Brett Serwin

Dangling in the air, beads of sweat plummeting to the mat 20 feet below, I realize I have made a crucial mistake. There are blue holds everywhere, making up a sequence of little math problems begging to be solved. Yet no two people will choose the same path.

I analyzed the climb by closing my eyes and visualizing each movement in my head, keeping my mind and body in harmony. I repeatedly practiced this visualization whether I was in the shower or laying in my bed. I thought about which fingers and how deep they will be on each hold. My preciseness has always helped me break through my goals.

As I climbed up the wall, I started to get in a rhythm with my body, meticulously placing each hand and foot. I began to feel the moisture on my fingers, so I dipped them in my chalk bag while I held on with my other hand. That’s the moment I suddenly realized I botched the visualization. My limbs are stretched and I can't get myself up to the next hold. I improvised by swinging my heel up to the hold my hand is on, contorting myself like a pretzel. I used my hip to create upward momentum. From there I continued to swiftly climb up the wall, exactly how I had visualized it. Nearing the top, my forearms numbed with fatigue, I made sure to perfect my movements to conserve my depleting energy. I looked up and I saw that I was on the last hold. I used all my last bit of strength and leaped to the top of the wall.

These climbs have proved that of course going up the climb and touching the top of the wall fills me with exhilaration. However, what drives my thirst for rock climbing is the full journey of solving the climb. Each element makes finishing the climb so much sweeter. I love being over-obsessed with the climb, playing out scenarios in my head over and over again. I love making that decision to fully commit to the make-or-break move.

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