A journey into coaching, climbing and performance

It's ok not to be ok

183:758541907 (Juan Avendano) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:48:53 GMT

Questioning the Coach

Question: should the coach have all the answers, all of the time? Are we expected to appear to be on top form, never missing a beat, no matter what? I wouldn’t dare to answer those bold questions in only a few words, so instead I would tell you about an event that perhaps illustrates better the dilemma: imagine you are the coach of a winning basketball team and tonight is a crucial game in the playoffs. As you prepare your tactics and team roster for the evening game, shocking news about your bosses appear all over the media. Your players are upset, you are upset, the whole thing balances on a very fragile and thin wire. What do you do? How do you set aside whatever is happening outside the game court and focus solely on the game? Is it possible to separate your individual and collective emotions from the expected performance? Even when your boss is an old, big and fat racist, the challenge is with the other team and the goal is to pass the ball through the net more times than your competition.

No matter how much experience you have as a coach, however many games you’ve won in your career, the successful track record of your athletes, the size of your pay check or even how passionate you may feel about the sport; there will be unforeseen circumstances, outside of your control, that you’ll have to deal with. These challenges would make you stop and evaluate your response, for the sake of the greater good. Decisions have to be made leaving your emotions aside and contemplating the bigger picture, often dealing with uncomfortable situations.

Just like the LA Clippers coach did at the time, the first step to handle a crisis is to get hold of your emotions and separate them from the job at hand. Then we have to understand the trade-off and compromises required to obtain the best result for everyone. It’s not an easy job, particularly when the circumstances affect not only the athlete, but also the game, the coach and almost everyone involved in the sport.

During this gruesome 2020 year, it could be said everyone in the world has been challenged, one way or another, beyond anything we’ve experienced before. The mounting threats (including the offer of big, fat, gratuitous kisses by an orange president) and the seemingly limited opportunities for anything really, might have shifted some of our strengths back into weaknesses. In my role as a coach, during this period I have been flying blind, guessing and having more than one outcome in my mind, when it comes to plan the training for the athletes I work with. We are uncertain which could be the next move of this fierce, invisible and complex competitor. As much as the athletes miss out on practise and competitions, I have been struggling to understand the extent of this situation and its long-term implications for us all. Add to that my own personal issues with an ever-changing everyday life. It is a complex equation, no doubt about it.

Although our job as coaches is to lead and develop athletes to their maximum potential, it would be silly to think coaches are expected to portray only the best traits in their personality. We are not immune from experiencing the strains and struggles of a complex situation. Our duty is to be competent, diligent and proactive, within our capabilities. Finding how to step up to the challenge and come out winning requires creativity, patience, emotional stability and a bit of luck. When none of those things seem to align due to the surmounting list of issues to tackle, outside and inside the game, I have to compartmentalise in manageable chinks what I can do best and obtain the most satisfactory result.

As we move forward to accept and adapt ourselves to the changes in our daily routines, it might be worth to assess regularly how we feel and what we are able to do, right here and now. The COVID year has proven to be quite a stretch to our capabilities, resources and patience (as individuals and also as societies). No one is immune to the lasting effects caused by the actual virus and our fear and anxiety of it. It’s ok to be a little shaken, stirred and blended in our emotions and outlook of the world. Superheroes live in comic books and bad films, humans do the best they can. Today, I’m embracing the fact that I’m fucked. Not properly fucked, but mentally and physically drained and that’s ok: I’m taking only one step at the time and dealing with the whole challenge bit by bit.

Below is a collection of personal notes I’ve made during this entire period. Initially, I thought these were going to be a personal diary of my journey through this global, life-changing situation. Some of the ideas are rough and perhaps not explained in full. Just like in my mind, the words you’ll find on the text are a scramble of images, thoughts and behaviours that I’ve questioned from the point of view of my value as a coach, a father and a serving member of the community. I’m not pretending to feel alright all the time. I’m not trying to call for pity or to excuse myself. Equally, I’m not trying to sell that I’m an unbreakable coach who is above all challenges. The reason I’m sharing this is because I’m embracing my weaknesses and -perhaps the most difficult part of it all- exposing myself to the outside world.

