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ninja_climber
Mar 25, 2007, 2:20 PM
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I have this huge problem at comps, some of you may be able to relate with me. I train consistently for each individual competition and make sure I;m ready for it. When the competition comes around I feel as though I didn't do anything. I get nervous from the crowd around me and for some reason get pumped MUCH faster than I usually would. How do I stop this? I realize its mostly mental, but I figured it it was 100% mental it would make me hesitate on moves ,not pump out on them...
Any advice?
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zuegma
Mar 25, 2007, 2:34 PM
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I am going to assume that because it is a comp you concentrate a lot more on not falling. As a result you start using the "Grip of Death" you most likely don't realize how tightly you are gripping the holds. Then you become pumped faster because you are using so much extra strength while climbing
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el_layclimber
Mar 25, 2007, 3:57 PM
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I don't do comps, but I think that visualizing the comp situation when you train might help. In martial arts, most trainers will tell you that when doing the forms, you need to imagine your enemy before you, or you will never be able to use what you know to defend yourself.
I used to get scared when I was above gear, so here's what I did:
Get up to about ten feet off the deck on an easy boulder problem. Start imagining the worst (in my case, falling on suspect gear, in yours, a crowded comp where you are nervous). First, trick yourself into really being scared, then calm yourself down. The closer you are to the real thing, the better, but you can even do this 'meditation' at home in bed.
i.e. find a way to train for the psychological as well as the physical aspect of what you are doing.
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overlord
Mar 26, 2007, 12:22 PM
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well, i do get pumped faster when im scared, but i wasnt really nervous on the two comps i took part in and didnt notice any more pump than usual. it could be youre taking comps too seriously
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lodi5onu
Mar 26, 2007, 1:08 PM
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maybe comp climbing isn't for you...some ppl are competitive and really get fueled by pressure, others are negatively effected by it. do you enjoy the competition atmosphere? if comps are fun for you then work on changing your mindset, if not then just climb for yourself
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bues0022
Mar 26, 2007, 2:25 PM
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Could it also do with your respiratory rate? I know when I get nervous I unknowingly hold my breath and breath less. This means less O2 in the body and makes me get tired fast. That's what I've found out about myself, but everyone is a little different.
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lena_chita
Moderator
Mar 26, 2007, 3:39 PM
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I'm guessing that you are over-gripping,... Are the comps in onsight format? I suppose knowing that you only get one chance at a problem can make you grip harder...
Also, do you warm up before the comp in the same way that you normally warm up? I admit that despite knowing better, I sometimes jumped into climbing the competition routes before warming up properly. My normal warm-up in the gym is 45 min of traversing and a few easy routes before I get on any of the "projects". But when the boulder league was going on, I found myself only doing couple laps (maybe 20 min of traversing) and jumping straight onto the bouldering problems...--and getting pumped. I'd like to think that this time around (we have a boulder league starting this week) I will not skimp on the warm up-- but the excitement really gets you, KWIM?
Maybe you also need to practice some sort of meditation/relaxation/focusing on breathing-- something that would let you forget about the crowds and focus on your climbing as if no one is watching... A lot of people have performance anxiety, some get the shakes when giving a talk in front of the audience, so I would imagine "performing"/climbing in front of the crowd can have the same effect.
Weird-- for me crowds have the opposite effect-- I always climb better in a comp. LOL, sometimes I come back a few days later and can't even finish the problem that I onsighted during the comp...
But ultimately, if you get really nervous with crowds during competitions, why do it?
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reg
Mar 26, 2007, 4:04 PM
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if you don't believe in yourself, have doubts in your ablity because of fear of failing or the crowds or the other climbers you will most likely fail no matter what shape your in. but if you believe in yourself and put that other crap aside you'l kick ass every time - or at least be climbing at 100%. it's way too easy to physc yourself right out of the competition. don't fall prey to your own doubts.
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ninja_climber
Mar 26, 2007, 4:22 PM
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All the comps I've taken part in are onsight 1 try. So that may be it...I don't mind the crowds, I get in zone and phase the crowds outs. It the onsight thing that freaks me out. I get in the mind set of "its my only chance to try this so I HAVE TO DO IT!" Thats probably what freaks me out. I guess I just have to warm-up more and relax...
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lena_chita
Moderator
Mar 26, 2007, 5:42 PM
Post #10 of 14
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If you think it is the onsight 1-try-only part that is making you nervous then maybe you need to incorporate more of onsight attempts into your training routine? It may not be possible b/c the number of routes at your disposal can be limited and obviously you can only try to onsight something once... But maybe you can have an add-on game with some friends at the gym, or have someone point the next hold for you as you climb, instead of setting out knowing where your holds are going to be.... that would be more like an onsight, KWIM?
The other thing that seems to have made a big difference for me in terms of my onsighting ability is endurance training.
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ninja_climber
Mar 27, 2007, 3:23 PM
Post #11 of 14
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Yeah I was basically thinking of training for the next comp by just running endurance for the next month or so... Laps around the gym and on some of the overhanging walls.
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bizarrodrinker
Mar 27, 2007, 5:46 PM
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It is really important to warm up for awhile before hand.
In the past I have done a lot better in comps where I did all the "easy" problems first then worked on the "for points" problems. Once I just jumped into the hard stuff and was pumped after about 20 minutes. I didn't send one problem which sucked because I know I could have done all of them if I warmed up. Getting excited is a bitch.
Also work on your breathing technique in stressful situations. Many tend to breath from their chest which actually promotes anxiety and as a result poor circulation. Remember to breath from your gut.
Odds are you do not need to train differently, just relax. I find it helpful to train hard in the weeks prior, then take the whole week before the comp and not climb, rather just stretch, and do some push-ups.
All this said, I don't compete anymore because that is no longer what climbing is about for me.
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enessby
Apr 1, 2007, 12:30 AM
Post #13 of 14
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Registered: Mar 16, 2007
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I've had similar experiences when competing for martial arts. The best cure was either to practice more as if I were competing (ask people to watch and visualize the setting) or to learn how to really calm down before the comp by breathing and blocking everyone out.
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rockprodigy
Apr 2, 2007, 5:15 PM
Post #14 of 14
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I don't know anything about competitions, but you might practice with the croud pressure where you train. Next time your training at the gym, ask everyone to gather around and yell at you while you're climbing...maybe you'll figure out how to overcome that.
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