"When you hit a plateau you have to be willing to get a little bit worse before you get massively better."
This is a quick update on my current climbing standard post-CB.
I have shifted my focus from my core-strengthening to upper body strengthening. I am now putting in more time on doing pull ups and push ups to help sustain me on steeper climbing walls. I can also finally finish harder boulder problems, closer to my standard pre-CB. However, they do take me about 3-4 sessions, considering the 3-hour limit on most climbing sessions and my reduced endurance.
I've been frustrated with myself because I feel like I ought to be improving faster. I want to finish the sets in a single session instead. It bothers me that I go to the climbing gym with so many unfinished business and with so little time and energy to spare.
Adil did point out that those aren't my biggest roadblock right now.
He said that I am climbing from a place of fear - the fear of not finishing the problem. He said that I'm currently not looking at my boulder problems with the "I will take you down!!" attitude. I didn't realize that until he pointed it out.
This fear then starts to manifests itself physiologically - I am not breathing evenly when I climb, my chest feels tight when I come down from the route, I over-grip my holds, etc. Even if I do not recognise this self-imposed pressure and anxiety, it's there and it is affecting the way I climb negatively. I'm not in the zone.
To be completely transparent, I am not sure what is an effective action plan to overcome this. More so because it feels like this needs to be a mindset shift that must come from a high level introspection and a greater understanding of my own motivations. I can't just PT this issue away. I need to ask myself "What am I trying to prove? To whom? Is it to myself? Is it to others? Am I suppose to prove anything at all?"
How can I get my flow back?