UKC

Rained a lot up here in the Lakes today. May get a day out at Slipstones tomorrow..... depending on the weather.

Fire is roaring in the hearth, homemade soup is on the go, there's a definite chill in the air. The crags in the UK will soon be wet and dripping for the most part.... although looking forward to those glorious autumn and winter sunny crisp days on grit or sandstone.

Trips to look forward to; Scotland, Rjukan, Mallorca, Costa Blanca, Bishop, but for the most part and for most of us it will be 'down the wall' on a regular basis.

If you are like me you will want to spend your time wisely on the wall not just having fun and a good social but actually making progress and getting better so that next Spring you can unleash your new wild physique and positive attitude on warm rock.

UKClimbing.com and Dave MacLeod may be able to help.

In November Dave will be available for live chat and questions on the UKClimbing.com forum Rocktalk about his new route Rhapsody (E11) and the future, but before that UKClimbing.com have commissioned Dave to write an article on how to use your time on your local climbing wall wisely.

So have at it.

Use this thread to ask Dave any climbing wall related questions that you have.

He's walked the walked and can talk the talk......jeez he wears socks with his rock shoes, wears a helmet and several years ago hadn't a clue how to use his feet.....and now look what he has done.

Whether you are making your first steps in the vertical world or like me are an oldster who wants climb even harder Dave will try his best to help.

Whether you have specific questions or case studies, post up here and Dave will try to incorporate them in his article.

Read the Modern Traditionalist here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=198

Dave MacLeod's main website here: http://www.davemacleod.com/
Dave MacLeod's coaching website here: http://www.davemacleod.blogspot.com/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

if you're mixing up a bit of stamina and some strength training in the same session (I know that's not ideal) which should you do first?

Simmilarly, if you are training on a few days on, cpl of days off cycle, and you are mixing up training, would you train strength on day 1 and stamina on day 2 or the other way round?

Cheers!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

How can I develop more stamina for winter climbing, I'm knackered after a few grade III pitches. I'm quite fit, I can run 5 miles or more non-stop, I can rock climb ok (boulder V6, lead HVS)

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: If Dave was a medium-grade punter aspiring to climb a bit harder (a big IF!) and was building a small home climbing wall (say, in his garage), what would it incorporate - e.g. features? angles of walls? hold types? - to allow maximum benefit/gains from climbing training?

In reply to Marc C:
When training at the wall by e.g. steep bouldering, how much should you push yourself? Should you try to do everything statically, or should you be pushing yourself to your limit (and therefore slapping for everything)? And should you do more easier problems or less harder problems, assuming you enjoy them both equally?

Oh, and slightly different - whats your best recommendations for training in a house where you cant put up a fingerboard or anything fixed? A doorframe, anythign else?

Cheers

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

For Dave MacLeod's coaching website try:

http://www.onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

If training for trad routes are steep boards going to help a large amount or are you better off working at more realistic angles?

In reply to necromancer85: That was partly my question - wondering whether to have a less steep board (25 degrees) with smaller holds or a steeper wall (45 degrees) with bigger holds. Or should the angle be more 'realistic' (i.e. similar to real rock)? Obviously if I could get up a 60 degree overhanging wall with NO holds I'd be laughing!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: "Do you modify your diet in any way to help improve your training? What are the sorts of foods you consume on a typical day?"

In reply to LMB:

That's obvious!
Irn Bru and a Scottish Salad for tea every day.
Mutton pie, beans and chips. All the key food groups in one slap up extravaganza.

Davie

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre: Iron Bru eh?? Must give it a go! I know Dave eats special K for breakkie, just wondering about snacks throughout the day, and after climbing in particular.

In reply to LMB: i'm sure Dave's diet would be interesting, as would his views on how important animal protein is wrt peak performance, but are we still on topic?

In reply to prana: No I must admit I didnt plan to go so completely OT, but hopefully we can let one slip?? Its just I'm really curious to know what his diet is like. Sorry if I've messed up the thread

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I'd quite like to know about what you can do in quite a short space of time to get the most out of a climbing holiday.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Dear Dave,
I weigh 12.5 stones but I reckon if you cut me in half the legs would weigh at leat 9.5 stones.
Is there any point me ever going to a climbing wall and will I ever be a good Sport climber. At the age of 38 can I forget about 8A?

yours in advance

The Ent

I would add to this the actual size of the homewall. Eg - what dimensions are best for working home problems as well as system training.


In reply to Marc C:

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:




i second the above 2 questions.

the 1st exactly.

But with reference to the 2nd one - more particularly, what kind of training would you say best benefits the targeting of the higher grade winter stuff generally.
i.e. above the grade V/5 type boundary (and just to enable finding the former not so taxing at the same time)
that is, i don’t think i really have a problem with stamina up to that, but know i almost def wouldn't have that required for far above it, never mind the skill required.

on that note - how much of the ability to break the barrier into the more modern style of Scottish mixed routes (say VI/7 and above) would you say is down to the individual attaining greater physical (and mental) strength as opposed to developing further/more advanced technical skill?

thanks in advance( i hope)
regards
jonny

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Dave: For pure finger strength improvements, many say 1 or 2 handed deadhangs, max 8 seconds or the hold it too big. This is pretty dull to do in reality. How would you compare the gains made by this technique compared to doing fingery problems on an overhanging board? What about heavy finger rolls in the gym? Are these a good substitute?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Can you recommend to me a one hour stamina training session that I could do down at the wall during my lunch hour? (I want to push my grade to E2 5c and 6c+/7a sport)

SN

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Dear Dave: I am usually only able to get to the wall a maximum of twice a week (if it rains all weekend and stops me getting out). What would be the best use of that pitiful amount of training to improve my bouldering and to allow for some sport climbing next summer?

