“Fear leads to anger… Anger leads to hate… Hate leads to suffering…”   Yoda   One of my favourite quotes of all time! And it is so very relevant in the world of climbing… Fear of a route or situation holds us back, which if we are competitive in any way, will anger us. The anger we feel leads to hating that climb or situation. The hatred of those climbs or situations forces us to avoid them at all costs which leads to suffering in the way of being held back in our strife for better performance as we are not... Continue reading

A topic with thousands of different avenues, paths and directions. What does fear actually mean in climbing? Does it help or hinder us? What are the different types of fear? As a climbing coach I am covering the dillema of fear with climbers of all ages and abilities basically every day of the week. There is too much out there to put into one small blog, but at least I can make a start at it. Falling The biggest barrier I have found facing 95% of the climbers I coach is the fear of falling. For everyone the challenge to overcome... Continue reading

Something that has always fascinated me is what makes people good at whatever they choose to do. When we see amazing artists, musicians and athletes doing what it is that they do best, how is it that they came to be in this state? I've been immersing myself in literature recently in an attempt to find out more. As someone who is always on the lookout for anything that will give me (and my pupils) an added boost in performance on the wall, this area of understanding is of much interest to me. My good friend and faithful photographer, Will Carroll... Continue reading

Something that has always fascinated me is what makes people good at whatever they choose to do. When we see amazing artists, musicians and athletes doing what it is that they do best, how is it that they came to be in this state? I've been immersing myself in literature recently in an attempt to find out more. As someone who is always on the lookout for anything that will give me (and my pupils) an added boost in performance on the wall, this area of understanding is of much interest to me. My good friend and faithful photographer, Will Carroll... Continue reading

NATALIE BERRY'S EXPERIENCES Mental training is a massive area in climbing, yet it is all too often overlooked. You may think that your bulging biceps, massive forearms and impeccable technique will get you up the wall no problem - but what happens when fear, nerves and doubt begin to creep into the equation? I have been competing for over ten years now and am just starting to venture into the world of outdoor redpoint and onsighting. What are the differences between these two (or three) disciplines? Competitions I find competitions relatively stress-free and very rarely do I give up or get... Continue reading