Reading Rock: The Tactics of the Flash Attempt
We’ve likely all gone to that boulder that we genuinely believed we had a good chance to flash. We saw videos beforehand and visualised the climb, maybe even set a replica or trained on similar moves in the gym. We chose the right day and the right conditions to go and try the boulder.
We did all this, only to crumble once at the boulder. We drop the flash, and end up climbing the boulder the next go. But why? Sometimes the sheer excitement of finally being there throws the remaining crucial tactics out the window. And sometimes it’s just the pressure of the moment that gets us! This is one of the most frustrating missed opportunities in bouldering, the flash can only be tried once. There is only one first impression, and all too often it’s one we mess up.
But the question remains, does the flash mean anything? Some people don’t even care about flashing boulders, and that’s fine. But to those people I ask, do you want to get the boulder done in the first place? If so, then the flash should be your priority. The more effort you put into the flash, the more you’ve done to prepare for the boulder, and the more likely you are to do it as a result!
So lets look at a few key things we can do, to not only improve our chances of the flash, but then if we whiff on that, still have the presence of mind and psyche to finish the boulder!
Be prepared.
As the old saying goes: Failure to prepare? Prepare to fail! The more information you can gain about that boulder before you arrive at it, the better. Search for as many videos of it as you can find, ideally of climbers close to your morphology and style, to give you as likely a sequence as possible. Dig into the nuance of where holds are being held, and where feet are being stood. Review failed attempts and look at the differences between unsuccessful and successful attempts. Was the body position different? Did someone get more height or reach from a different foot? All these things will give you an edge.
Stick to your plan.
Once you arrive at the boulder it is crucial you continue with this methodical process you’ve practised to this point. Fully clean the hand and footholds, and make sure you know where the top-out goes and how the landing needs to be set up. Most importantly, slow down. Don’t rush this part of the process due to psyche or fear of the pressure building. Give yourself the chance to succeed. If you fall, it’s just another boulder, there are thousands more to try. Let yourself take it seriously, and spend the time you need preparing.
Look for an edge.
It may be using a particular shoe, or chalk, or grabbing a hold in a unique way to suit your grip strength. Whatever it is, look to optimise your attempt based on your own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Don’t just dive into doing exactly what Joe Bloggs did, because that person isn’t you. You may be able to skip a hard move with your height, or use a poor handhold that most people avoid. Spending this time before having an attempt looking to find this edge can often be that extra 5% to get you over the finish line, and sometimes it’s even the 50% you needed to make an unachievable move work first try!
Get intimate.
Spend as long as you can manage without upping your pressure levels, under the boulder feeling holds and visualising positions. Place your body under the wall as close to where it would be on an attempt, move your hands in the direction of travel they’d move in. Hold the holds in the precise ways to warm up your fingers into the specific holds. Even take your climbing shoes and place them on footholds to assess which shoe is best for the boulder. The more time spent learning whilst off the wall, the less is spent on the wall. Of course there are deeper route reading strategies for roofs, slabs, cracks etc, but this is a topic in itself!
Once you’ve done these things, then it’s just the mental side of preparing for the flash! Just as challenging, and something we’ll cover in a future post.
But for now, prepare, be patient, and find that edge!
Good luck.
Eliot.