UKC

UKC Fit Club Week 384

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 Ally Smith 26 Jul 2014
Link to last week's thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=591783
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 are linked here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502

The following training article by Alex Barrows is the bible for training the four main "energy systems" specific to climbing:http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/training-for-sport-climb...

Psyche video of the week - http://www.redbull.com/es/es/adventure/stories/1331666327303/red-bull-creep... Crazy DWS on a bridge in Spain

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 thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=592987

Si Cox – Welcome back. Gently does it with re-introducing climbing to spangled tendons
Nick Russell – Congratulations on VotB and various Cheddar flashes. See if Sweet Tufa tickles your fancy at Cheddar?
biscuit – back in the game! I hope the elbows have settled down again? Diet wise – read this and don’t get obsessed by the latest craze in diets. http://gravsports.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/eat-this.html
hms – more productivity for the second half of the trip, but “50 pull-ups in 5s when I got home” must be some kind of world record?
Exile – reacquainting yourself with E3 – more to come I hope?
mattrm – solid week of gardening. Finger/shoulder fixed and crushed 6c this week?
Tubb93 – How was the sweaty grit?
Tyler – Elbows? Glad you showed up ER and The Fox at Kilnsey. What do they know, eh?
Luke Owens – We’ve spoken during the week. Keep the psyche on and broaden your experience base rather than getting bogged down in the redpoint blues. Here’s some suggested routes to get on: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=895 Further suggestions welcome.
Dandan82 – PUPPY! Do you mean Sign of the Vulcan? Surely that isn’t finger friendly? Don’t run before you can walk.
Ally Smith – Time to do some proper training instead of just going to the crag you lazy fecker.
IainRUK – great progress in upping the miles again. Soon up to a weekly ton?
JimmyKay – Take it easy in Spain - enjoy the Rioja and croissants available in Tres Ponts
grubes – My (work) trips to Germany are also filled with beer and sausage – it’s a hazard you have to deal with! Toe better?
Joughton – Ben and Jerry 80’s style “performance enhanced” weight loss regime…
Humperdink – Low mileage, but good quality running - close but no cigar on the 800m time.
leon – good sessions – try increasing the intensity of the 4x4, not the volume – it’s an aero-power exercise, not a aero-cap exercise. Throw some V4’s in for good measure. Have fun in Pembers.
mbh - more travels this week?
In reply to Ally Smith:

> biscuit – back in the game! I hope the elbows have settled down again? Diet wise – read this and don’t get obsessed by the latest craze in diets. http://gravsports.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/eat-this.html

Some good common sense in there. As friends know that I train a lot I tend to get asked the question about how to eat well and recover etc., (mainly for weight management reasons) and my advice is to always just eat sensibly instead of following fad diets.

What I mean by that is to just eat when you are hungry, eat slowly so that you can hear the messages from your digestive system and then stop when you are full. It really can be that simple as long as you are honest with yourself and pay attention to your body instead of munching away whilst watching the latest crap episode of Eastenders. Generally what is sustainable for life will work. That plus plenty of water and good sleep works wonders.
 Eagle River 27 Jul 2014
In reply to Ally Smith:

> Tyler – Elbows? Glad you showed up ER and The Fox at Kilnsey. What do they know, eh?

As with most things Tyler says, there was a healthy dose of tongue in cheek about that comment. I think, in a homage to the "Reclimbing the classics" video series, Tyler is working on his own similar series, "dogging the warm ups".

I can't wait for it's release.
 hms 27 Jul 2014
In reply to Ally Smith:

Thanks for the write-up Ally. The pull-ups are part of my master plan of 'get stronger'. I read an article a while ago aimed specifically at women climbers which basically said that neat footwork & good technique are totally admirable, but one will reach a point where just grunt strength starts being really important, so thought slotting in pull-ups alongside the other stuff would be a useful thing to do. That's the theory anyway!

M cycle commute. TRX 2xcore, 2xupper body, 50 pull-ups in 5s
T cycle commute. Circuits at UCR. Upstairs board had just been reset. Did singles and doubles, various combos, on the 6a 6b & 6c circuit, about a dozen all told. Currently no 7a(+) circuit - hope one gets set.
W cycle commute.
T Dyno workshop with Leah Crane at Bloc. WAY outside my comfort zone!! Very good & very useful. Knackered both physically & mentally by the end.
F Sirhowey with Jen. Started fairly cool but when the sun got round mid afternoon became pretty muggy. Got a 7a 2nd go - so close to the onsight but messed up a foot position so I was too stretched out.
S Bouldering at Ringroad. Did 3 really fingery v2s, then after some work got a V4 traverse. By the end my skin was v thin, so all thoughts of climbing on Sunday too were shelved.
S but did a double TRX session & 60 pull-ups instead. Also tried practising tufa rests using a hand lamp-post. Squat, one foot at front of lamp-post, other calf cocked behind lamp-post,, hands off, tight core. I'm sure it must be useful practise for tufa rests, but I sure was getting some funny looks from passers by!!

