Prowess Climbing Coaching

Point of note for the instructors in the audience: not all work is paid.

I've stopped off for a scouting mission at Carreg yr Ogof, near Llyn Trawsfynydd in South Snowdonia today to check feasibility for a venture I have with a friend in the pipeline. Honestly, I wasn't really up for climbing but I needed to know:

▪️ What's the approach and where does it go?
▪️ what are the landings like? Are they suitable for the group?
▪️ What are the climbs like?
▪️ How fast does it dry here and what's the aspect like?

Sure you can read about things in advance and get information from others and I'm certainly not saying I'd never visit a venue for the first time with a client. But nothing beats checking out places in advance.

There is SO MUCH WORK that happens in the background, you wouldn't believe. And while yes I did have a good session in the end, it took me a long time to get going and I would've rather been elsewhere when I was being battered by the wind at the start.

FOR THE CLIENTS AMONG YOU, you can take this as a sign that, chances are, any session with me has been thoroughly checked out before we get there.

One of my favourite topics, this one: Goodhart's Law states that when a metric becomes a target, it ceases to be a good metric.

So when you're measuring your climbing progress through climbing your way through the grades? That's a measure of your improvement. Turn one grade into a target? It's no longer measuring your improvement.

Now the one thing I didn't say in the video, which is very important, is that IT'S OKAY TO USE METRICS AS TARGETS. I'm not saying you can't. What I AM saying is not to conflate the two. If you do - with physical training such as weighted deadhangs for example - it can actually HINDER progress by distracting you from that which you were trying to achieve in the first place.

It's all described in much more depth in an article called 'Goodhart's Grade? Fine But How Long Could He Deadhang' on the Resource Centre on prowesscoaching.co.uk (link in bio)

I actually recorded this on Monday afternoon but didn't get to finishing and publishing until Tuesday evening but the point still stands.

It wasn't that long ago that it would've been seen as sacrilege to go climbing indoors when outside was an available option but that is exactly what I did. And I was not alone. Granted, you'd be hard pressed to call it busy but there were several of us, all outdoor climbers, who had made the conscious choice to go to the wall/gym instead.

In many ways, it's a demonstration of progress for climbing as there are many different reasons why someone might prefer this as an option.

I've dug in to some of the more pertinent ones on the latest article on the Resource Centre (link in bio), coining a new term in the process: Crag Guilt, or the feeling you get climbing inside when you could've gone outdoors instead.

It's a common feeling that we really should be challenging. Because climbing is climbing, it almost doesn't matter where we are. And sometimes, it's a case of taking the convenient option now to have a better experience or build to something bigger later.

Check out prowesscoaching.co.uk for a better read

Some musings during yesterday's bouldering session in the pass as I went to try and finally finish off what is possibly the hardest 7b I've ever completed: Northern Soul sds.

I'm kind of impressed at myself that I was able to actually talk through this one while walking up the side of the mountain...

Oh and if you're interested in seeing the send video, check out .pete

Dates for COACHING WORKSHOPS have now been released!

Topics include:
▪️ MOVEMENT MASTERCLASS - principles of movement that filter through to all your climbing
▪️ ANALYSIS AND SELF REFLECTION - models that will help you to improve your own climbing
▪️ FLAGGING MASTERCLASS - mastering standing on one leg on the wall
▪️ DEEP DIVE INTO MOTIVATION - seminal theories on motivation and how they really work for you

Workshops are now TWO HOURS with daytime, evening and weekend times available.

And all for the price of £40 (per workshop)

To book your place, drop me a message, email or WhatsApp

[Note: these are all currently running at on North Wales. To arrange workshops closer to you, please get in touch]

Play time! Playing a game with an old client on the Kilter Board today at and having a great time!

In truth, I wanted to test out the exercise but I did have heaps of fun. Were my dyno's particularly good? Not really and with more time, I'd refine and improve them.

But there's something to be said for learning through exploration and play. It can be incredibly effective; shown wonderfully by the number of people who, having seen the obscure arrangement we left up, said 'oo! That sounds good! I'll try that!'

Of course, if dynamic movement isn't your thing and you'd like to improve, please get in touch. I'm normally much better than this. Honest