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 (336) thread:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=561033&v=1

AJM - First Font 7a+, and an E3 lead. Not bad! The pyramid is almost full....Thoughtful, reflective stuff.
Si dH - Good work on Indecent Exposure. A well deserved rest at thew OVal.
mrchewy - Look forward to that weekend.
porkpiegirl - Great to see your spirits up. What a bike ride! How is BB going?
mbh - Just running. I need more variety and some speed work. The world of local fell races has just become apparent to me.
IainRUK - sounds like you've gone in search of hills. 4 weeks to go now.
useful - some good positives there - hang on to them.
mattrm - Good try on the ultra. Hope your HVS buzz continues.
annak- nice, varied week witrh a good sea stack tick. Hope your Dad enjoyed his outing.
NMN - good to see you running again on that ankle.
JimmyKay - Back from Croatia now? Keep up the psyche!
Exile - Good luck with Bears for Fears. Sounds as though you are almost there.
Needkraken - Great attitude and a fun week that has moved you forward. Handy, when a festival is there as a fallback.
Kevster - bad luck on the Stoney onsight. Almost! Have you gone further i the dark side?
Garrouli - Thought we had lost you. Hope the PE training is going well.
Nomics4sale - ANd a great time was had at Pembroke. I like the way you casually slip in a couple of fell races too (I think the second one counts).
Sankey - Progress, progress - you are getting there at Kilnsey.
Luke Owens - Only half of the 7c to go. Good experience (and fun) for you on the different rock, and BIG CONGRATS to the gf.
Chestwig - An E5 and an 8b. Nice work and thoughtful report.
Eagle River - Unleash that child in you! Hope your skin is OK.
grubes - Is in Canada, in case you didn't get that. Have a great trip.
stevemarkperry - Great news about your Monday. So what was it?
Nick Russell - Thanks! Two big ticks for you. The Equator sounds immense. Excellent! Hope the achilles pain is easing.
Ali - Thoughtful stuff with some good positives. Surely all experience is helpful in dealing with run outs, and you got some?
Curious Yellow - How do you lead two routes at once? Good to see you take positives from your weekend.
JOughton - So Jake, did you have a good time, by any chance? Let's hear about it.
Leon - Well done to your wife. One e-point in the bag for you. More coming, no doubt.

Well, lots of inspiring, varied and reflective stuff going on, despite that half of you seem to be moving house.

Where have Northern Clamberer and Jamming Dodger gone? (and anyone else I have missed)

In reply to mbh: Won't do an update yet as I'm hoping to do something today but thought I'd mention that Northern clamberer has disappeared for a while as she's trying to sort out selling her house and moving from orkney to Bradford to start a PhD

In reply to Needkraken:

*moving from Orkney to Bradford to start crushing the Yorkshire Gritstone.


Fixed that for you

In reply to mbh:

Thanks mbh

Goal: the ashes

Had a bank holiday weekend of all sorts of excesses and little sleep but managed to get a sneaky midweek afternoon at kilnsey on...

Wed: First time reaching the boss from the floor on the ashes. Did this three times in the session getting the clip in each time then promptly falling off the move rightwards to the little ear hold before the jug (after which it's a 2m romp to glory, hopefully)

Sat: Kilnsey again. Slightly refined the redpoint crux move to the ear and had 4 RP attempts, all falling at that move. Had one heartbreaker wherby I caught the ear decently (for the first time) and had my left foot slip off whilst I was repositioning my right to make the move to the jug.

Essentially two sessions of complete failure but failure involved climbing 26m of a 28m route 7 times from the floor (and twice more putting clips in). Can't really get more specific training than that!

I'm off to amsterdam next weekend so I've got an agonising 2 week wait before I can get back on the ashes, praying that it doesn't rain heavily over that time.

In reply to mbh:


Cheers! Good to get the second of the projects dispatched, and nice to break out of a run of poor commitment on trad by actually getting something done! So near, just needs a top really

Monday - Gap. Never climbed on valleys sandstone before, quite a nice change - all about the little crimpy edges, none of this undercut-sidepull-gaston sort of stuff!
- Onsighted a 6b and then flashed another 6b to warm up. Both nice.
- Then jumped on the crag classic, Encore Magnifique, a 7b+. There seems to be some dissent about the grade depending on whether you use the original wack sequence left of the bolts or the sensible sequence right of them in one place, but IMO the sensible way still sneaks in at 7b+ anyway, and grading for wack sequences is, well, wack Took a while to figure out the crux, the indoor wall climbers were taking a little sidepull, getting feet up and throwing for a small edge but in my weakness I ended up with a heel level with my hands, then get the sidepull, flag and reach static. Pulling damned hard but quite satisfying!
- Flashed a 7a, no beta in the crux really except how not to do it. Short hard section, difficult to grade.
- Back on Encore. Grabbed top clip - turns out my clipping position, off the bigger but rounded hold, just didnt work on redpoint when your fingers were uncurling. Extended it.
- Onsighted a nice 7a. Cool and techy. First 7a onsight in a little while, haven't been focusing much on it for a while.
- Back on Encore. Crushed it.

So that's 2 6bs, a 7amonsight and a 7a flash and a baby 7b+ redpoint in a day. Solid day out!

Rest of the week was family stuff - went on a GoApe sort of thing, did some elbow rehab, ate too much, that sort of thing. Hopefully back on it Monday.

My plans for a trip away in the next week have fallen through so I'm currently debating whether to maybe try and get a couple of short trips up to the Tor in to try and finish Indecent and get on Body Machine (direct if it stays dry long enough) - would be another Ashes-esque "way bigger tick than right hand man" and potentially easier to find partners for. Not sure, we shall see.

In reply to Eagle River:

Ain't no training like specific training!

Never ceases to amaze me how different an experience different folks have on the same route, despite the fact that we both concentrated our struggles in the same ten square feet of route

In reply to mbh:

Hi mbh, thanks for doing FC again. (I'd be happy to do a few weeks some time, maybe October. Is there a system/rotation or is it just voluntary?) Hard to tell if the achilles is improving, it's not painful at the moment but I suspect running or climbing would aggravate it again. I'll trust the physio and continue with the prescribed exercises, it's only been 5 days so far...

M - Climbed Mercury Direct at Carn Gowla! Ok, so I reported this last week but it was so good I want to mention it again
T - Climbing at Wintour's Leap. Nothing too strenuous, just a couple of VS and an E1 on the Fly Wall. I hadn't climbed there before; it seems quite scrappy in the lower half but excellent at the top. Last planned climbing day before starting achilles rehab properly.
W - Nothing
T - Fingerboard. Short set, repeaters, focus on front 3. Good to see I'm still roughly where I was when I was last doing it (semi-)regularly.
F - Swimming, 3.2km
S - Core
S - Planning to do another fingerboard set (focus on back 3) later.