Hope to get out on rock again this week, plus do some bulk routes / circuits for stamina. Just hope i'm getting the balance right for Kaly in late Sept. The training sheet Adrian sent out had lots of ARC on it, but I would have thought that I had already covered that over the last few months. I know Kaly is seriously steep, so building strength & endurance & trying to practise steep-stuff rest techniques seems rather important. Knee-bar pads are on their way to me even now.
 Nick Russell 27 Jul 2014
In reply to hms:

> Also tried practising tufa rests using a hand lamp-post... but I sure was getting some funny looks from passers by!!

I wish I'd seen that!
 Nick Russell 27 Jul 2014
In reply to Ally Smith:

> Nick Russell – Congratulations on VotB and various Cheddar flashes. See if Sweet Tufa tickles your fancy at Cheddar?

Thanks for the stats Ally. And the route suggestion... I hadn't considered it, but maybe I'll have a look next time I'm down there (Tuesday?)

So last week I had Sunday down as 'rest'. That was the plan, and it would have been a good idea, but Alex and I decided to get a headstart on the Staffs Nose by ticking off the 7 Ramshaw routes on Sunday evening. Not a rest.

For anybody who's interested in the full account, I've written it up on my (unrelible, infrequently-updated) blog
http://mostlydowntime.co.uk/blog/staffs-nose/
Don't all rush at once - I don't have the bandwidth! (Note: written primarily for an American audience.)

For anybody who wants the tl;dr, we had a good effort but were let down by a navigational error - did Hedgehog Crack (VS) rather than Slimline (E1) at Hen Cloud. Also pulling on a cam on Ramshaw Crack would kind of negate it, but I was more willing to let that go. Either way, I'm convinced we could do it, and might even have to go back with speed in mind.

S - Staffs Nose (day 1). Did the 7 Ramshaw routes in about 2 hours
M - Staffs Nose (day 2). About 11 hours of climbing brutal cracks.
T - Rest
W - Swimming (2.5km)
T - Rest
F - 6km run
S - 8km run, core
S - Ban-y-Gor, mostly bimbling. Got shut down by B'stard (7a+), slightly redeemed myself by onsighting His Master's Voice (6c+). Still not entirely recovered from last weekend, I think.

I think any summer training plans are well and truly out of the window now. Home next week, in the states for a week, home for 3 weeks (the longest continuous period before October), conference, holidays... I guess I'll continue to enjoy the climbing for a few months then hit a decent training plan come October.

2014 goals
Sport: 8a. Best RP: 7c (2 of these now)
Trad: Some more E4s including solid-at-the-grade onsight(s). Attempted: 9, clean onsight: 1 (+3 others I feel I've 'succeeded' on, one way or another)
Trad: Staffs NIAD. Hahaha, had a go. Failed due to a navigation error.
Running: Don't get injured, more mileage than last year. 261/416km down.
Swimming: Enter some competitions, get some 'benchmark' times. 58.69 100fr*, 26.98 (26.3*) 50 fr, 1:12.34 100 bk, 31.12 50 fly*, 1:09.58 100 IM
*Relay splits


Short-term goals
  • Get some sport mileage in 7b-7c range, maybe find a 7c+ or 8a that I like.
  • Plan/train for trips in September: 1 week in Lundy, 2 weeks in North East US.
    Got a Rumney guidebook! More crimp strength required, but no time to train effectively. If I fit in 4 fingerboard sessions, it's better than nothing.
  • Devise training plan to implement in October.
    Maybe I'll stick to it for more than a couple of weeks this time
  •  AJM 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to hms:

    You go for 5.10s?

    The way you write it, we are all convinced you can pull ten pullups per second. Even porkpiegirl would probably be impressed at that!

    Now you can dyno, there's some problems at Huntsham for you to get on, and as short pe training there's Ames Low too... You could drag nick down and point him at Low Blow...

    Tufa resting sounds bizarre but kudos for getting out there and trying. I hung weights off some bits of wood and pinched them for a while to try and work the thumb strength...

    Personally I'd be starting pe about now if I was going to Kaly in about 2 months, but I'm sure I've said that before.
     AJM 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    Will try your blog later.

    The only thing I'd say about sweet tufa is it gets wet fast!

    Decided to give up on the oberland. Going to Frankenjura in a few days via friends in Zurich. Too much rain. Have to come back for Wendenstock next year... any takers?
     hms 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Yep, the 5.10s. As soon as they arrive I'll have a play at UCR bouldering room to see if I can find some good places to practise. Hope the TRX core stuff will come into its own.

    No I defo can't do 10 pullups a second!! I can do 10 in a row now, coming down to almost straight arms each time. Best performance in definitely doing 5 then having a couple of mins rest etc.

    Would like to get back to Huntsham. Would you be interested Nick? Jen wasn't keen as she said ( quite reasonably) that she couldn't get her head around trusting stuck on pebbles. NB I can only dyno if I have Leah Crane holding my back, then it seemed easy. She suggested I should buy a pair of foam 'reassurance' hands!

