| The physiological and psychological effects | | | | of being caught in bad weather are the |
| on a rock climber are more extreme on the | | | | psychological effects that it will pose. |
| body and the mind, then most activities. The | | | | |
| mental and physical aspects of climbing can | | | | The cold slowly begins to chip away at the |
| be affected in many different ways. | | | | climbers "morale [which] will rapidly drop |
| | | | until the point [where the climber loses] all |
| Many things can change radically to repress | | | | interest in the route, [his or her] partner |
| the progress of a climber, yet some how they | | | | or life itself, often leading to a total loss |
| manage to progress forward. By providing the | | | | of interest in the climb" (Kirkpatrick). |
| relationship of the psycho physiology of a | | | | |
| climber as well as the effects that they feel | | | | Becoming cold also allows the climber to be |
| while facing great disadvantages will prove | | | | aware of his or her own vulnerability. Once a |
| the sever reality, which rock climbers face. | | | | climber begins to believe that he is |
| | | | vulnerable, doubts begin to set inn. Once |
| When climbing one is competing against | | | | doubt is set in place, the climber begins to |
| gravity, time, fatigue, and the mind. | | | | lose faith in his own personal judgment and |
| Everything is against those who wish to | | | | his own strengths. When the climber has |
| master stone. Yet that is one thing, which | | | | fallen to deep, in thought he becomes frozen |
| separates climbers mentally from the rest of | | | | (figuratively speaking). |
| us. They wish to master the stone, not | | | | |
| destroy or mane it. Not taking destroy and | | | | A deep frozen body and mind does not operate |
| mane too literally; the rest of us, want to | | | | properly, this can often lead to errors in |
| win. | | | | judgment, such as failing to navigate |
| | | | correctly, belay safely or thinking problems |
| Athletes and those who compete in everyday | | | | through properly. |
| life have egos, which must be satisfied. By | | | | |
| wanting this satisfaction, one might use | | | | Another psychological aspect that can affect |
| "aggression which can be misused to injure an | | | | a climber is the thought of fear. When |
| opponent just to win a game or better oneself | | | | climbing, the climber has everything to worry |
| in life" (DeVincenzi 16). Athletes and others | | | | about; the thought of the rope breaking, the |
| can be seen as ego-oriented as just | | | | last anchor placement, the height, and a fall |
| described, where as climbers are | | | | occurring runs through most minds. The trick |
| task-oriented. This means that climbers climb | | | | for climbers is the self-congratulatory |
| "to intrinsically increase their level of | | | | method. |
| physical competence through task mastery. | | | | |
| | | | The use of this creates a mental state, which |
| Task mastery is accomplished through | | | | allows them to power through. When completing |
| individual practice" (DeVincenzi 16), with | | | | a "dicey" section, it has been said that |
| this practice comes the physical and mental | | | | climbers will talk to themselves. |
| battles that climbers must over come. | | | | |
| | | | In away, creating there own mental audience, |
| Rock climbers from the average to the elite | | | | which never taunts or belittles when a |
| carry certain physiological traits, which | | | | mistake is made. Instead, the self-appraisal |
| help propel them against the factors trying | | | | encourages and produces cleaner technique. |
| to hold them back. These key traits being, | | | | |
| "energy expenditure, isometric muscular | | | | The idea that a motivational climate will |
| contractions" (Bil lat et al. 22), muscular | | | | maximize the teaching of a skill is |
| strength and capacity, as well as balance. | | | | completely true. This method has been said to |
| | | | "increase self esteem, mental competitiveness |
| The factors that pose a front for climbers | | | | against the body, perfectionism, life |
| are the sustained contractions of the | | | | satisfaction, sensation seeking" (Yosemite |
| forearms in addition to other muscles, as | | | | Wildlife Preservation 6), and a "feeling of |
| well as the elevation of the arms above the | | | | competence" (DeVincenzi 16). |
| head. Other elements that can directly affect | | | | |
| are the weather and altitude. | | | | This has also proven to help climbers in a |
| | | | Pre-climb sate of mind where they have been |
| By breaking down these key traits into deeper | | | | found to have low anxiety levels. This is |
| analysis, they will show how they aid the | | | | found before, during, after a climb and in |
| climber, yet slowly deteriorate the climber. | | | | every day life. They are found to be more |
| For example, isometric muscular contraction | | | | laid back, yet have a tendency to under |
| when defined means, "Muscle contraction | | | | estimate risk due to there sensation seeking |
| without movement at the joint" (May 378). | | | | state of mind. |
| This would occur during a biceps curl, when | | | | |
| movement is stopped and held. | | | | The high risk factor is one of the main |
| | | | reasons why people rock climb. The climbers |
| The contracted muscles would be in a | | | | enjoy and love the rush they get when putting |
| sustained position, just as it happens while | | | | their life on the line. |
| climbing. When grasping a hold, the arm | | | | |
| muscles contract and the joints become | | | | All the things, which could possibly go |
| stationary. The downside of this is the | | | | wrong, are a thrill to them. They find fear |
| constant contraction, which causes fatigue. | | | | attractive in a sense. When world-renowned |
| The same occurs with balance. | | | | climber John Middendorf was asked about fear |
| | | | he said, "In general fear can be manipulated, |
| A climber must maintain a somewhat squatted | | | | to either stifle a person, or allow that |
