UKC

UKC Fit Club is not a substitute for the training diary but to use with ( or without ) it as a motivational tool for all.

For those wanting to find out more about training for climbing a number of physical training articles here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity, noting goals, successes and failures and to swap ideas.

Anyone interested in starting is very welcome but you should aim to post each week, every week, however little or much you have done. By making such a regular public record of your activities and by restating your goals every week this new habit will hopefully improve your training habits to help achieve your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

Link to last week's (308) thread:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=538128

Jamming Dodger - Things getting better?
Jimmykay - Enjoy Font
Biscuit - Since shark has ditched you are you meeting up with Nik?
Sean Kenny - Well done on the 7a
Daniel Heath - Nice to hear the fitness is up as well as the climbing
Kevster - the knee any better?
Mattrm - Glad you enjoyed the coaching hope you see the benefits
Si dH - don't be too hard on yourself. you got in 4 sessions that's a good week for most
Mr Chewy - ouch that sounds nasty hope your fingers are not as bad as you think. Ice then for a week and complete rest. Go no where near the fingerboard.
NMN - good busy week
Pork Pie Girl - good effort getting on rain dogs sounds like you are making good links already.
Eagle River - Raindogs a target then?
Ali - Enjoy new Zealand
Ian Bell - well done on the V3
Grubes - Oi fat f*ck only 4 weeks to spain put the f*cking effort in!
Maria85 - if Banff inspired you it counts. I aw a ben bransby talk last week it was awesome. Made me want to climb hard.
Joughton - Good luck in spain
IainRuk - Nice mixed week.
Kylieo - Where do you live? really nothing around you?
Ally Smith - gutted about the 8a always next time though
Nomic4sale - Enjoy spain
Luke owens - Good effort on the V7 should get it next session
Griffithsa - good effort trying to get out sometimes you just have to sack it off and go indoors
annak - Well done on getting and the PB
Allybee - it happens with work sometimes. Its a constant battle Life v work you cant afford to enjoy yourself without work but you wish you could
DoctorU - well done on bestow buttress sounds fun
DeaconDeacon - Red baron is meant (from mates advice) to be one of those problems that you will be know where near then it will just work for you. If you were close then it should happen next session. Hope you fell better

So that's it from me for a while hope I have done okay doing fit club. If some one wants to do a full month at some poin in the future it would be much appreciated

24/2 AJM
3/3 AJM
10/3 Ali
17/3 MrChewy
24/3 Jimmykay
31/3 biscuit
7/4 untill end of april grubes

In reply to grubes:

Thanks for doing fitclub grubes, once i've been doing it a bit longer i'll gladly do a month or so.

Yep Red baron didn't feel too bad but it was feeling a bit greasy and I was feeling pretty rough. I'm confident it'll go next session.

STG-indoor f7a+ redpoint and a couple more F7A's on grit.

MTG-few routes on my wishlist, long johns slab, archangel, the rasp. (by end of april)

LTG- consolidate E4, at least 10 (by the end of 2013)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mon-nothing (still ill)

Tue-routes at the foundry up to 7a

Wed-7A and a 7A+ at the works

Thu-nothing

Fri-Few routes at Birchen up to VS
Couple of hours down the works but really busy as there was a comp on.

Sat-Routes at Stanage up to E1

Sun-nothing

-----------------------------------


I mentioned it last week as I posted late but really chuffed with getting a 7A and a 7A+ at the works, I've never bouldered 7A indoors before (although I've got well over 50 outdoors) and I can really feel the training working. Also did my second f7a at the foundry and it was on the main wall. Just hope I can transfer it to outdoors.

Good climb at Stanage too with perfect conditions, Soloed a few routes then repeated Kirkus corner while waiting for some mates to finish a climb and did a few hvs's that I haven't done before. (I've got a bit of an ambition to tick the whole of Stanage so I often end up on a load of no star routes that no one ever does but they were mostly good this time).
Feeling really keen for routes and should be getting out this week, also should be getting a couple of days of bouldering with some beasts which always helps.

In reply to grubes:

Thanks very much for taking this on Grubes, much appreciated.

STG: V4 and then V5 on the bouldering wall, two 6c/7a routes clean in one session.
MTG: Actually touch real rock.
LTG: All sorts of stuff.

M: Westway routes: 6a, 6a, 6b, 6c (1 rest), 6c+ (1 fall/rest), including some falling practice. Then circuits, 2m on, 2m off, five reps.
T: Nothing
W: WW routes session with Ian of this parish. 6a+, 6a, 6b+, 6c+ (1 fall), 6c+ (rp), 6c (1 fall), 6c (2 falls). Falling practice.
T: Nothing, wrist and fingers sore.
F: Nothing
S: Nothing
S: Hopefully do some exercises at home this afternoon.

A quiet week from me, fingers and wrist have been feeling a bit sore so felt like resting them a bit. Happy to get a 6c+ third go on the steeper part of the wall, I'm not good at that kind of sustained, overhanging power-endurance climbing. Also plenty of falling practice, which is good too, I need it.

Not sure how much I'll get done this week as I'm off to Yorkshire to look after my mum, but perhaps some runs and lots of stretching.

In reply to grubes:

Morning all,

Thank you Luke,
Afraid my life isn't routine enough to take on FC, though I am happy to help out/fill gaps when possible.

A better week this week than last, and what a gorgeous day yesterday (Sat!). I have a few questions for those more training expertise/ knowledgable than I and the knee is going to mend fine which is good. Evidently I have tight hamstrings and a muscle imbalance - weak on the inside next to quads. So exercise and stretching, then tick.

