Why Your Climbing Progress Feels Random — And How to Fix It
Some weeks you feel stronger.
Other weeks, everything feels impossible.
You're training. You're showing up. But progress still feels random.
If someone asked you why you improved — or why you didn't — could you actually explain it?
The Illusion of Progress
Most climbers confuse activity with improvement. Here are three common illusions:
More attempts don't equal better performance
Trying the same move twenty times feels productive. But if you're repeating the same mistake, you're just practicing failure. Volume without awareness is noise.
Being tired doesn't mean the session was productive
Exhaustion feels like evidence of hard work. But were you tired from meaningful attempts at your limit, or from repeating easy climbs you've done a hundred times?
"Almost sent" doesn't accumulate
That move you almost stuck? It feels like progress. But "almost" three weeks in a row isn't a trend — it's a plateau you haven't recognized yet.
Without reference points, effort turns into noise.
Why Progress Feels Random (Even When It's Not)
Here's the uncomfortable truth: your climbing probably isn't as random as it feels. The randomness is in your perception, not your performance.
Memory fades faster than you think
Session details disappear within hours. You remember the highlight — that one send, that one fall. But the context is gone. How many attempts? What felt hard? What actually improved? By tomorrow, you won't know.
You can't compare what you don't record
Was this week better than last week? You think so. But can you prove it? Without data, you're comparing feelings to feelings — and feelings lie.
- Last week vs. this week
- Volume vs. intensity
- Styles you avoid vs. styles you repeat
Patterns require accumulation
One session means nothing. Five sessions start to show something. Ten sessions reveal trends. But if you're not tracking, those patterns never emerge — even though they're there.
Progress isn't random. Your awareness is.
The Real Problem: Invisible Patterns
When you can't see your climbing clearly, you make the same mistakes repeatedly:
- You repeat what feels familiar — gravitating toward styles you're already good at
- You avoid what feels hard — skipping weaknesses because they're uncomfortable
- You misjudge what actually improves you — thinking more volume is the answer when it's really specific practice
Most climbers don't lack motivation. They lack visibility.
How to Fix It (Without Changing Your Training)
You don't need a new training plan. You don't need to climb more days per week. You need to see what's already happening.
Here are four low-effort changes that create clarity:
Track what you tried, not just what you sent
Sends are satisfying to record. But attempts are where learning happens. A log that only shows successes hides most of your climbing.
Separate volume from difficulty
Twenty V2s and five V5 attempts are very different sessions — but both might "feel hard." Recording grades lets you see the difference.
Notice styles and weaknesses
Are you always on the overhang? Always avoiding slabs? Tags like "crimpy," "slopers," or "roof" reveal patterns you'd never notice otherwise.
Compare sessions, not days
Today might feel bad. But compared to last week's session at the same gym, on the same wall? Maybe it's actually fine. Context changes everything.
You don't need a better plan. You need a clearer picture.
What Changes When You Start Logging
Tracking isn't about discipline or optimization. It's about making the invisible visible. Here's what climbers typically notice after a few weeks:
- Sessions become comparable — "better" and "worse" have actual meaning
- Rest days start to make sense — fatigue patterns become obvious
- Plateaus stop feeling mysterious — you can see exactly where you're stuck
- Projects show real progress — attempts accumulate toward sends
Tools like ClimbingNote+ aren't about discipline or optimization. They simply make your climbing visible.
Progress Stops Feeling Random When You Can See It
The goal isn't to log perfectly. It's to create enough visibility that progress — and stagnation — become obvious.
Logging doesn't make you better. Seeing does.
If your climbing progress has felt random, start by making it visible.
Ready to Start Tracking?
If you want to analyze send rate and style weaknesses directly, read:
How to Track Climbing Progress and Find Weaknesses (Using Insight in ClimbingNote+) →
If you mostly climb indoors, start here:
How to Log Indoor Climbing Sessions →
Climb outdoors as well?