Behavior Analysis and Sports Climbing

Journal of Behavioral Health and Medicine 2010, 1, 143-154 Number 2 (Summer 2010) BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS AND SPORTS CLIMBING Richard K. Fleming University of Massachusetts Medical School Eric J. Hörst TrainingforClimbing.com Rock climbing, particularly the version known as “sport climbing,” has complex response, performance and training characteristics that make it rich for behavioral analysis and intervention. The purpose of this paper is to explore the operant characteristics of sport climbing as an endeavor in its own right, but also to illustrate the potential for behavior analysis to contribute to sport psychology in general. Accordingly we will: (a) describe sport climbing, emphasizing its behavioral demands and consensus training procedures, (b) review conventional climbing literature (e.g., training books) and research on variables affecting performance in sport climbing, and (c) describe, with supportive data, how behavioral principles and procedures could be applied conceptually to sport climbing, and (d) to suggest opportunities for operant research and practice. Keywords: rock climbing, behavior analysis, sports performance ____________________ Sport climbing is a highly athletic form of point ascent, a fluid and graceful ascent of a rock climbing in which the climber performs difficult climb using hands and feet alone. complex gymnastic moves on overhanging or Ropes, bolt anchors and a competent partner seemingly blank vertical rock faces. The ve- to feed and hold the rope (“belay”) are em- nue may be outdoors on natural cliffs, indoors ployed as safety precautions, but only to catch on artificial climbing gym walls, or, as is the climber in the event of a fall. In a redpoint most often the case, a combination of both. ascent, the rope is never weighted. The Climbing gyms afford climbers a multi- process of accomplishing such an ascent is faceted training environment in which to pre- painstaking. Many hours, or even days, are pare for outdoor ascents (Hörst, 2007). They devoted to acquiring and rehearsing difficult also play host to an international network of individual moves on climbs which usually climbing competitions. In the past two dec- cannot be completed on the climber’s first ades, the popularity of sport climbing and its attempt. Through repeated practice, individual cousin “bouldering” have grown dramatically, moves and short sequences are linked and the resulting in busier cliffs and boulder fields, an climber ultimately is able to complete a fluent This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. American Psychological This document is copyrighted by the increased number of indoor climbing gyms, ascent, free of falls. Generally speaking, sport This article is intended solely for the personal use of individual user and not to be disseminated broadly. the continued growth of national and interna- climbing is an open sport: each section of tional competitions and the formal recognition rock face a climber encounters for the first of sport climbing as an Olympic event. time is different from any other she or he has The ultimate goal in sport climbing is a red- seen, although important similarities also ex- _______________ ist. Because every climb is different, the rock Address all correspondence to: athlete is challenged to quickly and efficiently Richard K. Fleming generalize from a set of core physical tech- E. K. Shriver Center University of Massachusetts Medical School niques (response topographies) to meet the 200 Trapelo Road requirements of the climb. Arguably, once a Waltham, MA 02452 climber selects a difficult climb as a long- Email: [email protected] term project, sport climbing becomes a closed 143 144 RICHARD K. FLEMMING and ERIC J. HÖRST sport; the task at hand is to learn and link of climbing movement, using sophisticated movement in a choreographed routine, much electronic measurement and transduction like a floor routine in gymnastics (Wolko, technology. The opportunities for operant Hrycaiko & Martin, 1993). The interplay of research are clear and present. these open to closed-sport characteristics of Sport climbing techniques and training re- sport climbing is what appeals to most sport gimens are far more systematic than the rock climbers. climbing and mountaineering approaches of Systematic training approaches have contri- old. As noted, a handful of elite and academi- buted to large advances in difficulty in sport cally oriented climbers have contributed to climbing in recent years. It may also be true training wisdom in important ways. They that the far greater number of young people have integrated developments in exercise and trying the sport indoors has “selected” for sport science with their own training and individuals who are the most genetically well climbing experiences to produce sophisticated prepared for the sport. Interest in the relative training programs (e.g., Hörst, 2003, 2007; contributions of innate ability and dedicated Goddard & Neumann, 1994; Sagar, 2001). training in the development of expertise in Procedures best suited to the physical form general has led K. Anders Ericsson to elabo- requirements of sport climbing address: (a) rate a theory of “deliberate practice” that is systematic approaches to learning bio- highly compatible with a behavioral approach mechanically efficient but surprisingly coun- to skill development (Ericsson, Krampe, and terintuitive moves (response classes) needed Tesch-Romer, 1993; Ericsson, 2007). Ele- to complete difficult sections of multi-section ments of deliberate practice applied to sport, climbs; (b) repeated and deliberate practice of which most certainly apply to sport climbing, these novel response classes, in order to build include: (a) objective assessment of the ath- fluency; and (c) practice at linking sequences lete’s physical, cognitive and emotional of moves, i.e., establishing the stimulus- strengths and weaknesses, to learn where best response chains that present themselves on to intervene; (b) program planning, accompa- sport climbs. One such response class is the nied by formal long and short-term goal “twist-lock,” a move in which the climber is setting; (c) systematic practice for acquisition better able to grasp and use a small handhold of specific motor behaviors (response topo- on overhanging rock by back-stepping the graphies); (d) repeated practice of new opposite foot on a foothold and then quickly response topographies to build requisite flu- turning that same leg and hip into the rock. ency; (e) stepwise methods for linking This move yields tremendous biomechanical complex sequences of moves (e.g., backward advantage over the more typical straight-on and forward chaining); (f) the use of careful- orientation, yet it is a move that most climbers This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. American Psychological This document is copyrighted by the ly-designed macro- and micro-cycles of do not discover on their own. This article is intended solely for the personal use of individual user and not to be disseminated broadly. training to optimize physiological adaptation Training approaches have not been limited and progress, including training “periodiza- to physical skill acquisition. Hörst (2003, tion;” and (e) precise self-management of 2007) elaborated on the assessment and time, goals and motivation. Advice on delibe- broad-based management of motivation, fear, rate training for climbing has been conveyed physiological preparation (anaerobic and in several sophisticated books written by aerobic endurance, strength, power, and flex- highly accomplished, or elite, climbers, most ibility requirements) and nutritional aspects of notably Hörst (2003, 2007). Controlled re- climbing. This expanded list of training research on climbing has been limited, but a quirements calls on the use of operant and few studies have focused on the biomechanics cognitive-behavioral procedures to accom- BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS AND SPORT CLIMBING 145 plish priority setting, time management, goal- tholds, etc. The best climbers will have a setting (stimulus control and establishing op- well-practiced repertoire of many classes of erations), systematic desensitization (to moves and will apply the most efficient become comfortable with safe falling), posi- moves (and do them quickly) under the pre- tive self-evaluation and self-talk (verbal senting stimulus conditions. One elite behavior) and continual measurement and climber, Francois Legrand, attributes his suc- monitoring of progress. cess to the fact that he has developed an What is the current knowledge base in sport especially broad response repertoire and has climbing, and how has it been developed? learned to quickly match moves to conditions The following section describes conventional, that occur on a novel climb (Perlman, 1995). experience-based wisdom and the limited Legrand refers to response repertoires as empirical research that has contributed to the “families of moves,” and his description of “working” knowledge base. the different families is fairly consonant with a behavior analyst’s description of response CONVENTIONAL WISDOM AND classes. For example, one class of moves is RESEARCH called “underclings,” which can be defined as Conventional Wisdom grasping the underside of a down-facing hold One source of sport climbing knowledge with one or both hands and pulling up and out comes from the reports of highly accom- on the hold in order

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