How to Handle with Frustration in Climbing: Deal Disappointment

Very few sports have such a consistent ability to push yourself as rock climbing. There is always a more difficult road to maintain and a more difficult rock problem to overcome. Every time we take a step forward, we make an effort. We strive to reach the limits of our physical and technical capabilities and are constantly looking for ways to improve and improve them.

But sometimes we fail and disappointment sets in. We blame ourselves, our strength, our physique and our artistic abilities.

Feeling frustrated is an unpleasant but inevitable aspect of climbing. This is ingrained in climbing culture, mostly due to the flawed grading systems we use.

Don’t compare yourself to others

The saying “comparison steals the joy” has a special meaning in climbing. Physical characteristics such as strength, endurance and reach often play a decisive role.

If you have a short account, you will probably have to find another proof. It makes you work harder than your taller climbing partners. Add movement, create blind spots and apply more force. A height that seems 5.10 to them might seem 5.11 to you. Or the V3 Rock version is more like the V4-V5 version with all the necessary beta ports.

If you are tall, your shorter teammates may run over you on certain routes. Their smaller size provides more power and their smaller fingers allow them to fit further into your pockets or squeeze out booty you never dreamed of.

On a stone wall some inexperienced friends who are tenants of the gym can develop their project. Or a tall guy climbing for the first time can make a challenging 6b+ slab seem like child’s play despite his lack of technique or experience.

Does this mean they are better climbers than us? Obviously not. But is this frustrating? Oh yeah.

Remember That Ideas Are Subject

It is important to keep in mind that mountaineering qualifications are subjective. Someone added this disclaimer based on their perception. A rating that might look like V1 to you could easily look like V3 to someone else.

This is especially true in the lower ranks where reach or strength can provide a significant advantage.

After introducing some taller friends to climbing, I noticed that they immediately started following me to the gym. Despite the lack of technology, they easily solved problems close to my maximum result in just two months of climbing. The reach advantage became very apparent to me, especially on land and on vertical terrain.

When I had to actively push to get me, they got me. For them, problems with boards that I couldn’t even dream of providing due to such high support points were not excluded. Luckily for my pride, they were miles away from the dangling arms, where my strength-to-weight ratio and efficient climbing technique proved to overcome their reach and my inability to keep my feet on the wall.

It was frustrating at first, but I realized that just because something was easier for them, it didn’t mean they were better climbers than me. Or they somehow surpassed my artistic abilities in a matter of a couple of months. I’ve accepted that every time I climb with them I have to work harder to get the same grades.

I could accept it with disappointment, or I could accept it and realize that every time I had to work harder, I learned more.

When we climb indoors, many of us train outdoors. We are here to improve and improve our skills. Don’t let self-esteem ruin your fun. Some climbs may seem easier, while others may seem more difficult or even impossible.

Ignore the reviews and climb to become a better climber and don’t leave reviews anymore.

Don’t hang out with toxic people

We often feel disappointed by the people around us. As I said above, my taller friends have an advantage in our indoor gym. You need to pay attention to how you use your friends to your advantage.

If you have a climbing buddy who has a greater range than you but often asks you to “expand” to the next area without clearly seeing the benefits, you probably shouldn’t climb with that person. They just make you lose your mind.

Just like I shouldn’t be toxic to my friends because I can’t do push-ups. We climbers have different body types and unique strengths and weaknesses. Not recognizing our achievements is unfair to our climbing partners. Don’t let climbers do this to you.

If you have a friend who makes fun of you because you can’t send something, stop arguing with them.

The guys I mentioned earlier know when they have an advantage. Sometimes they are surprised to see that I move my legs more than them. I told them how long I had to train to climb the same steps they were climbing now. How I had to learn to combine blur and dead ends to get the same conditions.

This type is non-toxic. We enjoy every climb. Even on the tiles, which is the terrain where I have the worst time, they support me and help me with the short man beta.

Not all climbs are for you

Just because something is within your capabilities doesn’t mean that path or problem is meant for you. Don’t let your self-worth be defined by your inability to post something. You will still be a good climber even if you can’t incline something 2 or 3 degrees below your max.

Sometimes ascension is not meant for us. This may require a level of reach, flexibility, strength or endurance that we do not possess. It’s absolutely okay to say, “This climb isn’t for me” and move on.

However, don’t confuse this with me telling you that you should use it as an excuse for any problem that isn’t your style. We still have to work out our countermeasures!

About Make Climbing

We love rock climbing, don’t we? Just us and the stone. Feeling zen on the road is not a problem. At that moment all our stress disappears. We think about our next step, not about the tasks we haven’t yet completed or the deadlines that are getting ever closer. Chase that feeling. This is why we rise again. Please do not submit personal reviews that may upset us.

Project may not be right for you

Not everyone likes the task of highlighting the road or the nuisance of rocks. The projection is disappointing. Spending countless hours on the same road can be rewarding for some, but frustrating for others.

Just because most climbers push themselves to their limits and are constantly looking for ways to overcome them, doesn’t mean you should do the same. Rising implies more than just falling and should be appreciated as such.