Proven Theory of Alex Honnold's 'Free Solo'
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2024
- Since this has been published, Alex contacted me and confirmed this video is "Totally spot on".
The theory of how Alex Honnold free soloed El Capitan. from the perspective of a climber who has free soloed on big walls well within their comfort zone, on secure styles of climbing. Plus soloed on much smaller cliffs closer to their physical limit, on insecure styles of climbing (the Gritstone).
The @LatticeTraining post which reminded me of the article I wrote and inspired me to create this video for you, can be found here - / cyta9jso-a7
The original article I wrote on this topic can be found here - www.ukclimbing.com/articles/f...
Edited by Pete Whittaker
Video credits
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Since this has been published, Alex contacted me and confirmed this video is "Totally spot on". I hope you enjoy the insight 🙂
Would love to see an interview with Alex and the Wide Boys discussing this topic.
@@dartleg13 Exactly. Would enjoy even a skyped short interview.
Alex posted he agrees
Alex shared your video, well done.
This is what Alex wrote as he shared your work on FB:
"So the Wide_boyz made this little video about what it takes to free solo big walls. I didn't participate in any way, but I stumbled upon it and they actually did a great job. I thought it was all spot on - a really good explanation of switching between intensities while soloing.
I get asked questions about this kind of thing fairly frequently. From now on I'll just send a link..."
Pete, this is world class content. Outstanding writing, pace and narration
10/10
thanks glad you enjoyed it
Me, Having done amateur free soloing out of stupidity, by going location that wasnt easy to go backwards with my skills. It really makes me wonder why people would willingly keep doing it. Sure feeling is out of world but I prefer having equipment and staying alive. But yeah unique experience for sure.
You mean video
Came here from a post from Alex, so it looks like he approves and agrees with you, saying how he does it, he would send them to this video!
Having ADHD and getting into hyper focusing, I totally understand the “engaged mind” when I’m hyper focused (on climbing for instance) I can forget everything, including bodily functions and time.
To switch from hyper focus to relaxation would be pretty difficult. It can also be hard to get hyper focused on something, as it can be pretty random stuff you get into for hours without realizing it. Very interesting video!
Fantastic video, Pete. It's so interesting to hear a master such as yourself breaking down such a mind-boggling feat because you're able to translate it into something that I can wrap my head around.
What a marvel of a video! Precious insights from someone who knows, what he is talking about. I surely will never solo El Cap. But on a much smaller scale, these tips might be applicable to mortal men‘s climbing projects, too. Well done, Pete! 🙏
glad you found it useful
I’ve watched this video 10 times, I’m ready! Headed to free solo El Cap today. I’ll comment on this post when I’m done. Talk to your guys tomorrow!!
😂Keep us posted
'Engaged' reminds me very much of the 'flow' state discussed in the book titled 'Flow' - a difficult state to explain, but has surprisingly similar descriptions from chess champions, big wave surfers, climbers, whitewater kayakers and many others - a disappearance of 'self' or ego, an effortless yet totally focused concentration etc. I've soloed some decent sized rock routes and very big mixed ice & rock routes - and when you click into that engaged mindset, it is like nothing else.
Idk you get this playing pvp online. I mean if you are actually competent and trying.
I'd choose Silence 100%. Free soloing is way too scary and that feeling is too uncomfortable
I don't know how uncomfortable Alex's solo of el cap was. He describes a pretty clear difference between the relatively smooth, comfortable, tuned in climbing of el cap, versus the less prepared and sketchier climbing of some of his earlier sends.
silence, and then downgrade it because i suddenly jumped from 7a to 9c 😂😂
As someone whose done a fair bit of free solo climbing I can also say damn Pete this is 100% accurate. Especially just the complete focus on this situation, its like your entire life leads up to a few moves. So intense and really cool to hear it described so well. Funny how this is being recommended to people 7 months after its release lol
This was a fun video. I'm not a climber, but I've been absolutely fascinated by Alex Honnold for years. I can get mild vertigo just from watching him so exposed at unthinkable heights. Thanks for producing this.
Love the commentary style vid with the unique insight, great work!
Love this channel! It’s such a great mix out of fun and really important information!