    Ignorant question but give me some examples of how to train power endurance? I keep reading and rereading Alex's article and every time end up very confused as to what is what.
     Tubb93 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    STG (by end of september)
    Boulder v6 in font (September)
    Train for font


    MTG (end of '14)
    Climb more trad
    Boulder v7
    Onsight 7a redpoint 7b

    LTG
    Lead 8a
    Boulder v9

    M- TCA
    T- rest
    W- rest
    T- travelled to the peak and went to secret garden in the evening climbed a few easy problems up to v3 and tried and failed on an annoying reachy v4 which my lanky friend could climb no problem.
    F- Burbage south bouldering on sweaty sloppers up to v3. tried a v4 i had climbed in winter no problem and couldn't even pull on to this time.
    S-work
    S-work

    Summary- Bring on Font, beng back in Wales for another year and cooler temperatures. This week got a few indoor sessions planned and one trip to symonds yat/cheddar for the first proper trad session of the year!!
     Nick Russell 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to hms:
    > Would like to get back to Huntsham. Would you be interested Nick?

    Yes, definitely interested but, as indicated above, don't actually have that much time left in Bristol this summer. I think 13th-29th August is the best bet...
     Nick Russell 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > Will try your blog later.

    You'll have to catch it at a time when my computer's on. It was more my experiment in setting up a web server, than a blog...

    > The only thing I'd say about sweet tufa is it gets wet fast!

    Well, I guess the tufa's there for a reason!
     Exile 27 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Thanks for doing fit club Ally

    Not this week I'm afraid - man flu and heat put pay to any progress

    Aims:

    Rock this year: RP 7b, (A Vision of Things Gone Wild at Scout Scar) & lead some E3s, (White Noise, One Step Beyond, Empire, Paladin.)

    Next winter start with VI 7

    Long term aim, (18 months or so?) HP Exeguy (E6 6b) at Trowbarrow

    M: Nothing - snotty
    T: Nothing - snotty. Did walk up to the end of Longsledale to wild camp with my 7yr old
    W: Morning - walked back down Longsledale before work. Went and did my mate's new 6b on Scout Scar in the evening - ridiculously hot
    T: Still snotty - went for a short bike ride with my 9yr old who has just taken delivery of a road bike he's getting for his tenth birthday - struggled to keep up!
    F: Nothing, feeling less snotty
    S: 4hrs MTB with wife. Did a leisurely paced round of the Borrowdale Bash route. Very hot
    S: Whinlatter red route in the rain

    Hopefully a meaningful climb this week

    Weight: Still 11st 9lb
     Banned User 77 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Thanks again for doing this.. nice watching the progress.. Humperdinks speeds are inspiring..

    M: 17 steady miles 7:25 pace 95F heat struggled.. water fountain to water fountain..
    T: steady day, 5 miles slow at lunch. pm: 6 quicker with missus
    W: 4.1 miles steady. 12.5 on roads another scorcher
    T: 5 miles steady. pm: 7.2 miles with 12x300m reps at the track
    F am: 8 miles 6:50 pace. pm: 5 miles 7:30 pace with missus.
    S: 16.25 miles steady 7:30 pace
    S: 5 miles steady at lunch 7:30 pace with missus, pm: 10 at 6:35 pace cooler NH air… so nice, last 2 miles 6:10 and 5:55 pace so feeling better

    102 mile week, lots of decent running feeling better..
     grubes 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    > grubes – My (work) trips to Germany are also filled with beer and sausage – it’s a hazard you have to deal with! Toe better?
    Its okay now still having to get used to cramming feet into climbing shoes again.

    Goal:
    Back up to 7a
    7a in chorro
    lose weight
    get core strength and body tension back

    M: Rest
    T: Rest
    W: Depot. around 2 hours. Tired pretty fast also extremely warm.
    T: Rest
    F: Rest
    S: AM roaches. Warmed up repeating technical slab. then lead Mauds garden and corner cracks. Nice easy reintroduction to trad after a long time off.
    pm wedding including rounders, welly wanging and tug of war. I was also driving so no booze. Thats exercise right?
    S: Rest

    Been really tired all week from a busy work week and the last weekend. Got in two session both I felt okay on but did not really stretch myself.
     Dandan 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Thanks Ally, yeah I'm referring to Sign of the Vulcan, it is a little fingery but it's all over very quickly, when I get a go at it I will pull on and see how it feels, honestly the finger feels as good as new now, last weeks bouldering convinced me of that!

    Nothing to report this week, I had Monday and Tuesday off to look after the puppy, soon realised that it is impossible to achieve anything useful whatsoever with a tiny dog in your house, but it is a lot of fun.

    Once I accepted that fact, I decided to make this week a rest week, I was planning to have one in 2 weeks time as i've been on it for over 12 weeks straight so it is probably for the best, and a whole week of complete rest for the finger seems to have brought it right up to full health.

    The puppy will be able to go outside next weekend so it looks like we might, just might manage a Portland visit on Saturday so I will size up Vulcan then. i'm not going to do anything silly, if the finger feels even vaguely tweaky i'll go fill in some gaps in my ticklist, there's a few 6b-6c that i've not done.

    STG: Sign of the Vulcan 7b+
    MTG (2014): Redpoint 8a (probably Fighting Torque)
    LTG: Strong shoulder, healthy elbows, vespasian 8b
     Luke Owens 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:
    Cheers Ally!

