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Training on your own (Read 16955 times)

Alex Smurthwaite

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Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 03:37:27 pm
My local wall recently shut down. Ive got a steep board in my garage. And have been training exclusively on that for the past 3 months. However no one has yet come over to climb so I've pretty much been climbing on my own 5 times a week for 3 months. I don't mind training on my own occasionally but I'm starting to lose motivation to climb. Ive got loads of hard projects that i currently can't do and trying them over and over on my own is super frustrating.

Any tips to stay motivated when climbing on your own?

I occasionally visit other centres, the best near me in the manchester depot. But being 17 and broke i don't like spending loads of money on petrol and entrance fees when i can climb at home.

Any tips appreciated.
Cheers!

bendavison

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#1 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 04:37:41 pm
I'm guessing you already have, but you could try inviting someone round to climb on it...

Also, moving the holds around or switching to enduro training may help your motivation.

Alex Smurthwaite

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#2 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 04:49:18 pm
Yeah invited quite a few people. Just no one's come. Switching holds the give new problem opportunitys is a good idea. I'll give it a go.

Paul B

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#3 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 04:54:57 pm
Apply your gains from all the hard work you're putting in on something you're motivated for (i.e outside)?

Try to stop measuring success in problems and focus on moves. I bet you're making some progress even if it's hard to see.

Otherwise really loud music...


Alex Smurthwaite

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#4 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 05:20:59 pm
I'm getting outside as much as possible. But again I'm generally on my own.

Do feel like I'm improving. Just much less motivated to train. Knowing I'll be on my own

Doylo

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#5 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 05:24:44 pm
Malc was nearly always on his own.

Alex Smurthwaite

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#6 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 05:30:49 pm
So was Johnny G. So fair point

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#7 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 05:34:10 pm
Home wall projects can be frustrating because it can be so hard to know if you're actually getting closer without someone to see/egg you on.  One thing I found effective was to start with it being barely doable, dial it, then every week make the move harder in some way.  i.e. turn the hold a little, add a strip of tape/wood at the back to make it just a touch smaller, change up the feet, etc.  This way you have a better handle on where you started and your improvements. 

thekettle

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#8 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 07:25:31 pm
If you can figure out what motivates you and you value most, try using that as leverage to make you more psyched to train.
I've been training 99% alone for 2.5 years now - strangely I still love it. I've got tick lists, grade pyramids, movement quality standards, and posters of the G on the walls around my home wall. Got a decent stereo, painted everything in bright colours and have a coffee-based reward system for pre-work sessions.  I do only train twice week though - not sure I could ever sustain 5x weekly (mentally or physically!).
Hunt out some 'personal values/philosophy self-assessments' online, or try the ones in Eric Horsts book Maximum Climbing. They might point you towards what you need to stay psyched.

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#9 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 07:43:00 pm
I wish I had my own board!
If I did I'd be on it all the time.
But if bored mix it up, have a break, do something different come back to it fresh.
In terms of psych watch this for inspiration.

Yoof

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#10 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 07:56:33 pm
For me, training alone can only happen if I have short term goals.

For instance - boulder first ascents. My need to put up a problem that is beautiful, and hard for me - has motivated me to train very hard in my room for months on end. Otherwise, truly world class lines that I'm psyched out of my mind for provide motivation for 'no-pain-no-gain' style training.

So in the same vein as what thekettle said, the best advice I can give is to be dead certain about what you're training for, and that you have to want the end goal enough that you'll push through the boredom.

Good luck with finding the psyche! :)

Alex Smurthwaite

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#11 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 08:18:52 pm
Cheers guy. Just had a session. Wrote some problems I want to do on the board. Had some good music on. And dug out some old posters of Johnny G and Moffatt

Probes

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#12 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 08:22:15 pm
I have about 15 problems on my board that are a grade or two below my limit, when motivations low I go to these, a mileage session, stick countdown timer on 4 mins per prob, stick the jamcrackpodcast on and try to do them back to back without dropping any.

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#13 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 08:39:24 pm
I'm a relative newcomer to home woodie training (but have years of experience grinding away at contrived projects) but so far have found that maintaining a book of problems is really motivating - for recording good projects / problems and sketching out potential new ones at the end of a session - I use print outs of a photo of my woodie.   

Having two different types of foothold has also been a very worthwhile investment.   Repeating old projects on a set of smaller footholds can completely change not only the difficulty of moves but the type of movement (especially if they spaced well apart from the other set).  And finding that you can now do something on small footholds that once felt desperate on big footholds is nice clear way to show progress.

Alex Smurthwaite

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#14 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 08:50:53 pm
I'll definitely try out repeating easier problems after failing on harder stuff.

I use a book which I do find good. I'll try out using smaller footholds to measure progress. Like the look of your board moose. Just need malham to be in good nick to put the training to use now!

Alex Smurthwaite

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#15 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 08:59:46 pm
Personally I've used the moonboard system of coordinates with screw-ons and wooden holds number. In between the t nuts

moose

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#16 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 09:11:48 pm
Personally I've used the moonboard system of coordinates with screw-ons and wooden holds number. In between the t nuts

each to their own, being a simple, barely literate fella, I like nice picture - preferably with different coloured circles for left and right hands!

17349946_10206518913771840_2437569443150387271_o by lukejohnward, on Flickr

remus

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#17 Re: Training on your own
April 02, 2017, 09:17:25 pm
Perhaps a bit narcissistic, but I find filming myself on board projects can be quite motivating (as well as being useful for spotting potential new beta). More of a short term fix than a long term one though.

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#18 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 09:26:49 am
Make the room you have your board in somewhere that's pleasant to be in. Posters, music, fan, bean bag etc.

Keeping a log of your sessions so you can record and look back on your progress. Also helps to ID weaknesses.

Perhaps a bit narcissistic, but I find filming myself on board projects can be quite motivating (as well as being useful for spotting potential new beta). More of a short term fix than a long term one though.

+1, sometimes gives me the psychological boost needed to finish a project off.

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#19 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 09:35:43 am
Get yourself in to some seriously good techno and buy the best sound system you can afford.

Paul B

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#20 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 03:28:39 pm
I have about 15 problems on my board that are a grade or two below my limit, when motivations low I go to these, a mileage session, stick countdown timer on 4 mins per prob, stick the jamcrackpodcast on and try to do them back to back without dropping any.

It's easy to get into a negative cycle with this if you drop a 'reference' problem!

Personally I prefer holds to be named. Preferably something offensive/childish.

Alex Smurthwaite

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#21 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 09:55:12 pm
Cheers for the tips guys. Went out and nearly did my first 7c today. Nice to see noticeable improvement

Andy F

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#22 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 10:24:37 pm
Personally I've used the moonboard system of coordinates with screw-ons and wooden holds number. In between the t nuts

each to their own, being a simple, barely literate fella, I like nice picture - preferably with different coloured circles for left and right hands!

17349946_10206518913771840_2437569443150387271_o by lukejohnward, on Flickr
Barely literate Doctor of chemistry. From Yorkshire. As if such a thing exists.

Back on track, a stopwatch, videos and loud music of your personal choice helps.

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#23 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 11:12:53 pm

Personally I prefer holds to be named. Preferably something offensive/childish.

I like it when you can form sentences (abusive/childish if at all possible) out of the hold names. If setting / climbing on your own cn be a method of forcing moves / holds you are worse at, or don't like and tend to avoid.

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#24 Re: Training on your own
April 03, 2017, 11:25:09 pm
Training on one's own is, in my opinion, the epitome of training. It's the only way to truly feel the misery and the uselessness of it all, and to truly appreciate its grandiosity.

 

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