Try Harder,The Only Advice You'll Ever Need

I'm a pretty crap climber by all accounts I can only lead trad at HVS/E1, I can only lead sport at 6b and I can only boulder at F6b(see recent article about climbing grades). Why am I not better? Well the simple answer is I've only been climbing properly for 2 years. I also started climbing when I was around 19 meaning that as I had never really ventured into sport before my body was pretty unprepared for the stress's of climbing. For example an issue a lot of people have when they start climbing especially males is they can build up strength quite quickly, but tendons take a lot longer to get stronger meaning injury is very likely when you  push yourself to get try and be the best as quickly as possible. These issues mainly arise when you're out bouldering, sport climbing or at an indoor wall. Trad climbing is weirdly a safer form of climbing because it takes on a higher risk you are less likely to push yourself into injury territory, whereas in the cocoon like warmth of an indoor wall  you can push it as hard as you want until you inevitably injure yourself. This doesn't mean you can't try hard warm up and just be selective about what you can try look at the holds and angle of a route and have a feel of the holds to see if you can do it without injury.

Trying hard at some Scottish boulder problem photo by James Laing

Recently I went bouldering at Almscliffe an outstanding gritstone crag in Yorkshire, it was a bit of grim day with a few showers and quite a hefty amount of wind. I did a few easier boulder problems and soloed a couple of easier routes. Then towards the end of the day I set my sights on a F6c called pebble wall which Freddie had flashed. After a few goes I got the start wired but kept dropping the crux move I even hit the final hold a couple of times. Heavily hangry (until I ate my PB&J sandwich) and a bit frustrated I was trying it for a couple hours. I was really annoyed that I couldn't do it even though I had many attempts, because for my considerable lack of climbing ability and talent I do have a pretty healthy dose of determination. I had to leave it for another time. But is a good days climbing judged on how many routes you send, or is it the routes you can't do that are more memorable, as they leave you with a sense of unfinished business, an area of improvement and a reason to return.

Trying hard at some Welsh boulder problem photo by Jamie Swales who taught me the sage advice of try harder

Back to the point. Its hard  to look at people climbing super hard amazing routes and not be jealous because you're not at that level. But you can reach those heights it just takes time and determination, those who start running don't expect to be doing a 4 minute mile within the first year so why do we expect ourselves to be able to climb a F6c boulder problem after one year bouldering. I know they are not directly comparable but in the 1950s when the 4 minute mile was cutting edge a F6c boulder problem would've been pretty hardcore and required a lot of training. I kind of blame indoor routes for setting us up for the fall. When you climb indoors the routes often have softer grades and the holds are usually obvious and its a pretty safe environment. So try not get yourself down because you haven't reached the top in a year, when I think about my climbing ability I have come a long way since I started. Its easier to look at where you are heading and not think about where you came from. When I started I was terrified by the thought of leading HVS now I find most of them pretty amenable(see recent article about climbing grades). Even though I'm not talented through sheer tenacity and passion I have managed to become a much better climber. Each persons definition of the top is different and it changes as you improve when you start someone climbing HVS might seem incredible but then you get to that level and think you are still crap and you definitely should be better. Its all a matter of perspective, how hard you climb doesn't really matter just try hard and have fun.