honestly hydration is the thing I kept underestimating

Right so I always thought I was drinking enough water and then I started actually paying attention before sessions and... yeah, I really wasn't. I climb three evenings a week usually, and I'd get to the wall feeling a bit flat, pump coming in earlier than it should, fingers feeling sluggish on crimps. I kept blaming sleep or eating badly but to be fair I think a good chunk of it was just showing up already mildly dehydrated. I work from home so I'm basically sat at a desk all day and I'll go hours without touching a glass of water without even noticing. By 6pm when I'm gearing up to go out, I've probably had like two coffees and one sad pint of water. Now I try to get a decent amount in during the afternoon, not like chugging loads right before because that just makes me feel sloshy on the wall lol, but starting earlier in the day. Honestly the difference on the board has been noticeable. Endurance feels better, grip strength feels more consistent through a long session. I can't fully explain the science of it but it just... works. Mind you I'm not perfect at this. Some days I forget and I can always tell. It's become a bit of a running joke with my climbing partner — she'll ask how my day was and I'll say "dry" and she already knows what that means.