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2020 Bouldering Goals

Who wants better foot techniques for climbing? I do! Who wants to get stronger for bouldering? Me! Who wants to climb harder grades? Yes, please!

If you gathered from my intro, this year, I want to focus on improving my climbing techniques, get stronger, and move into higher grades. More specifically, V4 for bouldering and 5.11 for ropes. I feel like I’ve plateaued for a while in bouldering and so I’m taking steps to improve it.

Move Your Body Right

My training plan is scheduling my Monday nights at the gym as training sessions. Usually, there are fewer people I know and fewer temptations to stop and socialize. Quiet feet and better foot placement are two things I want to improve. I’ve slacked off horribly on my drills and need to start doing them regularly again.

I’m not sure if this falls under techniques, getting stronger, or both, but I want to work on dynamic movement during these sessions as well. My climbing style is static but learning to do more dynos can help me move up in grades. There’s a fitness coach I’ve come across online, Chelsea from Lady Beta Training, who has a worksheet consisting of dyno exercises that I’m using as a guide for practicing. I know eventually, I’ll need to be semi-comfortable with dynos if I continue to compete, so I might as well start doing them.

Show Your Strength

Working on a blue V3-V4 problem

One thing I started last fall and am trying to go once a week is a class called Climb Fit at my gym. It consists of half climbing and half core fitness. It’s a class that will kick your butt if you’re not one who exercises regularly. I like it because the climbing drills focus more on bouldering (I at least think it does), which is what I want. There’s also a mental aspect as well because one needs to process how they’re going to complete the drills. Those are up my ally.

Plus, the class focuses on your core, which is something one should develop to get stronger. The thing I don’t like about it is that it starts early in the morning and I’m not an early morning person. So, I come in tired despite my best attempts to get enough sleep. Or I skip class because I’m too tired to drive there. If it were a little later, it would work out better for me.

Rumor is that the gym is adding night-time Climb Fit classes in the future. When that happens, I’m switching to those.

Two things I’m adding to my routine are abs and yoga classes at my gym. The goal (if my work schedule allows it) is going to each one once a week. Since Climb Fit is core intensive, I won’t do that and Abs on the same day. Yoga will be when I can fit it in. It’s good opposition and stretching for your body.

Moving Up the Grades

Since I’ve been climbing for about four years now, I have this small nagging voice in my head saying I should be climbing harder by now. My hope is by combining these elements; I will be by the end of the year. I’m adding in more risk and fear management as well since I’m still struggling with them. My falls have improved some but still have a way to go.

One other factor I’m looking into is improving my nutrition. I want to think I eat healthily, but something tells me there’s more I can do. I’ve been following nutritionists and dieticians who focus on climbing, especially women online, and trying to learn what’s good and bad. But I feel like I don’t know what I would change. I wouldn’t mind doing a consultation with one to get me on the right track.

Do you have any climbing or fitness goals you want to make this year? Let me know on Facebook or Instagram. It may seem like I have a lot I want to accomplish, but my plan is breaking them down into smaller pieces to make it possible. Wish me luck with these new goals and until next time, happy bouldering!