Training for Climbing, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance (How To Climb Series)

the scores from each question in figure 2.1 (below), and then add up each column to obtain a final score for each area of the performance triad. Compare your mental, technical, and physical scores to gain a sense of which area is your strong or weak aspect of the performance triad. If all three areas are within five points of one another, congratulate yourself for being a climber of balanced abilities. It is more common, however, to discover that one aspect of performance is much lower scoring than the other two. This area is your major weakness, and the most effective training program for you is one that targets this area for improvement.

     
    Figure 2.1 Score Yourself
     

    Next, review each question of the self-assessment test and mark a star next to those on which you scored a 3 or less. Each of these low-scoring questions identifies a specific element of your climbing performance that is holding you back. List on a separate piece of paper or in your training log a brief description of each problem revealed. Sort and group them according to the aspects of the performance triad. As you read through the remainder of the book, keep this list of problem areas nearby and make notes of the exercises and strategies presented that address these weaknesses. Creating such a written “mind map” that displays both the problem areas and the action-oriented solutions will keep these highly powerful keys to better climbing in the forefront of your attention. Only with this awareness will your training remain on track and effective in the weeks and months to come.
    As you move into the goal-setting exercises later in this chapter, refer back to the self-assessment test or your summary mind map. Focus your short- and medium-term training goals on the most dramatic weaknesses identified (the five or six lowest-scoring items). As you recognize improvement in these areas, shift your training focus onto other lower-scoring areas of the self-assessment or retake the entire test and develop a new training strategy based on the new results. For additional training tips that address each question of the self-assessment, see appendix C.

The Cycle of Improvement
     
    Your completed self-assessment is your “boarding pass” to the Cycle of Improvement. This process cycle has three stages: Set goals, take action, and make course corrections (see figure 2.2).
    A successful trip around the cycle gives birth to a new level of climbing performance—the Cycle of Improvement, in fact, becomes a Spiral of Improvement! Occasionally, reassessments are needed to update your goals relative to the “new you” and whatever new issues are now responsible for holding you back from further improvement. These new goals give birth to new actions and even more spectacular results.

     
    Figure 2.2 Cycle of Improvement
     

    Depending on your desires, commitment, and skill level, one trip around the cycle may take anywhere from a couple of months to a year. Signs that you are ready for a reassessment and a new cycle include a plateau in performance, training that feels flat, or a drop in motivation. If you experience more than one of these signs, take a week or two off, then retake the self-assessment test and start a new cycle.
    Remember that there is a big difference between employing the Cycle of Improvement and just going climbing year-round. The latter approach is unfocused and will yield slow results and frequent plateaus in performance. Conversely, a deliberate effort in all three stages—setting new goals, taking intelligent action, and making appropriate course corrections—keeps the spiral going upward toward your ultimate genetic potential.

Goal Setting
     
    Defining specific goals enables you to perform a gap analysis of what actions you must take to bridge the gap (or possibly chasm) between where you are now and what you want to become or achieve. Effective goal setting begins with a pen or pencil and a calendar, training log, or climbing notebook. If you don’t write down your goals, chances are they will remain intangible hopes and dreams that never materialize.
    It’s best to set goals in three time frames: short term (daily), medium term (weekly or monthly), and long term (yearly or “career” goals). Write down the goals in precise terms and with realistic deadlines. And since pictures are even more motivating than words on paper, it’s crucial to create a mental picture (representing the goal) that you can recall in your