The wild thing about the engaged mind is that it sounds like you're going back to base core instinct. I'm a soldier, and I've heard and been taught what that is like in combat. Hearing dulls, peripherals are eliminated, decision making is compromised and pain isn't felt. People like to think that in the worst situation you'll rise up to be better and that's wrong. A soldier knows that a person degrades to their base, most instinctive training and will perform those simple actions immaculately.
Its hard for field officers to control combat, as being able to think and fight at the same time is almost impossible. No joke a drill that is taught is to pat yourself down after an assault. You might've been shot and not even noticed until the attack is finished.
Awesome video Pete, really interesting to hear you’re analysis and insights!
One of your best videos. Nice insight!
Excellent video. Lots of thought and edit time in this one for sure 👏
This is a great video, thanks for sharing!
Wonderful video essay, Pete! For those who don't understand soloing, these insights are very helpful.
(and by those who don't understand soloing I largely meant myself lol)
The 2 things climbers think about: What's for dinner? And where do I go climbing next?
So true. ^^
😂😂
Fascinating...great bit of thinking...I can't express my memories of soloing and why I did it.
But I did, and I had some of my best hill days ever...
Great video...
"you've got to want it"
I think this is the biggest gap from where I am. Looking at risk vs reward, even if you work hard and minimise the risk, I just can't empathise with valuing the reward higher than that risk!
Its like that with MANY things in life. Not just rock climbing :)
Great video man! Loved hearing your take on this
Jeesus Pete!! Epic video! More of that plz
Amazing video, would love to see more 'climbing psychology' style videos, I am a freerunning myself and the engaged state of mind sounds a lot like when you zone in on a scary jump or trick
Really interesting video, thanks! I'll never get my head around how Alex Honnold was able to do that mentally.
I watched the movie before I started bouldering, and now after, just looking at it now made me so much more anxious than before I started climbin. Great video btw
Alex’s free solo as by far the most impressive of those options
I can only think of a few folks that could provide the insight that I would pay mind to. Honnold, Pete Croft, Steph Davis, Brad Gobright, Hazel, and that crazy Pete Whittaker fellow. Cracking video, Pete.
There's more to this than just doing dangerous stuff... Adam Ondra preparing to flash 9a+ is a prime example of flawless execution. Doing dangerous/reckless stuff appeals to the wider audience though for the shock factor
The engaged mind idea really does make sense and it is also seen in other studies and is commonly referred to as flow state. It’s where the brain takes over and you just do what needs to be done without really thinking about it. The way you reach flow state is through a very focused state of mind which would make sense that he would reach it with the threat of death if he makes one mistake while climbing.
i think thats the thing that sets Alex apart, the fact he is able to get into this state of mind on hard free soloing, it's not easy to do that with certain death being the consequence. If you manage to reach this state do you might only reach it a few times a year for example, which gives basically no practice time!
@@WideBoyz I didn’t really think of it that way but more as his mind is forced into that state of mind to maximize the chance of survival
@@confusedd_4259 I don't know man:) ..99.999% of people would panic right away which is quite the opposite to flow (or engagement as Pete calls it). The level of self-control you (Alex, Pete, ..) guys have is mind blowing.
Personally I've reached similar state of mind quite a few times in my life. But being able to stay composed under such an extreme circumstances is unique and extraordinary to me.
@@martin.janicek that’s true
Hi Pete, orchestral musician and enthusiastic amateur climber here. Fascinating hearing your take on this. One of the things I love about climbing is that there are so many parallels, physically and mentally, between it and performing music at an elite level. A lot of how I think about approaching my music practice especially has a lot of crossover to my climbing.
What you term an engaged state of mind I would call flow state. A complete loss of self and of time, executing in the moment. This is definitely a desirable state for performance and is something I practice entering into. I'd be curious to know, is there much emphasis on this performance psychology side of things in climbing?
thats interesting to hear
I'm not sure there is loads of emphasis on it in climbing, we hear a lot more about the physical training aspects, rather than the psychological aspects. But thats not to say no one does it, I just don't think it's talked about as much. I know a lot of other climbers who use mental preparation, visualisation, etc before climbing something at their limit. I also think the psychological preparation is quite common with competition climbers
wow i was definitely thinking along these same lines -- I find myself switching between mind-wandering and highly engaged depending on the difficulty of the section at hand. It's crazy, because even though you're focused solely on executing during hard sections, things go by too quickly for you to think through every motion deliberately, you still need utter focus to make sure you're performing at peak level.
