Slow transitions drain energy. This week’s drill will help you climb fluidly and efficiently.
Hi there,
How has climbing drills changed your climbing? I’d love to hear from you – please respond to this email and let me know.
The drill for this week, at first glance may seem… strange. But it had a profound affect on my training and I’m hoping it’ll have a similar affect on you.
I vividly remember the first time I tried the Metronome Climbing drill. It was a revelation in how I approached my climbing rhythm.
Before, I used to focus solely on the music playing in the gym, letting the beat dictate my mood but not necessarily my movements.When I integrated the metronome into my climb, it was like discovering a new language my body could speak.
This drill taught me to move faster and stay in rhythm, not just with the music but with my body.
By timing my moves to the beat, I found a new level of fluidity and control. It wasn’t easy at first—staying true to the beat while climbing forced me to think on my feet and make rapid, yet controlled, decisions.
But with each session, I felt more in tune with my movements and more confident in my ability to tackle challenging routes.Now, whenever I feel out of sync or stuck in a rut, I return to this drill.
This week’s drill: Metronome Climbing
The “Metronome Climbing” drill offers a unique way to practice timing and rhythmic movement while climbing. By aligning your moves to the beat of a metronome or a song, this drill adds an extra layer of complexity and fun to your climbing session. It will improve timing, rhythm, and fluidity in your climbing motions, which will help with mental calmness while climbing.
Challenge Rating:Medium Equipment Needed:Metronome/song with a steady beat
Identifying Routes
- For your first time completing this drill, choose a route that you’re familiar with and can complete with little effort.
- After you get the hang of this drill, find a route that you’re familiar with but still find challenging.
Instructions
- Setup: Start the metronome or play the selected song within the audible range.
- Beat Alignment: Start climbing and time your movements to coincide with the beat or tick of the metronome.
- Focus on Fluidity: Make each move as fluid as possible, ensuring that it’s in sync with the rhythm.
- Route Completion: Complete the climb while maintaining the timing.
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Evaluation: Reflect on how well you were able to maintain the rhythm and what sections were particularly challenging.
Notes
- Staying true to the metronome’s beat will likely push you outside of your comfort zone, forcing you to think quickly and make rapid, yet controlled movements.
- Keeping your breath to the beat can be challenging but helpful to maintaining fluidity.
The “Metronome Climbing” drill is an excellent way to break out of monotonous climbing patterns and inject some musicality into your sessions. As you get more comfortable with this drill, try varying the BPM to challenge your adaptability and improve your timing.
By the way, this drill came from our book published earlier this year, 77 Drills to Help You Climb Better, which you can learn more about here.
Quick Tip
Using music for this drill can be more enjoyable than a metronome. Climbing to music, regardless of the beats per second, can be helpful. In fact, climbing a route at one beat and then again at another can make the drill even more noticeably effective for improving your climbing.
Super Secret Project
I’d love to say that this project is running smoothly and without any challenges, but that isn’t the case. Maybe you’ll relate to my recent struggles. This past week was quite challenging for me due to PMS. My energy levels and motivation took a hit, making it difficult to maintain my usual climbing routine.
As if that wasn’t enough, this week I’m traveling and won’t have access to a climbing gym, so it’s a “deload” week for me. This break comes sooner than I expected and, ironically, aligns with the days I usually feel the strongest. But, it is what it is. I’m using this time to rest and recharge, and I’ll be back on the wall soon with even more energy and determination.
Takeaway: It’s important to listen to your body and be flexible with your training schedule. Life can throw unexpected challenges your way, and it’s okay to take a step back when needed. Use these moments to rest, reflect, and come back stronger. Remember, progress isn’t always linear, and sometimes the breaks we take are just as crucial as the climbs we conquer.
Read more about my Super Secret Project here.
Got questions or specific aspects of my journey you’re curious about? I’d love to hear from you! Your questions will help shape the content of future updates, making sure we’re tackling the topics most relevant to our climbing community.
Submit your questions here or respond to this email.
Beta Break: Insights and Inspiration
Explore curated insights and stories that challenge and inspire your climbing journey.
Top 11 Mental Techniques for Overcoming Fear in Climbing
5 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR CLIMBING EFFICIENCY (AND CLIMBING WAY HARDER!)
The Six Drills Pro Climbers Use to Stay Relaxed on the Wall
Happy climbing!
Best,
Sara