I have fought many battles before in my four (and a bit) decades on this planet. Somehow I’ve made it through, despite some of the challenges being life-threatening. Now that I’m trying to gather myself back to push for another day, my mind is my biggest asset, as well as my main threat. It’s not sufficient to do “whatever it takes” for the wellbeing of my family, because at the end of it all I’m a coach…. and a bloody good one, if you don’t mind me saying. Hence I’ve decided to focus only on the most pressing issue that I can have an impact in the shortest timeframe. Exactly the same way I do with goal setting for my athletes. Before I can do a front lever, I’ve gotta be able to do a few solid press-ups. Using the same analogy, in some aspects of my life I’m currently learning how to get down to the floor and do a plank. The journey to recovery is long and tortuous, so let me find happiness in whatever I’m doing now.

I do not have many answers right now for my athletes or myself, however I’m not giving up yet. Every day I try to find something interesting to read, to watch or listen. To continue feeding my brain is the main target, even if it’s the only thing I manage to do in a whole day. The blessing for me is to have a group of athletes that I’ve coached who are an incredible set of human beings; each of my athletes (past and present) occupy a very special place in my mind. When darkness appears in the horizon, remembering the love I’ve given to my sport and the care for the wellbeing of my athletes has become my “go-to” coping strategy. Thanks to the memories of all the outstanding people I’ve met and celebrated together their many achievements, I can just barely piece together a map to bring me back to be the best coach I can.

Looking ahead these days is a communal task: we must create and define our ‘team’ of people who can support each other and strive to come out winning after the age of Corona.

- Be honest, don’t try to hide behind an avatar of what should be “The perfect coach”. If you are feeling a bit down, it’s probably best to come clean and communicate with your athlete. Think of what might be more appropriate and purposeful to share with your athlete to benefit them right now, but do not attempt to pretend all is good and dandy when you are feeling a little bit sub-par. Nobody likes bullshitters and clients will ultimately see through your cracks, no matter how good you think you are at lying or concealing data. Be upfront and use the opportunity to further extend your relationship with the athlete and work together for the greater good.

Having said that, you might want to consider “faking it until you make it”. This statement by Amy Cuddy shouldn’t be misunderstood for ‘putting a brave face’; this is about being positive, not becoming a liar. Think about the most positive image you’d like to project to others and work it baby, work your stuff like you’re on the catwalk… “strike a (power) pose”.

- Ultimately we can only be one in the present moment. Choose your behaviour right now, breathe and go with the flow, trusting yourself to do a good job on this one session. Mindfulness is about being present in the moment, without judgement, learning how to grasp the biggest picture. Make sure to include yourself in that picture, sharing with your athlete what is true and “visible” to you right now. Tomorrow is another thing and yesterday is too late.

- Work within your limits, maximise your opportunities. In other words: “if life gives you lemons…”

Appreciate and apply your experience to the coaching practise. What is appropriate to share and what is best left unsaid. Given how you and the athlete feels right now, how can you both come out happy and fulfilled. If you can, try to come up with new tricks and ideas, like a game of “beating the virus”: could you think of a socially distant game that is purposeful for the sport or activity you are training?

- Everyone will tumble and fall more than once in their lives. Individually we must learn how to pick ourselves up to live another day. However, the best coaches would also accept coaching when they lack specific skills. Ask for help, reach out to real people. Be inspired by the work of others, like a spark firing up your engine again.

- When confidence is low and the mood is gloom, try to do some volunteering. It could be quite a rewarding experience to give a little of what we know, as well as a good strategy to get back in the game. Remind yourself of why you wanted to become a coach in the first place; reach out and continue enabling positive changes in others.

Get On Your Boots

183:758541907 (Juan Avendano) — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 11:50:38 GMT

Workshop Series with Emma Twyford

Emma Twyford is one of the leading BrItish female climbers. Having trad climbed up to E9, bouldered V10, climbed 8a/+ on Alpine routes and becoming the first British Woman to climb 9a. She first started climbing at the age of 7 and with over 20 years of climbing experience she has a wealth of knowledge to draw on. As a professional route setter and with a Sport Science and coaching degree, she is also able to understand movement and how to deliver coaching sessions to help share the knowledge she has gained.

GET ON YOUR BOOTS!

This particular series of workshops is designed to focus back on the FUN of climbing and the support we get from our peers. We would like to invite you (and your climbing buddies) to join us on a series of 4 workshops (to be booked as a whole) with @emmatwyford as your coach, working collaboratively to improve your climbing performance, but also to remind ourselves the importance of a motivated and supportive community for our general wellbeing. Purposefully, we aim these workshops at busy, city-dwellers. The specific content is defined by the participants, hence the need to commit to all four sessions. Far from being aimed at elite climbers, GET ON YOUR BOOTS is for everyone with an interest in physical and mental health.

