I have noticed that I don't fall very often when I climb. I do slip sometimes (footwork still needs improvement), but now I manage to hold on with my hands when one of my foot slips. When I get into an uncomfortable position, I don't dare to move on. When sport climbing, I cheat and use handholds or footholds from other routes. When bouldering, I abandon completing the route and jump down instead, without even bothering to make an attempt on the next move.
There was one move where I have one hand on the last hold, but it just didn't feel comfortable to let go and touch my other hand to the final hold as well (to truly complete the boulder problem). The hand on the last hold was in an open position (on a sloper), and it just doesn't feel like it could support my weight if I let go fo the other hand. My boyfriend insisted that even though it feels uncomfortable, I will be able to hold it with one hand. So I tried it, with the expectation to fall, but I was totally able to release the other hand and match it to the final hold.
This taught me that I do not know what I am capable of. The brain sets a lot of constraints on what it thinks my body can and cannot do. It also sets a lot of constraints on what it thinks I can and cannot do. It is the main reason why I have been not very successful in life so far. I don't dare enough.
Bouldering is a relatively low risk activity. If I don't manage to hold on, then I fall onto a giant crash pad. But I don't dare to try many moves just because I believe I cannot do it, having never tried the particular move before.
I have observed people on the other spectrum: climbers with very sloppy feet who will try very wild moves and fall a ton. What are sloppy feet? Ideally, the front of the shoe should stick to a single spot, so one can push off of it when making the next move. The climber may rotate the foot on that spot, but any other changes to the toe positioning should look very deliberate rather than slippery. The "sloppy" climbers are usually able to improve in grade difficulties much faster than me, because they dare to try new moves and build up muscle power. Usually these people are male and younger though, and are comfortable taking more scrapes on the skin than I am. I imagine they are also more daring in life and are more comfortable in their life journey than me.
I still hope to keep improving in my climbing and learn to be more daring in life as well. Dare to try different experiences and make mistakes. Hope for different outcomes.
There was one move where I have one hand on the last hold, but it just didn't feel comfortable to let go and touch my other hand to the final hold as well (to truly complete the boulder problem). The hand on the last hold was in an open position (on a sloper), and it just doesn't feel like it could support my weight if I let go fo the other hand. My boyfriend insisted that even though it feels uncomfortable, I will be able to hold it with one hand. So I tried it, with the expectation to fall, but I was totally able to release the other hand and match it to the final hold.
This taught me that I do not know what I am capable of. The brain sets a lot of constraints on what it thinks my body can and cannot do. It also sets a lot of constraints on what it thinks I can and cannot do. It is the main reason why I have been not very successful in life so far. I don't dare enough.
Bouldering is a relatively low risk activity. If I don't manage to hold on, then I fall onto a giant crash pad. But I don't dare to try many moves just because I believe I cannot do it, having never tried the particular move before.
I have observed people on the other spectrum: climbers with very sloppy feet who will try very wild moves and fall a ton. What are sloppy feet? Ideally, the front of the shoe should stick to a single spot, so one can push off of it when making the next move. The climber may rotate the foot on that spot, but any other changes to the toe positioning should look very deliberate rather than slippery. The "sloppy" climbers are usually able to improve in grade difficulties much faster than me, because they dare to try new moves and build up muscle power. Usually these people are male and younger though, and are comfortable taking more scrapes on the skin than I am. I imagine they are also more daring in life and are more comfortable in their life journey than me.
I still hope to keep improving in my climbing and learn to be more daring in life as well. Dare to try different experiences and make mistakes. Hope for different outcomes.
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