To my dearest friends, A & V, my best bouldering accompanies!
Thoughts
Before I moved to Germany, I never tried bouldering or any adventurous mountain sport because it’s not very popular in my hometown and I always thought it’s a bit dangerous. But Germans love all kinds of mountainous sports 🧗, maybe because living in such a rigid society really tiring them off and being part of the nature can set them free, who knows.
Anyway, my bouldering journey is not smooth at the beginning, it took me a while to get used to the movements (lining to the wall), the footworks, the height of the rocks and the most important thing, how to overcome your fear and do proper risk assessment in some particular situations. I am still not good at it but learn a lot from bouldering.
Sometimes I think that doing research is a bit like doing bouldering or klettersteig (German word for via ferrata), you seek a route from someone’s recommendation, or just out of your personal interest, or just accidentally select that route. Then you started plan by yourself, or with your supervisor or colleagues. When you start the route, you would walk on the route yourself with the help of your supervisor or your colleagues. Your supervisor or colleagues could give you suggestions, but you should determine whether to continue or to give up yourselves. Sometimes you are able to get out of your comfort zone and get the things done, sometimes it’s not, as long as you have fun, it’s a nice experience.
Lessons
Here are the lessons that I learn from bouldering.
- Before you started, think of the worst case, and know how to protect yourself from that case. In bouldering, the worst case is of course that you fell, just make sure that when you fell your back should fell on the ground first. It’s nice to just learn how to fell correctly, it would not only help you get used to the height but also how to react without thinking in the worst case.
- Plan ahead before start the trail, so that you can take a smoother path instead of tearing yourself down at the beginning. Also when you execute it, don’t think it too much. It’s really hard for me to not think too much actually, you would question yourself, but it’s better to make quick decision when bouldering.
- It’s good to push yourself to go out of your comfort zone because sometimes it’s only a mental but not physical problem. But it’s better to push yourself when you are with someone who has more experience than you, and know that you are at a good status if you fell.
- It’s nice to learn suggestions from others, but you need to do the risk assessment yourself. In some cases, the situation from downside looks pretty ok, but you feel really unsafe or uncomfortable, just give up. I remember I learnt the importance of risk assessment in a conversation with my supervisor, he said mountainous sports are all about risk assessment, if you feel unsafe or uneasy, it’s good to do more safety protection or just give up.
- Equipments are important, you don’t need a super expensive bouldering shoe, but a good one would help you to feel safe and comfortable when you bouldering
Last but not least, go with your friends, their encouragement 🤝 and advises would make the experience way much funnier and richer. 🎉