How Your Friends Are Holding You Back
At the gym recently I've noticed a phenomenon that I've seen a number of times over the years. Call it what you want: "Social Abs", "Core With Friends", "Ab Circle", "Club Core". I just call it mostly pointless.
This is an actual photo from the gym. Seriously.
Maybe that's unfair. Then again, maybe not. Fact is, almost nobody in that situation gets any benefit at all from what they're doing. Unless, of course, the goal is to impress the strong girl leading “Club Core” with your circus tricks. That might work. Your climbing sure isn’t doing it.
I'm not just ripping on the silliness I see in the gym. There actually is a point to this. Most of the people I see in the gym who are "training" are simply piggy-backing off of someone else's often misguided training program. People always want to know what my workout is that night so that they can do it, too. It just won't work.
Let me explain it like this…
WANT MORE? READ THE REST IN: The Hard Truth: Simple Ways to Become a Better Climber
Skaters do one important thing much better than climbers: they chase mastery instead of success.
It's exactly the same amount of challenging for you no matter what number anyone attaches to it.
How often do you give 100%? REALLY give 100%? I make my living coaching climbers, and I seldom see a climber try their hardest. Myself included.
While in the gym, for the most part, boulderers are closer than sport climbers to training the correct way.
It's easy to get discouraged by how quickly the pros seem to put down the hardest projects.
I get it. Talking is easier than doing. What it isn't, however, is nearly as satisfying.
Nate snapped the banana in half. Clean break, right through the middle. Like a ninja.
You can almost always find a reason to continue training the short-sighted way.
There is NO single workout that any group of people can follow to get the optimum results for each of them.
Newbs, rejoice! You get a whole post. A short one, but your very own set of training wheels.
So how do you get better faster? There's a simple answer. You don't.
After much deliberation over a list of about 25, I've decided on the 5 ways I see experienced climbers derail their progression.
I hear them coming from every corner of the gym… excuses.
The fact is, you WILL NEVER get to within earshot of your potential if you don't have a complete skill set.
Our egos are ruthless. I've seen climbers stop a workout early because they didn't want to "look bad".
Fact is, seeing the "chains" as the sole representation of success is holding you back.
Sod’s Law states: “Anything that can go wrong, will always go wrong, with the worst possible outcome.” Turns out, Sod generally spends his time at the climbing gym.
There is NO single workout that any group of people can follow to get the optimum results for each of them.
Professional setter Chris Danielson is the absolute go-to guy for any big comp or gym consulting project.
A climber since 1994, Kris was a traddie for 12 years before he discovered the gymnastic movement inherent in sport climbing and bouldering. Through dedicated training and practice, he eventually built to ascents of 5.14 and V11.
Kris started Power Company Climbing in 2006 as a place to share training info with his friends, and still specializes in working with full time "regular" folks. He's always available for coaching sessions and training workshops.
Redpointing is an ultimate success built on the backs of many failures.