The winter chill is settling in and fewer days are warm enough to climb or recreate outside. As we spend more time pulling plastic, you’re probably wondering how to stay focused and psyched on climbing. We have a few ideas to mix up your climbing routine and to keep your psych tank topped off. Winter is coming, but it can’t keep us down!

Mix It Up

If you normally rope up, try focusing on bouldering for some of your gym sessions and vice versa. The different disciplines of climbing are unique enough to offer new challenges. Plus, you’ll identify new areas of strength or weakness in your climbing that you can focus on. Mixing it up may provide just the kick you need to refocus your energies.

Climbing Games

There are numerous climbing games you can play with just a partner or with a group. These games can help you build skill but will also offer a change of pace to keep your gym visits fresh. It’s a way to stay focused on climbing with an extra dose of fun mixed in.

Bring a Friend

Have a friend who has never climbed before? Take them out and introduce them to climbing! It can be reenergizing to see someone else enjoy climbing for the first time. Plus, it’ll help you remember how far you’ve come since your first time on the wall and hopefully get you psyched to continue making progress.

New Scenery

If you have the time and funds, take a trip to a new climbing destination and enjoy new scenery. If time or fund are limited, even a trip to a different climbing gym can break up the normal routine. There will be new walls, new atmosphere, and probably a different style of routesetting too.

Take a Break

OK, rest may be a four letter word, but it doesn’t have to be a bad word. If you aren’t feeling the psych lately, maybe that means you need to step away from the chalk and think about things other than your crimpy project. Depending on your current regiment, a break could mean a few days, a week, or a month.

Reimagine Your Goals

The New Year is coming, and maybe you are ready to set a new climbing goal or a climbing resolution. After you’ve taken a break from your normally scheduled climbing program, you’ll be ready to come back with renewed focus. There are many theories for how to set goals, how to share goals, or even whether or not you set goals in the first place. Find what works best for you, but remember that the best climber is the one having the most fun!