So that was roughly as planned. More of the same next week. It's a bit unfortunate that I seem to have found the optimal injury (well, niggle really) to take me out of both climbing and running, especially with the continuing good weather!

Short term plan (~1 month)
Work on fingerboard, core and swimming during the layoff from running and climbing. Hopefully I'll be ok for the Bristol half marathon (15th September) and Lundy trip (17-24th September)
Medium term goals (end of 2013)
Running: Snowdonia marathon in October. Feels like a bit of a lottery as to whether I'll be in shape for this.
Trad: Consolidate E3, it's pretty on/off for me at the moment, get on a few E4s but only if I'm feeling good.
Sport: Try to do some... difficult without a car. 7a/+ onsight and 7b redpoint would be nice
Longer term goals (probably not this season)
Some inspiring routes... Paradise Lost, Cheddar; The Axe, Cloggy; America, Carn Gowla
Running: More endurance events, try some fell running

In reply to Eagle River:

Yep, close enough that I can climb with her again hopefully!

Nobody want's to climb today so I'm trying to work up the motivation to go to the wall on my own!

In reply to mbh: Thanks mbh.

Goals for 2013 updated a bit:
Grit: 8 E2s, 4 E3s in 2013 (so far 6 E2s, 3 E3s) (excluding snowballing!)
Peak lime: 8-10 E3s in 2013 (so far 6 E3s)
Elsewhere: 8 E2s, 4 E3s in 2013 (so far 3 E2s, 2 E3s)

Sport: Complete base of 7c+ pyramid (needed 3 x 7b, 3 x 7b+, 1 x 7c): so far - Brachiation Dance 7b+, Indecent Exposure 7b+, Tin Of 7b Sticky Wicket 7b and Ground Effect 7b.

M:
AM before breakfast: half an hour of what I will call 'burl training' on my fingerboard. This consists of various exercises targeting one-arm lock-offs and one-arm recovery hangs. The aim of this is (a) be able to do a one arm chin-up and (b) be able to hang footless on one arm (on a jug) and be able to recover the resting arm faster than the hanging one tires. In theory then, on a route, however poor the feet or steep the route, I'll always know I can recover when I get a (very) good hold. Training at this stage is mostly with a foot on a chair a few feet away from me to help out a bit.
PM another fingerboard session in the evening, this time targeting work on the thinnest crimps on the BM2000. Crimps of < 1 pad are a particular weakness of mine (always have been) to the extent that I can't train easily on them so rarely do, so they don't improve much. Have decided I need to tackle this head-on. Got a good session in, doing some shorter hangs up to 10 seconds, and some longer ones up to 25 seconds with a foot on. Will develop this as I start feeling stronger on those holds.
T: as for Monday, half an hour burl training before breakfast and 45 mins or so thin crimp training in the evening
W: half an hour burl training before breakfast, then an hour bouldering at Alter Rock after work. Short session but felt pretty good, some nice new problems.
T: Rest
F: Black Rocks after work. Did the Railway Slab highballs (up to HVS/E1 depending on your opinion) then did my first ever headpoint - probable 3rd ascent of an E5 6a called My Pet Daddy that my mate cleaned up last year. It's an arête about 7m high, with 5c-ish climbing up to a decent shake-out, then a 6a dyno to the top (no gear). I thought Font 6a although my mate thought Ft6b or even Ft6b+. I top-roped it once then soloed it above pads. The grade is a weird one - not sure I can really claim E5 with the pads below, but at the same time it definitely wasn't something I wanted to fall off. You'd probably be ok, but if you fell awkwardly from the dyno you could easily break a leg. Much harder than the average Ft6b anyway! The first ascent had a single pad and no spotter, which probably makes E5 feel about right. With no pads and onsight, you'd be looking at certain serious injury if you fell off a dynamic tech 6a move - which sounds harder than most E5s to me...so who knows. Pleased with the route anyway Neil got the probable second ascent on flash - beast as usual.
S: Raven Tor. Back on Indecent Exposure - put the clips in to warm up, then ticked it next go. Felt super steady on the crux, got quite pumped higher up due to lack of endurance, but there were enough shake-outs that I held it together ok. Then got on Obscene Toilet, a 7c on the right hand side (had been planning to look at Body Machine, but there were people on a route that shares the start all day, and my mate was on the route next to OT). Clip sticked up it and did all the moves first go, then had a top-rope go to refine them a bit. On the top rope the moves felt notably easier than first time up, which was nice. It's hard, but definitely feels do-able, and I really enjoyed the moves too, the crux is more powerful on better holds rather than on thin crimps like the other stuff I've done at the Tor, which is nice So, I'll be back on that next time I go.
S: rest - visiting parents. Elbow is quite painful

Overall, a really good week. Decided last Sunday I really needed t oget back on the fingerboard again, (a) to train the specifics above rather than just doing random bouldering at the wall, and (b) because I'm working quite long hours at the moment and don't have time for the wall more than once a week mostly. Was pleased that I managed to get three days of really good training in without the fingerboard motivation waning too much, and also really pleased with the E5/Ft6b and the F7b+. Unfortunately on the way home from Raven Tor yesterday my elbow was rally hurting - even struggling with the steering wheel a bit on tight bends - and I had to take a couple of paracetamol this morning. Need to look up some of these dumbbell exercises I keep hearing about - if anyone has any good articles on diagnosing and fixing common elbow injuries it'd be much appreciated. And I should probably avoid the burl training tomorrow morning...

Cheers,
Si

In reply to Nick Russell:
Mercury Direct looks awesome, nice one. How hard is it really - feel more like E2 or E3 when compared to the average route? I'm never sure how much they 'add on' for things like that due to exposure & commitment.

Did you do the first pitch from sea level and how did you approach it, long ab rope?
Ta

In reply to Si dH:

Nice one on Indecent and the superhighballmicroroutegreyarea tick!

Where does the elbow hurt? Mine is pain just above the joint, in the muscle running along the upper arm bone under the bicep muscle, and eccentric hammer curls sort it out for me. In terms of prevention being warmed up before hard sidepull and undercut moves, and avoiding long periods holding powerful locks on said holds, are my triggers.

http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/golfers-elbow-my-experien...

Some links in there that might help for other types.

In reply to Si dH:

Hey Si,
We approached with a 100m static. It's definitely not the 110m described in the Rockfax and we had plenty of rope left at the bottom. I reckon an 80m would be ok, but that still comes under 'long ab rope'.

We started on the lowest ledge which, although just above the high tide point would get pretty wet from spray/waves at anything other than low tide or on a dead calm day.

Grade... I'd say approaching the hard side of E2, definitely not E3. The slab traverse on P2 is not too hard, but runout the whole way. Then you get a peg followed by an easier but again pretty long runout up to the roofs. I'm struggling to place where the actual 5b move/section is, probably right at the end of the traverrse though. For me, the hardest section was the offwidth on P1, but I can believe if you have more (any) experience of offwidth climbing it would only be 5a!

