If you asked me a couple of years ago if
I ever trained or my opinions towards it you'd have probably gotten a
response along the lines of “one: I don't train and two: I don't
see the point of it”. My attitude towards my climbing (and
mountaineering) for a long time has been that if I can't do it in my
current state (and this included on occasion carrying a massive
hangover) then I just couldn't do it. In my mind it seemed fair and
if pushed I would justify this with some speal about how most of
these routes have been climbed before when the gear was worse and the
protection dubious. I'd argue I was leveling the playing field and
giving the rock a chance.
The truth of the matter is that I just couldn't be bothered to train. It's one thing to go down the climbing wall for a couple of sessions a week and climb socially but quite another to actively train specifically. No one I actually climb with really trains, so why should I.
I think I can pin point the moment my opinion changed about training and I saw not just some, but a lot of merit in it. Between January 2012 and May (of the same year) I lost almost two stone in weight. This wasn't the point at which my view changed because this weight loss was done in a terrible way. I was stressed and therefore I wasn't eating properly and I wasn't sleeping properly. I became (and still am obsessed with my weight) and in doing so I would skip meals when I felt “fat” and then binge when I was hungry. You can imagine the kind of cycle which continued. In this time I probably had the best diet when I was away climbing with Soames on Anglesey.
The point at which it all changed for me was when I was bouldering at Churnet. The 7a traverse at Ousal has been something I've been after for a couple of years. I've always thought one day it'll just click and I'll do it, but I couldn't even work the crux moves. I went back the other day and after six months off bouldering outdoors because of my ankle injuries and dropping a load of weight I cruised through the crux. It was like I was a different climber and suddenly all the moves made sense. More importantly I felt strong, even though I was much lighter.
Since that point I've been eating much better. I'm managed to stabilise my eating habits to a point where I'm less obsessed about my weight, but rather what I'm actually eating. It's meant that I'm eating much healthier and much more enjoyable food. The other side of this has been setting goal which I need to train towards. I'm going to Ecrins in the summer with Soames for about 10 days. Last year we did not training and I think we faired pretty well. We climbed reasonably quickly (for a pair of Brits!) and enjoyed ourselves. This year we've both planned on being fitter and stronger.
Another goal to get fit for is another trip to the alps. This one comes with the pressure of somehow getting enough money together to get there. There'll be a direct correlation between funding and time spent there, so I'm trying to put as much aside as possible. The plan is loose but it's to actually do some alpinism, rather that just rock climbing. I'm going with Finney, who is just as psyched as I am and also seems to be just a driven to train. After the recent mini-winter season we had over Easter I think it ran home to both of us how much work we've got to do. On the other side of it being fitter means climbing quicker or for longer and burning less energy in the long run (either by literally being fitter or by moving quicker and therefore taking less time over all which'll equal a reduced pack weight).
The upshot of all this is that I'm actually training. My physio has helped a lot because it's been like having a personal trainer who just wants to punish my legs. My ankles are getting stronger each week but over all my legs themselves are long. I end up pushing myself harder each time just because I know I'll enjoy that elated feeling I have afterwards as I struggle to climb down the stairs with tired muscles. I guess exercise really does make you feel good.
When I used to think that I could just get by climbing the way I was I wasn't happy with my climbing. I can be extremely competitive however I find myself directing this more and more towards competing with myself rather than competing against others. I don't see a point in measuring myself against other people, especially when climbing. There is always going to be someone moving quicker or climbing harder, but no one is going to make me feel as bad as I do when I've not set myself a goal and not achieved it. It's my life, not anybody elses.
The truth of the matter is that I just couldn't be bothered to train. It's one thing to go down the climbing wall for a couple of sessions a week and climb socially but quite another to actively train specifically. No one I actually climb with really trains, so why should I.
I think I can pin point the moment my opinion changed about training and I saw not just some, but a lot of merit in it. Between January 2012 and May (of the same year) I lost almost two stone in weight. This wasn't the point at which my view changed because this weight loss was done in a terrible way. I was stressed and therefore I wasn't eating properly and I wasn't sleeping properly. I became (and still am obsessed with my weight) and in doing so I would skip meals when I felt “fat” and then binge when I was hungry. You can imagine the kind of cycle which continued. In this time I probably had the best diet when I was away climbing with Soames on Anglesey.
The point at which it all changed for me was when I was bouldering at Churnet. The 7a traverse at Ousal has been something I've been after for a couple of years. I've always thought one day it'll just click and I'll do it, but I couldn't even work the crux moves. I went back the other day and after six months off bouldering outdoors because of my ankle injuries and dropping a load of weight I cruised through the crux. It was like I was a different climber and suddenly all the moves made sense. More importantly I felt strong, even though I was much lighter.
Since that point I've been eating much better. I'm managed to stabilise my eating habits to a point where I'm less obsessed about my weight, but rather what I'm actually eating. It's meant that I'm eating much healthier and much more enjoyable food. The other side of this has been setting goal which I need to train towards. I'm going to Ecrins in the summer with Soames for about 10 days. Last year we did not training and I think we faired pretty well. We climbed reasonably quickly (for a pair of Brits!) and enjoyed ourselves. This year we've both planned on being fitter and stronger.
Another goal to get fit for is another trip to the alps. This one comes with the pressure of somehow getting enough money together to get there. There'll be a direct correlation between funding and time spent there, so I'm trying to put as much aside as possible. The plan is loose but it's to actually do some alpinism, rather that just rock climbing. I'm going with Finney, who is just as psyched as I am and also seems to be just a driven to train. After the recent mini-winter season we had over Easter I think it ran home to both of us how much work we've got to do. On the other side of it being fitter means climbing quicker or for longer and burning less energy in the long run (either by literally being fitter or by moving quicker and therefore taking less time over all which'll equal a reduced pack weight).
The upshot of all this is that I'm actually training. My physio has helped a lot because it's been like having a personal trainer who just wants to punish my legs. My ankles are getting stronger each week but over all my legs themselves are long. I end up pushing myself harder each time just because I know I'll enjoy that elated feeling I have afterwards as I struggle to climb down the stairs with tired muscles. I guess exercise really does make you feel good.
When I used to think that I could just get by climbing the way I was I wasn't happy with my climbing. I can be extremely competitive however I find myself directing this more and more towards competing with myself rather than competing against others. I don't see a point in measuring myself against other people, especially when climbing. There is always going to be someone moving quicker or climbing harder, but no one is going to make me feel as bad as I do when I've not set myself a goal and not achieved it. It's my life, not anybody elses.
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