Ratio 1:6

Duration 2hrs

Cost: £100 for the entire series

Bookings (limited spaces available): juan@figure-8.co.uk

WORKSHOP 1 (19/09/2020 @stronghold_UK):

Struggling to get your mojo back after the walls have re-opened? Looking to make the most of a shorter window of climbing time? Or just having a bad day? The first workshop will look at how to rediscover your motivation, make the most of a booked session and continue having fun. Setting achievable goals to progress, learning how to deal with a “not-so-great” day at the wall.

WORKSHOP 2 (17/10/2020 @stronghold_UK):

When the priority is to have fun, the focus of the second session will be understanding of movement and route reading, collaboratively and individually. The more of a plan you may have, the smoother things tend to go. We will explore how to understand hold angles, using your body position to find balance and the most efficient types of movement. Build upon your movement library so you have more (and better) skills available when it comes to trying new climbs.

WORKSHOP 3 (22/11/2020 @stronghold_UK):

The third session will delve into some of the key mental coping strategies for climbing/everyday life. The topic of mental wellbeing is enormous, so the focus will be determined partly by the participants. I will provide some recommendations on books/websites that I’ve found useful in my own journey. Following on from Workshop 2, we will also explore various methods for visualisation to assist with fear of falling. Finally, we will discuss anxiety within a session and some coping mechanisms to apply as the stress increases.

WORKSHOP 4 (19/12 @stronghold_UK):

Make an independent analysis of your own climbing! It’s all well and good having someone telling you what to do, but how could you analyse your own climbing? Which areas to focus next to improve your overall performance? The last session of these series, will look at goal setting to maximise your potential, breaking it down into cycles with an aim to peak your performance at a given timeframe. Break down the barriers between success and failure, getting past those plateaus and continue enjoying the sport!

Freelance Coaching

183:758541907 (Juan Avendano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 10:28:05 GMT

Getting back in the saddle

A lone wolf howling at the moon. The majestic flight of a condor over snow-capped peaks…We’ve seen the motivational posters printed with cheesy captions such as: ‘Freedom - nothing stops you from dreaming’ or ‘Aim high - you can do it!’

In the days post-COVID 19, there is a need for a lot more than pretty pictures and a few positive words to get us back on track. This article is aimed at freelance coaches and instructors who are currently scratching their heads at their chosen career pathway.

First of all, let’s be clear about one thing: there will be no handouts, bursaries or financial support from the governing bodies (BMC, ABC, MTUK). We’ve seen the adverts, some may have bought the T-shirts (“Save your local wall”, “Support your local business”). Don’t expect anyone to hand you a wad of cash for being a struggling freelance coach/instructor. When I made the decision to go solo, away from the cozy umbrella of a corporation, there was a tacit acceptance of professional uncertainty: life could (and most likely) change overnight.

We must find and build a support network to help us ride the wave and stay afloat. We can’t live on the dole forever, it’s just not sustainable. So, if no one is coming to help with a magic wand, we must forge our own future.

The important thing to remember is that we are not alone. Ask for help, cast your net far and wide. This includes mental health services within your local community, actively communicating with others through social media groups, calling friends and acquaintances, finding anyone who may be able to provide a different view to your current situation. Personally, I’ve used the time to try and improve my networking and social skills; this is particularly challenging for someone on the spectrum of autism. However, it is often the case that after the first awkward call, it becomes a little easier to engage with other people.

Try to think how to diversify your offer and build new skills. You may also consider to specialise in a particular niche, which requires digging deeper and learn more about what you are really good at. Whatever you choose to do, rest assured you will need to continue studying, learning and gaining purposeful experience. It’s possible you’ve already invested a good amount of time and money to qualify and gain relevant experience towards national qualifications. How could you ‘future-proof’ your professional career? Personally, I decided to go back to university and study counselling; yes, I’m a middle-aged man with kids, a mother and a dog to look after. Maybe it was because of my own pathway and mental health struggles, I came to the conclusion that in the future (when I can no longer move like a nimble goat on the walls), counsellors will have plenty of work… as much as funeral directors and hairdressers by the look of it.