Questions - around arm strength/fingerboard.
Basically I am super weak arm wise, though the fingers are reasonably steely. I have started fingerboarding recently, which is going OK, taking it easy finger wise for the first few weeks then upping the game.
I realise the importance of slightly bent arms. But my trouble is I am weak in this direction. So I have also started doing a few pull ups - 4-5 sets of 5 as thats all I can manage, and lock offs frenchie repeater style, just a few sets as that too is all I can muster - and they are tedious.
What have others experience of this been? Is it a common issue? How has it been conquered? Am I being too idealistic and everyone has a drop in form towards the end of the FB session? What issues has a lack of ability to hold good form through a finger board session actually resulted in?
Surely trying to do it will be the best way of actually doing it, but once shoulders slump should I stop with the fingerboard or keep trying for the hopefully short period of time that i can't hold good form? Obviously the finger board point is finger strength with a by product of strength in other dimensions.

Any well trodden paths to getting form/arm strength beyond what I am doing/ plan to continue to do?

Also what do folk do about antagonists - arms I guess push ups, fingers?

Thanks.

And, any one get to the Cuttings? Is HOM dry yet?

This week:

Mon: Fingerboard
Tues: Indoors leading, took it reasonably easy though arms felt it.
Weds: Physio re Knee issue - positive outcome, not a joint issue, but a soft tissue/muscle weakness.
Thurs: Fingerboard
Fri:
Sat: OUTDOORS! YAY. Swanage. Perfect conditions for a T shirt. Did 1x E1 & 2x E2 (Adventures of portland bill/white dwarf - Excellent adventure/fun). Virtually no one at the crag, dolphins in the sea. Ideal day.
Sun: Jog & pull ups.

Cheers!

This coming week: indoors twice, FB once, pull ups once, run.
Immediate goals: Sport 7c, Old man of Hoy, keep trad level up.

In reply to grubes: Four weeks grubes - come on fattie! Get to it!

Kevster - only just started fingerboarding and I have the same issue, it feels like my arm strength is letting me down first rather than the fingers. Be interested in the replies but I've been doing pressups, built up to 3 sets of 20 or 25. I get on the rings at the wall and put my feet up horizontal with my hands and do pullups in that position, seems to have helped more than anything else and it's a good core workout too.

My week = NOTHING

Decided that I'd just been pushing myself too much, work has been stupidly busy, I forget I'm on the wrong side of my forties with a badly battered and abused body and I'd started to make daft decisions, which in hindsight were down to lack of rest/sleep. Therefore, I've done nothing at all this week and from Wed, work was back to normal, so I've been getting to bed early and making sure to eat lots of protein.

The Bioskin knee brace arrived on Friday, seems to fit okay, is rather annoying to wear BUT I hadn't realised how loose my knees had become since being run over in '07. The new tear, now the swelling's down, has left the ligament well stretched and it's going to be a constant battle to keep the joint stable but the brace will help in the mountains brilliantly I feel.

Been in a reflective mood this week and tried to focus lessons learned into a progressive path for the future. I've always spread myself too thinly at sport, always been up to too many different things and it's time to stop doing that and follow the lead of some of the fit clubbers on here. Not sure I want to move countries like biscuit or train like IainUK but I need to get into their mindset and not give myself any excuses.

'Quality rest IS quality training'

7a is the goal, with V4 and E1 5b on the way.

In reply to mrchewy:
Thanks for your feedback.

V4 on the way - sport 7a shouldn't be far behind. I have assumed that as your bouldering is nearly V4, that a bouldery route may suit you. Just get on the 7as! I realise that injury isn't helpfull (will the leg brace enable climbing?), but I thought a few suggestions for you may motivate & which i felt weren't nails for the grade. Apologies if I have presumed too mch.

Rubicon Wall at WCJ. Short, with a reasonable boulder problem crux. No small holds.
Or Bristol way, there is a 7-8m (Cheddar) Whose line is it anyway, which is little more than a highball with a couple of bolts. Crimps and reach help.
Either of the 7a's at Brean down- jug pulling bottoms with balancy crimping tops.
Dorset (Winspit) - peppercorn rate- steady away, almost a stamina style route. & next door to it Order of the freemarblers - Reaches from and to jugs, slight overhangs.

Regards, Kev.

In reply to Kevster: Not presuming at all! Cheers for the ideas - I'll write them down and have a look. The only V3s I've done indoors have all been juggy or sequency, the outside one was short and you just had to be accurate. Hence the need to work on finger strength.

Had decided I wanted to do Shorty's Dyno at Dinowig but after reading that blog/training link that biscuit was on about last week, I needed to have a rethink in terms of strategy and that list of routes from you is what I need.

So cheers!

Kelvin

In reply to grubes:
Thanks Grubes.

STG (this winter through to March): tick at least 10 new Ft 7s, including at least one Ft 7b, before Font [so far: 6 Ft 7a, 2 Ft 7a+]

MTG: tick at least 5 Ft 7as in Font in March

LTG (March-Dec 2013):
- aim to onsight 10 E3s and 1 E4 in 2013. I've also updated my wishlist to reflect some of the routes I want to do if I get the opportunity.

Weekly training plan up to March involves:
- 2 wall sessions, focusing on bouldering with occasional ancap
- 3 fingerboard sessions
- 1 outside day
- 1 rest day
(minus a wall or fingerboard session when I manage two outside days)

This week:

M: I'm sure I did somethign in the evening but can't for the life of me remember what!
T: Short session bouldering at Alter Rock. I only had about 50 minutes to spare but it actually felt like a really good session - rather than concentrate on doing any thing hard, after warming up I just kept climbing and doing problem after problem for a good half hour without any significant rests. Definitely earnt the pancakes I ate in the evening.
W: Did about 70 chin-ups on the fingerboard followed by a few hangs on pockets.
T: Did 50 chin-ups in the morning and a few more in the evening plus some press-ups whilst cooking - big valentine's day meal so I was in the kitchen for 2.5 hours!
F: Rest apart from press-ups and sit-ups in the evening. Ate really badly - had a work away day involving bacon cobs in the morning and a buffet lunch, then visited my parents in the evening and my mum had cooked a sweet & sour pork.
S: Bouldering at the Roaches. Really good day - went to 5 clouds and did both Hard Arete (Ft 7a+) and Trust (Ft 7a). Both great problems, and not soft at their grades but went down fairly easily - I got each in 5-10 tries. Hard Arete is my first completely undisputable 7a+ so that's nice. That lump of rock is awesome. Afterwards I headed to the Upper Tier and got back on Nadin's Traverse - still couldn't do it (I'm sure it's desperate for Ft 7a!) but did manage to do the crux cross-through move, which is progress. Maybe linking it all together should be my aim next winter! Stupidly after Nadin's I refused to accept enough was enough and went to try Inertia Reel. Didn't manage to get off the ground but still went through a tip - argh.
S: Not much today - looking after ill wife. Went for a walk this morning and just doing various press-ups and leg raises around the house. Fingertips not up to any serious finger-boarding.

