Resting Redefined

So I need to take a little hiatus from climbing. I have been involved in the climbing community for 6 years now and I actively climb until I eventually wear out my body and breakdown. Unfortunately, that is not a good climbing tactic. I can't send double digits while being broken!

A lot of my friends joke about how I get hurt every three weeks or so. The unfortunate part about that statement is that it is very true. I am always getting myself hurt. Why? I am not so sure. I think that between my studies, work, and training I eventually work too hard. I don't feel that I am training too hard/not hard enough...everything seems to be going just fine.

However something must be done. Currently I have a weird bump thing on my forearm, a really tight IT Band that I have been working with for 4 months, and two strained a4 pulleys on my ring fingers, one more strained than the other. My realization to this climbing break is due to my poor performance at the dark horse. One of my pulleys was so bad that I could not even climb on crimps. My finger would just blow off. So I of course did not place very well and I think that I needed that. My body needs a change up.

Unlike all of my other breaks due to injuries, I am actually accepting that I need time off and I am staying off the walls for 3 weeks. Instead of climbing, I am going to take up an adult gymnastics class, work on my power in the form of pull ups/weights, work on my endurance in the form of cardio, and throw in a little anaerobic endurance such as crossfit. My body needs a change up. I'm thinking that these exercises will not only help my body, but my climbing as well for when I come back.

It is odd, I am sort of excited to change things up for this month. I have been training hard for the past seven weeks and I am a little burnt out. December pretty much sucks anyways...except for Christmas. I figure why not take the time I need off now so that I can come back strong?

I know that I have the ability to climb double digits. That is my goal through this training along with competing in the ABS/SCS National Championships. I hope that with this rest I'll be able to come back strong and get some time on my double digit projects....I also am so excited to re-learn handstands and cartwheels!!!