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How to get better at climbing by setting goals

You’ve been dedicating time to climbing and training but you feel like your progress is slow and you’re not getting better at climbing? Then this article is for you.

Let’s go through this guide together and find out how goal-setting can improve your climbing performance and help you get better at climbing.

What does getting better at climbing mean to you?

Is it refining your technique, and increasing your strength? Or maybe you want to be more bold, and not have all these doubts while climbing?

These are a few examples of what getting better at climbing can mean.

Whether you’re tackling challenging outdoor sports climbs or going for indoor tricky boulder problems, climbing is just as much a mental challenge as much as it is a physical one.

All you have to do is find your climbing challenge and make a plan.

What is goal setting in climbing?

Goal setting is having a plan of action. It’s like beta for climbing. SMART goal setting is a plan of action that guides towards achieving a specific goal.

Smart stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives that can be attained within a time frame.

Setting goals can be very useful when you’ve lost motivation, you want to improve skills or you are simply curious about what you can achieve.

How to set goals that make you better at climbing?

How to get better at climbing by setting goals

Specificity

Be specific about your goal so you know what you want to achieve. For example, instead of wishing to be a stronger climber, you could just decide “I want to send a V4 boulder problem within the next month”.

Measurable

Keep track of your progress by setting measurable goals. For example, you can plan to climb 10 boulders or complete 5 sets of pull-ups in a day.

Achievable

Check yourself before you wreck yourself. 😂

For example, wanting to climb 4 grades above your current climbing level will probably get you frustrated. This could work best for you as a long-term goal instead. And in the meantime, you can focus on committing to a training plan that aligns with this bigger picture.

That is not to say that you shouldn’t dream big – you should! But keep in mind that it’s also crucial to set deadlines, as per the SMART technique.

To stay motivated, establish milestones based on skills you can develop sooner rather than later.

Relevancy

Make sure your plan aligns with your goals. For example, if you’re nervous about falling, focus on building mental strength and resilience through mental training and coaching.

Time

Giving yourself deadlines will help you have a better structure. For instance, at work, knowing when you have to deliver a project helps you plan and organise accordingly; Rather than being anxious about when your boss is gonna ask for the ‘thing’.

In climbing, setting an end date will not only help with structuring your training plan but it will also help with building momentum.

More examples of what to do when you are not hitting your climbing goal.

YouTube video

Why do climbers need to set climbing goals?

Reason 1: Purposeful climbing

It’s important to have a clear purpose when climbing. Having a plan for your climbing session will make it more productive and focused.

Otherwise, you might just end up climbing whatever looks fun, which is fine for beginners but won’t help you improve your skills, like learning new techniques, building endurance, or tackling more challenging grades.

Reason 2: It boosts motivation

Setting goals in climbing can be a great source of motivation. Having a specific goal in mind before you go to the gym or hop on a project can give you something to look forward to.

Let’s be honest, if you’ve chosen climbing as your sport, you probably enjoy the challenge of pushing yourself, facing setbacks, finding solutions, and putting in the hard work to improve.

Therefore trying hard to achieve something will make it fun again!

Reason 3: It makes it easier to track progress

Climbing goals allow you to track your evolution over time by identifying areas of improvement and pinpointing where more effort is needed.

Reason 4: It builds confidence – which is essential to being successful

Setting goals will eventually lead you to achieve them. Getting something you want that you worked for builds confidence. A confident person is more likely to pursue more challenging climbs with less fear and self-doubt. When you know, you know.

Reason 5: Bye-bye climbing plateaus

At least once in your lifetime, you will experience climbing plateaus where progress seems non-existent despite making the same effort. But wait, “the same effort”? The world is constantly changing, and so are we!

We can’t expect to achieve more success by doing the same thing repeatedly. That’s why, the great thing about setting goals is that you can always observe your progress and adjust accordingly.

For example, if you notice you can do hard moves but right after your batteries run low and you can’t hold on to the wall, it might be beneficial to focus on building power endurance as a goal!

Reason 6: Problem-solving skills

As a beginner, I remember I had a hard time remembering which of my holds were on a project.

So to develop this skill I had to take my time to look at the wall before climbing on it and make a conscious effort to recap the movements and crux.

This approach really improved my problem-solving skills and it makes sense if you think about it – this is similar to what athletes do before a competition.

Tips and tricks to succeed at getting better at climbing

How to get better at climbing by setting goals

Here’s how to enjoy your goal-setting plan and trick yourself into going forward with your plan.

Break down big goals into smaller milestones

Don’t try to go big all at once! Dream big and keep the end goal in mind while you break your goals into small milestones.

This will keep you constantly motivated and bring you a fulfilling experience. And in no time you’ll become a better climber.

If you want to know more about projecting and breaking down goals, read more about it in our guide on projecting and climbing: how to do it and what to expect.

Focus on the journey, not only on the goal

What is your ‘happy’ in your climbing? In my case, it is more about having a good sensation in my body while climbing rather than crushing while feeling I am fighting for my life.

So for this, I know I have to be consistent with my morning yoga and try not to have expectations about how I should be performing while climbing.

So instead of expecting to overall perform and become frustrated when I don’t, I find it works better to focus on a specific goal. Let’s say dynamic moves.

Celebrate small wins

Don’t forget to acknowledge your achievements along the way. Whether it’s reaching one more hold, climbing an extra boulder, or doing one more pull-up, every accomplishment counts.

You deserve it!

And if you want to master how to set effective goals, check this mindful conversation on Successful Goal Setting:

YouTube video

Track your progress

Another smart strategy for improving your climbing performance is keeping a climbing journal or creating an Excel file to document details about each session.

For example, writing down details such as how you felt, what worked, what didn’t, observations, and so on will create valuable insight as well as a resource for tracking your progress.

When you start being tough on yourself, looking back at your journal can help you see how far you’ve come and ensure that your goal-setting remains practical and productive.

Podcasts on goal setting that will help you get better at climbing

A general podcast I find useful on the science on The Science of Setting & Achieving Goals:

YouTube video

Check out this Lattice tips on what you should do if your climbing goals don’t go as planned:

YouTube video

Interesting podcast on reaching goals with Matt Pincus Coaching Session to Help a Climber Send His First 5.13a (7c+).

What goal setting is and what isn’t

We strongly believe the true reward in climbing isn’t just found in ticking off grades – but in the personal satisfaction that comes from being bold enough to pursue your climbing goals.

Setting climbing goals is about embracing what comes with the journey, focusing on growth, and regularly reviewing your progress.

So how about you start setting your climbing goals today and experience how they can transform:

  • Your next indoor climbing session
  • Your route projecting
  • Your approach to boulder problems

Is setting climbing goals essential for indoor climbers?

Yes, if you aim to improve your skills and take your climbing to the next level.

In fact, gym climbing is the perfect setting to practise goal setting because it’s a controlled environment with a lot of climbing variety.

We encourage you to keep in mind every climber’s path is unique, therefore your journey is gonna be an experience according to your specific needs and challenges.

Be your own observer and reflect on what’s working and what isn’t, and most importantly, avoid comparing your progress to others.

Make your climbing journey your own.

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