Training felt slightly better this week than last, although overall mileage at the wall was low and I ate a lot. However I'm pleased with yesterday, and if I can repeat next weekend (last available session before Font) then I might hit half of my short term goal after all (if I include repeats, I have actually managed 10 Ft7s this winter now - but only 8 new ones). Hopefully I'm peaking at the right time!

In reply to Kevster:
I only realised you were supposed to have slightly bent arms very recently, and always previously just hung straight-armed. Still do quite often. I feel it has helped my fingerstrength and Ive never got injured from it. So I still think its worth carrying on when your arms are tired, if you feel your fingers have more left in them. I will however caveat that by saying that I'm not expert, and that my upper body strength is naturally better than my finger strength, so my shoulders may be less susceptible to injury than yours.
I'd say getting some more chin-ups and lock-offs in to build your strength in that area to a point where you can last longer in a session would help. I find I can get a quick 50 chin-ups in much easier than a proper fingerboard session because it doesn't require a proper warm-up (just do the first couple of sets on big holds) and only needs 5-10 minutes in total.
Hope this helps!

In reply to grubes:

Thanks Grubes.

Continuous - Shoulder / knee rehab / ankle strengthening

STG - Climb 6b (or v3) @ wall, 12st 4lbs
Process goals
- 3 core work outs, 2 runs, 1 climbing session (1/2 silent footwork & half sideways climbing)
- Soup for lunch and eggs for breakfast. Sensible evening meals.
Aspirational - Climb E5/6 (London Wall), Scottish Winter V (Point 5, Zero, Minux etc), WI5, Redpoint 8a, stay injury free & maintain 11st

Weight - 12st 6lb (1lb loss from last week, but not overall loss)

M - Rest
T - Rest
W - Core
T - 7 mile (11k) run
F - Core
S - Core
S - Rest

No climbing this week. But got the core workouts in. Aimed for a rest week really. The core workouts were really good. I'm doing a mix of leg raises, crunches and dish tucks. Aiming at working my lower core, which is really weak. Hard going, but it's good. Changed the goals a bit. Trying a mix of process and outcome goals.

In reply to grubes: Put in an easy week as should have ran a marathon today, but opted to miss it due to strong winds and sub zero temps..

m: am: 10 mile trail run. pm: 6 miles, 4 x 1 mile reps at 5:30-5:20 pace.
t: 21 mile road run, 6:50 pace.
w: 10 mile road run easy pace, 8:00's..
t: 6 mile easy road run. pm: 7 miles with 3 x 1.5 mile reps at 5:30ish pace.
f: 8 mile easy trail run
s: 5.5 mile easy road run
s: 15 miles, around 6:30 pace, last 3 down at marathon pace, 6:00-6:10 pace.

In reply to grubes:

Yep, not putting a time period on it but Raindogs is on my list now.

STG: 7c by April 2013
MTG: Raindogs.

Mon: Indoor bouldering at Blackburn- some V6s went easily, some not so easily, some not at all. Couldn't touch this lot of V7s.

Thurs: Indoor Routes: One fairly poor attempt at the 8a, still a bit sore from monday. Had 3 goes at the leading ladder 7c then watched a tall dude on it who did the stopper crux completely differently (using a foothold for a handhold). I went up using his method and ticked it. To be honest it doesn't feel 7c doing it that way, probably hard 7b/7b+, but the other way i was trying was really frustrating so I'm going to leave it alone now. Just the 8a left from the leading ladder routes and I think there were some new ones put up for the BMC youth comp which i've not done.

Sun: Malham. Drying out nicely in the sunshine. LHS undercuts all still soaking but should be fine in a week or so. Had 3 goes on the top half of Raindogs. Refined the sequence for the 3rd to 4th bolt, 4th to the top is fine and 2nd to 3rd is fine. Didn't quite link from 2nd to top as I was knackered by the time I figured out the 3-4th section (including going right to the flatty to clip). Definitely a long-term project but I love the movement on it and it's going to feel so intense on redpoint.

Depending on conditions etc for the next few months I'll probably spend time at malham on raindogs if it's free, Tremelo if it isn't, then choose a 7c at Kilnsey from Metal Guru or Biological need. This means that the 7c by april goal might fall by the wayside if I feel close to Raindogs (which feels miles away at the moment!)

In reply to grubes:

Two weeks worth

Goals:

Best efforts outdoors last year:
RP - 7a
HP - E5 6b
Boulder - V4
Onsigth E2/3,
Winter VI 6

Goals for this Spring:
Boulder V7
RP - 7a+ / 7b
HP - E6
Winter - VI 7

Summer
Onsight more E3s leading to an E4 onsight.

Last week:

M: 20min core
T: Morning: 30min fell run, Evening: 1hr 20 bouldering 7 core. Started 4x4s
W: 1hr bouldering, 4x4s
T: Rest
F: Morning: 1hr10 4x4s and core, Evening: 50 minutes, 18 x 6b+ traverse
S: 30min fell run
S: Travelling

This week:

M: Skiing
T: Skiing
W: Skiing
T: Skiing
F: Travelling
S: 1hr fell run
S: 1hr 30 bouldering, 4x4s and core

In reply to grubes:

STG: Stick to the training plan.
MTG:
LTG(2013): Redpoint sport 7b, 1 e3, 1 e2 that plenty of people think is e3.
VLTG(2015?): Classic e5 (Positron?, Right Wall?)

