Climbing and emotional state

[dryad]

Something happened to seriously, massively piss me off.

doesn't even begin to describe how pissed off I am right now. So since I'm going climbing this evening, I was hoping I could channel this anger to crank harder.

 

Has anyone had success with that, or does being in a bad mood just knock you out of the zone? Generally, how does emotional state affect your climbing? I would guess that as one gains experience, it becomes less of a factor.

[RuMR]

I can't climb worth anything when i'm pissed or depressed...just don't want to do anything...

 

this is with the caveat that i suck anyway...

[Eerie]

I have never been able to channel anger into better climbing. All that seems to happen is I get pissed off even more as I keep flailing from not being able to concentrate on climbing. Best thing for me to do is go for a strenuous run and do an extra long stretching sesh afterwards.

[RuMR]

Two different things: Getting pissed/frustrated at a route or going climbing after something's torqued you...

 

I find gettin' pissed at a route lets me climb harder...going climbing when you're already screwed up sucks though...

[Paco]

Being really pissed off does little to help my technical climbing ability. Usually I end up climbing like shit and getting even more pissed off. The type of climbing that works well for me when I'm really angry are those long non-technical slogs. I find those climbs that take minimal technical ability, but large amounts of energy are great climbs to do when mad. That way the extra energy from being angry can get channeled and dissipated in physical exertion.

 

Hope this helps. Sucks that you are pissed off.

[ChocChick]

I always climb or run a lot harder when I am ticked off. For me, it feels really good to release the stress of that anger with a good physical workout. Although, gym climbing can irritate me even more if it is too noisy or crowded. But outdoor climbing is soothing and the cranking is much better. When I am really ticked off, a good, hard, long run makes me feel depleted and strong at the same time.

 

Hope your day gets much better, dryad.

[allthumbs]

masturbation works for me

[skyclimb]

I find while mountaineering when i have depleted all my reserves, and am running on nothing my mind rehashes things that make me angry to keep moving. This is the "motivation" that fuels my fire when nothing is left. I don't conciously do it, but this is my bodies natural response.

However when rock climbing for me the essence is to be loose, and very free. When angry you trap your mind, and can't break frames. This for me is the sole fo rock-climbing. I don't climb when angry cause i just worsen the situation, and am wasting my time.

[RuMR]

isn't your jpg the eye of the hulk???

[Sphinx]

I find that working out on a stairmaster or the like is best for releasing anger. Technical stuff rarely does it.

[ScottP]

RuMR said:

isn't your jpg the eye of the hulk???

I thought it was

[Paul_K]

I find on technical climbing I need all my focus and concentration on the climbing. If I’m pissed at someone, they and not the rock are on my mind and I climb like crap. (Or I should say crapper than usual.)

 

I’m with Paco – a non technical slog works best to blow of steam.

 

[sk]

what works for me is to put my emotions asside while I climb. When I go back to pick whatever was bothering me back up, it is either gone or smaller and doesn't bother me so much anymore.

 

[vegetablebelay]

Check your PMS!

[Mr._Natural]

I was reading the Walt Shipley memorail piece a while back and he had some pretty impressive sending streaks that coincided with tough break ups.

[Dru]

I have climbed hard when angry and climbed hard when happy but when totally mellowed out am more likely to sit in the sunny meadows blowing soap bubbles than climb hard

 

Anger works for Twight "My life is a seething pit of anger, rage, hate and piss and blood...I solo the north face of the Aiguille de Sketchmatique in 5 hours"

[dryad]

Dru said:

Anger works for Twight "My life is a seething pit of anger, rage, hate and piss and blood...I solo the north face of the Aiguille de Sketchmatique in 5 hours"

Yeah, Twight kinda came to mind when I posted this question. I was wondering if it worked for anyone else.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

The aggro fucks up the flow. Can't focus on key stuff like staying calm and de-pumped and workin' the feet and all that when you're keen on smashing something.

 

Dr. Flash Amazing advises smashing whatever you need to smash or bashing whomever you need to bash, having a beer or six and a good night's sleep, then hitting the crags. Otherwise your anger is just going to cause you to plummet off your proj, which will just make you more irate, causing you to throw your shoes in the river and curse your belayer, and then you'll just be more pissed, and it'll all be downhill from there.

[sayjay]

speaking from direct experience are we DFA?

 

driad, i'm with the multiple other folks who say they don't climb well when pissed. go for a run. stomp up a slog-of-a-mtn. leave the technical stuff to better days.

 

my head needs to be all ommanipadmeom for me to really climb well, and when it's full of anger and spitfire i just get up there and flail and get more pissed off. and yeah, maybe end up throwing my shoes in the river... or perhaps just taking a good whipper

 

feel better !

[Paco]

dryad said:

Dru said:

Anger works for Twight "My life is a seething pit of anger, rage, hate and piss and blood...I solo the north face of the Aiguille de Sketchmatique in 5 hours"

Yeah, Twight kinda came to mind when I posted this question. I was wondering if it worked for anyone else.

 

I think Twight climbed more out of despair and anger at himself, not because someone else pissed him off.

[cman]

if it is a woman that has got you pissed it is a sure bet that you crank hard, or at least get really pissed at a rock, or plastic if that is the case. either way it will give you something new to be pissed about.

[Dru]

Paco said:

dryad said:

Dru said:

Anger works for Twight "My life is a seething pit of anger, rage, hate and piss and blood...I solo the north face of the Aiguille de Sketchmatique in 5 hours"

Yeah, Twight kinda came to mind when I posted this question. I was wondering if it worked for anyone else.

 

I think Twight climbed more out of despair and anger at himself, not because someone else pissed him off.

 

Read Kiss or Kill, then see if you still say that.

[E-rock]

I find that sometimes I get reckless when climbing pissed. After many instances of going out skiing and climbing while angry I made a rule for myself...

 

Don't channel anger into something you love.

 

But I guess if I never broke that rule, I'd never have anywhere to displace my anger, and some of the most incredible music has been recorded by musicians who were suffering through difficult periods in life.

However, I do find that hiking is really good at relieving stress and frustration, because it requires so little skill, and suffers little from loss of technique.

[chelle]

Dryad - are you trying to channel your anger or are you motivated to prove something by the person that pissed you off? For me blowing off steam by doing something physical usually is a good thing, but I get spanked everytime I set out to prove something...especially if it's to prove someone wrong.

 

If I'm blowing off steam climbing is sometimes a good thing cause I have to focus on the problem at hand and sometimes I just forget what I was upset about. I guess my point is not to climb while distracted. That's just dangerous.

[Paco]

While we are on the subject... work has been pissing me off recently and today it's really fucking annoying. Time to go mutha phukin' climbin'!