Sport to trad - Close the logical loop
For all the sport climbers who want to get into trad climbing. Especially those that are already strong and talented…
“It can be hard to feel like a beginner again when transitioning to trad climbing, especially when it is the “same sport” in which you see a lot of success and praise. ”
PD Coach Casey Elliott working ring that bell, 5.13b R/X - photo by Ben Neilson
One piece of insight I have found through coaching for this transition, is that it is important to differentiate between trad climbing and crack climbing - one is a safety system and one is a physical skill. They both come together while climbing but this can muddy the water of understanding what is holding you back.
If you are having trouble placing or trusting gear, you should focus on becoming proficient at the simple yet time consuming task of looking at the rock, deciding what to place, analyzing your placement, then the most important part - weighting your gear!!!
“it is important to differentiate between trad climbing and crack climbing - one is a safety system and one is a physical skill.”
The biggest mistake I see with athletes is that they never take the last step of weighting their gear. Without this, your brain can't truly close the logical loop of deciding if it was a safe piece or not. I've coached numerous people that have climbed trad for years, can't figure out why they are scared and at a plateau, and have only weighted or fallen on 5 pieces ever.
Once you have this very logical, tangible step dialed, then you can move onto the headspace piece of trying routes that require more physical attention.
PD Coach Casey Elliott sending Sundevil Chimney, 5.13bR - photo by Mary Eden
Secondly, there is crack climbing - which is a set of learned physical movements that require muscle adaptations, new route reading vision, technique. Depending on what you climb and where, you may need more or less crack climbing skills. Many routes that you place trad gear on do not require much crack climbing skill - and many splitter cracks don't require much gear placing skill (i.e. plugging 6 #2 cams in a splitter in Indian Creek).
It is important to develop both skills AND view them as separate tasks. Then you can realize that maybe you trust your gear, but you aren't a good enough crack climber to read the route ahead of you and have any idea where your next rest will be, which can be mentally taxing. Or you are an incredible crack climber, but haven't learned to be able to focus on the physical while your brain is overpowered by the unclosed logic loop created from your gear placements.
interested in learning more about casey’s experience and coaching? check out his page here + send an email to casey@projectdirectcoaching.com to inquire about working with him!
PD Coach Casey Elliot sending Desert Gold, 5.13a in Red Rocks - Photo by Irene Yee