Falls: 0(94)
Fat %: 12
Focus: Local Endurance(4/4)
Key weaknesses: Spotting sequences. Repertoire of moves. FoF.

Mon: Arc(30 mins). 4x4(V3,V3,V3,V2). Repeaters
Tue: Nothing.
Wed: Arc(30 mins). 4x4(V3,V3,V3,V2). Repeaters.
Thu: Nothing.
Fri: Core.
Sat: Nothing.
Sun: Nothing.

Another poor week in terms of volume, wasn't as good on the 4x4 either this week. Improved on Arc & Repeaters.

Painted the climbing room & took the campus board down to let more light in.

Plan for next week:
Going an extra week on LE
4*ARC sessions(mon, wed, thur, sun).
1 * volume bouldering(fri).
2*4x4 session(mon, sun).
3*fingerboard(mon, wed, sun).
2*core(tue, sat).
1*weights(tue).

In reply to grubes:

Cheers Luke. I would love to get back up North and see Nick but work/moving house/lack of money have all conspired against me.

Not much done this week but i have learnt 2 things:

1) Swimming the night before climbing is not a good idea. I feel totally 'depleted' the day after.
2) Trying a 7c after 5 weeks of not climbing sport style was never going to work, especially when combined with no1 above.

Had one climbing session at Desplomilandia. Retro flashed a 6c/+ that scared me to death last time i went on it. It went OK mentally but i was pumping out wildly and wasn't recovering. This feeling lasted all day. I had done a 6a+ warm up before hand.

I had 1 TR go on Sandokan. What an amazing route and it's now on my ticklist. Got 3 7c's to do now. I was nowhere near it and was very static and nervous. I had about 15 rests. Very 'tight' mentally and it showed in my climbing. I was trying to climb it with a trad head i think. Testing every move before committing and trying everything static. Spent the rest of the day on some 6's and felt VERY pissed off when i had to shout take on a 6b+ slab. Not good. Sacked it off then as a bad idea. Was supposed to climb today but house moving has taken priority.

Swimming has gone well. Now up to 1500m in a session. Did one session of 15x100m reps with 30 secs rest between. 2nd session was lots of drills but still 1500m. Swam 200m with no rests at the end of it too and had an amazing revelation as i got my technique right and felt like i was 'at one' with the water. I almost ( but not quite ) enjoyed it. Way ahead of schedule and surprising considering my lack of swimming experience.

Other than that i've done bugger all. A strange lack of will to get on my boards/bike or boulder.

Got excited about Sandokan though so i am going to crack back on with it tomorrow.

Going to check out a possible bouldering spot near my new house tomorrow and i have got space in the garage to make a double panel training board. I'm kind of hoping i won't need to build it though with what i've got locally. Also sorted out where the BM is going and i should be able to use a pulley system for strength training now.

This weeks goals:

Move house
Get more work
Check out the bouldering/training potential near new house - and what looks like an amazing sport crag by the road.
Boulder @ Rosario - go back to a steep fingery 7A and benchmark myself on that.
Routes - i may sacrifice performance ( if i can call it that ) and have a mileage and falling session. In fact not may, i will do that.
Bike x 2
Swim x2
Core x2
Complexes x2 inc YLWT's
Weighted pull ups
Repeaters

In reply to Si dH:
50 pull ups in 5 minutes! I feel about 1/2 and inch long!

In reply to mrchewy:

You don't want my mind set ;0)

Glad to see you are getting things balanced.

The move to Spain would have happened anyway - the fact i am a climber is just a lucky bonus for me.

Now Iain is someone i would love to copy. He's pretty inspirational.

What are you doing to help stabilise the knee ? Just out of interest. Both my knees are still sore and when i tried a high step on a slab the other day i had to stop and figure out another way.

In reply to Kevster:

Try 5 pull ups every 30 secs. The closest i have come is 47 reps. It's a good quick workout.

In reply to grubes:

Thanks Grubes. We're only a couple of hours from decent sports climbing but I can't get excited about it when it's so cold, I'm a hot rock person. Month long trip booked for June so the thought of that keeps me going.

STG (by summer):
don’t get injured
Redpoint 7a indoors
Climb something in the V4-V6 circuit
Lose ½ stone (heading in the right direction again)

MTG (during summer):
don’t get injured
Redpoint 7b

M - 4x4 routes. Warm-up and then 6b,6b+,6c,6a. 6c had a lot of falling on every go. My arm hurt a lot after this so I finished on 6a rather than the planned 6c+.
T - physio. Nothing wrong which is good, just plenty of tight bits. Got given some more antagonist exercises too.
W - redpoint session. Warm-up (including onsight of a new very hard seeming 6b). Worked a 6c+ and a 7a, 6c+ has a clip I can't do and 7a has very powerful last 2 moves.
T - Eating pancakes to make up for missing out on Tuesday.
F - double dips. Warm-up then 6b,6b+,6b+,6c,6c,6c+ each twice. Only failed on the second attempt on the first 6c, got all the rest clean, very pleased with that!
S - Nothing
S - redpoint session. Back on the 6c+, worked out the clip and honed the moves a little. Had a second go on it to cement the moves and came off on the last hard move, I really didn't expect to get that far. Had one final go on it but I was tired and didn't get as far. Still it should go soon which is exciting.

In reply to kevster:

I've had rotator cuff injuries the past two years, I believed caused in part by bad fingerboard technique. I spend my day sat at a computer, hunch a lot (something I am working on now) and was generally fairly weak all of which I think made me more susceptible to the injury. I am now very paranoid about getting injured again and hence anal about having good technique when I fingerboard and just stopping if it gets bad. I may progress a little slower than I hope but I would prefer that to another injury.