A really solid parallel, with a lot less danger involved.
I am also a violinist and rock climber. There is a book from Arno Ilgner called the Rock Warriors Way that discusses his method for entering the flow state while climbing.
I am a line cook in a fine dining restaurant and i also relate to this executing state of mind, when you're in the zone, everything clicks and it feels like you are dancing almost
A similar ‘out of body’/flow state of mind was described by the racing driver Ayrton Senna when experiencing his most challenging race conditions (rain, etc.).
I watch your channel regularly, but I missed this one for some reason. But Alex Honnold gave you a shout-out on facebook today! So here I am, catching up on an episode that I missed. :)
Love this. Would like to see more of this quality content
Great documentary. I've watched the "Free Solo" at National Geographic and was really amazed. So, so motivating. Even if I'm not any kind of a climber!
Brilliant video, I think you nailed it.
Beautiful essay Pete!
Best video you guys have. Thanks 🤗
Excellent analysis !
This video is hyper important for hyper-competitive people
Great upload and breakdown. I'm adding this to my system of learning and mastery
Awsome video never knew about the different mindsets while climbing awsome info dude
Great video!
Did Alex visit the cellar already? Would be great to see how far he gets without tips and how long it takes him to climb it...
No not yet. When he's in the UK next, we'll make sure it's on his list (somehow 🤷♂️). As he's a great crack climber I'm sure he'd love a good steep paddle hand 😎
That comparison of personalities of Adam and Alex really made me laugh. More so because I have met Adam several times in the local climbing gym in Czechia, and even on boring Sunday mornings he always seems so engaged with everything he does.
Damn, this is super well made.
This applies to many activities not just free solo, good way to explain it to people.
More videos like this please!
I concur, thanks.....These techniques now have me free soloing daily........from easy grades such as getting out of bed to complex cruxes, cracks, and finger holds such as porch railings, opening the driver's door, and getting in the truck for work.
wideboyz with the graphics. Great video very well edited 🙂
incredible motivation thanks ;)
Great video. Had to read through all the comments to check that no-one else had commented on this... . Very interesting, but importantly translatable to much in life - the muso who said the mind state applies in elite musicianship saw it, but also didn't realise how it can be applied by anyone trying to achieve anything. Not just the breaking it down, practising, persevering etc, but the relaxed v engaged mind. Learning meditation really helps with this control of our own state of being. Turning a simple switch in the brain allowing a focused state, that remains thoughtful not fearful, being able to breath into a relaxed state where the only thing is the now you are in, moving in your body, not concerned with pain, external factors or distracting thoughts. Meditation can really teach a lot of this. I believe there are times when elite and/or experts reach that peak when it feels transcendent. I think too that you don't have to be an elite athlete or top class anything to have that feeling - you just have to practice the mind states and perhaps something you love?
good review man
Great video as always, lots of cool info, not that I'm going to free solo el cap anytime soon though...
Loving this insight
Great video buddy 🤗
Very interesting. I feel like this is something good to keep in mind for other less deadly parts of life as well.
Brilliant vid !
I got here cause Alex shared this video on Facebook and said you are spot on haha
Great video! agree completely.
I did a free solo and the way my mind felt was absolutely amazing. Extremely addicting. It was only 50 feet but an incredble feeling, I would never try it if I thought there was a 0.1% chance of me falling off :P
what a fantastic video.
What about repeating the polish route on Gasherbrum IV?
or maybe soloing a new route on Everest in winter?
there's so many more huge objectives out there
Great insights this video. Curious if u think the Amygdela in Alex being different to the average person is mandatory in order to be able to achieve these feats...or if its just an advantage?
Engaged state of mind as you call it is most commonly experienced unintentionally by people who are in a life or death scenario. Your mind goes into survival mode and only focuses on what you need to do to stay alive, most often only for a few seconds at a time as a part of flight or fight response. With a combination of training and natural ability, people can achieve the "engaged" state of mind at will for a substantial length of time.
Funny, just watching Reel Rock 7 with you guys and Alex soloing.
that was a good Reel Rock year especially with Meru in there as well! Meru and Honnold 3.0 are two of my favourites
I’m not a particularly good climber and I don’t free solo, but I used to be in the junior national team in karate, competing in kumite (basically on on one fighting).
