the shizzle > bouldering
Progress at any age
spidermonkey09:
Interesting reading Liam; Seems to me like you saw a pretty quick improvement outside once you started climbing on a rock type (limestone) which played to your strengths. Once you saw this improvement and had learnt the 'feeling' of trying and climbing hard you then managed to translate it across other rock types, alongside the fact that you were probably better at moving on rock etc just from having climbed for longer?
I think this is a reasonably common experience and is exactly why playing to your strengths while trying to break new ground is a good idea.
Duncan campbell:
--- Quote from: Wellsy on March 18, 2024, 03:28:24 pm ---8A in four years is pretty crazy
--- End quote ---
Indeed! Very impressive!
rodma:
1991: started climbing, max VS
1997: started bouldering, max 6A
1998-2000 some sport up to 7b ish
2001: bouldering again break through to 7C+
2007: do my first 8As aged 31
2012: do my first 8A+s aged 36
I never got stronger than I was that year
2023: snuck up a (new to me) 8A in font aged 47 and 11/12ths
Who knows, maybe I have more in me yet
There's no chance I could repeat either of the 8As I did in 2007 and a slim chance I could repeat half of the 7Cs etc as well, I'm just completely different
mr chaz:
Been enjoying these motivational threads atm.
Age13: introduced to climbing - indoor ropes and trad were king.
13 - 18: Much ledge shuffling up to HVS/E1, probably the sketchiest bit of my climbing life when I look back. More gear fell out than stayed put.
18 - 25: Major catalyst events of i) getting a form of motorised transport and ii) becoming a student = training 4 x a week indoors plus outside most weekends. Slow progression to climbing 7C boulder and 8a sport, think I also onsighted E2 (pathetic!).
25 - 28: No real progression.
29 - 31: Injuries and a child = general regression but still managing the odd 7B boulder.
User deactivated.:
--- Quote from: Wellsy on March 18, 2024, 03:28:24 pm ---8A in four years is pretty crazy
--- End quote ---
I did climb indoors for a few years before going outside so it's not really 4 years, but I admit that I have been fortunate to enjoy relatively good progress!
--- Quote from: spidermonkey09 on March 18, 2024, 03:46:59 pm ---Interesting reading Liam; Seems to me like you saw a pretty quick improvement outside once you started climbing on a rock type (limestone) which played to your strengths. Once you saw this improvement and had learnt the 'feeling' of trying and climbing hard you then managed to translate it across other rock types, alongside the fact that you were probably better at moving on rock etc just from having climbed for longer?
I think this is a reasonably common experience and is exactly why playing to your strengths while trying to break new ground is a good idea.
--- End quote ---
The Keel (7C) was my first proper siege and to this date is still the longest project I've ever had, taking a whopping 14 sessions. Once I was getting close to doing it, I said to myself that it would be the hardest I'd ever climb. I wasn't enjoying it and just wanted to get it over with. I had poor tactics and poor mindset at that time, but those things take time to develop, so I don't regret it.
From 7C to 8A, my tactics improved massively, and I feel like that made most of the difference, along with small but relevant strength gains. From 8A to 8A+ I felt like mindset made the difference. Whilst I'd never made it a real goal, I think that subconsciously I had always wanted to climb the 'holy 8A', and doing a few of them ironically helped me let go of being attached to grades and outcomes. I haven't really been stressed on a project since and I think this and further improving tactics got me further along.
Currently, it feels like strategy is what might help continued improvement, which I think of like tactics but applied to longer time frames. The proof will be in the pudding if I climb some more hard things, but I feel more optimistic about improving to 8B and beyond than I did about progressing to 7C+ a few years ago.
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