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How mental scripts affect our climbing

Original Post
Don McGrath · · fort collins, CO · Joined May 2008 · Points: 40

I thought I'd share this article about how mental scripts are formed and why they matter in our rock climbing performance.
masterrockclimber.com/scrip…

I hope you enjoy it.

You can find other training related info at
masterrockclimber.com/

Thanks,
Don

Mikey Seaman · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

One of my favorite mental scripts comes from David Attenborough's narration of a nature film: Fortune favors the bold. It's a little less reckless than my other favorite: when in doubt, run it out. I still use both to remind myself not to spend too much time fiddling with gear at a crumby stance if I could possibly find a better stance a few more moves up. I'm also usually rewarded when I pull through a crux without gear and then find a good stance to put something in or at least get a decent rest and collect my thoughts.

Nice post. I was expexcting more about how to use mential scripts, though. The post was more literal than I expected, getting into the phsyiology of how the brain works.

I saw a thread about promoting one's blog. This post would certainly qualify for that, unless it becomes sidetracked into what I thought it was : a thread about using mental scripts in climbing and how others may use them, or breathing or other techniques to remain calm while out on the sharp end, with people posting their own thoughts, methods and helpful scripts.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065
youtube.com/watch?v=U7dPa2M…

"top rope ... im on toooop roooope ... top rope top rope top rope ...."

;)
Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061

Mental scripts?

I don't suggest climbing while on Haldol, Welburtrin, Effexor, Thorazine, Prozac, Abilify, or other SSRIs or SNRIs.

Christian RodaoBack · · Tucson, AZ · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 1,486
mikeinvt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 55

Will S, are you kidding? Who doesn't climb on an SSRI or SNRI these days?

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

Holy shit, that young man is a stud. Fucken awesome.

Nate K · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 240
scientificamerican.com/arti…

The expression on your face might affect your performance in the same way
Healyje · · PDX · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 422

I don't disagree with the basic proposition or concept, but personally find the common notion of a 'script' a bit too static, monolithic and isolated to adequately describe what's going on in the 'automation' / learning process. As a [practical] 'distillation' it may find resonance, however, my concern would be over-thinking patterns may not necessarily be the best or fastest way to instill or infuse them.

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2
bearbreeder wrote: "top rope ... im on toooop roooope ... top rope top rope top rope ...." ;)
Love that. I wouldn't want to be on belay for that climb, though. *shudder*
Healyje · · PDX · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 422
Adding Movement to 'Dry Run' Mental Imagery Enhances Performance

This is the type of visualization that may have some utility in certain non-onsight circumstances - boulder problems and short crux sequences - but in general I've personally always found trying to 'remember' your way up a route is almost always a mistake.
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
Healyje wrote:Adding Movement to 'Dry Run' Mental Imagery Enhances Performance This is the type of visualization that may have some utility in certain non-onsight circumstances - boulder problems and short crux sequences - but in general I've personally always found trying to 'remember' your way up a route is almost always a mistake.
Healy- you are always so down on visualization! Although the very article you cite suggests it works.

Anyway, I was reading a book on the neurocognition of dance, and there was a chapter written by a dance coach describing his experience with a talented and promising young dancer. It never occurred to me that dance was dangerous, but apparently it is, as this brilliant young dancer did a flippy twisty thing and shattered his leg. Should have ended his career and any further injury would certainly be the end of walking, much less dancing. So the dance master forbids the student from physical practice of new routines and insists on repeated visualizations until the student can perfectly visualize his entire performance. Only then was he allowed to do the dance, with the expectation that his performance would be flawless. It worked well enough that the student went on to win prestigious dancing awards.

Obviously just an anecdotal experience, but the take home for me was an off hand remark the coach made about the real mistake is to visualize the wrong thing. I think this has been my error as I have tended to visualize the look rather than the body feel of various moves.

Not that I think Don is talking about visualization anyway. I believe he is referring to automating behavior, which is a pretty well established concept.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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