“As you move ever higher above your last piece and further outside your comfort zone, you grip the rock for dear life, even though you know the route is well within your ability. Yet here you are, only halfway up and too pumped to continue—everything feels way harder than it should.” -Brian Rigby
Have you experienced that? I’m guessing most of us have. And the solution seems obvious, right? Just stop over-gripping and relax. Easier said than done, yeah?
This article from climbing.com talks about how logically it seems like not over-gripping should be the answer, but in fact, studies show that stress is actually responsible for your perceived fatigue. Stress, fear, and anxiety cause the body to release epinephrine (aka adrenaline). This can be a good thing when you’re trying hard through a tough crux, but too much of it at the wrong time can make it seem like you’re working harder than you should need to be…
“Anxiety can also explain why we think we are gripping harder, or working harder in general, even if the actual amount of work is not greater. Beyond the physiological changes epinephrine causes, anxiety correlates to perceived exertion, meaning the more anxious you are, the harder everything feels. Perceived exertion isn’t just a mental construct; it’s how our brain and body communicate during exercise to determine how fatigued we are. Anxiety throws a wrench in the works by increasing perceived exertion, essentially sending the body the wrong signal about how much work is being done and subjecting us to premature fatigue.” -Brian Rigby
This article talks more in depth about feeling the pump and your perceived exertion and why that is the case. It also ends the article by detailing 5 ways you can learn to fight this anxiety and therefore climb better. Learn how to train yourself to fight any fears or stress you have about climbing….
CLICK HERE: Learn This: The Over-Gripping Myth
(photo courtesy of climbing.com)
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