Influence of On-Sight and Flash Climbing Styles on Advanced Climbers' Route Completion for Bouldering

Cognitive-behavioural processes during route previewing in bouldering

INTRODUCTION

In the Olympic climbing discipline of bouldering, climbers can preview boulders before actually climbing them. Whilst such pre-climbing route previewing is considered as central to subsequent climbing performance, research on cognitive-behavioural processes during the preparatory phase in the modality of bouldering is lacking. The present study aimed at extending existing findings on neural efficiency processes associated with advanced skill level during motor activity preparation by examining cognitive-behavioural processes during the previewing of boulders.

METHODS

Intermediate (n = 20), advanced (n = 20), and elite (n = 20) climbers were asked to preview first, and then attempt two boulders of different difficulty levels (boulder 1: advanced difficulty; boulder 2: elite difficulty). During previewing, climbers' gaze behaviour was gathered using a portable eye-tracker.

RESULTS

Linear regression revealed for both boulders a significant relation between participants' skill levels and both preview duration and number of scans during previewing. Elite climbers more commonly used a superficial scan path than advanced and intermediate climbers. In the more difficult boulder, both elite and advanced climbers showed longer preview durations, performed more scans, and applied less often a superficial scan path than in the easier boulder.

CONCLUSION

Findings revealed that cognitive-behavioural processes during route previewing are associated with climbing expertise and boulder difficulty. Superior domain-specific cognitive proficiency seems to account for the expertise-processing-paradigm in boulder previewing, contributing to faster and more conscious acquisition of perceptual cues, more efficient visual search strategies, and better identification of representative patterns among experts.

Mechanisms underlying superior memory of skilled climbers in indoor bouldering

INTRODUCTION

Bouldering is an Olympic climbing discipline that encompasses short climbing sequences, referred to as boulders, set up on low-height bouldering walls. Memory plays a critical role in bouldering, as it allows climbers to develop climbing strategies, to mentally rehearse climbing movements, and to recall climbing holds of boulders. This study extends previous research on memory in climbing and bouldering with the purpose to elucidate potential mechanisms underlying superior memory abilities of skilled climbers.

METHODS

Sixty climbers with intermediate (n = 20), advanced (n = 20), or elite (n = 20) skill levels were tasked to memorise the climbing holds and movements of a boulder, set up on a spray wall and demonstrated by a bouldering expert.

RESULTS

Findings revealed a positive relation between the participants' bouldering skills and sport-specific movement knowledge and both, the number of climbing holds and movements they were able to memorise following a two-minute rehearsal period.

CONCLUSION

Consistent with previous research, bouldering expertise is positively associated with the ability to memorise domain-specific information. Superior memory abilities among skilled climbers appear to be associated with climbing-specific movement knowledge, coupled with better mental visualisation and increased attentional focus towards functional aspects of boulders.

Cognitive factors that predict on-sight and red-point performance in sport climbing at youth level

Introduction

The ascent of a route can be defined as being climbed on-sight or red-point. Climbing performance is measured by the grade of the personal best route that the athlete has ever climbed.

Methodology

The study examined 17 youth climbers (10 male and 7 female). The inclusion criteria were age (less than 20 years), a minimum of three sessions per week, a minimum 7a climbing grade and participation in national or international competitions. We used the Cognitrom battery and applied tests measuring spatial orientation and reactivity.

Results

Climbing experience explained 42.7% of the variance of on-sight performance, and 49.5% of the variance of red-point performance. Image generation has a negative on both on-sight and red-point performance, lowering the prediction with 0.5% for on-sight climbing and with 1.5% for red-point climbing.

Discussion

Experience can predict climbing performance with a better prediction for red-point performance than on-sight with almost 7%. A high level of image generation ability can lead to viewing more approaches for passing the crux, but in a moment of physical and mental breakdown, can lead to failure. Red-pointing is less demanding than on-sight from physiological and psychologycal points of view. On-sight climbing requires greater levels of cognitive skills, such as route intepretation strategies, spatial orientation, motric memory, problem-solving skills, but also greater levels of psychological skills such as stress management, risk management, coping anxiety.

Balancing the Bar-Influence of Social Behaviour on Sport Climbing Performance

Background: For high performance in sport climbing, various factors must be taken into account, however, social interactions during climbing sessions have not yet been considered. Methods: For this study, four assumptions were made: (1) elite climbers share similar patterns of behaviour; (2) these behaviour patterns influence the climbing performance in a positive way; (3) the behaviour patterns had to be formed over time, and the process of changing behaviour was catalysed by formative experiences; and, (4) the social behaviour of elite climbers shows a tendency to be on their own rather than in the centre of social events, while their behavioural roots date back to their school life. Six male higher-elite-level climbers participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Results: In school, all participants perceived themselves as not being at the centre of social interactions. Moreover, all participants described a development from egoistic behaviour towards more supportive behaviour. Two participants were able to outline specific, formative experiences (crucibles), that drastically shaped their behaviour. Conclusion: All participants performed best in the absence of social tensions and when the atmosphere between the climbing partners was positive. Positive atmosphere was achieved by finding the optimal personal balance between supportive and egoistic behaviour.