Be creative and diversify your offer: innovate, not imitate. How can you stand out from others, making the most of the changing circumstances, providing quality services, no matter what life throws at you? Think about how your clients could maximise their 2 hour slot at the wall, minimising risk of injuries and feeling they’re getting a good return on investment. If you are not guiding them by the hand, would you mindlessly copy and paste training plans or deliver Zoom sessions that are half-hearted? Can you do something better than what’s available?

Money is currently and will be scarce for the foreseeable future: we are all counting the pennies and feel reluctant to part with our cash. We need to have the perception of getting good value for money at all times. As a coach you can only identify and work on small improvements for your clients. More than ever, suggest only the changes they can apply immediately that will provide the most lasting training effects. Long-term plans should be kept in the back burner for now, for practical reasons. There will be a second spike in the pandemic, maybe a third and a fourth. Prepare to stop-start climbing at any point.

If you’re really passionate about your career and the job of a climbing professional, you’ll make it work. Even when sacrifices have to be made, the passion driving your career choice will be your strength. Any self-employed person faces a similar threat: one day the work may come like a flood, the next day it might completely dry-out. Write down your thoughts, without editing or judgement. It’s ok to think about worse-case scenarios, however you must try to find a solution to the problem you create in your own head.

One final thought: it’s important to look after your own mental health and wellbeing. I’d recommend to have a variety of coping mechanisms available when things get a little tough. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a fantastic resource to challenge negative thoughts. You can find CBT providers within your local mental health services, online and through books and audiobooks. Find a daily release valve to deal with the frustration and stress. Listen to the radio (I find Kerrang! radio’s Jon Mahonn to be quite helpful), meditate, go for walk or a ride, play videogames, create art or talk to friends. Look after yourself, every person is valuable and important.

It will certainly get better some day. Remembering my CBT training, despite everything I’m trying to: GET UP - DRESS UP - GO OUT - NEVER, EVER, NOT FOR A SECOND, EVER GIVE UP.

Need for technique

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 13:20:30 GMT

Don't sweat the technique

How much time and effort should we focus on learning climbing-specific techniques? Is it a major component in the development of our broad skillset? The answer to this and other similar questions will greatly depend on which type (and age) of climber you are talking to.

The more old-school people in our community (wooly socks, tweed and beards), would probably say technique is one of the fundamental pillars for proper (trad) climbing. Ok, maybe this is a bit of a generalisation of all bumblies, but you get the point: some folk will say technique is everything you need to begin with.

However, it appears millennials are climbing in a completely new way than we were used to (I’m kind of old school - thriving on a young spirit though). It could be argued the new school is creating a whole set of techniques, maybe as an adaptation to the style developed for sports climbing.

Considering the history of skateboarding (when bumblies were young and care less), climbing is going through a process of reinvention; moving away from being just a leisure activity for the middle classes to an Olympic discipline (… and a popular idea for your kid’s birthday party). Climbing is today a spectacular display of problem-solving and gymnastic movement, carefully choreographed into a beautiful routine / dance.

“They made it look so easy”, we often hear from novices and intermediate climbers when they see a more advanced person cruising their projects. “I have no upper body / finger strength for climbing” is also another common phrase we often come across. However, by far the worse and most irritating for me is: “I should work on improving my technique first”.

The main issue I’ve identified with the majority of adults, definitely is not the lack of flexibility, strength or technique. The most critical problem for most of us is the lack of movement. Period. Sedentary lifestyles, too much Netflix and maybe not as much ‘chill’ (if you get my flow) are the main culprits of your poor performance on the wall. We live under stress, endlessly commuting, sitting, drinking, eating take-aways and sleeping poorly.

Furthermore: when the mind is not focused on learning, engaged in the activity and present in the moment, there is very little room for drills to be effective. If you must practise technique as such, at least try to make it fun. Avoid the mindless repetition of specific movement; instead look for what you want to learn in the environment around you.

With a little bit of imagination, I’m sure you can ‘practise climbing technique’ in the confinements of your office or desk. Most youngsters these days, regularly take part and practise a wide variety of activities as part of their busy weekly schedules.

From acro-yoga to crossfit and parkour, some people are seeking exposure to different challenges for the body and the mind. For the most active people within this community, learning climbing-specific techniques might not be all that relevant.

For beginners who are used to complex physical challenges, it might be better to present them with a complex problem to solve on the climbing wall, allowing them to get on with the job to find a solution that works specifically for them.

