That moment I froze on a 10-foot Boulder problem and ate it hard

I was climbing at this gym in Austin last Saturday, working on a V4 overhang that I'd tried maybe 6 times before. Everything felt dialed in - my footwork was clean, my grip was solid, I was halfway through the crux move. Then I looked down at the pad and just... froze. My brain went completely blank, my fingers started shaking, and I slipped off the hold like a total rookie. I fell about 8 feet onto my back, bruised my elbow, and felt like an idiot in front of like 15 people watching. The thing is, I've done harder moves no problem, but something about that exact spot shut me down. Has anyone else had a moment in climbing or any sport where you totally had the skill but your nerves just wrecked you?

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avery_carr572d ago

Brutal when that happens, especially with an audience. I've had the same thing on a climb I'd done before where my brain just checked out at the worst moment. It's not about skill, it's just how nerves hit sometimes.