Is a fear of falling or lack of confidence stopping you climbing at your peak level? Well you’re not alone. We all get scared on the face, freezing up or losing faith in our own technical ability. That’s why mental strength is just as important as the physical side of climbing.
If fear is holding you back, then you can work on the psychological side of climbing with mental coaching from Hazel Findlay. Hazel is one of the boldest climbers in the world, and it’s in large part thanks to her mental toughness.
Having studied philosophy at university and then continued to delve in the psychological side of climbing, there’s no one who knows more about the mental challenges we meet on the face.
Why we get scared
Almost all climbers experience fear – it’s all part of the thrill and a healthy biological and genetic reaction to heights. We’re programmed to avoid danger and exposure, and there’s nothing natural about finding yourself on a terrifying high ball.
When climbing at a height, negative internal dialogues start to override the rational side of climbing. You can be 100% certain about the safety of your setup and confident in your own ability, but still fear allows the doubts to kick in.
Training to overcome fear
At first, it might seem like the physical side of climbing is the toughest part. But over time muscles develop and skills improve making the physical aspects easier. However, the mental side of climbing also requires training and reprogramming the mind can take a lot longer.
Working with Hazel, you’ll learn to control the negative internal dialogues. You’ll talk through your fears, thinking about and exploring the root causes of the problem.
It’s only by addressing your mental weaknesses that you can overcome them. By developing practical exercises that work on these issues, you can learn to remove the stress from the situation, control fear and overcome mental blocks.
How does mental training work?
Because we’re all individuals and have different sets of fears, there’s no set training programme. Hazel will work with you one-on-one to identify and address your weaknesses.
You’ll learn how to feel comfortable in stressful situations and how to manage your fear. You will also discover the need for ongoing ‘maintenance’. Just like you can lose physical condition, mental fitness also needs to be regularly exercised.
Who is suitable?
Hazel is not a regular climbing instructor so her coaching is best suited to people who can already climb at a competent level. You’ll need to have a good technique, climbing at levels HVS, 6a, 5.9 and above. You also need to belay safely.
The type of climbing you enjoy or specialise in can vary – including sport, trad or bouldering – as Hazel will make her coaching specific to your needs.
About the course
Hazel will be running her mental coaching programme with Rockbusters guides. It’s open to between 10 and 12 people, with members of the Rockbusters team on hand to climb with to practice your new mental strategies on the face.