There is no need, in my opinion, to endlessly drill and try the same type of move time and time again. In fact, I would suggest we forget all the names we’ve learned of certain ‘climbing moves’! No more rock-overs, knee-drops or dead points! Bring on the creativity of the next generation of movers!

Mastering some climbing-specific techniques is an important element of performance: it’s helpful to be able to move in auto-pilot, in order to save brain power and become more efficient. Having said that, perhaps these climbing-specific skills are acquired through purposeful individual practise. Although the principle of riding a bicycle is the same for everyone, each person will learn and ride slightly different.

It is important to approach climbing (or any other new activity we participate) with an open and positive mindset. No one is an expert the first few times they try a new activity. Particularly for adults, we tend to find a million excuses and ‘logical reasons’ to explain why it is not possible to progress or ‘do better’.

The invitation for you is to move a lot more, wherever you are and all of the time. Think of climbing as part of your everyday life: find the opportunity to see yourself as a monkey (and try it) anywhere you go. Don’t sweat the technique, just be open and positive about the experience. The goal is to have fun (whilst suffering a little), not to feel depressed and unable to make reasonable progress. If you only climb once per week, then you will progress much more gradually as if you were purposefully at the wall every day.

Gaining relevant experience is an essential element in the pathway towards skill mastery. Goal setting, commitment and understanding of our individual capabilities might be equally as important. Try out different, complex problems and enjoy the process of solving each puzzle. Be kind and please don’t leave your phone recording you for Insta just where I need to land…

Climbing with child

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 16:42:47 GMT

Climbing and pregnancy - little do I know

There’s nothing more exciting than facing a new challenge, embracing a journey into the unknown that most certainly will change our lives. Climbers thrive on these experiences and seek the rush every time we put our shoes on.

For many years, like most people of my gender, I happily climbed without much care other than to survive until the next climb. Once the risks were accepted and the rubber of the shoes was polished, we tried to get stupidly strong through training, lifestyle adjustments and other less scientific approaches. We did it all for the fleeting glory of completing a slightly harder climb than before.

One fine evening, shortly after returning from a great trip to the Peak District, my partner back then revealed the news I was already suspecting: ‘we’ was pregnant! My mind and actions were racing to prepare financially, procure the necessary items and generally psych each other up to have a baby. Little did I know about the challenges ahead of our lives.

Before the pregnancy, the mum-to-be was a physically active person, so her body was fit, strong and ready, though we had to be mindful of some ongoing issues related to her health. The curveball came with the first scan: the pregnancy was going well, for both babies!!! What?! Twins? Yay, I guess… wait, how is this going to affect HER?

My main concern was to remember to multiply by 2 at the checkout. She had to deal with double the struggle, twice the challenge, just more of everything, really. How to plan her physical activity around the expanding bulge? What to expect, what to do and avoid? Luckily, being the independent person she has always been, she totally avoided my help and decided to do her own thing: occasional yoga sessions and a million plus one chores around the house and work.

Fast-forward a little bit and you’ll find us co-parenting amazing boys: gorgeous, healthy and happy. Mum, once recovered from the lack of sleep, the continuous feeding, endless nappy changing and other tedious baby related tasks, she got stronger, fitter and healthier than before, despite her age. Ouch, the last phrase might just grant me an earful from the afflicted party.

Whilst I can only describe my experience as the witness of the many changes the mother of my kids underwent during her pregnancy; her physical routine, her mental wellbeing and the rest of her everyday life, I became quite interested in the subject of training and pregnancy as one of the many things I’d like to learn more about.

Life had another surprise for me waiting in the wings. When I met my friend Jen (@mum.beta), her profile revealed a strong body with a background in circus, long-distance running and a smidge of climbing. We began working on her technical skills and adapting her movement to the complexities of the climbing environment.

As her coach, I carefully crafted a detailed training plan to turn Jen into a climbing beast; working primarily on her fear of falling and improving her flow and technical capabilities. Scheduled in 12-week blocks, on paper she was on course to reach her goal, with a few extras I included for good measure.

One fine morning, as we were getting ready for warm-up, Jen revealed the news I was not expecting: she was pregnant! Obviously, my first question was if it was only one child or more. Then, I proceeded to throw the training plan in the bin and began to think how I could best help Jen to keep climbing ‘given her condition’.

Needless to say: I’m not an expert in training pregnant women. I’d suggest seeking appropriate advise from a health professional before undertaking any form of physical activity during these crucial months in yours and your child(ren) lives.

