“I may have a crisis of masculinity and join the queue for the fingerboard”
In the Autumn of 2003 I was sitting is a class room trying in vain to listen to a lecture from a middle aged Canadian kayaker. After staring out of the window for an hour the lecture had passed I packed up and sped off in my little red Mini. The lesson; the importance of reviewing. Maybe what follows is what he spoke of. See Sir, despite my gazing out of the window at the view I did listen.
In New Zealand I picked up two driving styles. Firstly I have developed the most cautious driving style. If Citroen are looking to re-test he famous egg driving in a ploughed field test then I'm now your man. In part this is because the UK roads are barely wide enough to drive a donkey, but also critically New Zealand changed my attitude. "Take your time and enjoy the ride!" Now have my camera ready at every corner waiting for 'the view'.
Secondly, and more interestingly, I have a new Climbing Driving Style. What!! A new CDS!! Re-reading an old article on CDSs recently made me think. Within our community we have Front wheeled all arms dyno monkeys, Rear wheeled Johnny Dawes esq all legers and 4x4ers the all round Ondra Spiders....three types. Climbers from each typeset have smashed the highest grades, most futuristic lines and shocked the world time and time again all at the highest level. It appears regardless of style those who go with their body can all reach the same world class level. Why is this? My answer: we are all different! Through our climbing we can express these differences and become more accomplished climbers, whatever our goals may be.
So much time is spent trying to train our little fingers in our hunt for the golden goose of climbing progression we lose our way and forget to climb. At any indoor wall who is climbing the 'hardest'? In general it is the one who is making the least fuss about it, going with the flow and relaxing. Generally it is not the topless wonder who's power screams appear when cutting lose on jugs. Often the one who doesn't cut lose, feet on and moving the hips is the one. More and more often this grade smasher is not a big muscular dude.
As I have discussed with many people now I think a lot can be learned from watching and climbing with girls. Why, many of them are expert 4x4ers, relaxing, using Rear wheel and much as Front wheel drive. It is no wonder the so called 'grade gap' is closing and the girls 9a/34 onsight now passed. Girls have the technique, they have joined the queue for the fingerboard and crucially they are chilled out. So then boys relax, lets all try to climb like the girls.
For me apart from my new found cautious gentle driving style, New Zealand taught me to relax on my feet. Who knows, I may become a rear wheel drive weekend warrior with my hexes clanging or I may have a crisis of masculinity and join the queue for the fingerboard. All I can really say is months of limestone bouldering has done wonders for the footwork. So despite my crimp opening at every opportunity I still haven't fallen off a slab since being home. Maybe gravity is on my side or maybe I learned to relax a little.
This origianally apeared on my Joe Ward Rock Climbing Blog In November 2013. I am pleased to be sharing it again here.