to catch up with you" kind of thinking. I've always been a bold climber, I've always figured that if I can do 5.10 or 5.11 moves right next to gear, then I can do those moves 30 feet from gear. It still barely bothers me to do a 5.9-10a or b pitch with very little pro.

BUT!

I've also adopted the habit of placing gear before I need it so that I don't get into a bad situation and NEED to place something. I'm really good at sizing up the situation and deciding if a fall will be dangerous or not. There are some places where you simply should not fall and places where it doesn't really matter.

My generation was taught that ability is self based. A lot of the current generation believes ability is gear based. I rely on my skill to make myself safe. If I'm lacking gear, to a point, I can count on my years of experience to keep myself safe.

I don't fiddle fuck around when I'm climbing, I'm constantly accessing my strength and composure as I climb. I access every move and hold. I'm confident of my abilities, my technique and my strength. I really do think that right now I'm climbing smarter than I ever have in my life.

Mark Hudon wrote: I don't fiddle fuck around when I'm climbing

Mark - that's a good phrase :-)

Best of luck with Freerider next year.