We did our research together, consulted other climbers who kept active in the sport through their pregnancies and tried to make sense of her individual changes as they happened. Like total punters, we agreed to give it a go and see what we could achieve in 30 weeks or so as ‘plankton’ grew inside her.

Obviously, every person is different and there is no one-size-fits-all recipe that will work for you. So, given the fear of writing the wrong things, here’s a broad list of stating-the-obvious stuff about climbing and pregnancy:

- Listen to your body: don’t train with pain and allow plenty of time to recover (not necessarily meaning to eat more cake, but sometimes it helps).

- Train accordingly: if you weren’t getting ready for a triathlon before your pregnancy, there’s no point in ridiculously increase the level of your physical activity just because you’re ‘with child’.

- Go online: there isn’t an awful lot about climbing during pregnancy, but there are some basic do’s and don’ts from athletes in other sports.

- Make a list of all the stuff you want to achieve during your pregnancy: more likely you’ll end up chucking it in the bin, but it could be hilarious to read afterwards how unattainable your ideas were.

- Think of each trimester as the milestones for your training programme: effectively, only plan 4 weeks in advance and be ready to ‘play it by ear’. It helps to consider other low-impact physical activities you might enjoy when climbing is not an option (swimming, yoga, gym… that kind of thing).

- Consider your performance as a measure of fun: forget about pushing your technique or improving your grades. The session would be a success if you feel tired and end up smiling, that’s it.

- Prioritise: life will throw you all kinds of challenges from now on. Nevertheless, we can seize each opportunity to continue working on improving our health. If doing the shopping is more important than climbing (who would’ve thought that!), then you could think of bicep curls with those re-usable bags. Just try to balance the load and you’re good to go!

- Ask around, join a community: one of the outcomes for Jen was to become an advocate and source of first-hand experience to other climbers who are pregnant. More and more you can find reliable sources of info and welcoming people willing to share their knowledge.

Now, this blog entry would be a complete waste if the performance coach didn’t offer any insights into what worked for our training. Below you’ll find a summary of what we found useful - in Jen’s particular case- and you could take with more than a pinch of salt:

- Focus on capacity work: no point on pursuing a front lever, link up five hard moves in a row or maximise dead hang time. Being able to recover well after a session, build stamina and get the heart pumping in line with your breathing is much more beneficial.

- Train the core, make it functional: depending on the trimester, some floor core exercises can be useful, moving then to a suspension training routine and general mobilisation. By the end of the third trimester, being able to put your shoes on might be more important than doing 12 chest presses on the TRX.

- Build a strong base: anything to do with lower limbs: work on intrinsic foot strength, fundamental movement patterns and joint protection. Make sure you can squat safely before the bump forces you to wriggle and twist awkwardly to pick up the pen you just dropped on the floor.

- Be open to try something ‘a little bit weird’ : this goes back to make your training a fun experience. We played with medicine balls, corks, tennis balls, blindfolds, one-handed climbing, no-hands climbing, the usual stuff we do for kids sessions. Locomotion and flow, rather than drills, sets and reps.

- Get involved, try it yourself first: a good coach, in my opinion, will always consider the athlete’s perspective. Give it a try, as if you were facing a similar challenge as your athlete. Have you thought or tried to use precise footwork when you can barely see your feet or feel like you’ve run a marathon just by getting inside the harness?

- Always ask good questions, follow with research: build trust in the relation and be open to actively listen to your athlete. They will constantly provide valuable information you can use to either adjust your session or prepare for the next. Check your ideas, with others and with the available literature. Cross-check and try things out first.

- Prepare two or three interchangeable plans: you never know how the athlete will present herself that particular day. So, avoid winging it and have something else ready for action. I generally planned each session in modules which are interchangeable and still maintain roughly the main objective. Each plan I prepared was divided into: soft, medium & challenging. It’s a faff and a lot of extra work, but it’s worth it - you’d look totally pro if you take the time to prepare each time.

Hopefully by now (if you actually read the whole thing) you may have more questions than definite answers. That’s a good thing in my eyes. Feel free to contact @mum.beta for more details of her experience as a pregnant climber and good luck with your training.

All I’m gonna say is: Enjoy the ride, the pregnancy might just be the easiest part of the journey!

