Self Assessment – Part 6

Regular self-assessment is a powerful tool to determine your personal assets and liabilities so that you can accurately design a training program that works. This is the sixth in a series of self-assessments adapted from my book, Conditioning for Climbers.

Check back each month for a new self-assessment–you can compare your scores to previous month’s assessment, thus enabling you to identify the two or three areas most holding you back (these would be the lower scoring assessments). Similarly, survey your answers question-by-question to identify specific liabilities that you need to address.

Evaluate Your Lifestyle and Discipline

1. How many days per week do you engage in a physical activity such as climbing, training, or another sport?

1—one, 2—two, 3—three, 4—four, 5—five

2. On average, how many hours sleep do you get each night?

1—less than five, 2—five to six, 3—six to seven, 4—seven to eight, 5—more than eight

3. How often do you pig out eating and drinking with little restraint?

1—three or more days per week, 2—twice per week, 3—once per week, 4—once or twice per month, 5—seldom or never

4. Do you smoke?

1—yes, daily, 3—infrequently, 5—no

5. When you set goals or begin a workout program, how often do you follow through to successful completion?

1—seldom, 2—occasionally, 3—about half the time, 4—often, 5—almost always

Analysis
Add up your scores for each question and record your total score here: _____. Use the scale below to assess your lifestyle and level of self-discipline.

23 – 25: You are a highly disciplined individual and well on your way to mastery!

20 – 22: Your discipline is above average and a real asset to your climbing.

15 – 19: Your discipline is near average. Try to identify one or two areas in which you can strive for improvement.

10 – 14: Your below-average discipline is a constraint on your climbing. If you are serious about climbing better, then resolve to adjust your lifestyle and subordinate less important activities.

5 – 9: Your lifestyle and lack of discipline are definitely holding you back. Determine your priorities, and make the lifestyle changes needed to elevate your score to 15 or above.

Set Goals
Review questions on which you scored 3 or less, then set a specific goal for improvement in each area. Write down what actions you plan to take along with a time frame for attaining this goal. For example, if you scored 3 or fewer points on question 2, determine what low-value activities (such as socializing, watching TV, or surfing the Net) you might reduce or eliminate to allow for more sleep each night.

Take Our Previous Self-Assessments!