In reply to Si dH:

I assume you mean eccentrics?


Have you read Dave Mac's blog post on it?
http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/golferstennis-elbow-etc-w...
It doesn't really go into the diagnosis or details of the training protocol (so not really what you asked for, sorry!) but it is interesting. As far as I'm aware the treatment (eccentric loading) is the same for golfer's and tennis elbow.


From your description of 'burl training' it sounds like exactly the sort of thing that would provoke painful elbows (but a good way of getting stronger in the specific ways that you're targeting)

In reply to Si dH:

Just to quickly echo Nicks thoughts that your burl training looks high risk elbow-wise - one arm hanging for any length of time for your recovery training (why, except psychologically, is it better than doing fingerboard aerocap?) risks not keeping the elbow slightly bent as you get tired, and sure you know how long it should take to warm up properly for training one-armers!

In reply to AJM:
Thanks guys. The pain is on the inside but having taken the paracetamol its difficult to pinpoint it now. I know you're right about the burl training. I do really like it mentally tho, because the one arm recovery hangs do translate directly to situations I find myself in on routes. I dont think aerocap on a fingerboard is as applicable, at least not in the time constraints I have (30 mins really is all the time I can afford in the mornings.) Ill have to see how the elbow develops over the next few days and work out the right exercises to improve it.

In reply to mbh:

My weeks seem quite dull compared to many of yours. I just plod on and pile up the miles.

M - 10 miles, Camel trail
T - 10.2 miles coast path/woods.
W - 6 miles flat.
T - 10.2 miles coast path/woods (I forgot my GPS, so just did the same as Tuesday, which is a lovely there and back route to Navax Head, near Gwithian light house.)
F - 8 miles coast path, lots of steps.
S - 8 miles flat trail, 1.8 km swim
S - 10 miles, same as Monday.

So, 62 miles running, 1300 m ascent and a bit of swimming. That makes 2100 miles in the last year, averaging 40 mpw, and 57 mpw in the last 3 months. And they are getting faster. I am now not so dead tired at this volume and can try for the odd 7:30 (for me, blistering) mile. I need to build on that. The idea, 15 months ago, was to get fit in such a way that I stayed fit and didn't give up. So far so good, but I need to keep this up. The event I did recently showed me that there is a world of clubs out there that could provide that support network, but I would rather spend the time running than doing club socials. There isn't much more time that I can give. The odd event might help, however. There is a (AS, up and down) fell run in Sourton on Wednesday evening that I think I will enter, if only to find out how embarrassing it is when I come in last by far. My shot old Inov8 Roclites will have to do.

I have also joined Strava and find myself on leader boards for obscure hill sections of obscure runs that I do.

In reply to Nick Russell:

I said to mattrm that I would do it until the end of September, or until I am sacked, whichever comes first. I think he was going to take it on again then, but would probably be pleased if you would do it for a bit. I don't think there is a system.

In reply to mbh: Thanks, this week hasn't been quite as good but I was good and went to the wall today after all =)

STG (next 4 weeks): New STG time; make a training plan for font, regularly get V3/4 indoors, try and get back into trad, get outdoors when I can. Most importantly try and keep up 3 sessions a week while my regular partners away

MTG (before winter): 6a bouldering regularly, keep leading trad (been over a month now so back to VDiff's) get on some sport and train hard when indoors, get in shape for font!
LTG (over next 6/9 months): get to know my technique and style, push through to HS trad, try and boulder 6b get on some sport

M: Post-festival Depot session, did quite well on 2 hours sleep sent some of the V4-6 problems (woop)
T/W/T/F: annoyingly lazy and pre-occupied, work 'lunch' on Friday
S: was meant to go do some trad but woke up still drunk (oops) and thought it was probably best not too
S: went to the wall on my own, did over an hour intensive (trying not to rest) working on everything I could without a spotter even pushing it grade wise on the lower heighted stuff =)

Next week...3 sessions!

In reply to Si dH:

Ali used fingerboard aerocap to good effect a while back, less steep admittedly but increasing the effective angle by moving the chair is easy.

I can't help but feel, to be honest, that your timing argument is completely upside down - I'd do half an hour of aerocap pretty much from cold, whereas I think it would take me the best part of a half hour to consider myself warmed up enough for any serious one arm work!!! And in terms of time under load you'd get far more time at the desired intensity out of spending the full half hour aerocapping rather than spending most of it warming up.

In reply to AJM:

Thanks for the link - the pdf link made me laugh quite a lot!

In reply to mbh:

Cheers mbh,

I assume you mean by going to the dark side that I'm trad biased currently? Or that I plan on kicking the sport out soon? Gotta say, loving the trad currently. I'll have a pass next week for FC please, I'll be on Lundy. So excited already. Bursting.
For those who share the adventures (&enthusiasm), the route ambitions include:
Dark Power (E1), Quatermass (E2), Redspeed (E2), Scorched Earth (E2), The Great Divide (E3), Play genetics (E3), Promised land (E3), Rampart (E3), Matt Black (E3), Coast to coast (E4).

If any folk have a must do recommendation (I've been 3 times before so have already done some of the classics) Feel free! If I come away with 4 or more of the above routes, I'll be a made man. E4 is definitly pushing towards my limit.

Anyways,

Si DH: Mercury direct - 80m rope is plenty as stated. The 2nd pitch I thought was the E2 money pitch, with the first being made tougher by a loose block by the "offwidth". Lets face it, its a great adventure with loose rock, wet cracks, run outs with a swing into a wall potential, some opportunity of off route blind alley etc etc. I guess thats the E2 then..... Go do it, you're climbing harder than me and I did both pitches on lead fine.


My week:
Indoors once, no FB as work has been excessive.
Outdoors yesterday: Fariy cave quarry. Slabtastic. Did @ Robs slab:VS, E2 (4 steps...), E3 (one through the overhangs onto the slab) and Moving target E3. The final route (MT) was excellent and I thought gentle for E3.
Pleased with the route haul. Hopefully prepare me for next week well.

This week: FB once, maybe indoors once, then off for the week from friday.

Goals: Lundy enjoyment. Then start looking towards a bit more sport and training a bit more regularly.

Thanks! Kev.

In reply to mbh:

Thanks for doing fit club again!

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

Goals for this Spring:
Boulder V7 - tick
RP - 7a+ - tick
HP - E6 - not yet, may wait until the Autumn

Summer
Onsight a few E3s - not sure this is going to happen as my evening sessions are probably not going to allow much trad' to be done as the nights close in. May concentrate on local sport.

