If you’ve ever invested in projecting a route or boulder problem, then you know that a lot more goes into success than simply being strong enough to send the route.  Using good tactics to efficiently work a route and approach it with the correct mental game will dramatically cut down on wasted attempts and hopefully lead to a quick and satisfying send.

To help you approach your next project more efficiently, here’s an article by coach and trainer Eric Hörst of Training for Climbing in which he outlines six tips to help you improve your projecting game.

“If you are new to the projecting game, I’ll first layout the basic strategy for effectively working—and sending—the rig! Next, I’ll give you some tips on how to best attack a route that doesn’t go down on the first day; and to conclude we’ll take a philosophical look at dealing with those frustrating long-term projects.” – Eric Hörst

Hörst’s 6 Tips for Projecting:

First, Hörst outlines six strategies to help you work a route efficiently and then hopefully send it in a day.  Here are his tips:

1. Pick the right route
2. Chunk down the route into three to five manageable parts
3. Spend plenty of time figuring out the best beta for the crux
4. Dial in the crux sequence until in feels automatic
5. Take a 30 to 60 minute rest before going for the redpoint
6. Head into your redpoint attempt clam, confident, and expecting success

While it would certainly be nice to send most routes in a day, it often doesn’t work out that way.  To help you out with your longer term projects, Hörst also outlines some strategies for day two attempts and then how to evaluate whether or not to continue working a route over a long period of time.

Click through below to read the complete article where all these tips and strategies are discussed in greater detail.  If you are looking to up your projecting game then mastering efficient tactics like these are just as important as training hard to get stronger.

Full Article: Projecting 101 with Eric Hörst

(photo courtesy of trainingforclimbing.com)

Other Articles You Might Like:

• The “10-4 Rule” – A Guide Line for Projecting
• The Process of Projecting by Jamie Emerson
• Fast and Decisive Sending with Alex Megos
• Choosing Your Climbing Projects with Alli Rainey