The goal with visualization practice is to be able to bring more intention into your climbing, and to eventually bring more depth and reality into your visualization. This creates a feedback loop where your climbing more closely matches what you visualize, and what you visualize becomes more potent. When finely honed, it’s a form of mind control.
One area visualization tends to go wrong is when we abandon our plan midway through an attempt. We visualize all the holds and movements – but when we get on the wall and things don’t feel quite right, we start improvising. The further apart our visualization and reality get, the harder it is for us to improve our own performance by visualizing.
Hardstyle visualization combats this by forcing you to drop off and start over each time your climbing doesn’t match what you visualize. The only allowed exception is for first tries; when flashing or onsighting, it’s expected and normal to occasionally battle through some weird beta.
1. Visualize the problem as normal. See the handholds and footholds you’ll use, in the order you’ll use them. If you mess up your visualized sequence, take a few breaths and start over.
2. Begin climbing your intended sequence.
3. If you notice that you’ve deviated from the intended sequence, safely drop off the wall or downclimb.
4. Rest appropriately, and start over.
Getting visualization and reality to line up is complicated, so try not to get too frustrated. This is a potent drill, but it can be difficult. Use it sparingly. If a climb really matters to you, drop the drill and give the send attempt everything you’ve got. Otherwise, try to take each little mistake as a learning opportunity.