[GazM]

Bit of a punter question but it's one I think might be useful.

When trying problems at your limit, how long do you rest between goes?  Obviously it's a trade off between being fresh to give it your best and keeping warmed up (and not getting bored).  You sometimes read of folk going off for a stroll or having a wee nap and maybe only having a couple of really good goes per session.   

I'm pretty sure i'm guilty of not resting enough and having lots of poor attempts which rapidly yield diminishing returns and disappointment.  Any tips for ways to get quality rest?

[Wrennie]

I wear a cheap watch at the crag and for hard-for-me problems I rest at least 1 minute-per-move between attempts. However, I suspect that this is not enough.

[Will Hunt]

I've been told a minute per move but I think it's probably problem and climber dependent. I agonised over this with Underhand and couldn't suss it.

[Stubbs]

Any tips for ways to get quality rest?

Learn from your mistakes, rest longer, listen to your body and not the alarm, but use the clock as a guide for future reference.

I used to be really shit at this, but I'm slowly learning. I'd say a minute per move is no where near long enough, especially for a shorter boulder problem, where all things being equal you will be doing harder moves on than a longer problem of the same grade.

I think the longest I've waited for attempts recently was about 2.5 hours whilst I waited for the sun to go behind some clouds, I had to warm up again but it worked!

[moose]

Once I'm at the "red-point" stage for a problem, I like to rest for 10-15 mins, longer it it's grueling, or has a crux finish.  Or, I have a proper long rest (30+ mins) and then a few goes in quick succession - as I often need a failed / aborted go after a long rest to get back in the groove. 

I tend to take a book (or a load of printed out Guardian / FT cryptic crosswords) to discourage boredom and premature tries.  Main problem with ensuring adequate rest for me is cold - problems with fingers going numb - no coincidence that most of my best bouldering (even on slopey grit) has been done in summer. 

[tomtom]

Depends how long the problem is... if its short (or I'm failing at the start) I have three attempts close together (30 secs to min between) then have at least a 3 min rest. After a couple of these sets I have a longer break - a shoes off break  (this forces you to rest for longer because of the faff of puttin shoes on and off etc..)...

It comes with experience - you learn how long you need to give yourself between efforts - and when your body is wrecked and to give up. Sagging core is usually the give away....

[GazM]

Cool, cheers folks.
I'm pretty sure this is something I need to get better at. When I look back over the successes of this season most of them happened on a second session when I'd worked out the beta on visit 1, got knackered, and then come back a few days later and did it first or second go.
As a Highlands boulderer most of the time I'm on my own so it feels desperate to just sit still for any amount of time - no mates to go off and spot.  Maybe I need a rest-time hobby. 

[tomtom]

I'm mostly a lone Bpulderer and in between attempts I piss about on the phone, or go for a little walk (eye up other probs) or huddle behind a boulder in lee of the wind! Or as moose suggests take something to read. I quite like staring forlornly at the holds of the problem I can't do

[shark]

Maybe I need a rest-time hobby.

Fruit ninja for me

[Danny]

Cool, cheers folks.
I'm pretty sure this is something I need to get better at. When I look back over the successes of this season most of them happened on a second session when I'd worked out the beta on visit 1, got knackered, and then come back a few days later and did it first or second go.
As a Highlands boulderer most of the time I'm on my own so it feels desperate to just sit still for any amount of time - no mates to go off and spot.  Maybe I need a rest-time hobby.

Rest time hobbies are definitely key. Photography, and especially filming, have helped me rest properly. Particularly cocking about with tripods, and getting the general context shots that are so irritating in finished climbing flicks.

[GazM]

Maybe I need a rest-time hobby.

Fruit ninja for me

Say what?  Is that a phone game thing?  Not sure it's made it to Inverness yet...

[richieb]

Get a Spaniel Gaz (or borrow mine). Plenty of opportunity to rest between attempts while you try to get your socks back.
Or take a lapis to the crag and spend 10 minutes looking for it in between each attempt.

Forcing yourself to put shoes and socks back on is usually a good idea but you do end up having a few goes in quick succession, a longish rest and then a few more goes in quick succession and so on.
Which might not be the best plan. Often I reckon you do things on the second go after a longer rest, the first go being a re warm up go.

[Tom J]

smoking rollies is good for forcing rest too