To Record or Not Record
That is indeed a valid question worth pondering. The act of capturing ourselves while climbing often comes across as awkward and quite bothersome. It begs the question: why endure the inconvenience of documenting our progress at the gym or the crag? When watching such recordings, individuals frequently find themselves fixating on perceived shortcomings - the sluggish pace, the apparent confusion, the nervous demeanor, or the lack of desired grace. 😂 Given all these factors, one might wonder, why bother recording at all? However, the true essence lies not in the initial discomfort, but in the opportunity to dissect the footage for immediate insights on enhancing one's climbing performance during subsequent attempts or sessions.
The Case to Record
Many climbers find satisfaction from our sport due to the binary process of establishing a specific goal that aligns with their aspirations & dreams. When our primary focus is on refining our climbing technique, measuring progress can sometimes prove to be a daunting task. Climbing technique is not just about mastering individual skills; it involves navigating a complex network of relationships among various techniques. Watching a video of yourself climbing provides you with the valuable opportunity to pinpoint precisely the areas you need to focus on and take note of the challenge level when your habits begin to improve. It becomes difficult to separate your feelings from the raw analysis of your climbing skills.
The Case to Not Record
Not all climbs have a helpful angle to record. Too much data can overwhelm progress. This provides an opportunity to rely on your internal camera born from experience. When climbing we might have a brief second to check in with our performance. Your goal is to not go into lengthy detail but quickly determine if you are tending in the right direction or is a redirect needed? You must invest time and effort into honing your internal camera to maximize your performance. Plus, climbing should be primarily focused on immersing oneself in the present, savoring every instant, and truly embracing the essence of the journey. Sometimes, the best advice is simply to relax and fully appreciate the present moment amidst this adventure.
Summary
You will experience an immediate benefit from watching yourself climb. Your initial reaction will likely be fruitful because you will see an honest representation of your climbing. If you can specifically name what skill needs to change or improve you have a greater chance of experiencing improvement. After a while the rewards of filming will slow decrease because your eye might not be seeing the foundational skills that must be addressed to effect continual change. This is where coaching support can be huge! Over time we rely too much on video to stay on course. Next, taking a break from recording our attempts and practice using our internal camera becomes fruitful. This change in process allows us to blend in our reactions to our execution of the tasks. Again naming the specific skill that needs to be a addressed increases the odds of improvement. Once the learning of reviewing your internal camera is maxed out return to the external camera.
Like any tool, it’s worth lies in knowing how and when to utilize it efficiently.
To review a video effectively, figure out what you want to learn or improve.
START: The beginning of the climb sets the tone for the entire ascent.
RESTS: When and how you take a moment at a rest stance can offer insight on your recovery opportunity.
SPEED: Finding the right climbing pace is crucial for managing the challenge effectively.
DIFFICULTY: When faced with challenging sections, a climber's response can determine the outcome.
FAILURE: Climbers may fail due to a variety of reasons, such as lack of technique, endurance or power.
SUCCESS: Reflecting on successful climbs helps in identifying areas of improvement for future endeavors or gain confidence in your good choices you made.
Basic Tips
Get a functional tripod to help the quality of the footage.
Practice getting video by setting a goal to record “X” number of climbs.
Review the video at home after your day. (This can help you focus on what the video is showing you.)
Review the video after the attempt. (Your experience is fresh and can further enhance the review of the video.)
Scroll the key sections of the video to better understand WHY something happened and WHAT you might try to resolve it next attempt.
