Training Tips for Climbers: Reflect and Build Awareness when it comes to Bodies, Climbing, and Training.
Reflect and Build Awareness when it comes to Bodies, Climbing and Training by Maddy Cope
Does the below sound like you?
“I feel weaker, but I am definitely resting enough”
“I am low energy, but I am definitely eating enough”
“I have just had a rest week, I should be fully recovered.”
If any of these statements ring home with you, then read on! This #trainingtipstuesday is all about reflecting and building awareness when it comes to our bodies, climbing, and training.
Recently, as coaches we have had a lot of conversations based on statements like the above, but what do we mean by “definitely” and “should” in these statements? What are we basing this on? It is interesting for us to challenge our perceptions in these (or similar) scenarios.
It can be hard to be objective with ourselves, but there are some things we can do to help;
- Reflect on your motivations and what you enjoy.
- Respect and trust your body.
- Monitor your training, sleep, stress, menstrual cycle, emotions (whatever feels informative for you) so that you can get an objective overview of your training as a whole system.
- BE CURIOUS.
This last one is particularly important as it allows us to make changes and see if they have a positive impact. We need to be curious in order to be willing to make a change when the outcome is inevitably uncertain. A lot of climbers talk about enjoying the challenge climbing presents, and this itself comes with a need to be curious in the face of an uncertain outcome. We are so willing to try a sequence that might be more efficient or a pair of climbing shoes that may be more precise. Perhaps we can apply this to our training.
- If you feel weaker, try resting a bit more.
- If you feel low energy, try eating a bit more.
- If you don’t feel recovered after a rest week, try reducing the volume from the previous training cycle.
We all want answers, but we need to be willing to find them…
