7 mistakes that might be holding you back
Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but I’m officially in my 40s! Which means I’ve been climbing for more than half my life. Over the years, I’ve made plenty of mistakes, learned some hard lessons, and discovered what actually moves the needle when it comes to becoming a stronger, more confident climber.
Today, I’m sharing 7 climbing mistakes I see all the time (and a few I’ve made myself) that can keep you from reaching your potential on the wall.
7 MISTAKES THAT MIGHT BE HOLDING YOU BACK
1. BAD SHOES
Stiff, flat shoes might be comfortable but they’re not making your footwork any better which means they aren’t helping make you a better climber! I remember the day I forgot my climbing shoes and had to wear gym rentals… it was horrible! I couldn’t trust my feet at all, and I realized just how much my shoes make a difference.
Entry level shoes are less expensive but they are often boxy, flat, stiff. While they may fee more “comfortable,” they limit your ability to feel the rock and move with precision and efficiency.
You don’t have to ball out and buy the most aggressive, expensive pair on the shelf, but if you can wear your shoes for an entire gym session without removing them and you feel like your technique isn’t improving… your shoes might be part of the problem.
2. ONLY TRAINING YOUR STRENGTHS
Don’t get me wrong… training your strengths is fun! I’ve been there too! It feels good to climb styles that suit us and spend time doing the things we’re already good at. But the biggest gains often come from spending time where we’re uncomfortable.
For example, I tend to excel on longer routes with multiple cruxes and decent rests, but I struggle more with short, powerful movement. It’s easy for me to avoid the boards and boulders because they expose my weaknesses, but that’s exactly where my biggest improvements can be made.
Growth happens when we step outside our comfort zone, embrace failure, and approach our weaknesses as opportunities to become better climbers.
3. BEING SCARED OF THE OVERHANG
This piggybacks the last one a bit, but I hear so many woman say things like,
“I’m just no good at the overhangs.”
“I’m not strong enough.”
“I’m bottom heavy.”
But there is ONLY one way to get better at climbing steep and that’s by CLIMBING STEEP! (and lifting weights… but more on that later.)
It’s okay if you climb the easiest route on the overhang. It’s okay if it’s a far easier grade than you can climb on the vert. It’s okay if you don’t clip the anchor! But build overhanging routes into your training routine if you want to get better at climbing on the overhang. And don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is where growth happens.
4. NOT LIFTING WEIGHTS
Women are often great at technical climbing: crimps, tiny footholds, balance, and delicate movement. But many struggle with power and committing to harder moves.
Strength training can help change that.
And lifting isn’t just about building bigger pull muscles. It’s also about balance, resilient joints, improving stability, and reducing injury risk.
Surprisingly, it can also show up as improved endurance because when a movement requires less effort, you use less energy, leaving more in the tank for the rest of the climb.
Technique can take you a long way. I sent my first 5.13 when I could barely do a pull-up. But once I built enough strength to do 10+ pull-ups, I started sending harder routes faster and getting injured far less.
And I’m not talking about lifting the same 10-pound dumbbells forever. Effective strength training uses progressive overload across multiple joints to build strength, power, and stability.
5. INADEQUATE PROTEIN
I don’t think I’ve had a single client yet who was getting enough protein before we worked together. And they’ve all seen improvement in strength, recovery, and body composition when nutrition was optimized for performance.
You’ll hear a lot of numbers thrown around when it comes to protein goals but I tend to lean towards the recommendation from Dr. Gabrielle Lyons: approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of target/ideal body weight distributed across 3-4 meals of 30-50g at each meal with a focus on high quality protein like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and whey which contain optimal levels of essential amino acids and especially leucine, which triggers muscle protein synthesis.
Protein is one of the simplest ways to support your climbing performance, recovery, and long-term strength.
6. CHASING GRADES
I see this way too often… you’ve sent four 11c’s, two 11d’s, one 12a and now you’re trying to climb your first 12c. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but my recommendation is to build your pyramid first. Learn the skills and techniques to master 5.11 and you’ll start knocking out 12s faster, PLUS you’ll get to experience a lot more success along the way, which builds your confidence too.
If you want to climb 5.12, climb a LOT of 5.11 first.
If you want to climb 5.13, climb a LOT of 5.12 first.
Grades are fun, but the goal is becoming a better climber—not just chasing a number.
7. POOR BELAYING
Learn to become a great belayer, and you’ll be welcome to climb with almost anyone, anywhere.
A trustworthy belayer allows you to try your hardest without worrying about what’s happening on the other end of the rope. That confidence lets you commit to harder moves, take falls when needed, and focus fully on climbing.
Communicate clearly between climber and belayer so everyone is set up for success.
Being a great climbing partner is just as important as being a strong climber.
The beautiful (and sometimes frustrating) thing about climbing is that there is always another level to reach. There is always a new skill to develop, a weakness to strengthen, and another route to send.
But you don’t have to figure it all out alone. With the right plan, training, and support, you can make progress toward the goals that matter most to you, while still prioritizing family, career, and life beyond the wall as well.
Let’s Build Together
I coach busy women and parents to train with purpose and climb with confidence, without sacrificing your real-life responsibilities. Whether you are drowning in diapers, deadlines, or degrees, I provide the personalized training, expert guidance, and realistic accountability you need to get stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
My 12- week custom coaching spots are officially back open.
Let's stop beating ourselves up for where we used to be or think we should be and let’s start building sustainable, effective strength for where we are going.
👉 Click here to book a free consultation with me today, and let's get you where you want to be on the wall!
