Redpointing Tendencies

Arno — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:15 +0000

In the last lesson I outlined how we can be analytical or intuitive and how that can limit or help us while redpointing. We need to diminish the limiting tendency so we can improve our redpointing.

Recall that analytical climbers tend to make accurate, detailed plans, and rehearse thoroughly. Their challenge is to stop over-thinking, modifying their plan, during the redpoint effort.

Intuitive climbers tend not to work the route enough to make detailed plans. Then, they use a lot of energy refining it during redpoint efforts. They don’t think enough.

In redpointing, we need to work a route enough to create an accurate plan, and then stick to it. Thinking about what to do becomes less important than thinking about when to act. If you are more analytical, then you will tend to stall out, get stuck at stances and over-think. You may think about alternative plans or stay at stances too long. Doing this will delay when it’s best to commit to the next section.

If you are more intuitive, then you will tend to rush and under-think. You won’t rest enough at stances and rush into climbing too quickly. Doing this will hurry your decision about when it’s best to commit to the next section.

Either way, you need to utilize stances long enough to rest and decide when is best to continue climbing.

Jeff Noffsinger training on Arno's "machine"

In the last lesson I outlined how we can be analytical or intuitive and how that can limit or help us while redpointing. We need to diminish the limiting tendency so we can improve our redpointing.

Recall that analytical climbers tend to make accurate, detailed plans, and rehearse thoroughly. Their challenge is to stop over-thinking, modifying their plan, during the redpoint effort.

Intuitive climbers tend not to work the route enough to make detailed plans. Then, they use a lot of energy refining it during redpoint efforts. They don’t think enough.

In redpointing, we need to work a route enough to create an accurate plan, and then stick to it. Thinking about what to do becomes less important than thinking about when to act. If you are more analytical, then you will tend to stall out, get stuck at stances and over-think. You may think about alternative plans or stay at stances too long. Doing this will delay when it’s best to commit to the next section.

Either way, you need to utilize stances long enough to rest and decide when is best to continue climbing.

Redpointing

Arno — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:59 +0000

What you do in risk-taking is very similar to how the scientific method works. You gather information and formulate a hypothesis, and then you experiment to test that hypothesis. Mind creates the mental hypothesis; body does the physical experiment to test it. The map is not the territory as the saying goes. You must clarify and modify your map, or plan, through engagement.

In redpointing, most of the process of clarifying and modifying your climbing plan occurs before a redpoint effort, as you work the route. You hypothesize a sequence and immediately engage to test it, before making any effort to complete the entire route. Falls are expected; indeed, you may practice them. You figure out where mini and micro points are and incorporate them into your plan, determining places to stop and sections for continuous moving. You hypothesize and experiment many times during your preparation to clarify your plan.

For the redpoint effort, you’ve made a thorough climbing plan and decision-making becomes less important. The last decision about what you will do is made at the base of the route: you will climb with resolve to exert effort forward in the climbing process and stick to your plan. No further clarification of your plan is necessary, only exertion of effort. The exertion of effort causes stress. Use mini and micro decision points to give your mind a break from the stress and your body a rest from exertion. The only decision you’ll make at these points is when to act. Rest as long as needed but don’t stall out. Then do a few deliberate exhales and re-commit fully to movement.

You may find yourself reverting back to thinking and second-guessing difficult sequences mid-route. In most cases, this is simply your mind’s tendency to escape the stress. The quality of your effort will improve if you stick with your carefully prepared plan.

Analytical climbers tend to make better natural redpointers because they have more patience and discipline, putting in the necessary time to work out specific sequences. They prepare accurate, detailed plans, and rehearse thoroughly enough to allow climbing at their physical limits. Their challenge is to keep their tendencies to think and second-guess at bay as they execute the redpoint.

Intuitive climbers tend to lack the discipline and patience to develop detailed climbing plans or rehearse a route repeatedly. Without an accurate plan, they use a lot of energy refining it during redpoint efforts. One suggestion that may make “working” a route more appealing for intuitive climbers is to only memorize detailed beta for key sequences on the route. Climb the rest of the route with flexible attention to moving, as you would when on-sighting.

What you do in risk-taking is very similar to how the scientific method works. You gather information and formulate a hypothesis, and then you experiment to test that hypothesis. Mind creates the mental hypothesis; body does the physical experiment to test it. The map is not the territory as the saying goes. You must clarify and modify your map, or plan, through engagement.

For the redpoint effort, you’ve made a thorough climbing plan and decision-making becomes less important. The last decision about what you will do is made at the base of the route: you will climb with resolve to exert effort forward in the climbing process and stick to your plan. No further clarification of your plan is necessary, only exertion of effort. The exertion of effort causes stress. Use mini and micro decision points to give your mind a break from the stress and your body a rest from exertion. The only decision you’ll make at these points is when to act. Rest as long as needed but don’t stall out. Then do a few deliberate exhales and re-commit fully to movement.

Warriors Way » redpointing

Redpointing Tendencies

Redpointing