    Does anyone else here get really tight forearms? I seem to have this a lot and it only really goes away if I have 2 - 3 days rest from climbing. If it gets too bad I have days like I did at Kilnsey last Wednesday. No amount of stretching seems to sort it out and it's actually pretty painful when bending my fingers back to stretch at times.

    Monday: Devil's Gorge - Got back on Broccoli and Ice-Cream (7b). Bottom crux feels easier even in the damp, but I'm still miles off having the steep fitness for the top section.

    Tuesday: 30 mins Antags and Stretching

    Wednesday: Kilnsey for my Birthday! Incredible crag and my girlfriend and I had it too ourselves apart from one other team! Warmed up on New Mystique (6b+). It was one of them days where by forearms felt tight and I knew my forearms would cramp/tire very quickly.

    Put the clips in on Direct Flight (7a+). Thought this would be a walk in the park after finding it easy on the dog. Then kept falling off the lower traverse by the 2nd bolt powering out with cramp as I'd thought would happen. When I finally got through this section on 4th RP I fell off powered out on the techy bit by the 4th bolt. I couldn't get anything back on the good rest just below.

    Felt very demoralised on the way home, motivational talk from Ally sorted me out.

    Thursday: 30 Mins Aerocap

    Friday: 25 Mins Aerocap

    Saturday: Rest day on the beach

    Sunday: Gwynant Roadblock with the family - Repeated Roadkill (6B+) and Roadbloc (6C). Onsighted The Pillar (4+) and the highball Gwynant Arete (6A). Also did Seadog's Arete (6A+) really good problem, heelhook compression, more like 6B+ though.

    Came close on the Roadkill Sitter (7A+) but skin gets sore quick on this block.
    Post edited at 10:40
    OP Ally Smith 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    I've declared last week to have been a rest week. Finger and wrist are feeling much better.

    Need to stop being a fatty and do some proper training in the coming week.

    LTG (End 2014):
    - Healthy shoulders & elbows – keep following the physio
    - Get some proper “rat crimp” strength so that I can climb hard on peak lime - as much about being a skinny wretch as it is having strong digits it seems
    - Do “La Geurre Sainte” 7b/+ multi-pitch in Wadi Rum
    - Do some adventurous cycle touring (maybe MTB Great Glen/West Highland way?)

    MTG (Summer/Autumn 2014):
    - Finalise house purchase and build some home training facilities.
    - On-sight 8a in Kalymnos
    - Unjustified/Overjustified, Malham.
    - True North, Kilnsey.
    - Waddage, Tor
    - Maintain trad resurgence and try and on-sight an E6?
    - Ramp up an-cap and aero-cap aiming for a peak in the autumn; gentle finger-boarding to re-hab ring finger and keep aero-cap ticking over.
    - Aim for fighting weight of 74kg and 6.6% BF – ?? – afraid of the scales this week – think I’ve overeaten or had booze for the last 10days

    STG (The coming week)
    - More injury niggles – maintain physio on shoulder & back and finger icing
    - An-cap and aero-cap this week
    - Do UA this weekend

    Last week:
    M - Devil’s Gorge. Sort of an aero-cap session, but had to try a bit hard at times due to the smeggy conditions.
    T - Peak lime – 6b+ warm-up, 7c/+ 2nd go, 8a+ dog (power had deserted me) 7a OS, 6c TR OS. Battered.
    W - Rest. Flat 21km on road bike. PB on a local 800m sprint Strava segment; 56s (5th overall).
    T - Rest – ‘rents.
    F - Rest – ‘rents. EXCHANGED!
    S - Kilnsey – super hot & greasy. 2x dog on UA, including sussing the top lock-off on TN whilst lowering off. OS Frankie to round off afternoon.
    S - 3hrs UKC Gardening Club with 'rents. Flat 20km on road bike.
     Dandan 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Congrats on Exchanging, it was a great feeling when we managed it!
    I warn you though, we've been moved in for a year and my boulder shed plans are still just plans...
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Luke Owens:

    > Felt very demoralised on the way home

    You and I seemed to have done a job swap this week with similar results; I went to NW bouldering and had my pants pulled down by problems I would expect to walk up, details to follow. Incidentally for your return visit to Kilnsey I have a new suggestion - Added Value, probably the best 7a+ at Kilnsey but you do have to climb Directissima first........
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    > I've declared last week to have been a rest week

    Three days rest isn't really a rest week, it's just rest! Congratulations on becoming part of the bourgeois land owning classes!

     Luke Owens 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Tyler:
    Kilnsey round 2 is on hold until Autumn which by then I hope to have gained some fitness. I had to stop myself getting on Directissima as I knew I'd fall off it in the state my forearms were in!

    Also, a quick question about Direct Flight, Some people did it before me and sort of went up clipped the 2nd to last draw then went completely left to the arete and finished up that?

    I went up past the draw instead on some undercuts which steepens to gain a pocket out left. The whole route felt harder than 7a+ especially going this way at the top.
    Post edited at 13:42
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Luke Owens:

    There is a direct finish to Direct Flight at 7c. Direct flight itself finishes with a reach out left for an undercut and then going over with your right hand for a good pocket and then a bit up and left to finish at the top of the arête.
    OP Ally Smith 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Tyler:

    > Three days rest isn't really a rest week, it's just rest! Congratulations on becoming part of the bourgeois land owning classes!