Training:

M: 3hrs climbing at Black Crag with wife - Jolly Rodger, (HS,) Sharp as Glass, (S,) and Glass Slipper, (E2 5b,) again. My better half did amazingly seconding Glass Slipper clean as it's only her sixth route of the year - too much MTBing!
T: 1hr fell run.
W: 3hrs MTB & 2 hrs climbing on Scout Scar. Warmed up on Rope Arse, (hard couple of moves for 6a?) and had two top ropes on Beers for Fears, (7a.) First one sussed out the crux and had a go at it a couple of times, second go top roped the route clean. It then got dark!
T: 1hr awesome PE / E session at the wall. Best set of traverses yet.
F: 50min fell run.
S: Rest.
S: 2.5hrs climbing on Scout Scar. Warmed up on Rope Arse. Had a go on the moves on Beers for Fears, found it very cold in the wind. First red point cocked up a hand sequence jut after the crux - rocked up for a flake and just had time to wonder why I'd stopped three inches shot of the hold before falling off. Got it second red point.
Pleased to get this in relatively little time, (three reasonably quick top ropes and two RP attempts.) Think it may be time to try something a bit harder.

Aim for this coming week is to try one of the harder routes at Scout Scar and / or if time allows lead Green Eggs and Ham, (E2 5c,) at Castle Rock, which I fancy but haven't done yet.

In reply to Kevster:

>I assume you mean by going to the dark side that I'm trad biased currently? Or that I plan on kicking the sport out soon?

No, no no, that's all good - I meant the underground stuff you mentioned! Which is also good. And dark. My lame attempt at humour.

Enjoy Lundy. It's a great place.

In reply to mbh:

bb going pretty wel so far got most of the moves sussed on the harder sections in the first session a couple of weeks ago thanks to mate's beta on the start and crux. took me a couple of more sessions to work out a more effecient sequence bretween second and third bolt which i expected to be straight forward but kept messing my feet up. still need to sort out moves above the crux and the last couple of metres is much easier with a nice position to clip the lower off.

managing to link most of the start consistently and think i could link to the rest tufas within the next few sessions. linking from end of traverse up to the last move before managing to reach the pinch of the crux, running out of steam as not moving quickly
enough through this section due to not placing feet quickly enough. .. will speed up as i get mmore familiar with it.

enjoying the process as feel chilled out ..no pressure with timescales

sunday..hilly road ride then indoor bouldering for endurance
mon..rest
tues.. north lakes mountain passes road ride again. pm weights and core
wed.. malham.. bb.
thurs.. gym..interval training in bike, core then indoor bouldering for endurance
fri..malham..bb
sat.. turbo and weights in garage. pm cold stone buttress tried to onsight 6c+ but messed last bit. tried a 6c but messed the top of it up.. pattern with pulling over onto less steeper
ground in rounded or flat holds..not reading routes welk but feel strong and fit and
chilled out. my onsighting skills are rubbish..always have been anda summer of an obsession with mescalito hasn't helped.

In reply to pork pie girl: oh friday pm.. road ride in the dales.. do hill work

In reply to mbh:

Basically. that's it. I enjoy doing it. But if you want to take it on for a while that's fine. No system. It takes about an hour to put a post together.

In reply to mbh: Thanks for this, mbh.

Ok, so this week, I've taken the focus away from climbing a bit. I've decided that if I'm getting stuck, then it's probably time for a bit of a rest.

I was so exhausted from 11 hours driving on Monday/Tuesday that the first part of the weekend was a write-off. I eventually met up at LLanddulas Cave on Thursday with some of the CMC people.
Only managed 2 routes, but enjoyed them:
* Lemon Crunch (5) for a warm-up;
* Karmic Wind (6a+) - first try, I gave up the lead halfway up because I couldn't find the route. Luckily my partner on the day sorted it out and left in a top-rope for me. Then I tried again: damn, that route was sustained! For once, it wasn't so fingery and overhanging that it was impossible. The holds were good (so no tendon damage!). They just pumped up my forearms. But this contributed to the enjoyment. And I made it in the end! Then it got dark...

This weekend I've focused on getting the MLT stuff done and added 2 quality mountain days - tick!

So at the moment I'm resigned to being in a "rest" phase, just giving stuff a go. When I've moved house (end of September) & feel I'm ready, then I think I'll try to start pushing grades again.

All good!

In the meantime, just enjoying it!

In reply to mbh:

STG - Climb 6b (or v3) @ wall, 11st 7lbs
Aspirational - Climb E5/6 (London Wall), Scottish Winter V (Point 5, Zero, Minus etc), WI5, Redpoint 8a, stay injury free & maintain 11st.

Weight - 11st 11lbs (3lbs loss!)

M - S - Lazy / Lots of DIY
S - Trad @ Wyndcliffe, VS 2nd, HVS 2nd * 2

Really good days climbing today. Seconded a VS and two HVS. Started off up one of the HVSes, but it was just too hard. So got about half way and bailed off a cam and a nut. It was supposed to be HVS 4c, but there was definitely 5a moves on the route and the gear wasn't amazing in places and very strenuous to place. So downclimbed / was lowered off a cam and nut. Then my second led it. Thankfully for my ego he made it look hard. I struggled to get the crux that I backed off clean. I feel off higher up the route as well when seconding. I guess if I'd really persevered I could have got the route, but it would have been a close run thing.

However after a week of no exercise and iffy diet, I seem to have lost 3lbs in weight. Which is nice.

In reply to AJM:
Have read the article Alex links and Ive definitely got tendonosis on the inside (golfers side) of elbow. Or at least, symptoms match the description. However im struggling to work out whether its the fca type or the other. How did you work out yours? It hurts to rotate my wrist to its limit in both directions, but anticlockwise (looking down my arm towards my fist) is worse.
Ta

Ps. Next weekend, def keen for trad. Loomed at marine drive as an option but its still banned, the last weekend of these hols. Will monitor weather and talk later in week?

In reply to mbh: What gave it away...? Thanks for doing Fit Club mbh -

Apologies for the big post coming up, I don't expect anyone to read the whole thing!

