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I've been practicing bouldering for a few years now and I've improved and worsened many times. For various personal reasons my training have been irregular and I've skipped several training hours. Every time I stop practicing I have to "start over", but what I came to realize is the fact that when I "start over" once again, I recover and improve faster than the time before. I keep going and training over an over whenever I can even when I had to skip training for a while and re-do workout because I'm basically stubborn but the fact that I sort of make it better each cycle also gives me mental strength to try again.
Not so long ago a medical condition plus other factors forced me delay and stop training in the bouldering place. But when I came back, regardless the fact that it took many days to climb the easy settings with ease again, I realized that my technique and smoothness (which is also strength efficient) was way better than the last time I had to start over. As soon as my arm muscles were strong again, I would be able to do more work and more trials.
On the other hand my training also improved a bit with the help of a friendly trainer in the bouldering place. He marked the fact that I had to define a clear accessible (yet challenging) goal each time I went training. That way I set up my mind for doing "this and that" and then whatever I wanted to try. Setting priorities beforehand based on a careful analysis of what can I do that day helped me measure my improvement. While I always manage to climb, I sort of measure my success based on how I handled my goals and if suddenly, those goals were easy for me to fulfill. Then the next day I would set a more complicated pace for myself.
I quickly realized I'm able to do without struggling very much the level it took a lot of strength and endurance to fulfill a few weeks earlier. I usually achieve these when I'm accompanied my a friend, since he usually sort of friendly push me into trying these and that, or start one himself making me want to try. On my own sometimes I think about my chosen options a little bit much and therefore evolve slower. But when I'm pushed into trying something I wouldn't try on my own and realize I can solve the set without a sweat I then realize I improved more than I figured out on my own.
I'm slightly injured in a way that doesn't restrain me away from my job or my daily tasks, nor even workout, but it does set a lower limit for my challenges. It took me several days or even a few months to determine how much I can push my body without hurting myself while under this condition which I hope is not permanent. I manage to improve and evolve in level and technique even with this extra limitation. Nevertheless, while I feel somehow restrained not being able to give my 100%, it also gives me some self control and self awareness that, otherwise, it would have took longer for me to find. Among other worries, one of my main self-restraining reminders is the fact that, if I badly injure myself, I might need to stop working out (or at least climbing) for a really long time if not forever. This is the main reason, for example, that I carefully looked out for my fingers and hand when I started practicing and I was aware that a tendinitis in a bruised finger might be very dangerous for a climber.
When I train my condition temporary improves which also sets a motivation for me to keep going, but I surely don't want to follow that motivation in a very serious way since I believe it may cause dependency. My mood changed when climbing since I translate things I've resolved in the walls to my life. I used to get mentally blocked when I was only a couple of moves away from the top of the wall, and I forced myself to take control of my body and move even under pressure. I don't find desirable to put myself in such situations outside the bouldering walls but I do encountered a similar feeling at job or in life, and somehow my mind already knew how to react.
IN any case I found some interesting tricks and working out ideas from -online- professionals to take advantage of training sessions while in days of physical pain (in those which training is reasonable and can be done, if not, of course self-restraining is important). Some of those is practicing balance and repetitive yet not very challenging or strength requiring moves. I've learnt some of my moves by repeating them over an over, and programming my body so to use them unconsciously. This is tedious when deliberately pursuing endless repetitions, but it's a perfect setup for a complicated day. Balance allows me to focus on something different than strength (which is a requirement under my worse days).
I recently asked a physiocerapist about some issues, and among other things, she has recommended me to extend my warm up before bouldering, and change a few things. I've listened to her (not only because of her profession, but also because she climbs herself) and created a chart of warm-up exercises based on my muscle limitations and a few books for planning bouldering warm up and workout.
While it's not the same for everybody because I have to watch out a muscle pain I'm dealing with, I think this collection of exercises doesn't hurt anyone, either.
When I finish this, a few minutres have passed, and then I start with some wall sets under my current level that I feel are good to start, not very challenging, just those that helps my mind get in the mindset of bouldering. Because of what a trainer told me a few months ago I try to have in mind a few goals resolved and try to work towards that, because the bouldering wall is so tempting, specially the days in which more or less every set is new. I've improved faster whenever I resolve to get to those goals.
Thanks to a friend that usually comes with me, I've managed to improve faster, and meet other people who encourage me to keep trying on the same route until I get to the top. THis has been amazing, and truly has impacted my performance since I managed to complete some of the routes thay I already assumed I wasn't ready for yet. I literally managed to level up thanks to that team work, also because I had to wait my turn and, in between, watch how others did it (which usually doesn't apply to me because I'm way shorter than the rest of the people) but give me tips and ideas on how to improve myself. I even see what can be helpful to others and I try to coach them whenever they ask, which allows me to think and map the route in my head and improve myself afterwards when my turn comes over.
I've gained way more balance and confidence while climbing in the bouldering wall and realized that, in the way, I became stronger. That way, somethings that I wasn't able to do not so long ago are now something I can easily overcome. It feels very nice to improve each round until I get to the top. It somehow shows how my movement and technique is improving.
Sometimes I ask myself why (apart from the fact of keeping healthy) am I doing this. I just want to keep improving my performance and bouldering has become a very relevant thing in my life for a while now, and I don't remember how. My last trainer asked my why am I training and shockingly I wasn't sure. At first I thought I just wanted to compete or something (which I haven't done yet because I'm frankly not that into compiting against others, though I'd like to try a climbing comptetition for real). But it's not exactly that. I don't have a clear answer yet, to be completely honest. It just makes me happy and I feel like I shouldn't let it go. At some point I thought having a clear answer to that question is going to be vital for me not to abandon it, and to keep trying when the level is more challenging (it's currently challenging for me, but it's a regular level right now). But, right now, I don't need that answer to keep it up.
I found myself improving specially in terms of strenght and balance. There's a significant different from the way I climbed a month ago. This allowed me to enjoy further challenges and focus on the techniques without limiting myself to just a couple of walls. On the other hand these improvements came alongside a lack of practise with sport climbing using the ropes. My technical and strenght improvements should have helped my body confront better that sort of situation, ww will see next time.
At the same time, and since I've trained more lately, I ended up meeting some people and working in groups, when facing a difficult wall for us. I discovered that, since I'm rather short I rely a lot in tricks and dynamic techniques in order to finish a setup. This helped me coach others from those groups when they are trying, since some of them are taller or stronger but the fail when it comes to rely on balance or technique. I think I'm able to help others around (and, at the same time, being helped and coached when it's my turn) and the whole interacction is friendly and challenging (plus, you keep thinking about the wall while not climbing).
I've found myself training even when facing some issues (such as sudden breathing shortness, which I suffer sometimes for no reason hours and hours). With the help of the physiotherapist I allowed myself to trust my physical capabilities more even when under some sort of pain, with responsibility, and found myself feeling better and healthier when slowly and carefully training. This is a huge thing since, as I mentioned before, everytime I have found myself unhealthy and forced me to stop training was a set back. Now, if I'm feeling unwell (for a non-contagious reason of course, such as the breath shortness) I sort of try to climb in a more relaxing and soft way, and help myself feeling better as well as preventing from stepping back in my climbing abilities.