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wayfollower
Feb 6, 2005, 5:53 PM
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hi i have just recently read RWW and i have become so concious of how much my ego played in my motivations etc!! i try saying " stop " everytime i get a sneaky egotistical thought and it seems to be working - was out climbing today and was oh so calm on routes ive panicked on before :lol: however i feel im only at step 2 (becoming concious + life is subtle) steps does anyone hav any tips or the next few steps and where i should try and go from here? i feel the next major obstacle is accepting large trad falls (bcked of a route today that had a bomber stopper 5 ft below me and then nothing for quite a bit plus climbing near my limit) any ideas atall for uture progress? cheers!
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dirtineye
Feb 7, 2005, 6:30 AM
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Your description of the fall you backed away from is a bit vague, and at any rate, you will have to decide for yourself what is a good fall and what is not.
See awareness of falling consequences in the RWW.
But if it were me, climbing at or near my limit, I'd want a lot more than one piece between me and trouble.
There is a video of Arno and Kirk Brode climbing a 5.12 roof crack, called don juan, you can buy it off his site, and I recommend it. Arno leads, and he not only places a piece or so, he sews up the crux, and retreats to a rest before pulling the move.
Why, you might ask? Well it is because Arno is not going to take a risk he doesn't have to take, especially when it can be proed up well. Neither should you.
People read about placing uneccessary gear and think this means run it out. Well, that's not what it means. The idea is, Place ENOUGH gear that you will suvive a fall. Uneccessary gear is a different subject.
Sorry I got off on this subject, but I hate to read those accident reports taht go, " two pieces pulled asn so-and-so hit the ground (or whatever) and died (or was serioiusly injured).
You need to place gear in keeping with your ability to stay on the rock and with the idea that should you fall, you will not hit a ledge or the ground. Onsighting or style are secondary concerns. You will make a lot more progress in trad climbing if you stay in one piece.
IT sounds like you knew when to back down, so treat that as a skill you are learning.
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wayfollower
Feb 7, 2005, 9:51 AM
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thanks for the reply. yeh what your saying is cool. however i KNEW the number four i fell on was solid but about 6 ft above it i tried to place another peice which was terrible and that really caused me to bottle out even though i knew i had 2 solid placements one about 6ft down and one about 10ft down from where i was. so i placed this crap peice , couldnt commit so tried to lower off it fully knowing it would pull which it did lol letting me drop on to my last peice below it. a guy on the ground a real experienced climber said there WAS better gear where i put the crap peice so mayb i needed to calm down and focus more? or perhaps trust the gear i had in and fully analyse the section objectively? Im feeling its hard to balance the " commit and learn by pushing your comfort zone " with sensible backing off! anyone else have this dilemna? oh and did anyone else feel ultra calm on there 1st couple of leads after reading arnos book?
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lou_dale
Mar 23, 2005, 3:04 AM
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i haven't given too many replies lately because it almost seems that after i do, nobody else writes after that - which is boogery to me. however - the reply you got on sewing it up - i totally agree with. we do this awesome thing, climbing, because we love it and it makes us feel alive in ways we never even dreamed. but it's important to stay alive to keep enjoying it. ego is something i don't think we ever STOP battling. i am just learning to recognize the new faces it shows me and prepare for those and that can be something as subtle as not putting enough pieces. i feel we should all climb in a way that is safe. it can be clipping every bolt or skipping one every now and again but never ever thinking you only need one piece or clip a few bolts here and there. even the best of the best of the very best can have an off day and slip - this in no way means the climber isn't great - but your foot can slip and without that extra piece (maybe we should call it piece of mind?) - you are safe. i have seen my husband sew a crack up and have folks laugh at him but after that area, he went maybe 30 or so feet, 50? before he placed another piece. i don't think anybody should worry about putting too many pieces - you an never be too safe - safety should always be your priority. then, recognize that once you think you got ego cornered? think again. i thought i had it figured out and then i found there really ARE a thousand heads of ego.
i'm also working on being more "in the moment" which doesn't give you time to think as much about ego as it does enjoying the climb - every second of it, savoring it. using all of the WW techniques - they are invaluable - again not just in climbing but in all the things we do - they really do apply and they really do work.
protect yourself well, be safe - that is just being smart(er), deal with ego in whatever way it rears its ugly self - know that you may never meet all forms of it but just be ready - breathe when you come up to cruxy spots - i see that a lot also - folks just quit breathing. strange. probably the only sport i have ever seen that folks just quit breathing, hold their breath, turn blue - then move. you can't do that running or biking or anything else without just falling out - but we tend to do it in climbing. stay relaxed - this is fun. find comfort in the process of learning and understand that with every step we take moves us further through our journey - learning and growing.
people may laugh at you for sewing things up or clipping all the bolts - but i feel that is just another way your ego may try to diminish your experience. let em laugh - just be safe so we can enjoy future triumphs you may share and learn from you also.
arno and his experience, his book, this club and the climbing life - we are all exceedingly lucky to be able to enjoy them all - be safe always so we can continue to enjoy the progress you make on your journey. (and don't forget to tell people about the process when you get a chance, with compassion - pay it forward.)
recognizing ego is and should be an event to remember, use that memory to prepare for how ego shall again pop up - so you can continue to deal with it - a neverending process.
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johnnym
Mar 25, 2005, 11:44 PM
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Registered: Apr 21, 2005
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I totally second everything you said lou_dale. Climbing is about enjoyment whatever grade you climb at.
If you are trying to push your grade and fall off, what better way to keep the ego in check. I used to climb a damn site harder than I can now (getting on a bit ya see!) and for a while until I got my copy of RWW was under the illusion that I am still as good as 10 years ago when I stopped training and climbing so much. Boy was I wrong!! The book has made me look at my own climbing in a different way, so that I am enjoying it as much as ever, even though I don't live, breath, eat and sleep climbing these days. So, with the next step to come, I'm learning to breath and relax again, so hopefully the projects that I have bolted in Quarry X will not be beyond my reach now. Watch this space. :roll:
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