Not a typical bodybuilding post, but I was reading a funny article about climber psychotyping with a clever approach. I got a good chuckle at the list, and found this one particularly applicable:

“Trainers ostensibly train in order to climb harder, but can lose sight of climbing and become obsessed with the cleansing act of self-mortification through extreme physical activity. This subtype is common amongst mountaineers and alpinists, as masochistic tendencies is integral to these types of climbing.”
COUCH CRUSHERS TO WIDGETEERS: 10 CLIMBING PERSONALITY TYPES IDENTIFIED – The Stone Mind blog

So yeah. That’s totally true. Some days I’m training away and look out the window at a particularly attractive cliff near my house that’s never been developed. I tell myself someday – but know I’d probably rather ride a stairmaster than pop off chossy holds.

Is that so bad? I began this training quite a few years ago after a miserable ice climbing class during which I could barely haul myself up 40′ of WI3 without sewing-machine legs and hands sliding off my tools in spite of my wrist leashes. I had a really good year leading up to summer 2010 during which I was all around the world attempting climbs both group and solo, but minorly psychologically damaged by my Liberty Ridge near-death experience. Somewhere in the middle of that I discovered that I’m slightly better at training for climbing than I am at climbing itself.

No, it’s not so bad. I can share my insights with you, and give you a few shots of boost to get your rockets firing.