    Cheers Ash - the increased food & booze intake has made it feel like a rest, so that's what i'm calling it!

    Can I start the UKC Decorating Club now? The textured wallpaper and egg-yellow gloss paint in the new house has got to go!
    OP Ally Smith 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Luke Owens:

    You climbed past the bolts - you went the right way!

    I think going early to the arete makes it easier by a grade (?) but haven't you got to skip a clip to do it that way?
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    > Can I start the UKC Decorating Club now? The textured wallpaper and egg-yellow gloss paint in the new house has got to go!

    These things are cyclical, textured wall paper and yellow gloss will be all the rage again at some int in the next few years, better get in with building the wall instead. Where is it by the way and have you moved in?
     Pagan 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Luke Owens:

    > I went up past the draw instead on some undercuts which steepens to gain a pocket out left. The whole route felt harder than 7a+ especially going this way at the top.

    That's it; it's quite a tough move to get the pocket but there's a good rest beforehand - getting your feet right is important otherwise it feels desperate. Going out left earlier is popular with shortarses who can't make the reach over to the pocket. It's pretty solid for 7a+ but too many good rests for it to be any harder. You'd definitely know about it if you were trying Air Rage by mistake!

    Getting a kicking is par for the course on your first visit to Kilnsey so don't be too demoralised if you didn't have as good a day as you'd hoped to. It was super hot last week too which certainly won't have helped; had a couple of evenings there and conditions only really got any good after about 8pm!

    OP Ally Smith 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Tyler:

    Knutsford. Complete and get the keys next Monday; then UKCDC can commence. the yellow gloss is through aging, not chosen colour

    Initial wall build will be to move the freestanding campus board, though i'm considering moving up to a Shark stylee shed board.

    The alternate is to build my own lattice board and go round and round and round in circles...
     Luke Owens 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Pagan:

    Cheers guys, whoever did it prior to me being on it climbed up to the bolt then down climbed and went completely left, certainly didn't look as good this way.

    There were quite a few rests but I couldn't even get anything back on them by the time I had got through the first half!

    Can't wait to go back and check out Malham also next time!
     mattrm 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Thanks Ally.

    STG - Sport pyramid - 6a (2/10), 6b (1/6), 6c (0/1) - Trad pyramid - HVS (1/10), E1 (0/6), E2 (0/1) 11st 10lbs weight
    Aspirational - Climb E5/6 (London Wall), Scottish Winter V (Point 5, Zero, Minus etc), WI5, Redpoint 8a (Masada, Mortal Kombat & Cider Soak) stay injury free & maintain 11st.

    Weight - 12st 4lbs

    M - Trad @ Box Bay (1 HVS lead)
    T - Rest
    W - Rest
    T - Rest
    F - Rest
    S - 10 hours patio work
    S - 3 hours patio work

    Ok week. Got another HVS lead in. Bottled another one which had a bold start (bit of a one move wonder) over a crap landing. So seconded three HVSes. Box Bay is generally very soft gradewise and none of the climbs are actually up to much, so I'm not fussed about bottling them.

    Due to finger and shoulder, I decided to give anything else much a miss. Hope to finish the patio next Saturday (slabs being delivered then). Maybe get out climbing on Sunday.
     mbh 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to mattrm:

    >Got another HVS lead in.

    Well done Matt!
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Eagle River:

    > As with most things Tyler says, there was a healthy dose of tongue in cheek about that comment. I think, in a homage to the "Reclimbing the classics" video series, Tyler is working on his own similar series, "dogging the warm ups".

    > I can't wait for it's release.

    That may be true about last week but I could tell you were bursting with admiration this week!
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Not a bad week considering work aggro which, given today's developments, look set to continue. Elbows didn't seem to hurt so bad until the weekend at which point they gave up the fight.
    M: Forced myself out for a 6km run, I should do more of this.
    T: Depot in Nottingham, fantastic wall but I could only manage about an hour and a quarter before the heat got to me (plus the full room service menu stopped at 9:30!)
    W: Back late so excusable rest day
    T: CyL, second half of second fifth! It may not sound much but it could be a breakthrough link!
    F: Working late then late drive to Wales.
    S: At a bit of a loose end so decided to check out NW bouldering. My original tick list turned into a roll call of failure but on the positive side I visited 4 new venues, climbed 11 problems and tried pretty hard from 11AM until about 6 with few breaks other than walking to venues. Anyway the list of shame was:
    Central Wall, Braichmelyn - in fairness this was a tactical retreat, I was having to pull so hard to stay on in the heat I decided to sack it in favour of easier pickings.
    Caseg Groove - couldn't get off the ground! Eventually found a right foothold which may help but had given up by then.
    Klem's Arête - by this time I was climbing in my undies it was so hot, no way could I hold the second RH sloper
    Little Groover - only a cursory drive by attempt on this as it was pretty obvious this is a sandbag unless you are midget with a massive span or a giant with tiny legs.
    S: Elbow knackered and painful and my tips were sweating from the off but manged an E3 which I was pleased with and a 7a+ second go. Two new ticks at Kilnsey isn't bad for a written off day
     Nick Russell 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Tyler:

