Rock Warrior

There is this climb at the wall that is mostly pretty easy, but has one move that drives me absolutely nuts. The move happens at the 'crux' ie. where the the wall slopes outward before turning back up again.

It shouldn't be hard, except that I'm a shorty, and this means that occasionally there are moves that are really easy if you can just reach up and grab the hold, and really, really difficult if you have to find another way to get up there.

So here is my solution (for simplicity sake, let's call the hold that's hard to get to the 'holy grail'), I grip onto a hold below the holy grail with my right hand, plant my right foot on a lower hold, swing twice with my entire left side free from the wall, and then on the third swing throw my body upwards with every muscle I've got. If I push to the very limit, my fingers will just get onto the holy grail and I can pull myself up.

(This is not me, by the way, this woman is more jacked, and has a tattoo.)

I would say I accomplish this move about %25 of the time, occasionally getting so tired during the attempts that I have to give up on the rest of the route. Recently, though, I made a new climbing buddy named 'Hal' who offered to belay me. I explained that there was a good chance of failure and Hal said, 'Nah, you got this. You're a rock warrior. Just think 'rock warrior!' when you do it.'

That time when I got to the holy grail I thought 'rock warrior!' and shouted 'hyah!' (sorta stupidly) as I pushed upwards. Got it the first time! And again on my next climb!

Never underestimate the power of putting the word 'warrior' on the end of whatever you're doing and insisting to yourself that you are one. (Bread baking warrior!, Hume-warrior!, Litter box emptying-warrior!)