When I started trying Seven Spanish Angels, it was my first season of outdoor bouldering. And I was starting off in the “big leagues” by picking an ultra classic highball destination like the Buttermilks.
I sent my first v4 across town in the Happies: Solarium, which was pictured on the front of the local Bishop bouldering guidebook. And I figured the best thing I could do was to begin projecting the boulder feature don the back cover – a v6 called Seven Spanish Angels.
The first time I pulled up to the boulder I was impressed by the lean. It seemed to tip out over me more than any online beta video or image could convey. I was intimidated. But I still wanted to try.
Starting out – Expectations
I had no clue how to approach a bouldering goal at (or above) my limit outdoors. But there is something psychologically easier about projecting a “harder” boulder. I can let go of expectations – something that usually haunts me.
Normally if I expect to do a boulder, I find it hard to turn on that “high gear” and put in 100% effort. At the time, I was still learning to tolerate the discomfort of 100% effort, with no guarantees of success. But if I pull on in the psychological state of assuming I am not going to top it, then I can allow max effort and flow. No expectations.
Projecting lesson: Be open minded to learn something new about the positions every time I pull on. Expect to learn something, rather than to top it. Anything to keep my mind focused on the moves to the top, rather than the top itself.
Lately my boulder “project” has been learning to recreate that no-expectations state when a boulder is in the I’m-expecting-to-send range.
Research – Beta
The first day I pulled on, I had already watched a bunch of beta videos to see how other people did it. But it didn’t matter at all (yet) because I couldn’t even get past the first move or two. And there was no way to pull on in the middle (not that I knew to do that).
Later, watching other climbers IRL or via beta videos, I realized there were a couple of main methods, and I selected the one that looked “coolest”, rather than the one that suited my body…. and I refused to try the static method… for WAY too long.
Projecting lesson: Watch beta videos… and try all the different betas, including my own! Don’t just pick what looks cool.
Getting ready – Working out the moves
I returned to the boulder repeatedly, and made a little progress each time, which was inspiring for me. But it was also frustrating… how much more micro progress could I make before I’d finally be able to send?!
I was still hyper focused on the top.
I finally tried some different beta that was helping me make faster progress.
Visualizing – Tolerating Discomfort
Once I had enough sessions that I was starting to hold positions on the boulder I realized how uncomfortable the positions were, and how scary it was to move between them when it was precarious.
I started visualizing. I’d see and feel myself on the boulder, topping out. It didn’t work. So eventually I started realizing that the discomfort made the gap between sending and stagnating untenable.
Projecting lesson: Visualize how the moves feel, and moving through positions that may not feel comfortable. Practice moves in my head WITH the breaths I’ll take while climbing. Believe it’s possible for me. Don’t just imagine topping it.
I addressed that by imagining how uncomfortable I would feel in each of the positions and then seeing and feeling myself continue moving even when I was uncomfortable. I imagined it daily for almost a year.
Mental game – the crew
The project lasted forever, in part due to picking something inappropriately difficult, and in part due to a snow season that ruined the road and kept me away for 49 weeks. That was torture.
There was a “crew” element that I cannot downplay. Every time I made progress with a new high point, there was a crew working the boulder with me.
Whether it was with people I knew or just met, having folks around working on the same thing was immensely helpful.
Projecting lesson: Embrace a crew that cheers when the going gets tough. Trade beta, and encourage each other.
At some point, I felt mentally “ready” to do the moves. But it was still hard for me, so I needed things to align.
Sending – not the end
When I finally sent SSA, I felt a huge wave of relief. That’s because I had been fully obsessed… and that’s because I had a one track mind, felt I was “close”, and was blocked from continued efforts by snow storm after snow storm in the ’22-’23 season.
I was so so glad to have had the experience but also just glad it was over. I learned that it’s best to project multiple things at once, and not to put all my sessions into simply trying the proj. Some volume days and fun social sessions needed to be mixed in.
Projecting lesson: Date multiple boulders at a time. Enjoy and relish the process rather than obsessing. Mix in non-projecting sessions where I don’t even get on the thing.
I learned a lot from SSA. And after sending a boulder for the first time, it might still have something to teach me. I can come back and find something different each time I try a boulder. It’s about the journey, rather than the destination. I try to take that to heart now when I’m projecting boulders.
