An injury, stress at work, or simply a lack of motivation – there can be many reasons for a climbing break. Learn more about the attitude you need to survive a break and master your return to climbing here.
Those who have been climbing for a long time often cannot imagine life without the obligatory after-work session in the gym or the weekend on the crag. If a climbing break is then necessary – perhaps because of a Injury or everyday life gets in the way – it is annoying at best and bad for our mental health at worst.
Having to take a break from climbing affects almost everyone who does this sport for a long time.
Josh Hadley, Lattice Training
Mindset Coach Flo Tilley tells as a guest at Lattice training from the challenges of short or long breaks from climbing. As an expert in mental training, she also has some tips to help you get back into climbing after a break.
Use the climbing break as an opportunity
First of all, Tilley advises seeing a climbing break as an opportunity, despite all the frustration: "Even a forced break creates more space for other things – other sports, but also more time for friends, family or yourself."
If social interaction takes place particularly during climbing, it is particularly important to maintain these contacts: outside of the sporting environment and during other activities.
Especially active climbers, when faced with a longer break, are often afraid that they won't be able to return to their usual level, or that they'll only be able to do so slowly. This is perfectly normal, says Flo Tilley – but often there's a subconscious pressure to perform behind it, which is especially important to reflect on during the break.
Why am I afraid of becoming "weak"? What do I value more in climbing – my own performance or the joy of the sport and the environment?
Flo Tilley
Getting back into work: patience instead of frustration
While shorter breaks of a few weeks at home can keep you reasonably fit, longer breaks are primarily a mental challenge for passionate climbers. When it's finally time to get back into climbing, the first few weeks are especially crucial to avoid having to take another injury break.
Especially in the first three weeks it is important to avoid the risk of injury.
Lattice training
The reason: Those who climb, boulder, or train too hard too quickly after a long break expose themselves to an increased risk of new injuries. "This applies not only to the frequency and duration of the sessions, but also to their intensity," explains Lattice expert Josh Hadley.
The temptation to go full throttle after a break is, of course, huge.
Josh Hadley, Lattice Training
When self-criticism takes over
The most important measures for a successful (and long-term) return to climbing are summarized: set realistic and measurable goals, manage your training load responsibly and keep self-criticism in check as much as possible.
The latter point is often the most difficult – but mental coach Flo Tilley has a tip: "It can help to transfer negative thoughts about your own performance to a fictitious alter ego – this creates distance from the often excessive self-criticism that occurs when returning to climbing after a break."
Video: Tips for getting back into climbing from Lattice Training
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Credits cover photo: Lattice training