On the other hand, obviously not everyone breaks as easily as me! You will likely get away fine with bad technique towards the end of a session, just watch out for aches and stop if necessary.

In reply to grubes:

Cheers grubes. Nice one with the E1, putting the f*cking effort in!!

STG: 7as in Spain next week
MTG: 7b in Spain in March
LTG: E1s summer 2013 and look at E2

Mon: nowt
Tues: ingleton circuits
Wed: nowt
Thurs: Kendal, 2 goes on a 7b, 2 goes on a 7a.
Fri: 8.8 mile trail run Pendle Hill, 360m ascent
Sat: nowt
Sun: 10.8 mile trail run Pendle Hill, 600m ascent

Pleased to have gotten on the 7b on Thursday. It felt ok and I think I can probably do it.

Didn't get a chance to climb at the weekend which was particularly gutting given the dry, sunny weather. Not too upset though cos I'm off to Spain tomorrow, should be good.

In reply to grubes:

Did you forget me?

Very low intensity this week. Unpacking and van faffing and stuff just took over, been feeling a bit stressed with too much to do really. Managed to assemble fingerboard so maybe able to train again pretty soon.

2 highlights though:
- A good wall session on Tuesday. Managed another red, tried several others, and nailed a 6C on the membership. Pleased with this, tried it a few weeks back and felt miles off whereas this time I could do the long move smooth rather than an all out lunge/jump, keep my feet under control and eventually ticked it after about half a dozen goes.
- Somehow I weighted in at 71.7 this morning despite a week of a totally shit diet with no focus on eating well. That's basically at or around fighting weight which is something of a surprise a month or so before I need to start thinking about it. If I can hold onto it then my job during the peak phase will be a little easier.

Hopefully more next week. Might even treat myself to a day outside next weekend.

In reply to AJM:

Oh and I think part of the reason for low training psyche is that a combo of climbing and unpeeling spray on carpet adhesive and superglue and things from my fingertips means they are seriously tender and sore...

In reply to IainRUK: Make that..

m: am: 10 mile trail run. pm: 6.85 miles, 4 x 1 mile reps at 5:30-5:20 pace.
t: 21 mile road run, 6:50 pace.
w: 10 mile road run easy pace, 8:00's..
t: 4.1 easy trail run run. pm: 7 miles with 3 x 1.5 mile reps at 5:30ish pace.
f: 8 mile easy trail run
s: 5.5 mile easy road run
s: 15 miles, around 6:30 pace, last 3 down at marathon pace, 6:00-6:10 pace. pm: steady 4.5 miles 8:00 mile pace

In reply to AJM: I feel your pain. Try having sandpaper as one of the main tools of your trade - thin tips r us!

In reply to grubes:

Thanks buddy.

Very ill this week, just recovering in time for an amazing weekend.
M-Campus
T-
W-Campus
T-
F-No climbing partner so shunted at bus stop quarry, then soloed 1000 tons of Chicken Shit, E5. It felt good to get something wired, then commit to it, and it felt like clockwork on the send.
S-Boulder comp. Did fairly well but not top 3.
Lead Scare City E6, after one shunt the day before. Felt good and not too hard.
S-Lead Coaching with Shauna Coxsey, Dave Barrans and Ned Feehally.
Such a useful session, learnt a lot and had all three of them give me pointers on my leading style.

Anyway, E5 solo and first E6 lead (HP)

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Great end to the week. You must be well chuffed.

In reply to Nomics4sale:

Have a great time and CRUSH

In reply to Eagle River:


let me know if you need a partner - I'm keen on Raindogs, Tremelo etc too and have lots of days-off to use by the end of June. Just back from 11 days of climbing in Turkey and keen not to let my early season gains go to waste.

In reply to Daniel Heath:

Well done Daniel, First E6 is well good. I was ill this week and chuffed to scrape up a few HVS's.
Was the lead coaching a private lesson or a course down the wall? I've been tempted to get some coaching.

In reply to grubes:
STG (Mar 2013):
More than 1 7 in spain maybe a grade push
MTG (July 2013)
Climb harder than 7a in UK and abroad.
Lead E3 try onsight
LTG (End of 2013):
Top out the chief
Boulder 7A/V6 UK and try get one in Squamish.
Climb Great wall at squamish
7b
E3/4
Weight loss!

This Weeks Goals:
achieve something - Tick Loads: first slate trip of the year first trad route (not solo) first E grade of the year, Life tick too

M: Depot 3 hours. Long session ticked all the new whites there was a lot of them, did some more blues tried a few more comp problems. set myself a new day project and tried a hard wood probably V6/7 worked it until tired but no tick.
T: Rest. Promotion and pay rise from work
W: Rokt 3 hours. Repeated the wood 7a on top rope after finally leading it last week. Tried to flash a 6b+ slab but got my feet wrong on the last move. Some long long leads when tired. Bouldered for a few hours.
T: Rest
F: Rest
S: The slate quarries - trad. Warmed up leading seamstress (vs) seconded seams the same (e1) having lead it last year (great route) lead peter pan (6a+). Then the tick of the day came ..
Ever since watching the extras on welsh connection I wanted to do a route on the rainbow slab. It looks so amazing.
Red and Yellow.. is the easiest route but necky as f*ck. Having a Belay willing to belay me I set off on my first properly bold route of the year.
First 5m okay possibly hard 4c move to a tiny spike I go a number 2 micro wire on. Then came the meat of the route. lots of moves in the 5a grade range while trying to work out where the route went. at the 20m mark I got to what I found the crux a mantel move to get your foot high as I did it the rope got in the way of my foot and ende up stood on the rope not the little edge ... Deep breath to stop panic setting in. Read just on to good holds and realtively straight forward climbing to a ledge and finally gear. then straight forward to the top.
First E1 lead of the year and a hard one at that
S: Tired and plans in the afternoon meant I went to depot for a couple of hours. Nice session on the new blacks (v1-3 mainly on the V3 end) and runnning laps on blue problems to help my friend climb some harder stuff for her.
Core session in the evening while watching some films felt sick afterwards.

