Pulse & Relax

Problem selection & preparation:

Before climbing, evaluate the climb completely. As with a Reset, look for opportunities on the climb where you’ll be able to relax the body. Unlike with the Reset drill, the goal is not to “red light/green light” the climb. The goal is to be constantly pulsing through different levels of tension and relaxation. It’s OK to fall off during this drill, as you should be exploring the minimum level of tension needed to proceed.

Visualize your sequence beforehand so you have a rough idea of the body position you’ll be in on those holds. Additional cycles of visualization and performance will be helpful.

The goal of climbing like a World Cup-level sport climber embodies this drill. Movements should be elegant, but forceful when necessary. The climbing may be continuous if the sequence demands it, but the climber will not move past an opportunity to relax if one presents itself.

Climbing:

Difficult movements should be performed with the level of tension necessary. For hard climbing, this may be maximal.

Easier movements, even if only a little bit easier, should be performed with as little tension as is needed.

Truly easy sections, if there are any, should feel restful and relaxed. You could be conversational in these sections.

Look for tactics and cues to change the level of tension as needed.

The goal of this session is not to complete climbs. The goal is to engage with the wall in a playful manner, and improve the mind-body connection.
Combination:This is a general session and can be combined with most climbing sessions. Perform after warming up and before conditioning.