Mon - nothing, anticipation building
Tue - nothing, nearly bursting with excitement
Wed - we're off! Left home at 11 to hit Avon Gorge at 2. We warmed up on a nice E1 called M1, then I did Arms Race, a really good, really pumpy E4 crack. I thought it was pretty soft, it being 5c, short and well protected. Next was Them, which I thought at E3 6a was much harder, being more run-out in places and having a harder crux! Much less sustained but also very good. Finished off doing Mirage which was another E3 6a, with a tough fingery crux. Stopped of at KFC, then drove down to Cornwall.
Thurs - Lower Sharpnose, an incredible place that all Fit Clubbers should visit! Warmed up doing an E2 called Out of the Blue, which was one of the best routes of the trip, really nice flowing climbing, a bit bold low down and pumpy high up. Followed Dad up Last Laugh, another E2, before doing one of the main goals of the trip, Pacemaker, E5 6a. It's quite intimidating as it doesn't have a very clear line and it looks quite bold, but actually it went fine, the easiest I've found an E5 so far. It was a bit pumpy at the end but there were only a few 6a bits, mostly 5c, and there was good, but perhaps a bit fiddly and spaced, gear. Really pleased to do this one, as I'd wanted to do it for ages and it went perfectly. Then I did Break on Through, E4 5c, which was meant to be soft for the grade but I was still a bit pumped from Pacemaker so it felt pretty hard! FInished off up an E1 to get out but I stupidly followed the wrong line (we didn't have the guide) so I ended up climbing chossy wet 5c moves above uninspiring gear - felt a lot harder than E1!
Fri - Headed back down to Sharpnose to do Fay as it looked amazing, and I was too tired to do it the day before. But it rained spent about half the day sat at the bottom of the crag trying to find shelter until it stopped but it didn't. To make the most of a rainy day we drove to Exeter and visited some family for some warm food and a shower.
Sat - Back at Avon on the way to Pembroke, woo! The aim for the day was Amanita Muscarina because it's another route in Dad's "100 best limestone climbs in Britain" book, which is a three pitch E4 on the right of the ramp. We warmed up on the first pitch, which was loose and scary but with only one 5c bit, so probably E3 5c. The second pitch had a hard (6a) section straight above the belay protected by a rope lassoed around a random metal spike, which but my cowboy skills to the test in a rather committing way. After that it was technically easier but a bit bold and thrutchy (my least favourite climbing style) to the belay. The last pitch Dad lead and was just scary! Really crumbly rock to start with, and quite tough climbing on gear that didn't look reliable. Quite pleased with that, we also did Ladder of Desire for another "100 climbs" tick which I thought was absolutely brilliant, spicy but safe with good, flowy climbing.
Drove to Pembroke. YAY!
Sun - Mother Carey's. Warmed up doing Brazen Butress, which wasn't really as good as I'd hoped and quite tricky. Next Dad lead Zeppelin, which was probably the only 'Red Spot' classic left in Pembroke he hadn't done, and it felt pretty hard for the grade to me, especially done in one pitch. Just Klingon is another I've on the hitlist, which is this awesomely steep route which overhangs about ten metres in thirty metres of climbing, which is just insane on a trad route. It had a doable grade for the steepness though, at E5 6a, and Dad checked the threads on the abseil as well as putting in some where they were a bit shoelace-like. It was mega pumpy, probably around 7a+/b to toprope, and it had a lot of 6a climbing, with a really strenuous crux high up moving leftwards to easier ground. Very very pleased to get the onsight, although I still have a bruise on my thigh from the no-hands knee bar rest. Finished off doing Rock Idol, which is just the best route in the whole wide world.
Mon - Huntsman's Leap - my favourite crag ever. Warmed up over at Bosherston Head doing a weirdly shiny E2 called Keelhaul, which was absolutely roasting hot so it felt quite hard. Abbed down into the Leap to do Head Hunter, which is top-end E4 in RF and E5 in CC guidebook. It was another amazing route, doing committing 6a moves a way above gear not far from the ground, then a hard 6a crux moving out left which was better protected, and a pumpy 5c upper wall. I reckon it deserved E5 to be honest. Abbed back down again to do Just Another Day/Scorch The Earth but it was occupied so I was forced to The Minotaur instead. I would've preferred JAD/STE because I was a bit worried about not making the reachy crux of The Minotaur. The start was a lot bolder than I'd expected! Got a bit fluttery with gear kind of halfway between me and the ground, but it was okay and Dad was all ready to jump of the ledge apparently! Easy climbing out of a big runnel and up to a big bulge - stuffed in loads of gear and went for 'a look'. Pulled on the finger lock, locked off on the crimp, reached up to the big chalky mark (I could see the crux from the top of The Leap so I had a good idea of where to go) and got a big rubbish sloper. I decided there must be a hold of there somewhere, so I kept pushing down on the crimp (thanks antagonistic training...) and udging up with my right hand until I felt the start of a pocket at my finger tips. Another udge up and it was all over! Really pleased, total classic route, and another I've aspired to do for a long long time.
Tue - Trevallen half day. We didn't have long before the rain was predicted to start so I 'warmed up' on Sunlover. Bad idea! The start is desperate, and i got a terrible flash pump I couldn't recover from. Just managed to drag myself up, but the at the top it was quite close! Dad had a poorly elbow so didn't fancy following it, so I faffed setting up an ab for a while to strip it. With rain forecast to arrive shortly, and missing my only large cams and slings from the ab, I might have called it a day, but I decided to do another E5 instead. Ships That Pass in the night goes up the big arete of Trevallen Pillar, and is brilliant. The crux is getting off the ground doing an awkward steep start on wet holds from the tide. Easy climbing up thin cracks, then the cracks stop, the gear stops, and there's a big jug out on the arete. Big scary barn-door swing around the arete, precarious mantle onto the jug, then a couple of fluttery 5c moves a way above gear up to the belay ledge. I ran the top pitch E1 together to make a mega 50m pitch, abbed for the gear, and then Dad led The Hole - a very interesting route - to get out. Great finish to the week.

So a great two weeks - Pembroke in particular was amazing.

I think the tally of pitches was:

3 x E1, 4 x E2, 6 x E3, 4 x E4, 5 x E5, so seventy E-points in five days, which is like twice as much as all the other trad routes I've done this year put together! The best bit was trying all these hard routes, coming quite close to my limit, but not falling off anything! Which probably means a) I've developed a knack for choosing routes that suit me. b) Pembroke grades are sometimes a bit soft and c) I should've tried an E6!

Cheers, Jake

In reply to Joughton: Oh and as if that ridiculously long post isn't ridiculously long enough, I also climbed this weekend -

Sat - Froggat, so I did some bouldering because all the hard stuff is too scary! Tried The Art of White Hat Wearing until my fingertip split I was getting pretty high, it would've been my first V8, but it was impossible with a bloody finger tip. I'd like to go back to it though, it's a great thuggy but technical problem.
Sun - Raven Tor. Not great with a split tip! Tried the first two pitches of The Prow, apparently it's soft 7c+. I managed all the moves (including the gruesome start - nasty dynamic move to an undercut) and got a pretty big link sorted (from the start of the big traverse to halfway up the middle pitch). Thought I'd save the top pitch until I've got the first two wired. Only managed three attemps though, it was really cold and my finger was bleeding and it's really hard!

I quite like The Prow so far, and I' pretty psyched to finish off the first two pitches because it would be my first 7c+ in Britain, even if it is soft! The climbing is much more enjoyable than a lot at the Tor, apart from that nasty nasty start... anyone have any beta for it? (Mr Chestwig?)

If anyone is keen for a partner at the Tor let me know!

Jake

In reply to AJM:

The direct is dry but desperate unfortunately, although that might just be my bad beta. Let me know if you want a belay on BM, you can do the Prow next!