Next Weeks goals:
at least 1 other wall session
Works friday before work trip to china saturday

I have had a brilliant week. Nice to get my first E grade of the year time to push on with my training 4 weeks to spain

In reply to grubes: well done on the E1 grubes, it'll definitely help with your climbing when you get back from china knowing you've already got stuck into the E's this year.

In reply to deacondeacon:

It was group coaching with the RAF climbing team at AW Liverpool.

They just gave us some general points and beasted us on a routes session, but I asked for personal advice and they were very helpful.

I would recommend, but expect "try harder" to be the biggest coaching point most of the time

In reply to Daniel Heath:
Well done on the E5 and E6 Daniel looks like we were both in the quarries on saturday.

In reply to Eagle River:

I was the lanky feck with the alternative sequence on the leading ladder 7c.

LTG (End 2013) - Unjustified at Malham

MTG (Spring 2013) - Melanchollie at LPT & be fit for Terredets at Easter.

STG (end Feb 2013)
- Re-hab ankle injuries
- Continue re-hab of finger injury and re-start finger boarding.
- Get back in the cave of justice
- Lots of elbow eccentrics - Zottman curls proving good combination exercise
- Back to Brean Down and finish off ticking the crag. 4 new routes and a retro-bolt since i lived in Bristol.
- Get back below 75kg (Currently 76.6kg and 6.8% BF)
- More core
- More an-cap
- More small holds, preferably outside

M - Gym. Big session including deadlifts, curls, eccentrics and dynamic core.
T - First DOMS in a while. 2hrs skiing at SnowDome.
W - Fingerboarding. Repeaters 4x drag on BM2K slots 2x doorjamb crimp, 2x doorjamb drag.
T - AWS - good boulder including flashing some of the white ("v7" circuit) then leading ladder routes, followed by some low end aero-cap.
F - Nowt - Orthopaedic surgeon consult - good news he doesn't want to operate until May. Skiing and Spanish trips should be unaffected, but now screwed other ankle (see Sunday)
S - Bouldering in damp cave. Fell off Hatch Life 3 times moving into LW. Annoyed it's only 7c+ now i've been shown an extra kneebar.
S - Burbage. Ticked West Side Story in a session Fecked ankle falling off The Sphinx despite the pad mountain under me. Proper hobbling in work today

In reply to grubes:

yeah, the weather was great!

Well done on the E1. I've downclimbed from the first sketchy move a few times. Not committed to it yet.

In reply to grubes:

Thanks grubes!
Last week, nothing exciting, but I suppose you can't have exciting every week. Lots of running as am pretty excited about the half marathon.

M: run 3.5mi / 29:30 - pretty slow, presumable knackered after hiking in the Lakes all weekend. Cycle 6 miles.
Tu: Bouldering @ Biscuit Factory - anther tiger ticked off, only 4 left now. Cycle 12 miles.
W: Cycle 6 miles.
Th: Run 4.1mi / 35:48
F: Run 4.1mi / 35:57
Sa: rest day. Lots of eating.
Su: Lead session at the Castle, first one for ages. Lots of 6as, felt good. Shoulder a bit creaky so didn't push too hard. Cycle 12 miles.

In reply to grubes and Daniel: Nice work in the quarries the pair of you! Gutted mind, I hate hate reading about the slate when I'm not gonna be there till mid March.

E6 or Rainbow Slab??? Soz Dan... grubes gets the biggest cheer! If my climbing goes to plan this year, then I wouldn't mind having a crack at Pull My Daisy before xmas but first the Seamstress and Seams the Same.

In reply to biscuit: Knees.

After the crash, I started to do one legged squats religiously. Kept them up right till last year after the race, I sort of assumed I was strong enough to not bother but to be honest - I should have kept them up as I reckon that might have saved this latest tear. Oh well.

A few ways to attack them, a friend does hers on one of those small trampoline bits of kit and swears by it. There's too much vagueness for me to feel safe to do that but I do them with a raised heel. If you feel knee pain when going downhill (with a heavy bag) then a raised heel one legged squat in my experience is the way to go. Couldn't find a film of a decent one legged one but this will show you what I'm getting at.

youtube.com/watch?v=0To2EQs2Bvc&

Worked a treat for me and was able to shrug of the welsh 3000s and the ultra despite my dodgy knees. Just wish I'd kept them up instead of thinking I could stop. Lesson learnt.

In reply to mrchewy: pull my daisy looks amazing, definatley on my ticklist for this year.
My friend said she found comes the dervish easier than pull my daisy.

Bella Lugosi is Dead and the 6a/+ (e1/2) thing to the right of that looks good too.

In reply to grubes: Not looked at Bella Lugosi yet... there's so much. Need to buy a set of RPs first tho.

In reply to grubes: Cheers, and I'll take a month at some point.

Last week's goals:
2 x bike to work one done
1 x indoor climb tick
Orienteering I tried...
1 short run tick x 2
2 x core & fb fail
Long weekend in Scotland tick!

M: Run, 4km, 20mins.
Bouldering @ bingley wall. Did a couple of blues (V1-2) I didn't do last week and was pretty happy to get a couple of greens too (V3-4). Grades still seem generally harder there than at the depot.
T: Bike to & from work (19km, 260m ascent total).
W: Tried to go to orienteering, snow killed plans as I drove 200m in 20mins then gave up and went home.
T: Lunchtime run, 22 mins, 4km. Drove to Scotland.
F: Walked into the Ben in the rain. Played on some ice above the CIC hut. Didn't want to get on anything big as neither of us had been in there before and I was a bit intimidated! First winter lead for me in a few years though which was good and highlighted a few kit issues I need to deal with (ie. crap axes).
S: Skied at Nevis Range. Fairly good snow actually and tons of fun Bit of playing in the transceiver park too, good practise.
S: Trail running - Glencoe to Kinlochleven and back on the W Highland Way. Roughly 20km, 1000m ascent and 3hrs 20 running/walking uphill (plus a leisurely few stops too). Sunny and gorgeous.