And I think I recognise that focused mind aspect.
At least it sounds like something similar.
A ability you need to train up to be able to stay focused and be able to think tactically, while still being fully engaged and present in the moment.
They way I thought about it about, is having control and maintain focus and using aspects of a fight or flight respons, having your body pumped full of adrenaline.
But still being calm, focused, and being able to somewhat still think clearly.
Sort of having your mind switch up the gears, and being very focused on just the task you need to do.
I found training up that ability to have been very useful in other completely different situations.
Like the few times I’ve come across people in life threatening medical situations.
Like when I came across a stranger falling to the ground, and having a heart attack and not having a pulse as I was exiting the underground in Stockholm.
I got into the same headspace in the matter of like 2 seconds.
Very focused, collected and calm-ish but working on a higher gear, still being able to think somewhat logically and prioritise what the situation needs and quickly.
Getting used to, and training your ability to make the best of reaping the advantages and trying to minimise the disadvantages, of having your brain pumped of stress hormones because it perceives you to be in a life threatening situation.
Alex is nutty how he can stay calm while doing this. As he said most people aren't afraid of heights moreso afraid of falling from sheer heights. If you ignore the below and focused on the upwards and whats in front of you then the heights don't even cross your mind. Me however I haven't the interest in learning it (free soloing) at my age of 37 I still do underwater caves and caverns but I prefer being tied up during it and the eternal blackness of a dark pit or underwater in the same.
One of the greatest feats of all time and probably the greatest mental feat of all time.
Ultra smooth climber - everything is deliberate.
I believe in Sport its called flow state, its you and the moment, everything just fits
The engaged state sounds a lot like what Steven Kotler describes as Flow. I really enjoyed his book, The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance
IIRC he also talked in an interview somewhere about being able to keep calm and sort of shut down any kind of fear response since that would just make him climb worse.
Yup, I remember he said something like this too.
One of the greatest mind control things Alex mentioned is how he views being up 2,000 feet in the air. Most of us normal people get that terror feeling from looking at the massive distance to the ground as if that would make the fall worse. Alex says it's really no different than 100 feet. MANY climbers have sent 100 foot free solos. So the only difference to him is the endurance to do such large walls. What a powerful mindset that allows him to process through doing big walls.
When you climb anything high with a danger of falling, thats the natural mindset. First 10-30 meters are terrible, with every step your fall becomes worse. You go froma broken leg, to a cripple. Then you arrive to if i fall im dead. And there is nowhere to go from there, be it 30 meters or 150. Honestly 15 is worse than 150 for me because id rather surely die than maybe live with terrible consequences. Anyways, back on track, you get used to it. Accept it. We are hardwired to get around challenges we cannot avoid, or die trying. So once you are that high, panic doesnt make sense. Its different when you come to a cliff because you didnt climb it, then the fear is very real. You go from 0 to a 100 instantly.
Not the same danger level but I do the mind set thing when I have to get a job done, I'm beat, still hot out but it's gonna rain tomorrow. Self employed pro house painter with no employees in Wyoming! And mid Sept by the way - My window is closing! Mind Set! Great education, Thanks!
You got it wrong, it wasn't one of the most impressive feats of climbing, it IS the most impressive piece of climbing the world has ever seen and probably will see for a very long time.
I'm actually gonna apply this to cure my fear of falling when lead climb
Great video! But the link to "your article" is wrong, I believe. You got an updated link?
This video about how to achieve your goals and why you set it up . For thing that need time and practice sport , e-sport , and other thing were competition is involved
Really goood!
Ive only ever had that ultra engaged mindset twice. All sound disappeared and i just did my thing. But we’re talking like v4-5 boulders outside and not free soloing LOL
I've only had it a few times on diffcult, bold single pitch trad. Quite often I've climbed a bunch of bold trad routes not in this mindset and it feels way harder. It's not an easy place to reach
For anyone who hasn’t climbed, if you are young and fit and turn up to a climbing wall you will almost certainly not be able to make a climb equivalent to the easy pitch (e4 which is equivalent at it easiest to a 6b in most uk indoor climbing centres). With some training and commitment you would get there pretty quickly. E7 is so hard my local climbing wall rarely sets one this hard (it’s a good climbing centre that some team gb climbers have used as home base in past). To climb at this level at all you would have to put some significant time and effort, and that is just to climb 12meters. Alex made it look like he was climbing stairs for 914m
Life lessons!