    > S: Elbow knackered and painful
    > I can climb but my elbow is knackered [last week]
    > I've been on a couple of things at Kilnsey with bad elbows [week 382]

    I'm probably not the first person to comment on this, but you seem to have been suffering from this elbow problem for a while. Do they not need some rest? By that I mean time off climbing entirely, not just jumping off when they get really painful. Seriously, it could get a lot worse if you continue to ignore it, or at best just take a lot longer to get back to normal. (Sorry if I've missed some good reason why this advice is not valid.)
     Tyler 28 Jul 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    Cheers Nick, I do need to address the problem properly, probably with a week's worth of intensive massage/physio but it's finding the time. I've never found rest a particularly satisfactory way of fixing aches and strains although this seems to be more painful than most. It sucks getting old!
     Sankey 29 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    been absent for last 3 weeks, culiminating in a trip to the Italian Alps. Wanted a route on the Piz Badile, but made a marginal call to descend from the bivy. Did some nice granite rock routes although weather was very mixed. Learnt some stuff such as get on cracks and slabs if that is what the climbing is going to be, rather than steep limestone sport, but still climbed OK in reality. Also that high alpine rock routes feel completely different when conditions are wet, with lingering snow and mixed weather versus being climbed in nailed on sunny conditions. Need a bit of time to take stock for new goals...alpine stuff is pretty low return at times

    Week 382:

    M: Ran 5 miles
    T: Matrix - volume up to 6a
    W:
    T:
    F:
    S: WYSIWYG again...
    S:

    Week 383:

    M:
    T:
    W: Run 4.6 miles at 8.30 pace
    T:
    F: Travel to Chiavenna
    S: 6a multipitch granite at Spazzacaldera - lead a 6a pitch, mixed gear and bolts
    S: Road side cragging - onsight 6a

    Week 384

    M: Packing for Piz
    T: Walk in and Bivy at start of North Ridge, soloed up and down through snow patches to start of route using approach shoes and 6 pt crampons, felt a little dodgy!
    W: Bail at 4 am from bivy with low cloud and forecast that suggested afternoon bad weather
    T: Slighly dejected road side cragging! Clean 2nd on a 6b
    F: Spazza - similar 6a multipitch route, bottled one slab move on lead, but followed clean from that bolt easily and lead a couple more pitches
    S: Wash out
    S: Damp easy rock route at Spazza then lead the photo tick route to the top of the pinnacle


    STG: RP anything!

    MTG:

    LTG:
     biscuit 29 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Cheers Ally.

    I'm not following a fad diet. I used the term paleo as that's the current fashionable term. I had basically cut out processed food and pretty much wheat as it's never agreed me with me in large amounts.

    I was feeling really good off it but had a dip one day last week when energy levels felt crap. I then blew it this weekend with beer, curry and chicken kebabs. Oops !

    Climbing wise i got one boulder session in where i got the world's hardest V4 finally. Great problem.

    I just don't seemt to be able to get anything organised atm. Time just disappears and i never seem to have any free.

    So no targets or anything for now. I just want to get out and climb some rock.
     AJM 29 Jul 2014
    In reply to hms:
    In Alexs world power endurance is aeropow, primarily, as well as anpow.

    But simply, do sets of circuits/routes with incomplete rest between them. Rest time roughly equal to climbing time, do a bunch of reps. For routes I used to aim at 4-6 reps.of.something I knew that was about at my onsight grade. You should get boxed silly.

    And for the more intense end, project a.route or circuit, preferably with no stopper moves.

    I have a job offer, by the way. I'm likely to be in Bournemouth when I get back. Summer bbq/dws parties, cuttings winter projects, bundles of trad, and the sport routes in the UK that most resemble rodellar steepness.
    Post edited at 21:57
    OP Ally Smith 29 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > I have a job offer, by the way. I'm likely to be in Bournemouth when I get back. Summer bbq/dws parties, cuttings winter projects, bundles of trad, and the sport routes in the UK that most resemble rodellar steepness.

    Great stuff AJM - I take it that means you've accepted said offer?

     Eagle River 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Congratulations!

    > and the sport routes in the UK that most resemble rodellar steepness.

    So we'll be seeing you at kilnsey??
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    I'm struggling to define my goals a bit this year – I keep on switching about and changing direction like Clyde – I'm in my first year of running my own business and my main priority is keeping myself afloat in that respect, which is taking a lot of time and effort (as expected). Such is that I've lost my way a bit with climbing.

    So in an attempt to inject some fun into my life I'm going to experiment with my Fit Club posts. Instead of posting my training log and constantly trying to aim towards a climbing- or biking-related goal I'm going to post a weekly adventure / activities log. So although I'll be riding my bike and climbing regularly, I'll be mixing these activities up with other ideas and fun things to do. My aim is to keep it fresh and to always be trying new things. I'm getting bored with always training towards one thing to the detriment of fun and other activities.