Moving Feet

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:44:35 GMT

Feet as a training priority

How often do we consider our feet to be an important element of our training routines? Hidden away in expensive footwear, your feet might be overlooked in your performance plan… until they get injured. Not surprisingly, a good number of people do not plan on exercising their feet as much as they might schedule chest, shoulders or back exercises.

Climbers rely on their feet as much as they trust their hands and core muscles to move efficiently on the walls. However, unless they’re injured, it is rare to hear much about how to strengthen the feet or gain mobility on the toes. Even though they’ll end up squeezed inside some tight, smelly climbing shoes, working your feet should be an integral part of your training routine.

Sure enough, most climbers would recognise the importance of good ‘footwork’ and ‘technique’ for better climbing. Nevertheless, it’s a bit more than how cool we might look in some snug-fitting shoes of crazy colours.

Back in the old days, we bought climbing shoes based on how much pain we were prepared to endure whilst climbing. The question back then was: ‘how much smaller in size can I go?’ As an example, I used to wear climbing shoes 4 sizes smaller than my feet. The outcome of such stupidity is a collection of broken toes, ingrown toenails and much pain that lasted long after I finished climbing for the day. Thankfully, nowadays there is better information available and manufacturers have greatly improved their shoe designs, so there’s no point in enduring pain.

The feet are complex structures, responsible for mobilising, stabilising and generate force required for locomotion. Particularly when climbing, understanding the forces applied through the toes at different angles of walls and various body positions, will enable a more fluid movement of the kinetic chain and, ultimately, a noticeable improvement in performance.

It is common to see people practising their footwork as a drill on the traversing walls or during their ‘easy warm-up’ climbing. My advise is to work your feet every single day, first thing in the morning, even when you’re still in bed. Consider that your feet will support your entire weight for the whole day and - on the better days- they will help you climb.

For climbers, I’ve found some of the routines used by dancers and gymnasts to be particularly useful, as well as the ideas of Dr. Andreo Spina on intrinsic foot strengthening. Try and incorporate some of these exercises to your daily routines and you might find that some pain and niggles higher up on the kinetic chain might resolve themselves, as if it was magic. The bottom line is to improve mobility and stability of the entire body, starting from your paws.

If you haven’t done in a while, I’d suggest to give your feet some attention and plan their training as part of your overall programme for optimum performance. Remember, they are our connection to Earth and the base of locomotion. Wanna climb better, harder, more efficiently? Make sure you start training from the base of your body.

BMC Regional Area Meeting 2019

duda-owner-ionos@ionos.com (Duda Owner IONOS) — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 14:50:41 GMT

Climbing, Performance and Olympic Dreams

Tonight I will be presenting you with three, slightly rhetorical questions. The intention is to promote the debate about a growing sport and its developing within major cities like London.

What is climbing?

The answer to this question will dramatically vary depending on the region (and age group) where we take our poll.

Two common things we hear from non-climbers:

Have you climbed Everest? This is perhaps not that common to hear nowadays. A few years ago, most people would’ve identified climbing with the stuff that our friend Nick gets excited about, even now as a silver fox.
“I’ve seen something in the news about a crazy guy climbing without ropes (buildings or rocks)!” Now that a ‘climbing flick’ has an Academy Award nomination, the paradigm might be shifting towards (slightly nuts) rock climbing and #vanlife.

In both examples, climbing might be perceived as a dangerous, pointless and lonesome activity (which it is, to some extent). However, people gathered here this evening would know that climbing encompasses a broad range of disciplines, where sports performance is only a small fraction of a much larger picture.

We could argue that London, being flat and full of concrete, is adopting the concept of sports climbing a little better than other parts of the country, where outdoor climbing is more prominent.

Evidence might be found in the near exponential growth of indoor climbing facilities in our region and the increasing number of participants in the sport. From taster sessions, birthday parties, belay courses, coaching sessions, bouldering inductions or inclusive climbing, Londoners are taking to plastic like no other physical activity, for over a decade now.

Surprisingly, the market in London doesn’t seem to be saturated yet. Even with only the locals, most commercial walls are bursting with people every day. London climbers have many options available; we are really spoilt for choice.

More evidence of the relevance of sports climbing in London is, of course, the huge number of talented young athletes who are consistently performing in the National and International arenas.

Most climbing walls these days would offer a broad variety of options for youth development in the sport, from the social to the performance pathways.

