Rock Climbing Training - Training the Mind

Mental Training for Climbers & Athletes Improves Sports Performance

Jan 7, 2009

Improve athletically through mental training. Learn about goal setting, the training journal, meditation/visualization, positive affirmations, and recommended reading.

For climbers and other athletes alike, improved athletic performance can be gained by training the mind with the same level of discipline used to train the body. Key mental training tools for rock climbing training include goal setting, keeping a training journal, visualization and daily meditation, and positive affirmations and inspirational mantras.

Goal Setting: Setting Goals to Improve Climbing

Athletes should focus on setting goals that are clear, concrete, realistic, and motivating. Goal setting should also ideally include short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. Short-term goals can be set for a single workout or for a week. Medium-term goals can be for a month up to a year. Long-term goals can be for the year or even for five years.

Goal setting encourages greater dedication toward striving for improved athletic performance. Having a goal in mind (i.e., climb 5.12 by the end of 2009) can help a climber push through the tougher aspects of physical training. Goal setting can also provide focus during rest days by psyching a person up for the next training session.

Keeping a Rock Climbing Training Journal

The training journal is a perfect place to write down climbing goals. Record long-term goals at the start of the journal. Then, jot down specific goals for the next day, week, and/or month of training. Also, record the details of every rock climbing training session, along with an overall "state of being" evaluation for that day. The journal can thus become an indispensable resource for buoying the mind as a person records his or her progress.

Daily Visualization and Meditation for Better Sports Performance

For the climber, visualization can be a key climbing technique for sending a project faster or onsighting a tough route. Picture every detail of sending the route — the outfit, the air temperature, the belayer, the rock’s texture, and each individual movement, clip, breath, and sound made as the route is climbed. Most importantly, envision finishing the climb with confidence. Visualization can be easily incorporated into daily meditation, which can also be a helpful mental training tool for athletes.

Mental Training with Positive Affirmations and Inspirational Mantras

Decrease rock climbing performance anxiety not only by visualizing climbing performance as described above, but also with the prolific use of positive affirmations and/or inspirational mantras. Literally barrage the brain with upbeat and catchy statements, such as “I am strong;” “I climb 5.12;” and so forth. Don’t use doubtful or unsure statements (“I will climb 5.12”). Say it as if it’s so already — the brain believes what it hears.

Additionally, if the mind starts dishing out all sorts of uncertainties about today's performance when climbing is about to begin, it’s helpful to designate one specific word or catchphrase as an inspirational mantra. By repeating this statement over and over again (silently, of course!), the climber (or other athlete) can often drown out any voices of doubt and replace them with a single, clear statement of confidence.

Recommended Reading for Training the Mind

Goal setting, a training journal, visualization/meditation, and positive affirmations/inspirational mantras are key elements of mental training that can bring about better rock climbing training and improved sports performance. To learn more about training the mind to improve athletic performance, the following books are suggested:

The copyright of the article Rock Climbing Training - Training the Mind in Rock Climbing is owned by Alli Rainey. Permission to republish Rock Climbing Training - Training the Mind in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.