In reply to Joughton:

Jake, too late now but you really should have checked the access at Avon - whilst a bunch of folk seem to be ignoring it technically speaking M1 is banned as is Amanita.

In reply to Joughton:

If you are free and interested I was debating popping up for a few days next week (ie 7 days or so time), so that could work. Not tried the prow but looks similarly cool. Nt tried that direct start - when I tried indecent I jut went from the break - but some of the locals were making it look really rather trivial whilst I was there. Probably just a case of getting it super wired.

In reply to AJM:


Oh, and Ladder too, didn't see you'd done that as well.

In reply to Si dH:

I've never read that article, or at least not for some time - mine isn't golfers or tennis, I put a post on UkB a while back describing it and it matched perfectly with the description of another posters troubles so I tried their remedies and they worked.

I would have thought though that if you've gone from low level grumbles to needing painkillers within a week that youve probably thrown in some tendonitis as well as or instead of tendonosis. I believe tendonosis is way more severe but also longer term, so whilst you might have some of it going on in the background the acute step up in symptoms in the last week is more likely tendonitis. But I'm no physio, as you know!

Yes talk later in week. If it stays dry and reasonably warm then mountains could be an option, I know you wanted to get some high ticks in this summer.

In reply to mbh:

cheers mbh, good job with the stats and encouragement.

STG: E1 and E2 in Pembroke, 7a or 7b in Kalymnos
MTG: 7a or 7b in Spain in November.
LTG: E3??

Mon: 7.5 mile run Pendle Hill, 333m ascent.
Tues: BoulderUK, ticked 2 x V5 and flashed some V4s.
Weds: 7.5 mile run Pendle Hill, 333m ascent.
Thurs: Kilnsey, top roped Frankie Comes to Kilnsey and tried to work out the crux. It's 7b+ so hard for me, but good.
Fri: 4.8 mile run Whalley Nab, 200m ascent.
Sat: Alcove Buttress, Attermire. Tried a 7a which I have been on once before ages ago. I remembered nothing about it and it's nails. No joy.
Sun: am: circuits at Ingleton wall. pm: 14.3 mile run up and around Whernside, 808m ascent.

I'm a bit gutted to not have ticked the 7a on Saturday. Is IS hard for the grade though. I'll have to go back at some point to get it done which is a bit annoying as I'd rather get stuck into Frankie at Kilnsey.

And the good news is that two shiny new bolts have gone into the start of Sticky Wicket so I can have ago at that too without fear of death or broken bones.

In reply to mbh:

Cheers MBH!

M: Blacknor South - Included this in in last weeks update. Did some easy classics.

T: 5 x 8 L Hang Pull-Ups

W: Rest

T: Dinbren - Got on a great 2 star route called Fire (7b) - Dogged up and got the moves real quick. Had a quick redpoint and fell off the bottom. 2nd redpoint I managed to fall off after the crux! Should of done it in a session. One to finish off next week!

F: Feet-on Fingerboarding 2 x (2:00mins on, 2:00mins rest x 3 - Rest 5 minutes)

S: Rest

S: LPT - Good scene down there, 8 of us ended up going (After the previous evening thinking no one was keen!) Warmed up on a really good 6a+ and a 6a.

Went straight for a redpoint putting the clips in on Pink Pinkie (7a) I'd been on this a month ago and sort of remembered the moves. Came off low down and climbed to the top. Did it easily 2nd redpoint. Nice to do one of the classics down there, it's a great route! Night Glue and Face Race next!

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

Need to try and get some more all day stamina, I do a couple of routes and I'm tired! Would be great to be able to get multiple hard routes done in a day rather than just having a good go on one then being too tired. Anyone got any tips on this? Milage? Cheers.

In reply to Joughton:

Fantastic week and a good read. The only route on your list I have done is Rock Idol and I totally agree about its awesomeness. Brazen Buttress was on my to do list but I might take it off now!

Exile: Nice one with the 7a+ quick tick. 7b will go down quickly too I bet.

mbh: I think you'd probably surprise yourself on a fell race and do much better than you think. I'm a plodder and there's always someone behind me so I'm sure there would be a few behind you! The short races are really good fun and for me a race is always going to be better training than doing my usual slow plod elsewhere. Do it!

Luke: quick 7b, nice one!

In reply to AJM:

This is also my understanding of it. Tendonitis is acute; tendinosis chronic. The former should go away with a short (~1 week) rest, the latter takes more effort. You can have both going on at the same time!

In reply to Nomics4sale:

But I like plodding I'll give it a go though, if I can get out of work in time. It's only 2.5 miles and the guy who phoned me about it was very friendly and encouraging.

In reply to mbh:

If it's an AS and it's only 2.5 miles long it's going to be pretty much vertical up then down! Class, you'll love it!

In reply to Luke Owens:

Only way to get so all day stamina is to go out for long days, and/or pack lots of volume into shorter sessions, albeit at a lower intensity.

The 10x 6b laps at Dinbren is a good start, but that really isn't a stamina crag. You should also be doing some route 4x4's - try that on Cold Turkey next time you're up there?

In reply to Joughton: Good roadtrip by the looks of things. Glad you enjoyed the Avon routes; not many people seem to rave about them.

The start of the Prow up to the Body Machine traverse is 7b+ in its own right and is much more fingery than the rest of the route. My beta was to go again with the righthand and catch a small gaston next to the undercut rather the the more positive but worse positioned undercut. Hope that makes sense?

Use lots of long slings, skip clips and use revolver krabs to reduce drag on these long link-ups at the Tor, especially if adding in the top pitch of the Prow.

In reply to mbh:

Thanks for the summary write-up; mixed week for me. Got the FA of a new 7c/+ link-up but also got injured.

VLTG (Sept 2014) - complete 3 peaks Cyclo-cross race

LTG (End 2013) - Unjustified at Malham

MTG (By end Sept 2013)

Get super fit for trip to the Red - flights booked. Whoop!

Diamond projects: Re-assessment of grades...

#1 >8b Direct start to NGOOTB
#2 ~8b Link-up

Non-tidal wish-list for weeks when Diamond is a non-starter:

Mandela, Kilnsey (wet at the moment)
Supercool, Gordale
K3, Cornice (will it dry out again this year?)
Trad project in Clwyd

STG:
- Ankle re-hab
- Shoulders - reverse flys and seated rows to address gaston & undercut weaknesses
- An-cap - once a week to maintain
- Aero-power; continue to get pumped 2-3 times a week - 1 session to be foot-on campusing to ensure high intensity
- Core & flexibility work - back felt weak and unstable trying LF - must try harder to fit in these extra sessions
- Lose some weight; new aim <73kg - 75.1kg and 6.6% BF

The week just gone:

M - In last weeks write-up.

