PROBLEM SOLVING

One of the fundamental attractions of climbing is probably the satisfaction which can be derived from creatively solving problems while under pressure. It is a little like vertical chess but with big stakes! However, as explained in 'Anxiety – Control skills' (Page 343), large amounts of pressure are likely to bring with them worry and physiological arousal. Although high physiological arousal might be quite a good state in which to maximize physical effort, it is a very poor state in which to try to solve problems creatively. This situation is made still worse when the physiological arousal is accompanied by either high levels of worry or low levels of self-confidence – yet another good reason to adopt self-confidence and relaxation training in order to keep self –confidence high and worry and physiological arousal at manageable levels. We should also train ourselves to solve problems creatively even though we are under pressure. The most obvious way to develop this ability is to practice problem-solving more often during bouldering sessions by constantly redefining problems, so that you have to solve them rather than just repeat them. For example, see how many different ways you can overcome a problem using the same set of holds, or subtly change the holds allowed. (The later version of creative bouldering is also quite good for developing concentration.) However, the exercise given below is probably an even more effective way of improving your vertical-chess-playing ability.

Exercise 3

Write down as many different ways of inducing psychological pressure in yourself as you can. These might include, for instance, physiological arousal (as after a run), fatigue (as at the end of a training session), time pressure (as when you have say, only one minute in which to complete a task), dual task (such as repeating the alphabet backwards) and so on.

Choose of define a fairly difficult problem on your climbing wall, or wherever you boulder, which is new to you.
Select one of the stressors, which you wrote down in Part 1(above) and try to solve your problem while under pressure.

Choose another problem and try to solve that under a different stressor from the one you chose in Part 3. The more varied the nature of the problems you try to solve and the stressors you use to put yourself under pressure, the better will be the transfer of the skill you are learning to your 'real' climbing
Mentally rehearsing a problem can also be an enormous help in problem solving since it not only helps you to warm up mentally for climbing but also lets you try things out without falling off. However, just like problem
solving, imagery ability is greatly impaired by high states of physiological arousal. Consequently, if you are going to use mental rehearsal to maximum effect when you are on a difficult routes, you must first of all practice it on the wall and then on easier routes. A good way to start this process is to stand and mentally rehearse problems on the wall before you try to solve them. As you come better at this you can practice traversing in to a problem and mentally rehearsing it from your position on the wall just as you reach the start of it. When you can do this, it is worth repeating the process with 'new' problems which you have not tried before. Finally, you can try mentally rehearsing problems when you are under pressure exactly as you did in the problem-solving exercise.