4: The move is the end
Posted by Frank on January 28, 2011
Remember the project on Matthew Child’s 9 life lessons for rock climbing that I started this summer in this blog? I discussed ‘Hesitation is bad’, and here is a review on lesson number 4: the move is the end. In his Ted talk Child links staying focused to continue going on essential spots in a route. He is of course right about that. But I would add:
The move is always the end
… not just in the difficult parts, but in all parts of the wall. That is why I like sports climbing. Reaching the top is nice, finishing a route is good and, in case of outdoor climbing, enjoying the view might be your reward. But for me, the joy is in each and every move. Moving from one grip to the next, putting the tip of my toe exactly where it has the best support, keeping it there while I move the rest of my body in a new position, feeling the shape and the surface of a grip with my fingers to establish in which ways I can hold it and use it, jumping exactly right without overshooting or missing the grip, controlling my breathing, scanning the wall and thinking about the next move, and so much more that is going on: it just feels good.
These things all feel good because of one thing: focus. When I am climbing, there is just me and the wall and tons of focus. What is so good about that: right then and there, there is nothing else, no flashbacks to yesterday’s film or fight over dinner, no worries about work, no noise, no smoke. Quite relaxing actually.
‘Really? Nothing gets to you then, ever?’ you may wonder. Well, … , occasionally, it doesn’t work like that and I do get distracted. I could be so tired that I cannot focus even on an easy pull up. Then, I just go home. Sometimes, there is a thought that just won’t stop being thought. That’s a red flag to me: stop climbing and do something about it. And sometimes, there is someone climbing next to me, and she also just makes me feel good, and a bit nervous, and then who cares about focus and the fancy climbing moves?
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Here is a fare well photo of the best pair of climbing shoes I had in ten years of climbing. Worn out beyond repair.