T - Rest

W - Pantymwyn. Great windy and dry conditions for once. Dogged new route project as a warm-up. Smashed it in next go. 7c/+ "Born Slippy". Felt aerobic most of the way up so hard to grade accurately. Soft 7c into crux of 7b+ via a crimp rail? Good fun whatever the grade settles at. Did Grand Canyon again as a retro-flash, and repeated it on TR to get my draws back.

T - Back down Pantymwyn to try another link-up and sort bolts on what became Hades (see Doylo's blog). Bit of a farce and got dark before either me or Pete did any significant climbing.

F - Cheeky pre-work boulder session at Frodsham. Dropped off a warm-up onto my pad and somehow rolled ankle with a nasty crunching sound. Crepitus is never a nice thing! Hobbled back to car before it swelled too much and stuck ice on it for most of the day (working from home).

110 pull-ups (in sets of 10) on varying BM holds, and some static core exercises that evening to maintain the psyche for the Red.

S - Rest. DOMS, but ended up gardening anyhow. Made for quite a slight hopping around the garden centre on one foot.

S - More rest and ice for the foot. 11 sets of 7rep BM repeaters (7on/4off) and dynamic core.

Plan for this week is ankle re-hab, foot on campusing and hopefully some top roping if the ankle is stable enough for me to walk to the crag by the weekend?

In reply to Nomics4sale:

It was only 7a, but still pleased with it. There are a 7a+, a 7b, (hard in the grade apparently,) and a 7b+ to go at at Scout Scar yet so we'll see what happens!

In reply to mbh: Cheers, some activity during the week, and got back on Sideshow yesterday, 4 goes on red-point, first three made it through the bouldery start I was worried about (the good news) but failed above. This is very close now, surely! Reassured as the stuff I am trying seems to be considered hardish 7a+, so a fair jump up from the 7a's I have managed previously.

M:
T:
W: Curbar bouldering - easy circuit, and a play on Gorrila warfare (far too hard! and Strawberrys (done before, but forgot quite how...)
T: Matrix - good session, throwing myself at the burly problems I usually avoid in view of the steep start to sideshow - should get so I can do the problems up to 6b here in all styles as a vague "indoors" aim
F: Biked 9 miles from home
S: Walked 6 miles in Peak
S: Kilnsey - attempted RP-ing Sideshow


STG: More 7a's (Bleep and booster, barguest direct): One more done: this years RPS: 6c (4) 6c+ (2) 7a (3)

MTG: 7a+ Appetite/Direct Flight/Sideshow/Gilbert Cardigan

LTG: 7b WYSWIG - started working

In reply to C Chestwig; Treacherous climber: ah yes I know which one you mean, the way I used was a sharp little thumb sprag with my right then quite a dynamic move to the big undercut... I managed it once but didn't try again because its a pretty painful move. It's encouraging to hear its 7b+ though, it felt hard!

It seems to break down to a short bouldery 7b+, rest, pumpy technical 7b, good rest, burly 7b+, really good rest at BM belay, then 7c to finish?

The plan for rope drag is for long draws and slings for all clips, and I think I'll do it on two ropes i.e climb to the end of the traverse on one rope, clip a few bolts on the other rope, then dropping the first rope at a rest (which there seems to be a lot of!)

Yeah I liked the ramp routes, thought the rock was much nicer than most of peak limestone...

In reply to AJM: yeah I saw there were a couple of signs but they were off to the left, and there wasn't anything on ukc, sorry we should have done a bit more research!

I'm free next weekend though so let me know what your plans are.

In reply to Nomics4sale: thanks! It's not that it's a bad route at all, it's still very good, I just think there's better you'll be fine on it though, it's just a bit tiring on the feet but much much easier climbing than the sport routes you've on sighted!

You should do The Butcher next time you're down though if you haven't already, that's a fun route! So many good routes at Pembroke...

In reply to Joughton:

It was advertised on ukc at the time - it's been banned since the rockfall which was winter sometime I think. It's basically meant to cover everything accessed by going over the wall by M1/Ladder, so anything down and left of the ramp.

The weekend I am meant to be adventuring somewhere with Si dH assuming his elbow hasn't imploded by then, but if you were around say early in the week after I was thinking I might be able to justify a few days midweek. Or has your summer finished by then?

In reply to Nomics4sale: so my year ending was possibly 100k world champs with GB.. reckon I had a decent chance of selection.. 20tH Dec in Emirates, Dubai,

But thats cancelled.. so was aiming for that..

m: 15 mile road run 6:55 pace
t: lunch: 4 mile road run. pm: 4 x 1.5 km efforts.. 4 x 200m reps.
w: 10 mile road run 6:55 pace..
t: drove back Rostock > sheffield.. pm: 13 mile road run 6:55 pace
f: lunch: 6 mile run gwydyr forest. pm: 7 mile run, 3 with the old dog..
s: 15 mile road run. beaucheif > greenwhill> bradway >holmesfield > olwer Bar > fox House > dore > beauchief
s: drove back to rostock.. 4 mile run somewhere in holland..

In reply to AJM:

That's not as bad as my mates who abbed into a cliff on Pembroke, got mobbed by birds, prussiked out and then in the pub later on went 'What do the little red cones on the ground stand for?'.

mbh - If it's 2.5 miles, just go all out for it, 110% effort, even if you end up spent before the end it doesn't matter on short races. I always find I never try hard enough on races, so have too much to give at the end of the race. Being able to sprint at the end of an ultra is an example of this.

In reply to mbh:

Thanks!!!

Not an interesting week when written down..............

M: Mentioned in last weeks post.
T: Wintour's leap. First trad climb in about a year - Cheetah(HVS). Chossy first pitch but the second pitch had some nice, run-out climbing. Then flashed Never Say Never Again (6b+), Lurking Smear (7a) and the first pitch of Heil Hitler (7a), did this four times for some stamina training. First time I have done any of the sport routes at Wintours, and though some of the rock is the equivalent of cheese, all the routes I did had some nice climbing.
W: Rest
T: Getting pumped indoors
F: Rest
S: Core; Foot on campusing
S: Getting pumped indoors

Going to focus mainly on stamina until Kalymnos as whilst strength levels are OK, I could do with being a bit fitter. So this week will consist of mainly indoor sessions getting pumped.

In reply to Joughton:

Sounds about right. i found wearing stiff boots made a big difference to how hard the middle 7b bit felt. Kneebar or foot jam rest at the end of this, then climb quick to the BM belay. Rest up as best you can here, then cruise the top roof. Alternatively, climb the whole thing in about 3min like the other Aly does because to quote, he has "no stamina"...

Standard tactics. Two gri-gri's make the logistics easier for your belayer.

In reply to C Chestwig; Treacherous climber:
Just spotted this - go for it, without doubt the best race in the world, (well, that I've done in any case!)

