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Mind games, visualisation & being in the 'zone'. 29-Nov-2004 At 10:11:47 AM butter_fingers

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If I may add my 2c

Not everyone visualises... some of us need to 'read' the sequence... crimper to pocket to jug to jug to jug dyno to huge pocket and sidepull to top... before we can see it.

I try to prep as best as I can, but as nmonteith (sorry if I spelled it incorrectly) said (and I shall paraphrase), some days 'the standard [you] set' can screw you up for the rest of the week...

I find that the times I flow are the times when I am paying the _least_ attention to my thoughts and preconceived notions. The more I want to climb well, the more I tend to screw up. I know a lack of experience has something to do with it, but in reality, it's all in my mind.

I try and let my body climb so that my mind doesn't get in the way of a potentially great day.

In hindsight, I haven't _really_ flowed on any climb as of yet.... I've had moments of insight.... but I believe I've alluded to them in another topic (living in the moment?)

I don't believe that there is any one 'perfect method'... but there are 'tools of the trade'
Being aware of one's thoughts, both the concious 'ooh this will be fun' and the unconcious imagery, audio, dialogues and sensations... can help to make you aware of what sets you up for a bd days climbing.

for me, I motivate myself by lookign at the rock and imaginaing myself incontact with the textures of the rock. Feeling the sun, and smelling the air. Listening to the sounds of the bush really helps clear my mind. Once I'm calm I try and visualise myself completing the climb, not doing the sequence, but topping out and feeling the feeling of elation that I have sent another climb.

I try not to be too specific with my dreamings because I have found that my past memories (i.e. falling oncrux moves) tends to help me repeat the activity I wish to avoid.

as bruce lee would say

"Absence of stereotyped technique as substance means to be total and free. All lines and movements are the function.

Non-attachment as the foundation is mans original nature. In it's ordinary process, thought moves forward without halting; past, present and future thoughts continue as an unbroken stream.

Absence of thought as the doctrine means not to be carried away by thought in the process of thought, not to be defiled by external objects, to be in thought but to be devoid of thought."
-The Tao of Jeet Kun Do, Lee.

I know ol bruce was referring to fighting, but he has a point. "All vague notions must fall before a student can call himself a master"... preconcieved notions act as 'primers' if one expects to do well, then doing well is more likely. If failure is the main concern... well, I'm sure you get the drift. I also think he was referring to the subconcious mind (a popular term which refers to the part of your brain that controls every part of your body that you are _not_ conciously aware of... heart rate, when to go to the toilet, how often to drink/ eat/ sleep... etc though sometimes we become concious of these processes e.g. time to eat) and letting the subconcious mind assist one to 'flow' up the rock.

I have been told by a number of rather good climbers (read damn good) that technique is 'not that important'... and by others that it's more important than strength. I think trying to achieve 'perfect technique' gets in the way of good climbing. I know I spend a lot of time dicking around trying to position my foot thus or hold this or crank that. More often than not, when I'm trying to climb well, I'm looking stupid. When I'm just having fun (thanks neil) I tend to climb better.

I hope I made some sense, I tend to be a bit random and prone to taking my thoughts off onto unusual tangents....

MOD, delete this if it's a waste of space.