    The activities will all be outdoors-based activities such as bivvying, biking, climbing, walking, swimming etc., and I'm going to plan some micro-adventures (inspired by Al Humphries' series of said things). The only rules are to always try and do the activities with a friend (or a group) and to always prioritise trying something new over doing something that I always do, I'll aim for one per week but will see how this goes. I'll try and post regular blogs as well.

    My climbing and biking goals will always be there but it's time for a bit of light relief. Let's see!

    Hope this doesn't go against the grain of Fit Club!!!?
    OP Ally Smith 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Eagle River:
    > So we'll be seeing you at kilnsey??

    Pretty sure Blackers Hole is steeper than anything at Kilnsey?


    In reply to AJM:

    Be sure to find a house/flat with a spare room for potential Infinite Gravity redpointers to come stay?


    In reply to stevemarkperry:

    No objections from me - I go through phases of doing other stuff than climbing, though haven't had one for a while. My next $hits & giggles mini-adventure is going to bounce-below at the end of August.

    A Snowdon summit MTB bivvi is also a an aspiration - midsummer was the plan, but got distracted by a beach party instead!
    Post edited at 14:17
     AJM 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    > Great stuff AJM - I take it that means you've accepted said offer?

    Provisionally said yes, with one bit of the benefits stuff to clarify and a start date to sort out.

    > Be sure to find a house/flat with a spare room for potential Infinite Gravity redpointers to come stay?

    I did think that might be the draw that would encourage northerners to come and visit us. Although I'm also very interested in the 7c+-8a+ palace of the brine stuff round Mind Cathedral. Know anything about it?

    It helps solidify some goals for the next few years as well, in that there's an obvious progression towards getting good enough to do infinite gravity (via some of the palace of the brine and promenade things, trying to match existing grades in a totally different style) maybe the summer after next?
     AJM 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Eagle River:

    The description of one of the routes in palace of the brine mentions a 16m roof section, and infinite gravity is 22 bolts at 45 degrees or something mental - Kilnsey is too slabby
    OP Ally Smith 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > Kilnsey is too slabby

    And short - True North is only 9 bolts long!

     Quiddity 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > infinite gravity is 22 bolts at 45 degrees or something mental

    Haha - the route description says 'the route overhangs at 45 degrees for most of its length' - what it doesn't say is 'except the bits that are steeper than 45 degrees' - you are going full on horizontal with head lower than feet for several bolts at one point.
    OP Ally Smith 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Quiddity:

    Sounds BOSS!
     Quiddity 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    You should see Endeavour - it does the start of IG and the crazy roof bit I just described, then when the angle on IG starts to kick back it ducks round to the other side of the prow and goes up what looks like a 45 degree hanging board, to reach the upside-down offwidth on Forever Laughing. No shit, it is the most mega looking sport route I have ever seen.

    It might still be looking for a 2nd ascent?
     Wft 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Quiddity:

    It deserves more attention, still waiting for 2nd ascent
     Eagle River 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > The description of one of the routes in palace of the brine mentions a 16m roof section, and infinite gravity is 22 bolts at 45 degrees or something mental - Kilnsey is too slabby

    Well I'm clearly just puntering around on shit crags!
     Humperdink 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Cheers Ally, sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't! Managed to hit most goals so far and really pleased with progress but I might just have one last shot at the 800m in a few weeks time.

    M: pm 7M Steady in 42:02
    Tu: Lunchtime 4/5M easy in 29:58, pm 6M steady in 39:38
    W: pm session in grass track - 10 x 500m with 60sec recovery. Despite it being breezy and not feeling good it went well. Averaged 1:28 for the reps and total rep time for 5K was 14:43. Still had something left at the end as well - 7M total
    Th: pm 8/9M steady in 53:27 had a real hunger flat halfway in but felt good by the end
    F: lunchtime 5/6M steady in 40:26 - hot
    Sa: pm - grass fartlek session with one of my teammates 10x (45 secs hard, 45 secs jog). Again felt good, 8M total
    Su: Longest run in a while 12/13M n 1:29:57

    58M total, steady weeks training. Its just about keeping it all going for the last few weeks of track season at the moment with one eye on taking the track speed onto the road in the Autumn.
     AJM 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to Quiddity:

    > You should see Endeavour..... No shit, it is the most mega looking sport route I have ever seen.

    High praise indeed!

    On which note, your replying saves me emailing you - hope to see you and H more regularly at portland etc, and obviously once we are settled you're welcome to use us as a base for the area too. And if you fancy some of the swanage things, I'm keen

    And if you have recommendations, beta sheets (and from the sounds of IG logistical instructions too), and so on I'm all ears!
     Exile 30 Jul 2014
    In reply to stevemarkperry:

    Sounds a great idea. I've been in a new job since Easter, which is pretty full on at the moment, and have been struggling a bit with my climbing goals, so I'm interested in a different take.
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Back! Will get last week up and back on the training wagon later!
     Dandan 31 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    It sounds like you have it all in hand but if you need a partner or someone to show you around the dorset crags then i'm always keen. (plus one of my strong regular partners has buggered off to Australia for the summer and I'm always up for climbing with someone better than me)
    I'm not IG fit yet but i'd still love to get down there, never been.
    If you are moving to Bournemouth and train at the Project in Poole you will soon make friends with the local wads, nice bunch.
    In reply to Exile:

    We'll see how it goes!
     AJM 31 Jul 2014
    In reply to Dandan:

    I'm not IG fit yet either! I'll be in touch when I get back, always good to have more local partners.
     Si dH 31 Jul 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Looking forward to the house warming mate!
     AJM 31 Jul 2014
    In reply to Si dH:

    There will be fun to be had!

