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General Climbing Discussion

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The Art of Onsight Trad Climbing 10-Nov-2005 At 2:30:12 PM dr_fil_good

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1) If trad onsight climbing is your deal, how do you train? What techniques do you find most effective?

Basically, when I’m going to go for a ‘hard’ trad onsight (my idea is a g 16-20 but that’s ‘cause I’ve only been tradding for 11 months now) I have a set program that goes over the week. Each morning I wake up with 1 hour of training (pushups, sit ups, pull-ups etc.) but that’s not out of the norm, the only difference is I don’t make any excuses if it’s raining, I’ll visit the gym two nights in that week and just do laps on routes of the grade + 1 or + 2 that I’m about to do, the other three days of the week consist of two nights out on the rock around two to three grades lower than what I’m looking to onsight, and one night just chillin’ and illin’ (or working if I have to), then Saturday comes – I do a trad 16 and redpoint an 18 or so, then it’s time for the onsight (or two).

2) How do you differentiate the emotions and feelings you experience on a trad onsight vs. your first crack at a bolted line?

I’m only new to sport climbing so … can’t really say, I normally see sport routes as redpoints and consider them considerably harder for the grade – something about trad climbing that makes me more relaxed (normally), probably different people.

3) Where does the future of the onsight trad lead appear to be going? (does not include preplaced trad gear) What role will it play for future generations?

With any luck it’ll be only available at trad specific crags … I do like the idea of sporting a lot more. And long live Arapiles. I’d like to see a lot more new routing done on trad not with bolts.

4) What sort of mental prepartion and strategies do you employ when you are getting ready for an onsight trad lead at the edge (or beyond) of your current abilities?

Don’t drink the night before. Get a good night’s sleep. Only go for it if you have been climbing well all week and your warm up felt too easy. Other than that I’m still trying to get my head around mental preparation – it’s definitely an area that I struggle in – I find the hardest part of a climb is maintaining a positive attitude and remaining calm when run out on a tough route. This is definitely where I come undone – and once I come undone here I find it very tough to complete the route on the same day, normally come back the next day after a rest and with a positive attitude and get it easily whereas I was cursing in a rather profuse manner the previous day (I’m glad this isn’t a kiddies sport!!!)

5) How do you get to that next level? The next grade?

Work a route at that grade on top rope, one that you don’t care about getting a lame redpoint on it, until you can do it with relative ease, get the redpoint, then braceyourself for the next level of climbing ‘cause you’re going to fall a lot and have your ego stomped on for a while!!! And everytime you finish a climb you'll be checking your gear for wear ... it gets expensive too ... but oh so worth it when you get that next onsight!!!

6) Can the leader fall? Has this ethos changed?

Hell no, and I sure as hell hope not!!!! FFS!