Similitudini - The small things that make bouldering great

The aspects I mostly look for in bouldering are basically two. Two seem to be not too much, but at the end they are a lot, considering that each of them has infinitive sensations, multiple variables and wonderful combinations. The first one is definitively the beauty. Trying, brushing, looking and climbing a boulder I like, that gives me something, that is able to offer great feelings is sure the best thing to search for.

Based on my personal tastes, a line expresses its own beauty through various factors. In fact I don't like to catch the beauty in general, but I love to appreciate the different features that a piece of rock offers.

Some boulders can inspire me when just one of this factor is at the top of the quality, like for example the quality of the holds, its aspect, its rock, the line itself, the moves and also the place around. The stunning lines happens obviously when all those features are at the top for your personal tastes and requests.

The second aspect I love to discover regards the physical part, a bit more sporting, but always linked to a personal experience and a personal comparison with the climbing. Trying the problems on the own limits, not limits in term of grades, but in terms of mental and  physical difficulty, is always motivating. What is really nice to discover is how bouldering on the limits is composed by tiny actions, small modifies on the beta and imperceptible differences in the positions of the hands and of the body. When I can discover those little things, attempt after attempt, session after session, the key of the success is showed and you have just to execute what you have understood. 

These small details can show other little parts of the puzzle and when you add all of them they can make a big results that is the full sequence to get the top. I remember this approach on some of the hardest line I did like "Entlinge", "Boxwood Hill", "Meadowlark Lemon" and others too. Recently this thing happened on "Similitudini" in Aosta Valley, a line that I brushed with Gabri and even though the line is not as good as others, the movements are really nice and motivating.

After brushing it, the holds had already a good grip so we started pushing us up each other to get the beta of the new rig. The moves were done after the first session, the first part of two singles were harder than a second one more understandable that required just a bit of conviction to grab the final lip. I knew the hardest part would have been to find the good link for the first move and I was too tired to try it from the start. I was anyway happy; I did the move but I knew there would have been much more to discover to link it all together.

The second day of work lasted a lot, but the time was sufficient  to finish this line. Everything was thanks to those little things that composed the betas. The hand in a super precise point gave a better position for the crucial heel hook, the fingers in an exact point of the sloper made the bump easier, the ring finger and the pinky on the first holds changed for few millimeters. That hold became better and at the end everything looked more possible. My mind, seeing those little improvements changed in a positive way, the motivation went up and the feelings became better in better understanding the process of the small things and I was able to send it. 

Similitudini, FA. Photo Giulia Paoletti

Similitudini, FA. Photo Giulia Paoletti

Similitudini, FA. Photo Giulia Paoletti