    Well done on Cry of Despair btw.

    I think its going to take me at least a week to reawaken any of the kind of power needed to climb in this place. I tried a few short bouldery 7b+-ish things today and actually physically failed to do moves on them even after several goes. It really is true - long trips make you weak!
     Si dH 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    I'm sure it'll come back fairly quick - and be good training for back in the UK! Is that your final'stop' now or are you going back through france again?
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Hi Ally, thanks for doing fit club again and hope you get back into things after a light week

    M – Carsac bouldering up to F6a
    T – 3 hours canoeing in Aveyron Gorge
    W – Roc D’Anglars routes up to 6a+ onsight
    T – Roc D’Anglars routes including awesome exposed adventure 6a
    F – Ceou routes up to 6a+
    S – Montbrun routes including a worked 6b+
    S – Rest and acquisition of horrific tanlines

    Compared to this time last year, it’s nice to know I’ve got 6a/6a+/6b sport onsight in France, whereas was only managing 5/5+ last year. And definitely stiffer at the grade than UK sport I’ve done! Mini STG – need to get back to trad in the next fortnight and get ticking E1s.
    OP Ally Smith 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to Si dH:

    Well ticked!

    Was it you on Cry of Despair in the evening saying to me about the sloper move at 2/3rd height being the crux?
    OP Ally Smith 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    > Hi Ally, thanks for doing fit club again and hope you get back into things after a light week

    Cheedale has been kind to me this week...

    In reply to Ally Smith:

    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Excellent - 8a by headtorch must be fun!

    ps. I'd be up for Decorating Club too, though first stage will be getting lots of quotes for joiners to stop my windows, porch and doors falling out...
     Si Cox 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Thanks for the stats this week, Ally.

    As I mentioned last week, I'm giving climbing a break at the moment, so trail running has been the focus.

    Put in two runs last week, upto 8.5k, around the 5.15/km mark. Not significant, but just working myself back into cardio fitness.

    Also trying to enjoy the brambles, nettles and general undergrowth at this time of year, not to mention the HOT temperatures. Still, fun to be able to explore near home and record some segements on Strava.

    As with the fingers, need to be sensible with the running, as my right knee was protesting yesterday.

    Hopefully will ease back into the climbing come September, plus more trad, since I'll be in Derby. Happy days!
     mattrm 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to AJM:


    > I think its going to take me at least a week to reawaken any of the kind of power needed to climb in this place. I tried a few short bouldery 7b+-ish things today and actually physically failed to do moves on them even after several goes. It really is true - long trips make you weak!

    I really can't understand how that works. Shouldn't they make you super strong?

     Si dH 01 Aug 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:
    Cheers Ally. I was there Tuesday evening but can't remember who I spoke to, brain frazzled by work :oS
    There was one other guy who went up it once, Ian, but no one else. Ian is pretty recognisable as he has a beard but no hair on top, if that doesn't ring bells it must have been me
    I was belaying on beelzebub and jug jockey the rest of the night.
    What did you get done?

    Edit: just checked out your logbook, good effort!
    If you were climbing with Haydn i think I might have asked to borrow your clipstick when I first arrived...? He was on This is the sea I think.
    Post edited at 18:08
     AJM 02 Aug 2014
    In reply to Si dH:

    Well, hopefully we will be getting back down to the Dolomites and maybe Eastern Switzerland or Zillertal, then back up here at the start of September and probably here til the bitter end
     AJM 02 Aug 2014
    In reply to mattrm:

    > I really can't understand how that works. Shouldn't they make you super strong?

    Only if you boulder on them.

    So for me, when I left the Uk I had done a long V7 problem and maybe a few V6s on route cruxes. To get stronger I'd therefore need to be trying V6 stuff at least.

    The hardest thing I've done since leaving the Uk has been V5, or maybe soft V6 for a day on Bon Viatge. I've done lots of moves, but basically nothing top end.

    And onsighting and trad you don't often climb as dynamically or with as much power as you do on short bouldery things, so I've got out of practice as that "zip" you need to throw at things.

    If you think of a big trip as like a years worth of poorly directed training ("just climbing") where you don't boulder at all, you'd probably tell me it would make me weaker, right?
     mattrm 02 Aug 2014
    In reply to AJM:



    > If you think of a big trip as like a years worth of poorly directed training ("just climbing") where you don't boulder at all, you'd probably tell me it would make me weaker, right?

    Ok, that sounds reasonable. Makes sense when you put it like that. Had never really thought about it.
     AJM 03 Aug 2014
    In reply to mattrm:

    I only knew about it in advance because Barrows told me that was what would happen...

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