| position while making his or her way up the | | | | person to channel the fear into different |
| stone. The climber must constantly maintain | | | | strengths (like kicking in the adrenal |
| muscle control of the abdominal, pectorals, | | | | glands) (Pei)." The adrenalin high that |
| quadriceps, obliques, biceps, as well as the | | | | climbers get, can be compared to lifting |
| other six-hundred skeletal muscles. The | | | | weights. |
| balance needed is much like the isometric | | | | |
| muscle contraction because it requires slow | | | | Weight lifters enjoy the burning sensation, |
| movement, which can replicate an almost | | | | where as the climber enjoys the adrenal rush. |
| stationary joint. | | | | The unique part of climbers is that they can |
| | | | control the adrenalin expenditures by |
| These movements almost double the rate of | | | | maintaining a collective mindset. |
| fatigue because the whole body must perform, | | | | |
| not just one muscular area. | | | | This is accomplished through staying focused |
| | | | on only what is in front, remaining calm and |
| An equally important trait of rock climbers | | | | trusting personal ability. This allows the |
| is the ability to control the energy, which | | | | climber to go longer without fatiguing, but |
| they use while climbing. The control that | | | | once the mind shifts to far, it becomes a |
| climbers carry may be due to the | | | | physiological battle all the way to the top. |
| "Task-oriented" trait, which sets them apart | | | | |
| from the rest. The need for climbers to | | | | The physical battle, which climbers will |
| "intrinsically increase their level of | | | | face, is the body itself. Once a climber has |
| physical competence" (DeVincenzi 16) may | | | | allowed the mind to become too afraid, the |
| directly affect there mental state. By | | | | body opens the adrenal glands to pull a |
| effecting there state of mind to become | | | | climber through the rough. |
| better at the task at hand, they in away have | | | | |
| ultimate control of there body. | | | | The problem with this is the body becomes |
| | | | extremely weary after the use of all the |
| For example, if one was playing football, a | | | | adrenalin. Once this happens, the climber |
| canebrake's job is to defend the receiver at | | | | begins to breath quicker and with shorter |
| all costs. This means when the ball is | | | | breaths. Another disadvantage of climbers is |
| thrown; the corner back must follow the | | | | most are at high altitudes, which forces them |
| receiver. The corner back has no choice, but | | | | to breath even faster. |
| too run. | | | | |
| | | | This is happening because the body is trying |
| What this forces among the comeback is a lack | | | | to supplement the heart with enough oxygen. |
| of control of the energy, which must be used. | | | | While the lungs try to supply the heart, the |
| Where as a climber is performing for | | | | heart is trying to pump arterial blood |
| self-congratulation, they have the ability to | | | | through the body. The main area where this |
| decide how much energy they wish to use, as | | | | oxygenated blood is being absorbed is in the |
| well as the ability to slow down or speed up | | | | high stressed muscles. A problem that starts |
| there pace of motion. | | | | to occur in these muscles is lactic acid |
| | | | begins to form. |
| Although rock climbers have the ability to | | | | |
| choose how they spend there energy and at | | | | This is due to the lack of oxygen that the |
| what pace they wish to climb, one thing they | | | | muscles should be receiving from the arterial |
| cannot control is the weather. | | | | blood. In return, this causes the heart rate |
| | | | of the climber to rise, for the heart is |
| The weather and its freak conditions cannot | | | | trying to compensate for low levels of |
| only physical harm a climber but mentally it | | | | oxygen. While the body continues through its |
| can tear one down. Extreme cold can lead to | | | | cycle, the blood that is carried away from |
| diminished muscular performance, but the | | | | the muscles is now blood lactate. |
| combination of heat and dehydration poses a | | | | |
| more significant risk. The body is about | | | | The downside of this is that blood lactate |
| sixty percent water. | | | | has trace amounts of lactic acid. |
| | | | |
| This fluid acts a lubricant for all joints in | | | | This process ultimately starts poisoning the |
| the skeletal makeup. The cartilage in the | | | | body and fatiguing it rapidly. What can occur |
| body, which is also including the joints, is | | | | is lactic acidosis, which is "high levels of |
| composed mainly of water. "As cartilage | | | | lactic acid in the blood, which is |
| surfaces glide over one another, some exposed | | | | potentially fatal" (Fan deck et al. 403). |
| cells become worn and peel away. New | | | | |
| cartilage normally is produced to replace the | | | | Now that the heart rate is high and the |
| damaged cells. [But] due to the lack of blood | | | | muscles are beginning to absorb lactic acid |
| vessels in cartilage, water is needed to | | | | instead of oxygen, the climber will find he |
| transport the nutrients required for | | | | is worried, tired and extremely soar. Often |
| maintenance and repair" (Batmanghelidj). | | | | times this can lead to a severe fall or |
| | | | causing the body as well as the mind to |
| Ultimately what dehydration can cause is | | | | completely give up and fold. Once this |
| damage and a delay in repair, resulting in | | | | occurs, the only choice is retreat. |
| joint pain. This joint pain poses just as | | | | |
| great of a threat as muscular fatigue for it | | | | Climbers must endure many feats. They must |
| effects the isometric muscular contractions. | | | | power through the unpredictable situations of |
| | | | weather. They must control there physical |
| If the heat does not begin to wear the | | | | abilities as well as there mental battles for |
| climber down the cold will. The consequences | | | | they will overcome the climber. |