Emily climbing in Morocco, photo by Kris Erickson

Eventually my strength did return, as did my mental game and psych. But it was a long and confusing process. That was after climbing Mt. Everest in 2012 and taking nearly 4 months off from sport climbing.

Selfie of Emily on top of Mt Everest

In 2013, I returned to Nepal to climb a peak called Ama Dablam (23,000ft). After 2 months living at over 15,000 feet, dealing with -30 degree F nights and horrific windchill – and even a mild bout of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – I returned home feeling even weaker than I had after Everest.

Emily heading to the 19,000 ft camp one on Ama Dablam, photo by Monica Piris

I worried about having to struggle to regain everything I had worked for again, but I knew that it was possible this time around, and was determined to make it a more positive experience than before. I wanted to enjoy the experience of getting back into shape. I’ve laid out a few key tips to remember if you ever find yourself in this position.

Enjoy the Process

If you usually warm up on 5.10 and 5.11, but now get too flash pumped to even get halfway up a route you’ve climbed hundreds of times without even breathing – don’t be ashamed to take it down a notch. Why not go climb all the classic 5.9s you’ve never bothered with before? Approach each route with a beginner’s mindset, enjoy the simplicity of just climbing; that is why you do it after all, right?

Focus on Technique  

I feel like we place so much emphasis on strength and endurance when getting back into shape, but I also find that my technique and overall “flow” suffer as well. Try to remember how to climb well again. Move with purpose, be precise with your feet, control your breathing, don’t rush moves, read the route correctly, manage your pump, etc…. focusing on these simple but specific tasks are less frustrating and more productive than “training endurance to not get pumped”. Executing them successfully builds confidence and will help you feel like a climber again. Even if you’re stuck projecting your warm-ups, at least you’re doing it with style.

Then Challenge Yourself  

Even if it means your ego gets bruised, finish off everyday giving it everything you have. Focusing on technique and climbing easier routes is great, but the reality is that your strength and stamina will only return if you are motivated to push yourself physically, as well. To avoid getting injured I try to focus on volume as opposed to difficulty in the first few weeks back. Climb as many routes as you can in a day, and keep climbing until you can barely hang on. If you’re like me, you’ll welcome the feeling of terminal pump and full body exhaustion that only sport climbing can bring about. For me it’s one of the best feelings in the world.

Be Patient 

This is perhaps the most obvious piece of advice, but the hardest one to follow. You are not going to feel strong, confident, or even move like you did before – so don’t expect to, and most importantly, just be ok with it. Have the patience to understand that your body and mind need time to remember how to climb again and that only time will bring back the good feelings you once had.

Keep Trying 

No matter what, don’t give up and let yourself think you can’t be strong again. You’ve been where you want to be before, and you can be there again – and be even better. All you have to do is put in the time and effort. In the end, it’s all about wanting it.

We all know that there are many ways to “train” to get back into shape. I’m sure most training plans work great, but I’ve found that coming back after a break is mostly about motivation, and for me that motivation comes in the form of going climbing. I need to remember the basics again, not only for my body, but also for my mind. The process can be incredibly frustrating, and I need to remind myself why I do this sport, what makes me love it so much. I tend to try to answer those questions for myself before I delve into the specific hows of training methods. The answers usually come when I follow the advice I’ve laid out above instead of getting bogged down in the more detailed nuances of grades, fitness, diet, etc….

Emily climbing in Getu Valley, China. Photo by Anna Piunova

I hope these ideas can help next time you or your climbing partner find yourselves out of the sport climbing game. Oftentimes I come back even stronger after a big break, because my psych is high and my body feels rejuvenated and ready to try hard.

-Emily

Emily Harrington: Pro Climber, Mountaineer, Crusher

Photo by Kristoffer Erickson

Emily is a professional rock climber and adventurer who has been a prominent and leading figure in the climbing community since she was a teenager. Her early years were defined by her successes on the USA Climbing Team on the National and world competition circuit. She’s a five-time National Champion, a two-time North American Champion, and has placed podium in World Cups.

But her true passion lies with outdoor climbing and exploring the mountains.  She’s excelled at nearly every aspect of the incredibly specialized disciplines of climbing.

She’s reached the most elite levels in the gymnastic and physical discipline of sport climbing, free climbed 2500 foot big walls in remote corners of the world, won ice climbing competitions, and summited the world’s tallest peaks in the Himalaya (including Mount Everest in 2012).

She currently resides in Squaw Valley, California; where she trains for climbing and has fallen in love with skiing, her second passion. You can read more about Emily on her website at www.emilyaharrington.com