Really good weekend. Didn't tick anything I'd had my eye on in Scotland but did have fun. Realised I still have very little winter climbing psyche and lots of ski psyche, which is good in a way but also bad (read: guilty) as I feel like I 'should' like winter climbing more. Do slightly regret not doing the Aonach Eagach on Sun as planned, but it did mean I enjoyed my run instead of being cold, scared and miserable... which seems too common in winter climbing for me It was definitely more of a holiday than a motivated climbing trip!

Totally failed at doing any core and fingerboard again. I really need to sort this out.

Was annoyed at missing orienteering as it was the last of the season. Seeing as hardly anyone else made it either though, I managed to finish second female in the winter night score league which I'm very happy with! Going to miss it.

Plan for this week:
2 x core & fingerboard. Days are planned, I will FORCE myself!
Probably won't make it to the wall as I spent far too much over the weekend.
2 x bike to work
2 x short runs
1 x long run - might try running to work one day, though it's looking a bit chilly!

In reply to ally smith:

Ah, hello!

Just scrolled back up to check I didn't say anything offensive, nope, I didn't mention you reaching(cheating) past the other crux around the 2nd to last bolt.

In reply to grubes:

Thanks Grubes.

Running goals:
Snowdon Race - 1h 35m.
Edale Skyline - 4h.
Ben Nevis Race - 2h 20m.
Wasdale - get round.

STG:
Get out climbing again & regularly onsighting VS / HS.
MTG:
Push trad grade.
LTG:
Lead a tough E1.


M - eve: 5.04m road run, 68ft.
M - am: Indoor coaching session.
M - pm: Indoor routes.
T - 5.04m road run, 64ft.
W – Working away.
T – 6.00m road run, 175ft.
F – 6.02m trail run, 704ft.
F – Indoor routes.
S - 5.03m road run, 64ft.
S - Nothing.

In reply to grubes:
Not really better this week. Ive been distracted/ Ive been ill/ The dog ate it/ I couldnt be a*sed. Choose whichever excuse suits.
Still, although I havent lost any weight, I havent gained any either. Hurray!
Monday I thought I could do with a rest from the run the day before, so nothing.
Rode to work and back on Tuesday- 28 miles.
I cant actually remember what I did for the rest of the week, except for yesterday where I spent the day on the sofa feeling hungover and pathetic. I was led astray. I know, Im an inspiration to you all...
Anyway today I have been mainly travelling but picked up my newly sprayed frame and thats gonna get put together this weekend so i'll be excited to have my favourite bike up and running again.
Will try chip away at some miles and go for a run at the weekend and do some crunches, press-ups.

(V)LTG: 7a lead, lose 12lbs.

In reply to grubes:
Cheers, good to be out scrambling, if a little chilly. The views were fairly impressive:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doctoruseful/sets/72157632741453719/

11/2 M: Day off, went out for a curry!
12/2 T: Warrington North Face: Ran out of time, only managed 9 routes and didn't get to take on my 6b lead nemesis:
5TR (VERY thin with cold hands!), 5L, 6b TR (cheated a bit using a volume to stand on), 5L, 6a+L, 6aL, 6b(Fail) onto 6a TR, 6a TR, 6a+TR with one error
So looking at that, I'm happy with progress.
13/2 W: HIT workout: 5' warmup on rowing machine, then Fartlek intervals: 1' 20spm light, 1' hard, repeat 5 times. on the hard, rating increased: 24, 28, 30, 32, flat out (rating 38-40) - managed to get 1min 39s splits for 45s before exploding creatively! Then 5' on a cross trainer, another steady 5' row and last 2' on crosstrainer before warm down. Then out for food (again!)
14/2: my long drive home
15/2 F: weigh in: 78.9kg, 17.1% - happy with the 1kg weight loss despit this week being a bit gluttonous! No exercise (being a daddy). Checked HR with my Oximeter, which registered 44bpm at rest, so I'm definitely getting fit again!
16/2 Sa: ditto
17/2 Su. a walk with my daughter out in the cold; then my regular 3.5 mile run around newbury, not timed, but just to clear my head a bit.
--
Also: Beastmaker arrived! I mounted it on the mounting board and admired it for now, and looked at training programmes.
--
So actually, not a very intense week, but progress still being made.
I will see if I can up the intensity/focus a bit and lead some 6bs successfully soon...

STG: Update log on Sunday: Missed by 1 day (better than last week!)
MTG: Lead 6b: Looking more realistic, as long as it's not a Beacon 6b!
MTG: prepare for Kalymnos in April: I've bought the guidebook...

In reply to Jamming Dodger: You didn't need any encouragement to over drink!

In reply to mrchewy:

Cheers for that.

Can't do any harm, i'll give them a go.

In reply to grubes:

That type of route is a slippery slope.

My favourite grade used to be E1 5a. Now it's E3 5b.

It only gets worse ;0)

In reply to Eagle River:

Absolute classic. The climbing world is a small one and you never know who you are calling lanky :0)

In reply to biscuit: Following your comment I did some thing geeky (guilty)

I copied all my climbs from log book E1 and above into a spreadsheet and analyised them:

total unique ticks: 18
Lead
total: 14
E3 5c: 1
E2 5b: 2
E1 5b: 5
E1 5a: 6

Style:
lead onsight: 6
Solo onsight: 1
Lead flash: 1
Lead ground up: 2
Redpoint: 3 (these were all route I have previously seconded not actually worked)
Boulder: 1

2nd
Total: 4
E1 5c: 1
E1 5b: 3

So looking at that list suggests bold routes seem to be where I am getting my (easy) ticks.
Maybe I am just better at head games than climbing?