Very nice content! I think there should however be a big disclaimer at the beginning and in several points in the video: DO NOT DO THIS. You need to think very very hard if risking your life in such an incredibly daring endeavour is worth it. Is reaching the apex of what is possible, or notoriety, or whatever your goal is, worth your life? You've got only one. Unfortunately, most people who free solo die. That's a hard fact that should always be remembered.
even if its a strange comparison but its the same with each task that seems to big to handle, just go step by step. if you stand in the forest and cant see your goal because there are to much trees you need to take a decision and start to put one feet after another. otherwise you CAN NOT reach your goal. its the same reason why overthinking will not let you accomplish things. nike said it and its true: just do it.
💯🎯
I read comments before watching the video and somehow thought this was going to be a joke video with points such as “unlock the power of flight” and “force good holds into being by sheer will.” Everyone was just so earnest in the comments that it seemed like everyone was in on a bit.
Anyway, all that aside, this was a great video. I’m not planning on free soloing, but I still get scared all the time (I’m a beginner climber) so a lot of this is applicable to my training anyway.
Speaking as a huge fan of Alex Honold . I really wish he’d stop free soloing . As good as he is , there are things that can happen that are out of your control and that’s it you’re dead . He seems like a great dude and he’s been very inspiring to me personally. I wish he’d stop .
I wish he never stops. If he stopped, he wouldn’t be the man and ideological inspiration that he is today.
"One of the greatest pieces of climbing seen by our generation" must be a contender for Understatement of the Year. Thanks anyways for an interesting video. Somehow that footage is still hard to watch haha
If you pick 9A the real question is which would you pick out of 2 9A boulders BOD or ROTSW 🤔🤔
Not many really earn the title of a legend.
When you talk about the "engaged" state, I'm wondering if you think it is similar to the "flow" state as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura, described in a headspace (app) article as: “There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback,” Csikszentmihalyi said in a 2004 TED Talk. Csikszentmihalyi and Nakamura reached this conclusion by interviewing a variety of self-actualized, high-performing people: including mountain climbers, chess players, surgeons, and ballet dancers.
I almost would attribute that to the relaxed state
When Pete was comparing personalities in the video, what was the name of the demonstrative guy?
Adam Ondra
The mind does not compartmentalize as you suggest. There are always several different things happening simultaneously most of which is unconscious, sometimes directly conscious and on occasions create sensory states that unite into a super-subconscious state. In terms of elite human performance, words like focus are not really applicable as the brain is constantly organizing priorities surrounding the activity's sensory-energetic motor-match requirements and any events which might disrupt (disturb) these.
a redpoint ascent or even an ascent with falls and hanging of el cap is still an extraordinary achievement that only .001% of climbers will ever do
The thing that blows my mind is that I wouldn’t bet a million dollars that I could sent a v0 Boulder. Im sure I would 99/100, but sometimes you have a slip or grab something wrong or tweak a finger and bust a shoe or a hold is loose or you go the wrong way or who knows.
Point being that even if you’re climbing well within your grade, it’s climbing!
No one ever talks about @4:24 when Alex's foot slips... That, to me, was the scariest part of the whole climb, even though it was 'practice'.
You really see the fear in his eyes!
I’m pretty sure that was on Mount Watkins when he soloed it but was not free soloing. Very scary for sure.
My hands always get sweaty when I think about climbing.
As an ordinary person who has been hauled up a few rock faces and clipped into via ferrata, I cannot watch these videos, as my imagination overwhelms.. Unusual folk, these free climbers.
I sincerely hope nothing bad happens to alex
I like watching climbing videos, but I end up having to dry my hands constantly
"engaged mind" is basically hyper-focus. and it is trait of ADHD. But as ADHD climber i'm usually don't feel pump until i barelly can move my arms and legs. and i can relax myself until i get to the ground.
if someone made a video describing in detail each and every move Alex did as he free soloed el cap i would watch it. i don't care if the video was 8 hours long.