Have fun! 5 tips for motivation when climbing

Have you ever suffered from hall collapse because you've been to the gym too often? Do you know the I-don't-like-people moment because too many people are fighting for a route with elbow action? Or have you ever been annoyed that despite several weeks of fingerboard training, the bar in the project is still too tight to hold? Yes, they are everywhere - things, people or circumstances that can throw you off balance physically or mentally: The motivation killers when climbing!

1. climbing time-out: sometimes works wonders

Those days when it's better to stay at home are part and parcel of climbing. And they are good - because we often come back with five times the desire and energy after a phase of being unmotivated. Even Wolfgang Güllich is said to have always taken a few weeks off climbing after his climbing trips, and Ben Moon climbed Rain Shadow, his second 9a (25 years after his first), after five years of climbing abstinence. And why? Because they both regained their motivation to train, push themselves and focus. So: time out is okay, especially when the motivation killers smile smugly at us.

2nd obstacle: external factors

However, it becomes problematic when we are no longer free to decide whether we can go climbing. For example, if we are forced to take breaks due to injury or stressful phases.

External factors that "rob" us of the free decision to go climbing are the mortal enemies of motivation. This has the opposite effect to the "principle of the optimal state of arousal". Briefly explained: if we are neither over- nor under-challenged, we have the feeling that we can achieve something with our actions. We draw motivation from this and increase ourselves (potentially immeasurably) - we are optimally activated. The line between over- and underchallenge is different for everyone; what pushes one person can inhibit another and vice versa.

3. loss of motivation: under- or overstraining

In terms of the optimal state of arousal, it is assumed that people who are under- or overchallenged lose the desire to do something. Unfortunately, we find all kinds of situations in climbing in which the demands are quickly less than optimal: stress or conflicts at work, at university or in relationships can lead to excessive demands in what is already an extremely complex sport. In the case of injuries, we are initially underchallenged (there is nothing we can do), which is followed by a phase of excessive demands (we can no longer perform at the same level as before). If one or other of these conditions persists for a longer period of time, motivation drops further due to false expectations of oneself. Breaking this mental vicious circle - or first and foremost recognizing it - is often a challenge that should not be neglected. Other motivation killers are often added in such phases: Due to a low probability of success, we doubt ourselves, the fear of failure pushes us into so-called escape or avoidance behavior. In short: the climber's expectations are not met.

It is no wonder that motivation for climbing is lost in such phases.

4. goal setting: the aspiration must be right

But how can you learn to deal with such phases, or maintain motivation in general?

One of the main reasons why some climbers repeatedly struggle with their motivation is the lack of or incorrect goal setting. In order to formulate these in concrete terms, you need to first clarify why you are actually going climbing and then do justice to these demands:

Are you climbing to have a good time with friends? Then you shouldn't get upset if you don't complete the project. Is your goal to crack the ninth grade in spring? Then you have to train for it. Are you just climbing for fun? Then you can only really do it if you're having fun and not torturing yourself.

If you are slowed down by external factors, it helps to set yourself other goals during this time, such as working on your basic endurance and/or fear of falling, or you can finally learn how to place mobile belays etc. during these phases. As a result, the motivation curve may not be quite as steep as before, but it will at least continue to point upwards!

5. the way out of the motivational misery when climbing

Basically, the way out of this misery and back to having more fun climbing is easy to explain:

Realize through self-reflection why you actually climb! Set yourself realistic goals in this regard! Then realize them step by step. And most importantly: Be nice to yourself, thank yourself and honor and celebrate small successes (out loud)!

Then motivation will remain high and your performance will match your goal. Have fun!