Just one more quickdraw

You’re midway up a route, forearms screaming, ready to call it quits.

Sound familiar?

Last month, I coached a climber who hit that wall on a 5.10a/F6a.
She was pumped and about to bail after the third clip.

I told her: “When you feel like you can’t go on, just get to the next quickdraw and see how you feel after clipping it.”

Guess what?

She pushed through, clipped it, and found a sneaky rest she hadn’t noticed. She sent the route with just one take—shocked at herself.

Here’s the tip: Don’t quit when the pump hits. Focus on reaching that next quickdraw. It splits the climb into bite-sized goals and reboots your headspace. Sometimes, a rest or a confidence boost is waiting there.

Climbing’s half mental. One quickdraw at a time can trick your brain and you can enjoy climbing rather than focusing on your thoughts.

As promised, value in under 60 seconds.

Fingers crossed for you,

Aleks