Six Reasons Climbing Makes Me A Better Musician & Coach
It’s good for my body
I love making music and it is important to me that I am able to perform for as long as possible, but there are definite physical risks involved in engaging with my instrument. As an activity, climbing improves my strength, flexibility, mobility, fitness, and coordination, and is a major part of me ensuring I have a sustainable career by offsetting the highly unnatural position playing the horn forces my body into.
It’s FUN!
After playing the horn for 24 years, I know that I both practice better and perform better when I’m in a good mood, and I’m always buzzing after every climb. I find it’s a great way to clear my head of all that work-related mental clutter, and, I don’t know where this idea came from that in order to succeed as a musician we must sacrifice all else, but we’re allowed to enjoy our lives!
Maintains a healthy work-life balance
I’ve also come to learn that having a bit of separation from my craft is such a good thing for my mindset, to ensure I’m setting healthy boundaries in my relationship with my craft – absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that ;-P
Potential for cross training
An aspect I didn’t anticipate when I first started climbing is that there is a huge skill crossover between climbing and music. The mindset and the strategies that I’ve developed for effective practice and confident performance are 100% applicable on a climbing wall, and it has provided me an excellent opportunity to practice these skills in a new context.
Builds bravery and confidence
The fact that there are very real and immediate consequences of failure while climbing – death, dismemberment, and slicing myself open like cheese on a grater – provides me with a healthy dose of perspective when performing: It’s very unlikely that I would die on stage, so it can’t be that bad, right?!
Widens & Stengthens my Social Network
Some of my dearest friends and most treasured relationships have formed through music, and I am forever grateful for this. But it is all too easy to fall into the echo chamber of similar experiences, perspectives, and solutions when we only engage with the one group of people. I have found the climbing community to be friendly, welcoming, and hugely encouraging, and it is always refreshing to speak with people who don’t give a damn about that split note in a performance three weeks ago…
I’m not saying every musician should be a rock climber, but I do encourage all of my students and clients to have variety in their life by filling their days with activities outside of music that are good for one’s body and soul.
