[Monolith]

Being at a total plateau in the mid V grades, I'd just like to hear peoples experiences of their time spent within a similar plateau. My scenario - Male, 23, obsessively climbed from when I was about 13 until 19. Took 3 years off, coming back to the sport within the last 2 years.

What I'm finding most difficult to sustain actually, is motivation. It's hard to stay continually optimistic when you know you have the strength to do many of the things above you, but just can't seem to pull through them. I've read many an article in the past focussing on the neccessary measures to ascend beyond your current potential, but I think I'd prefer to hear of peoples individual stories than spend another night in with Gresham and a notebook.

[andy_e]

Similar scenario for me, really. Would be good to hear people's thought on the matter.

[Paul B]

I'm sure I've had more than two plateau's since I started climbing however its two that stand out the most, about two years ago I had a seriously inbalanced body (at this point I had been training a lot down the woodie and although I was making gains they seemed very slow), after my chest started causing me a lot of pain at night I decided to sort it out and joined a gym, mainly to sort out the lack of triceps, chest etc that I had, my climbing instantly picked up afterwards. I'm pretty sure you can only make your body imbalanced to a certain degree before all development of that muscle group is stopped by other problems.
I had reached another plateau at the start of last summer (for the first time though I didn't mind as I was climbing at a level that I was more than happy with, mainly on limestone) I had been climbing at WCJ cornice a lot and was fairly fit (Power end?) but fairly weak, I started climbing at the board (which is steep and fingery) and my power levels, finger strength all shot up.
I think changing things about a bit seem to help you break a plateau or really looking at your climbing objectively and working on a known weakness which is sometimes hard to do (stretching anyone?)  Maybe get someone else to take a look?
In terms of your low motivation levels: If your not motivated to do what your doing then do something else. At the end of the day your going to be more productive at anything if your enjoying it....

[account_inactive]

......as they say change is as good as a rest.  I've found that most of my plateaus are infact motivationally based.  Physically 2 of the main breakthroughs I've had involved developing stronger fingers and better core strength.  Both are essential in problems above the mid V's.

Travelling to new areas helps to maintain motivation and can help develop more skills (nunchaca skills/light saber skills....ye know skills).  For example I thought that my ability to pull on pockets was poor so spent a while climbing in Suirana.  This is way more fun and motivating that developing "all round" ability on a board or the gym.

It is worth getting someone to examine your climbing and giving you some feedback.  Its almost impossible to be objective about it yourself.

On the psychological side of things I found this helpful http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Warriors-Way-Training-Climbers/dp/0974011207

It does have some awful Americanisms to that made me squirm, but it did make me examine my attitude to climbing and especially how my ego effected success!  There's lots of "what have I learned from this experience of failure" that makes a load of sense.  Rather than reading it cover to cover just pick the bits you think apply.

Hope this helps

[Monolith]

Thanks for the insightly responses guys. Paul, I particularly see a lot of personal parallels to what you were saying regarding your first plateau. Last summer, from doing a lot of gym work on opposing muscle groups, I did manage to make some gains which I hadn't anticipated. I think that's probably a key thing for me to get back into being quite tall and lanky. Objectively speaking, I know my crimp strength is my strong point and my body tension has improved no ends since climbing on the board a lot more - perhaps some time spent away from continually placing emphasis on the development of these areas is a good thing.

And travelling to new areas as you mention Dylan should probably also be prioritised.

[Nibile]

i think some wheights are helpful. bouldering can be pretty brutal on your body and being a bit tougher has helped me alot, esp on overhangs and slapping moves, when you hit the rock with hundreds of kilos pressure.
climbing in many different areas is top for both motivation and technique.
also trying to make your training schedule very varied and different.

alot of rest may also help and trying not to over-concentrate on your objectives. letting a bit things go.

hope this helps.

oh, and i also find useful to climb in different gyms when i can, cos the setting style is always different and you have to adapt.

[Richie Crouch]

I hit a plateau a couple of weeks back called "full time hours"   

I am happy to trundle along keeping up a similar level for a few weeks until we have a decent training medium setup... then pushing the envelope of what is achievable can begin 

[(woz)]

I hit a bit of a plateau (read no improvement for a year) at about 16, so I went to font for two weeks, climbed on limestone a bit, and went from my hardest problem being font7a to font 7b+ in a couple of weeks. I guess this has to be mainly a mental plateau.
Then at 18 I got totally disillusioned, and sick of everything to do with climbing - so gave it up for a year. But since coming to uni, and having lots of new people to climb with etc, I've been more motivated than ever, and got quite a lot done. There has been a pretty steady improvement since then.

