Competition Climbing

So I read 2 blogs regularly (Dave Ayton's and Neal McQuaid's) and I get so much insight into how people approach their climbing and I find reading them makes me so psyched to go out and train and try hard.

I may not know

a lot about bouldering yet... but I love it, and it's just about all I think about. I also think that if I can write a blog that motivates or helps in any little way - that can only be a good thing. :)

Strangely enough I'm going to start my blog about bouldering, by first discussing a lead climbing competition...

I was in Dingle at the weekend at the Irish Lead Climbing Championships and I kept hearing that my competitors were 'so nervous!' and I couldn't help but wonder why, we all do this all the time and we're all mates!!!?

People said to me later on in the day that I'd grown up with competition (in addition to this, my sport was gymnastics and I competed in a leotard...) therefore I find it very difficult to get super nervous anymore about climbing competitions, because first and foremost you're allowed wear clothes!

The one thing I noticed at the weekend was how people changed the routine they're used to because it's a competition.

I found myself saying at least 2 times - just do what you always do!

I was out-climbed at the weekend, but it was nothing to do with nerves... I'm just not awesome enough... YET!! What amazed me was that I out-climbed a good few competitors that should have kicked my ass!!

I can only put this down to a lack of experience with getting rid of the nerves of competition.

My advice is to keep the routine you have at a training session for competitions. Where possible, simply do what you always do.

When you arrive at a competition venue ask yourself - how different is this to my training wall. How many people here are strangers? What reason do I have to be nervous?

I believe most of us would answer - nothing's different - these people are all my friends and they all want me to climb well and if I fall, none of them care.

So wear the same clothes as you usually train in, put on the same smelly old climbing shoes that are moulded to the shape of your gnarled climber toes, chill with your climber mates and know that you're essentially sitting in your 'office' when you go to a competition.

The only thing that should be different to a normal bouldering/climbing session is that if you send everything, you get a prize at the end!!

In addition to my simple advice, I'd say go out and grab a copy of the 'Inner Game of Tennis' by Timothy Gallwey and read it. It's a very small thin book, but it's an absolute must read for anyone who gets the jitters before competition or has a bad day climbing in general, or a good days climbing despite bad conditions or preparation and doesn't know why?! (it's not all about tennis by the way!!)

And next time the butterflies in your tummy start to feel like they might get the better of you at a climbing competition just think... at least I don't have to do this in a leotard!

It certainly helps me on my way!!