The Send is an important part of the process of Climbing. Ticking the send box is extremely powerful and somewhat manageable, if your reasoning around it is sound.
We are at the beginning of the South African climbing season. The conditions are crisp and ready for us to get Sendy this season.
The potential of a successful season is finally here!
It is important to lay down the groundwork for what you want to get out of it. So I thought I would help out all my Maats, Friends and Allies and share some pointers on getting that Send!
Write your goals down:
I like to remind myself why I climb, and nothing is more powerful than having your goals down on paper. Getting into the mindset needed to perform at your climbing limit is just so much easier when you know why you are doing it. If your reasoning as to why you climb is sound, it makes achieving your goals that much easier. That’s why writing down your goals are so important
Build a pyramid:
The climbing season is long and it is important to prioritise those Sends!
An effective way to keep ticking boxes is to build a pyramid. A well-sorted pyramid is a list of accomplishments that slowly and steadily lay a foundation for the next level. For example, if you’re aiming for 24, then your pyramid should comprise something like ten-plus 18s, seven 20s, five 22s, three 23s, and, at the top, your 24 goal route.
You don’t necessarily need to do each grade in perfect ascending order, but the general idea is to complete several routes of a certain grade before you move on to the next.
Have more than one main goal in mind:
Don’t get caught up in one goal and lose your psyche for climbing. Combat this by setting multiple goals for yourself to crush. In the process of ticking your main goal, have secondary goals at different crags that you can work on.
Whether it is building up that pyramid we mentione, getting into a new setting for your climbing or setting new onsight goals it is important to keep those Send juices flowing in your body and mind.
Get specific:
We all know we need to be specific in goal setting. How specific? Well that’s specific to each person!
“I want to get stronger,” Isn’t a very specific goal, now is it? What does that strength look like and how do we measure it? Determine what area you want to get stronger in, make it measurable and put a time limit on it.
Having something that is measurable can physically show you if you have improved. By placing a time limit on your goal, you keep yourself accountable to put the work in.
Go big:
Goals have to be attainable. We believe that we can achieve them. In the same breath it is important to set your sights on higher, long term goals.
Amongst all of this set a goal that is big and unattainable to do at the present time. Just know that one day in the future you will experience the ecstatic feeling of achieving something your past self thought impossible!
The unsend:
After all this, your foot pops and that rope pulls tight. So close, yet still so far. A wave of emotions fills you, “What do I have to do, to do this climb?”
As climbers we can relate that even when the stars align, the smallest of errors can result in failure. But failure is part of it. A hard part of it. It’s ok to be frustrated and angry but it is in that reset after that failure where we grow and will ultimately become better climbers