In reply to grubes:

I find it hard to climb above trad gear. If i am on a knowingly bold climb ( or solo ) then the decision is made for you in some ways and the only way is up. I find that helps me and i perform better.

I wouldn't say they are easy ticks, they still get the same E grade just for a different reason. Many people would say it's the other way round and safer, but physically harder routes, are the easy ticks.

In reply to biscuit: The commitment thing - I do wonder if that's why I'm rubbish indoors. If I'm on my own in the hills, I quite often get into a smooth and easy place, there's no worries about falling or technique and it all comes down to route finding and making the decision to carry on up or find an alternative. These are my best days. Abbing in at Gogarth focuses the mind for me too. I have no option but to just get on with it.
Indoors, it's just too easy to back off or not bother or sit and to some degree it's the same on sports routes.

I've asked myself recently what my strengths are and my head is definitely one of them, I just wish I had the climbing ability to go with it.

In reply to mrchewy:

My head is my weakness and my strength. Once i commit i commit but sometimes it can take me an awful long time to do so and i find that removing all extraneous issues ( such as abbing in to Gogarth or soloing ) makes that decision for me and i just act instead of faffing about.

I have surprised myself a couple of times with solos that i had no intention of doing. Just happened to be there, saw them and felt like i could do it and did it. I've never gone somewhere with the intention of soloing or doing bold routes.

In reply to biscuit:
If you want a laugh andy check the picture of me on this on facebook (on my wall) the comments an interesting read.

Left it late enough that I can't really remember what I did now!

W: WW routes session with Sean. 6a+, 6a, 6b+, 6c+ (dog x 2), 6c (dog x1). some good falls.

Did go and do something somewhat similar another day but I can't remember what / when now!

Hopefully can get outside on Sunday this week.

Back from Turkey, had a really good time despite missing the flight I had booked out due to snow! Managed to redpoint 3 6c's and a 6c+, so mission accomplished. Found that the long, quite, but not very steep routes suited me well. Took 3/4 goes for the harder stuff, but should have been able to do in fewer through being braver/having better tactics. Effectively onsighted a 6b (had top roped 8 months ago), and came very close to a 6b+, defintely need to work on taking obviously safe falls on steep cruxes to push this. Played on a 7a, which didn't feel out of the question, so need to push on for this next goal...

Thanks to bigfriendlymoose (luke, has climbed with a few on here) for the belays and encouragement to go for it a bit more on lead, a fit club candidate if there ever was one, landing an impressive amount of 7b mileage.

M:
T: Miss flight due to snow, Foundry working level 2 problems!
W: Travel
T: 2nd dog 6b , RP 6b+ (3 goes) TR 6c (dnf)
F: Lead dog 6a+ (Verdon groove of death) TR+lead dog 6b+ Lead o/s 6a Lead dog(x2) 6b
S: Lead o/s two 6a's Lead o/s 6b Lead dog 6c Lead dog 6a+ (x2) (fingery sandbag)
S: Lead o/s 6a Lead dog 6b+ (dropped at very top twice) lead o/s 6a+ 2nd dog 6c (Ipek Yolu)

M: Lead dog 6c (Riglos) RP 6b (2 goes) Lead o/s 6a
T: RP first 6c 3rd go (Ipek Yolu) RP 6c second 2nd go (Riglos) Lead o/s 6a
W: RP first 6c+ (Semazen) 4th go
T: Lead dog 6b+ Lead o/s 6a+ TR dog 7a Lead dog 6c (Ala Daglar) left gear in due to thunderstorm
F: RP 6c 3rd go (Ala Daglar)Lead o/s 6a + 5c
S: Bad skin day, bailed on a 6c+ (Rocketman-one for next year) and two horribly sharp 6b/+'s
S: Home time


STG: V4 ish boudlering e.g. Walnut Traverse at Birchen -WORKING / Crucifix traverse at Almscliff
2 problems I couldn't quite do last winter, so good benchmarks

MTG: RP 6c in Turkey Feb 5th onwards DONE / French 7a boulder traverse equivalent at churnet

LTG: 7a Sport RP

In reply to Sankey:

Aw shucks... not that you seemed that appreciative at the time of my constant cavils that you could and should be trying harder routes (and as steep as you could manage! nicer holds, generally easier to on-sight, and less risk of hurt). Anyway, your success was all your own work and just reward for your efforts. The only credit to me is that I introduced you to the mutual benefits of the gri-gri! Next time: 7a.

In reply to grubes:

Already clocked it. That's what prompted me to comment ;0)

In reply to grubes: Cheers grubes,

STG - Font 7A and F7b
MTG - Font 7A+ and F7c
LTG - Font 7B+/7C and F8a

Monday:
Started Repeater cycle. 5 sec hangs, 5 sec rest x 6 - 3 minutes rest inbetween sets
Back 2 (One foot on)
Front 2 (One foot on)
2x4 with 17kg weight attached for Pinch grip (Alternate arms)
Middle 2
One hand on 20's and one hand on 35's slopers (alternate arms)
Front 3

Repeated the above twice.

Tuesday:
Oswestry Wall - Repeated some V5/6 and a V6/7. Lot's of easy problems. Helped out girlfriend a lot again, she's doing really well on V1's - psyched!

Wednesday: Rest/Stretching

Thursday:
Same Repeater session as Monday - felt stronger
Also did some Core

Friday: Rest/Stretching

Saturday Rest/Stretching

Sunday:
Wavelength Boulders
First time up there, couldn't get over the quality of the problems! Great session. Did:

The Utopia Groove SS - V4 - Flash
Utopia Lefthand - V5
The Shelf - V3 - Flash
The Wavelength Groove - V4 (Insanely technical!)
Boysen's Groove - V4 (Best problem I've ever done!)

Video: (I'm the one in the Green Beanie)
vimeo.com/60062742

In reply to Luke Owens: Nice video chap.

anyone for Malham tomorrow? looks dry and i've been there when it's colder with no problems.