A considerable proportion of young people participating in the sport don’t necessarily come from a ‘climbing family’. Some parents may see climbing as an ‘alternative’ sport, something a bit different to keep children away from climbing trees in the park, monkeying around the house and generally exposing themselves to unmanaged risks.

The entry point for most kids in London might be to join a local club following the NICAS syllabus and/or to engage in youth groups and organised school activities.

As they make progress in the sport and their parents become aware of their potential, some will consider to participate in climbing competitions, such as the BMC Youth Climbing Series or Blokfest.

The trouble is that, given the size and level of the London climbing scene, the main regional Comp for young climbers presents a huge barrier of entry for most people who have recently started in the sport.

There is a need to develop a more progressive structure of local and regional comps, with diversity and inclusivity as top priority.

What is Performance?

Climbing up Everest or successfully completing a gruelling free-solo climb, certainly requires an important element of physical and mental performance; however, how do we understand performance in the relatively new arena of (indoors) sports climbing?

‘It’s a full-body workout and you need to have really strong fingers and loads of upper body strength’, we hear from novices and unexperienced folk. Think about the “London Adventurer”: Cross-fitters, tough-mudders, yogis, organic- living individuals. Very often the perception of what the sport entails is quite different from the reality. There are enough memes to remind us about “this is what my friends think I do, what I think I do, what I really do”….

Now that sports climbing is an Olympic discipline, it seems fair to expect some people to dream about achieving an olympic gold. So, which measures of performance we have in climbing? Please don’t get me started on climbing grades…

Perhaps, for some folk, the success of their kids may reflect on their own personal achievements. And here lies the main issue.

Parents invest a lot in the development of their children, striving to find an activity where their kids are more likely to succeed. The investment is multi-layered: money and time in professional coaching, driving to countless industrial estates across the country, buying an exorbitant amount of tightly fitting- horribly smelling shoes and more.

Evidently, we all want to see a proportional return on the investment. An olympic gold, for some, might be the only goal worth pursuing.

‘My kid is extremely talented and climbs everywhere, all the time. They are committed, dedicated and motivated to train as much as necessary’. I’ve heard these sort of comments from parents of children as young as 7 years of age. The issue is: who is really motivated, committed and willing to do the training? Most kids just want to be kids, have fun and socialise with their peers, not think about periodisation or number of sets.

In my experience as a performance coach, it is extremely important to inform and educate parents about all aspects of training and climbing, from the risks associated with the sport and the different stages of physical and mental development, to the various pathways available - not just for competition performance.

At least from my perspective, the performance pathway shouldn’t be imposed on a child at any stage in their development. The primary objective for parents could be to promote a healthy and active lifestyle; enabling the possibility to develop climbers for life - people who will be motivated to explore the various aspects of climbing and mountaineering throughout their lives.

As it happens in any sport, there will only be a small number of outliers who will excel in a particular set of skills and have the potential to win medals, during a short window within their entire physical development.

When Shauna Coxsey first started climbing, her main goal was to make her climbing ‘look easy’. She wrote on her diary (which she kept to herself) that she wanted to be a World Champion one day.

Nobody forced her to do that, it has been her own motivation. However, she is not your regular 20-something young lass.

Similarly, Jim Pope (local Hackney bruv) has also a lot of the attributes to be a top performance climber and he is demonstrating his talent on the rock, leaving the chase for Olympic gold to his mate Will Bosi (for now).

Shauna, Will and Jim are all top performers, but more importantly they are “CLIMBERS”.

How do we achieve Olympic performance in climbing?

In a few words: it’s a long-term process that requires an awful lot of investment and support from the growing and active community.

Nevertheless, my suggestion for coaches, parents and athletes might be:

Avoid early specialisation : the guidelines of the LTAD model are clear and take into account the various stages of youth development (for any sport).
Promote a growth mindset : it’s about the process, not the results. Climbing offers the opportunity for a lifetime of challenges, so don’t worry about the results of a specific comp or stress about achieving a certain grade of difficulty in a rigid timeframe.
Community : the support given by an active community could drive changes, promote inclusion, create opportunities and secure funding. Think about British cycling… a big push came from the South.

In Summary:

Create more opportunities for young people to participate and ‘have a feel’ for diverse and inclusive competition climbing, at grassroots level.
Engage the community: educate, inform, share the knowledge.
Develop more gold-standard professionals who could identify and guide young talent to maximise their potential.

For more information about youth development, please visit the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) website