You’ve likely touched this elusive and euphoric thing we call a flow state, whether on a rock climb or in the deep immersion into a thing that brings you alive. Flow states increase self-regulation, sharpen focus, improve creative problem solving, enable peak performance and elevate pleasure. Read the benefits and 7 tips to access flow states in rock climbing.

Sustainability is a word we use a lot at ClimbWell. It’s an essential quality to support and preserve the love of the things we do, the relationships we have and the experiences we cultivate on and off the rock. When it comes to balance and longevity in rock climbing, sustainability shows up in infinite ways. Here are 3 ingredients to support sustainability in your relationship to climbing and life.

How often do you notice your inner dialogue while climbing a route? We run mental scripts that operate beneath our conscious awareness all the time. Unproductive inner dialogue is often the culprit that kills concentration. Depending on one’s habits of self-talk, these automatic narratives can make or break the send of a climb. Here are 7 strategies to transform your self-talk into strength.

Fear is undeniably a part of the climbing experience. Whether you are new to the sport or an experienced climber, whether you are climbing at the 5.7 grade or the 5.14 level, fear is a part of the process. There is a common myth or misconception that we need to eliminate fear. Here are 5 steps you can test out to change your relationship with fear and reclaim your own power on the wall

There are fundamental practices of effective communication when it comes to rock climbing. Many of these you may already know, like establishing your commands (“climb on,” 3 tugs, etc.) or using your partner’s name at a crowded crag. But there are subtle layers to the practice of relating that can transform your climbing capacity and experience. Communication is a requisite for all relationship. Welcome to a several part series on how to hone the skill of communication. We’ll explore guiding principles nested in various frameworks, adapted not only for climbing but for greater connection and authentic relationship building in all aspects of life. Today we explore how the principles of Nonviolent Communication can support your climbing belayer relationships.

Visualization is a powerful practice that improves performance, motivation, and concentration. We’ve witnessed world-class rock climbers like Adam Ondra use the technique to send the sport’s first 9c/15d climb. When it comes to climbing well, visualization can be used to prepare for redpoint and on-sight ascents, train body and brain for performance and even facilitate speedy recovery of climbing injuries.

We’re big yoga lovers over here at ClimbWell. The benefits of this 5,000 year old holistic practice is not lost on us. Every retreat we begin the day with mindfulness, breath work and yoga asana. It provides an anchor for presence, an opportunity to refine attention and supports both physical and mental performance on the rock. Read how yoga can up-level your climbing performance and learn 7 poses to begin!

The benefits of spending time in Nature are immense. Studies explore the ways in outdoor experiences benefit wellbeing. Recognition of Nature’s healing capacity can be seen in the rise of ecotherapy practices and earth-based interventions. Nature supports physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. Discover the benefits are check out 5 mindfulness-based nature practices.

Worthiness is inherent to all humans and is not determined by one’s performance, yet despite us knowing this, the mind runs wild and often does not hesitate to draw meaning from one’s successes and failures. How hard you climb does not make you any more or less than. Nor do your achievements define your value, be it on or off the rock. Let’s take a closer look at why and perhaps more importantly what we can do to change one’s relationship to worth.

Recently, I tried something. Well, I have been trying for a while; several swings coming up short, and learning new strategies. After a few quiet attempts, I started talking about it more…