Elimination

Description

A route along a traverse has been marked with tape. Participants are bouldering along this route, and take away a tape from a hold, if they find it not necessary. By doing so, the route becomes increasingly more challenging, while still being manageable for the participants.

Material/wall

• tape
• traverse with many holds and steps

Therapeutical themes

Social relationships, communication/cooperation, responsibility/dependence, problem-solving, estimating own performance, self-worth/pride

Key questions

What role do members of the team take? How does the group manage to make the route achievable for the ‘weakest’ members? Is this possible at all? When is the route declared as ‘finished’?

Variations

The exercise can be varied mainly by marking more or less holds at the beginning or by marking footholds as well.

Tips

It is important to keep the route manageable for every member of the group, so that no participant is left behind.

At the end everyone should be involved in puzzling/deliberating – and not giving up too soon! It becomes fun, when the participants’ expectations are being surpassed and more holds than previously deemed possible become eliminated.

The exercise is best suited following the Tape bouldering exercise, whereby the self-taped route can be used as a starting point.