Thanks

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


Dave,

Will you marry me??

Regards,
Beaver


(hmm, I wonder if I'll get a response??)

((Actually, if he says yes I'll be flattered but both of us being hetro may cause problems))

In reply to Beaver:

You don't need any help according to your profile:

Best Onsights
Bouldering - font 8c
Trad - E10
Trad - 5.15a
Indoor - F9b

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

thats his onsight .. his worked grades could do with a bit of erm work!

In reply to JimR: Why do they need work, I'm perfectly content with having worked a F5+!!!!!!

In reply to Beaver:

quick to get in your denial Mr B....

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I'm a typical "weekend warrior" working well away from any rock.

Can train any nights in the week and climb outside most weekends.

What's the best training I can do mid week so i can still push myself outdoors (trad) on the weekend.

Is a fingerboard worth it? Should it replace/be added to wall sessions?

Lead E1/F6b, boulder up to 6b+. Currently go to wall twice in the week, mixture of bouldering and routes.

Cheers

In reply to Grimny-lyn - the merry dwarf: Mr Bi

In reply to prana and the Grim short yet not miserable one: I just thought I'd throw in a curveball, he must get bored of all the punter questions.

Incidentally, so far I haven't heard either way!!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I have just built a small steep climbing wall in my house which about 45 degrees. I usually go to the climbing wall about 3 times per week.
How much is too much to use the wall at home?
Any advice on traning on a small wall like this?
Thanks

In reply to Beaver:


I am taken, but well done for asking a specific question. I thought I should get this question out of the way here rather than in the article.

Thanks for asking so many questions. Some of them are quite general and the answers will inevitably begin with "it depends...". I'll answer one here quickly to get the ball rolling a bit more with this thread -

Q - "How much training is too much on my home wall?"

A - When you cant recover from the previous session in time for the next. Your training should leave you feeling pretty worked, but the feeling on energy and strength and generally feeling refreshed should follow fairly closely behind this. Most people can manage some sort of exercise 6 days out of the week, and doing little and often fits in with a 9-5. Reading the messages from your body about your recovery state is something you learn over time and is akin to knowing when you have had enough sleep.

Remember that if you are in always fatigued and suspect you are working yourself too hard, it might not be the training volume that is the problem - it might be that you are not taking care of yourself to allow the recovery to happen, e.g. by not sleeping enough, eating well, keeping general stress to a manageable level and drinking too much alcohol? Your body can deal with a LOT of training, probably more than you realise, but only if you take care of it.

keep them coming I'm sure Mick will tell me when I've got a big enough job and move onto writing more organised answers...

dave

To add a little more to the answer above...

If you feel you are donig too much and either plateauing, failing to recover, or getting injuries you have 3 options:

1. train less.
2. keep up the training and hope things change
3. Keep up the training but improve your general care for your body to help you deal with the training.

pretty obvious which option your coach will choose...

In reply to Dave MacLeod: What fingerboard routines do you use dave.

Hi Dave,

I usually manage to get into the wall at least a couple of times a week, but don't have any set programme or regime in mind before I get there. I pretty much just do what I fancy, or work a particular problem which, I'm guessing, is not the most efficient way of improving!

Qu.1:

Can you recommend a more structured session plan eg stamina week 1, power week 2. Boulder 1st trip, routes 2nd trip....What sort of regime do you suggest adopting, assuming you agree that it would pay dividends.

Qu.2:

What percentage of your time on the wall/sessions per week should you be trying 100%. I'm thinking when repping routes for endurance for example, should you always go to failure?

Cheers



Fraser

In reply to Fraser:

Should maybe add that I've been climbing for about 10 years and have sort of plateaued indoors around the F6c/+ onsite mark. My routes:bouldering session ratio is probably something like 5:1.

This thread was started in the wrong forum and has now been moved.
Please could you try and post in the correct forum, it makes life easier for both users and moderators.

Forum descriptions - http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/info/forums.html

In reply to UKC Forums: You have to laugh!

In reply to Dave MacLeod: Dave, I'd be interested to know how I can use my time at the wall to improve my open handed grip strength instead of crimping everything all the time...

In reply to Mark Lloyd:

good to see more questions, will move on to aswering them in the article in a day or so. Some of these, like the question above I've already answered in detail on my website. Mark you can see my ideas about fingerboard routines here: http://www.davemacleod.com/articles/roughtrainingguidepage4.html

In reply to Dave MacLeod:

Dave,

I've just skimmed the thread, so apologies if this has been asked before.

I have very limited training time - one full evening a week, (with the possibility of one additional quick fingerboard session).

For the full evening, I'm already doing alternate weeks on bouldering and routes. Given that this is only one session a week would you recommend climbing until failure, or stopping before absolutely trashed?

Thanks.

In reply to Dave MacLeod:

PS The links in the menu on the left side of this page don't work

They're trying to link to
www.davemacleod.com/articles/home.htm

when it should be
http://www.davemacleod.com/home.htm

In reply to Dave MacLeod: I would just like to know, how to cope with flappers caused by training indoors? Do you have any special potion to help moisturise/harden the skin, or is it just bad technique?
I'm finding that bad skin, which is really bad blisters and flappers is stopping me climbing as often as I'd like. Any advice would be appreciated Dave! (Sorry if this is already mentioned!)

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I'm starting to try and push myself and am really feeling the benefit of climbing twice a week at the wall and at weekends. However, I still feel that I have a problem reading routes and finding the best way of doing them. I often find with routes and especially longer boulder problems that once someone has shown me the way to do them I don't have a problem/can work on it but when looking at it myself for the first time I just can't work it out.

Any advice!