In reply to mbh:

Cheers dude. Not a massive goal for some but super-chuffed with completing a full traverse of Crib Goch on Monday. I looked at this a few years ago and thought that it's just bonkers. Since then I have slowly chipped away at my fear of heights, culminating in this! It's not much for some people, I know, but for me this is a huge achievement and a real new benchmark in my improvement. Me 1, fear 0. Very happy. An important step up to bigger things for me!


Goals:

Maintain 142 lbs: Not weighed this week

STG (before 7th September!):
The Undercut (Churnet, 6C+/7A)
Old Sloper Problem (Churnet, 7A)
Bonus Goal: Alternative 3 SS (Churnet, pretty high roof finish, 6C)

Potential MTG (Jan 2014):
Lead WI4 in Rjukan (TBC)

VLTG (dreams):
Dream of White Horses
Cenotaph Corner
Cemetary Gates
Juvsøyla (WI6), Upper Gorge, Rjukan
Lipton Ice (WI6/7), Upper Gorge, Rjukan
Wheel of Life


This Week:

M: Crib Goch!
T: Lovely evening bouldering session repeating some steep 6A+ ish roof problems.
W: Nothing
T: Nothing
F: Nothing
S: Bouldering at Burbage South. Varied ticks up to around 6B.
S: Packing boxes ready to move house.

In reply to AJM: yeah unfortunately that's my first week back at college! Maybe another time if you're up this way.

In reply to Joughton:

I was worried that might be the case! Ah well, perhaps another time then.

In reply to AJM:

I feel I need very little if any warm-up for fingerboard work on the bigger holds. In fact it's chin-ups and lock-offs on the bigger holds that generally are my warm-up. The reason Ive been doing the smaller crimp work in the evening is that I feel I need a much more extensive warm-up for that, so can't do it properly in half an hour. But maybe this is why I've hurt my elbow! What do o=you do for aerocap on the fingerboard, other than foot on and moving your hands around on the board for a long time? Im concerned it will just be even worse for my elbows because of the additional hanging time.

On the positive side it's been feeling much better today. I'm trying a few ofthe dumbell exercises this evening, will see how it goes. Maybe get back on some light fingerboard work tomorrow and see how it feels. I'll be fine for the weekend but definitely trad rather than sport. It's Raven Tor that always makes me hurt the most. Both routes I was doing on Sunday had powerful moves in to, and getting established on, high undercuts - especially Obscene Toilet where this constitutes the crux - and I think these moves were probably the culprit.

In reply to Si dH:

That's about it really. I've never done it myself because there's always been stuff in the way behind the fingerboard stand to rule out making it steep enough, but Ali used to do it on the footholds at the base of our frame (so vertical or just beyond) and found it worked very well for her. I could I suppose have tried it at that angle on 2 finger pockets and the like but I've just not needed to recently.

To me at least it feels way more relevant in that in reality on our grades on trad and on UK sport you want to be able to recover on an ok hold on moderately steep ground (20 degrees over max) far more often than you want to recover on a bucket at 45 degrees. And of course for trad it's also important to be able to hang on in inopportune positions whilst fiddling with runners.

In reply to stevemarkperry:

Hey, well done, that's a great step forward for you!

And now you are moving house as well - how are you going to get those STGs by the 7th?

In reply to mbh:

Thanks buddy, onwards and upwards from here I hope. Need to keep on chipping away so that it doesn't come back.

I've no idea, I'm planning a session on them both on Wed and Fri eves in between packing. That realistically equals around 2hrs on each goal, which isn't much! Fortunately I'm only moving 20 mins away so all is not lost but it would be nice to tick them before I move so that I can set some new ones at The Roaches, which will be 15mins away from the new home!

In reply to stevemarkperry: Crib Goch? Something to be proud of there. Well done.

In reply to mbh: Cheers for doing this mbh.

Weight dropped under 80kg on Thu for the first time since Nov - bodes well for the trip to Font/ Montserrat in two weeks time.

Climbing has gone to pot since my head's been all over the place.

Thu - Boulder room, didn't do much and had a pathetic effort on a 6a and a 6a+ in the main room.
Sat - Walking in the Carnedd and topped the last three 3000ft lumps. 12 miles and actually enjoyed it the change. Used a map and compass!!!
Sun - A couple of hrs stroll round the slate quarries but no climbing.

Must do better this week, hols is not far off but at least work is under control now.

In reply to mrchewy:

Thank you. I'm over the moon with it. It's something that I never thought I would have the nerve to tackle so it's great to have it done. I'd happily repeat, too. Maybe one season I'll bag a winter traverse of it.

In reply to mbh:
STG: Get outside.
MTG: 4(2) e-points in September.
LTG(2013): 7a+*1, 7a*4. 34e points(32 to date).
VLTG(2015?): Classic e5 (Positron?, Right Wall?)

Falls: 0(1)
Focus: Lost

Mon: Arc(30 mins). Repeaters.
Tue: Nothing.
Wed: Arc(30 mins). Repeaters.
Thu: Arc(30 mins). 4x4(V3,V3,V3,V3).
Fri: Nothing.
Sat: Tissington Spires(2 e-points).
Sun: Nothing.

Found my mojo for training again. Volume still low due to my feeble body & work/family commitments. But I feel I am making progress.

Doveldale was good on Saturday, did George & Yew Tree Wall. Both good routes, would like to go back for more. Ended-up having to run back to the car with packs on to ensure my partner didn't miss his bus, caught the bus just as it was pulling out of Bakewell!

I feel like I started this season feeling like I should be breaking into e3 & that's what happened. I feel like I'm ending it feeling I'll be lucky to climb e2, so next weekend, with any luck.....

In reply to leon:
George is great isn't it? If you go back there is a cool E3 up the wall just left of Yew Tree Wall which is good, and not too bad.
Si

In reply to mbh: Thanks for doing fit club! And yes I am taking the positives from it, but it just seems to be such hard work to talk my stupid head into behaving sometimes, such a struggle.

Anyway nothing really to report for last week - it mainly consisted of working 12hr days, getting stressed and exhausted and despite getting what most people would consider a decent amount of sleep, my pathetic unresilient body decided to shut down and enter sniffly cold mode!

Got in a run to work last Thurs and a session at the Castle sunday which quite frankly was pathetic. Unusually for me (though perhaps not that surprising) I seem to have lost a fair bit of power and crimp strength - I think mainly due to the fact that I haven't really trained the past couple of months on anything hard due to wrist injury (and the one time I did I hurt the other wrist!). Also feeling pretty knackered and full of cold which probably didn't help overall.

This week is much of the same - trying to get work stuff done before Kaly, and focusing on recovering from cold and trying to get more sleep, so really not pushing it at all in terms of running. Good news is come Sat I'll be on the plane for two weeks in the sun - wohoo!

Will try and post some goals for Kalymnos later in the week - I don't feel well prepared for it at all, but at least it'll be a nice break away.

In reply to Si dH:
Yeah, big old route with a great view from the top. Thanks for the tip.