How to raise onsight ability?

Tell me how you got out of 5.10 and into Eldo 5.11R, been here for a while

A famous climber, Sven Lavransen, came up with a really innovative 4-plan for flashes. He was interested in somewhat harder grades, but I don't see why it should not work for something softer. I recommend searching for the description. If you fail to find anything, his good friend, Aleks Zebastian, is around

agreed with @amarius:

- calling Sven Lavransen
- Paging Dr. Aleks Zebastian

It would be very valuable to get their opinion on this, despite the difference in grade and sport/trad.

Mike Nevko wrote:agreed with @amarius: - calling Sven Lavransen - Paging Dr. Aleks Zebastian It would be very valuable to get their opinion on this, despite the difference in grade and sport/trad.

I believe Aleks is only a doctor in the romance department. The man is becoming somewhat of a unicorn on here.

Pull harder.

Hahahaha. These forums crack me up.

If you haven't tried periodization:

rockclimberstrainingmanual.…

I've found refreshing my forearms at the crux usually works.

I heard from some old trad master that climbing more often really helps with getting better at climbing.

But generally I just hang out on Mountain Project waiting for someone to point out a miracle routine or product that can do it for me.

Here are a few tips:
1. Make an effort to climb at least one route you've never been on before every time you climb. The best way to get better at something is to practice it.
2. One of the keys to onsighting harder routes is reading cruxes. When scoping a new route, try to figure out where the crux(es) and rests are before you leave the ground. If there's a crux near the ground, spend a few minutes looking at it. Try to see all the holds, figure out which ones you're going to use and how you think you'll do the crux, and have a plan for where you'll place gear. You'll usually have to make some adjustments, but this is a good strategy nonetheless.
3. Often when onsighting a route, you won't do the crux in the easiest possible way. There's nothing wrong with this. I frequently see someone realize mid crux that they've missed a hold and are doing the sequence wrong. They try to downclimb and redo the crux the easier way but by the time they do this, they've wasted too much energy. Downclimbing from the middle of a crux is only a good idea if (i) there's a huge rest you can downclimb to or (ii) falling is not an option because of bad protection. Generally just going for it will yield better success rates. This is also related to
4. Be comfortable falling on gear. When you're scared, you waste energy. When you waste energy, you can't climb as hard.
5. Place gear efficiently. The first piece you grab off your harness should be the right piece at least 80% of the time. The only way to develop this skill is by climbing a lot. Maybe you can focus on getting the gear right the first time on easier climbs.
6. Get rid of the sport climber mentality. (I don't know if you have this mentality currently) To me, "sport climber mentality" is making little to no effort to remember (i) the location of crux holds (ii) the crux sequence (iii) clipping stances (iv) what gear you placed last time. If you've been on a climb even once before, you should remember (or at least have a pretty good idea about) all of these things. It takes practice and effort, but remembering sequences and crux locations/gear is important because it helps you read cruxes quickly and efficiently on climbs you're attempting to onsight.

well climbing a ton works.....

Don't know what ELDO 5.11R is but I suspect its just like all "R" rated climbs....

you can't really hang much so you had better get a on-site.... or go to hospital.

one of my famous climbing friends pointed out this fact in the "Bachar- Yearian video made by Cole Gibson a few years back "... I trained really hard, getting to the point where I could climb overhanging knobs for one hour at a stretch. You dont want to pump out on the B&Y" ........

try that

This should help. Aleks Zebastian gives a few suggestions.

Good stuff, right here! mountainproject.com/v/great…

Derrick W wrote: 6. Get rid of the sport climber mentality. (I don't know if you have this mentality currently) To me, "sport climber mentality" is making little to no effort to remember (i) the location of crux holds (ii) the crux sequence (iii) clipping stances (iv) what gear you placed last time. If you've been on a climb even once before, you should remember (or at least have a pretty good idea about) all of these things. It takes practice and effort, but remembering sequences and crux locations/gear is important because it helps you read cruxes quickly and efficiently on climbs you're attempting to onsight.

I think this is the exact opposite of the sport climber mentality. Sport climbing tends to focus on projecting a route much more than trad climbing, and projecting a route is exactly putting all your effort into remembering the location of crux holds, crux sequences, clipping sequences, subtle body positions, and every little detail of the climb. Having a sport climbing mentality is all about learning every little intimate detail of the route so that you can send it.

Not that any of the above helps with onsighting, I just wanted to point it out. If you want to onsight harder you need to a) get stronger, b) improve your technique, and c) learn to read routes. That's about it.

Derrick W wrote:H Downclimbing from the middle of a crux is only a good idea if (i) there's a huge rest you can downclimb to or (ii) falling is not an option because of bad protection. Generally just going for it will yield better success rates.

I'd say, practice downclimbing and creative resting until they are your defaults rather than falling off. Thus you are training to NOT fall off on dangerous R sections where you could get hurt, and you retain onsights rather than turning them into projects to be redpointed.

Same way you get into the building at 881 Seventh Avenue., New York, New York.

The best way to improve onsight abilities is to quit the redpoint game!

Good stuff. I don't have a sport climber mentality, I just find that I often will fall maybe once on a five ten trad line, finish it and never return. I obviously know that there are many ways to work a route and get a redpoint, I just don't like that. I agree with getting good at placing gear first time, accepting descent but not bomber placements, and not lacing it up as all ways to not pump out. Basically, I think I just need to climb better