Interview with Jenya Kazbekova

Jenya Kazbekova comes from family with strong climbing traditions. Her parents are Champions, her grandma is successful paraclimber. Jenya took climbing like her own path and this year she have already won Dock Masters. Here is an interview with her was taken last year.

Hello, Jenya! Tell us please how it all have started for you?

I climb since childhood. I don’t remember when exactly I started because my parents brought 2-months baby me to climbing gym. I have grown up in these atmosphere.I don’t remember, but parents say that in 8 years I told them I would become a climber and started training. How many can remember I climb.

Do you think, a mental aspect had played its role in your recent success?

Yes. I think it may be the most important thing in competitive climbing. No meter how much power you have, if you aren’t able to get in right mode, gather confidence, focus, your power won't help you. I personally felt that with self-confidence I can move mountains. You shouldn't be the powerest person, better you should be confident that you can do it.

Where these self-confidence comes from? Not only is it important in competition, but in everyday life too, isn’t it?

There are no limits to perfection. Unlikely one day I could say: “That’s it. I confident in myself on 100%.” There are drops and falls which get you back or closer to your goal. Sometimes I feel I have caught right feelings. Sometimes everything seems a disaster and I even can’t remember how to climb. In such moments I don’t know how to deal with it.

More competitions, more easily I take them. But initially I should believe in myself. It doesn’t mean unrealistic expectations. I just know how well I have worked and I’m sure I have done my best by the moment.

Frankly speaking, it’s an open question and weak point in my career.

Do you use some methodics from yoga or psychology?

Yes. I’ve discovered and tried a plenty of them. But if something works in any time, it can stop working in other time. So I haven’t find one thing to calm myself before comps. Gaining experience I became a little more calm. You can’t be under the stress all the time if you take part in the competitions often. I should have fun and not treat it as job.

Do you run?

I used to last winter. Generally speaking, I don’t like it much especially in the snow. So in the morning I went to gym with treadmill and spent there an hour. But it doesn’t work for me and it’s so hard so it doesn't make sense for me.

So what was the point?

I think, it helped me to control my diet and lose weight at the beginning of the season. All the February I was running for an hour 3 times a week. But I like swimming or gymnastics more.

I know you did crossfit too. Does it work for you?

Back there I was sure it is. Now I’m sure it absolutely not. I trained my willpower to get up early and went to these exhausting trainings 3 or 4 times a week. 2 hours after training I couldn’t do anything. It was mental training but my legs became one and a half times bigger. I got some more muscles but body fat came with them. It was fun but it isn’t useful for me. And I think crossfit isn’t good for knees. My knees started to pain due to overloads.

What is your height, ape index and weight?

My height is 163 cm, ape index is 0, weight is not so fixed. I think I haven’t ever achieved my “fight” weight. I have never been skin just normal. My weight varies a lot.

Does weight strongly influences your climbing?

Not at all. Perhaps if I must carry on me 60 kg in one day and 52 in the next day, I would feel the difference. But it changes vary gradually, so my body adapts and my muscles can cope with it. Certainly if my weight is 64 kg, I won’t succeed in competitions. And I do had such weight. My average weight is 53-54 kg and it’s normal for me. But if I manage to lose 5 more kilos, all crimps will turn into jugs for me.

What is appealing for you accept climbing?

I play a cello. I have attended musician school at the conservatory for 3 years. It was my child dream. I wasn’t sure that it would come true one day but desperately wanted it. I was lucky to find great teacher and entered the musician school.

Besides I study at the institute of physical education as a coach. I think, I will make climbing career till I will want it. After that I will think what could be the next. Now I don’t know what it could be.