My advice would be to have as much variation as possible: go to different walls with different people when it is raining, and go to lots of different crags with lots of different people when its dry. The stuff about working other muscles sounds like a good idea too.

[Monolith]

letting a bit things go.

I wish I could Nibile, I wish I could. Maybe when you roll up for the forthcoming masters at the works funded by UKB donations, I will feel a much more relaxed! Seriously though, are you coming over for it? You really should.

[Nibile]

will you be competing? thats why youre under pressure?

yes i would really like to come north. its time.

[Monolith]

Not competing sadly no. Yes you really ought to come North!

[GCW]

Nibs- The Wirral region is rubbish.






Brownstones is pure quality   

[Mike Tyson]

Nibs- The Wirral region is rubbish.






Brownstones is pure quality  

The Lakes beats them all.......

[Monolith]

 

GCW how dare you! Yes you are quite right. If you're at a point in life whereby you are looking to spawn some offspring, it is a beautiful place. If not, it is dire. Nibile, you're welcome to come and sleep on my park bench anytime you are in the UK.

[Nibile]

im arranging things, i would like to take it easy and come for a few days if g/f doesnt work and joins.
its nice the idea of coming up and not worriying about weather. c'mon theres the comp, the party and the works anyway to pull down the beer in excess...
seriously, as always just the idea of a small (and in this case strange) climbing trip has already awakened my body and im sure ill have to struggle tomorrow to take some rest and dont hit the campusboard!!!

[Monolith]

Nibile, I have a possible trip lined up in the coming months going to Mannheim in Germany and then through Austria to Sienna. Perhaps see you along the way?

[Mike Tyson]

im sure ill have to struggle tomorrow to take some rest and dont hit the campusboard!!!

Amen to that Nibs, I had a good day at the Bowderstone today and would love to go back tomorrow. Thing is, I have the baby and I don't think its the best place for her to be, a bit cold and damp really.

She will get intorduced soon though!

[Nibile]

Nibile, I have a possible trip lined up in the coming months going to Mannheim in Germany and then through Austria to Sienna. Perhaps see you along the way?

hey lemme know more, i live in siena!!!
what youll be about for? i hope its not work!!!
fancy a little bit of bouldering?

[Monolith]

Oh god no, a work trip! NO way!

My aunties best friend lives in Mannheim and is a hotel owner. After that, I want to go to Austria and then to Sienna. I would very much like to do some climbing! Shall keep you posted on things my friend.

[Nibile]

yes yes (fucking yes).
we have a plan!
as soon as you know more, let me know so we can arrange things to let some pulling into the trip!!!
nice.

[Monolith]

I eagerly fucking await it!

[saltbeef]

love found via the interrnet!

[unclesomebody]

don't you know that James and I met through the internet. I think it was love at first rendezvous... 

More seriously, I would like to backup woz's point on mental approach. Being strong is always important, don't get me wrong, but believing in your ability to climb things makes such a difference. My mentality has shifted somewhat from knowing I'm strong enough to do hard moves to knowing I'm capable of getting to the top of things if I try hard. It's also not important to get intimidated. Often times you'll see someone do a move easily and you will find it easier because of this subtlely different mental approach.

Motivation and goal setting also plays a big part in the mental side of things. If you have a goal that you are psyched out of your mind for you will go into your woody on cold evenings and train even though it's easier to sit in a warm living room eating and drinking. Simpson wrote some stuff about goal training that I'm sure will be of interest (over on moonclimbing).

On the physical side it comes down to training your weaknesses which will often reveal the fastest gains.

[Monolith]

Wise words Uncle cheers. All this talk of motivation makes one incredibly motivated. P.S I still have a neon gift for you

[Fiend]

It's hard to stay continually optimistic when you know you have the strength to do many of the things above you, but just can't seem to pull through them.

Well if you can't pull through, you're obviously TOO WEAK 

Seriously, I echo the stuff about a change being as good as a rest. Or indeed a rest being as good as a rest. The motivational side is crucial.