UKC

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity. UKC fitclub is a rich community with posters sharing their goals, noting successes and failures and offering support to those struggling to maintain motivation. Anyone interested in starting is very welcome to join, but to get the most of UKC fit club 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 and drive you towards achieving your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

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 gives an excellent breakdown on training the four main "energy systems" specific to climbing:
http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/training-for-sport-climb...

Link to last weeks thread (503) http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=652706

If you met your short term (weekly) goal, mention in your post and I will +1 your streak count (shown in brackets), otherwise… back to zero The idea is to set specific measurable realistic small goals so you can make consistent progress towards your medium and long term goals. (https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals.php). If you know you’re not going to do any training in the week ahead (resting/travelling etc) factor this in! (Just say if I interpret your post wrong and incorrectly +1/kill your streak, I will amend-this is for your personal motivation/entertainment only!)

DanDan: (can’t decide if you are back to 0 because you didn’t make your goal of resting or whether 8a send trumps it…) Great work, and inspiring description- a bit of rest obviously does help make the training pay. Did the 7c go this week?
Curious Yellow: (1) Well done on sticking to the plan. What kind of pump level do you target 8min intervals at? Totally aerobic or building to epic pain by the end of the interval?
Si: (2 point for 2/3 sessions completed as you said). Sounds like you might benefit from the rest, enjoy.
MrChewy: (2) Sounds like a great week, progress being made! I like your physic’s advice… “try hard”/
PlanetMarshall: did you make it to Font this weekend?
AJM: Did you get out this weekend?
JayK: Podium position, nice!
Super turbo: 2-a-days… still find it impressive you can work hard in both sessions!
Biscuit: How did BoB comp go?
SteveM: (2) Well done on the dash!
Hokkyo: (1) Smashed your PB, well done!
HMS (2): I like the 100 7’s goal, round numbers have a strange motivating effect eh.
the sheep: (1) Let us know how it went this week!
TonyB: Congrats on the 7c tick!
LeeBoy: Love training for the new alpinism, its pretty inspiring have you seen Steve House’s new “uphill athlete” website (much of the same info atm)?
Bobling: Absolutely not, as long as you come back with some goals!
IanBell: (1 for getting outside) agreed, I find the inside/outside climbing transition hard too.
MattRM: Feeling rested after holiday I hope?
TinTin: Ah the old play with the dog vs climbing quandry… Are you planning on going back for the 7A tick soon?

In reply to guy127917:

Hmm fitclub is quiet today, hopefully everyone is busy sending...

I had a pretty bad week training week. Thanks to everyone for the overtraining warnings... you were right I think. Had to massively dial volume down this week to recover. Weight down to 82.3kg, it's starting to come off

Monday 4x15 mins traverse, dead after, could barely pull through a 1-2-3 foot off campus without forearm pain, went home.

Tuesday decided to take a rest day

Weds Short session
2 min,1min x5 warmup, forearms super tight
Wave limit bouldering reps for 45 mins with superturbo, actually didnt go too badly, loosened up by the end of the session. Body tension definitely improving, makes steep moves feel a lot more secure.

Thursday Gym session
Pull-ups 10x3
Dips 10x3 superset
Ring pull-ups 5x3 and Offset pull-ups 3x3
One arm ring pull-ups with foot assistance x4x3
3 sets Knees to elbow
3 sets of Metronome
3point plank 1 minutes x4
Side to side pull up x3x3 (progress!! couldnt do these all 4 weeks ago..)

Friday combination of diet, work stress and possibly training load meant by the evening I felt very fatigued, decided to take another rest day (except 15 mile cycle commute)
Saturday rest day

Sunday:
Bit of a broken up session
15 minute rep
3x doubles 6cish
long rest
3x doubles 7b, 7a, 7a.
3 attempts redpointing 7b, made reasonable progress.
Bit of bouldering to cool down.

I will have a bit of a broken up week coming up, and then an easy week before Spain.
STG This week: One power session, One endurance, One gym core session.

In reply to guy127917:

Progress made initially and then - the 'I'm a prat' moment.

Mon - Rest (As planned)
Tues - Rest (As planned)

Wed - PM Pinnacle bouldering. So happy to be there and able to just go for it, despite being weak and the warmup consisted of just keeping going until I'd flashed a crimpy V3 and thought 'hmmm, need to reign myself in a bit.' Didn't happen of course, started trying V4/5 stuff with a couple of youths and eventually something in my left palm wasn't happy but I kept going. After two hours, they went on the steep stuff. So did I. Then it was obvious, I was tired and had a sore left hand. So got on the slab on something with monos. Did the start easy, then got back on it, fluffed the first move and loaded the ring finger in a mono pocket. Game over. 'I'm a prat!!!'

Thu - Injured, off work.
Fri - Injured, off work.
Sat - Sat and did my accounts.
Sun - Went for a five mile walk.

This week didn't turn out like planned. On Monday I received the bad news that my van had decided to pillage my bank account when the gearbox went. DMF gone also - £3000 in total. Not the total total, just this breakdown. It's been insane. From having a perfectly fine van at the start of April, to having my wallet emptied - all because someone didn't look where they were going on the motorway.

So Wednesday seemed like the perfect antidote. Getting stuck in. The night finished with my hand in ice. A torn lumbrical in the left hand - nope, wasn't sure what that was myself but it's not a pulley or a tendon and thusly, I am happy. Can't make a fist but it'll heal quick and I can still crimp. Get back climbing next week, even if it is gently.

I never learn. Always rush back too quickly and get injured. Been like it for over thirty years of adult life now.

So still on target with the STG of pullups in Nov, I'm hoping the extra rest will be a winning formula.

'I am a prat.'

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy,

I'm back from Chorro now, have had a few rest days and keen to get stuck back in. I have 4 weeks before the next 5 day trip (back to Chorro). Hopefully the 4 weeks will allow a bit of an improvement in AeroPow and I little bit of very focused training.

Mon - After the hard weekend ticking Madre Salvaje, I needed to take it easy. I did several easy routes in Desplo then onsighted Comando Escandilla (6c+), which I found really pumpy and then flashed Cosas Caseras (7a) which felt pretty comfortable. I thought (as do the comments in the logbooks) that this was super soft, but I was pleased anyway as 7a+ is my best O/S or flash grade. This is something that I'd like to improve on, and have a few 7b's in mind that I'd like to try and flash.
Tue - I had a really slow start doing some 6b's, but then did Liron Careto (7c) in the afternoon. This took three goes (the fastest that I've ever done a 7c). On the first go I fell off and couldn't get back on the route, so I had only been on the top once before. Really chuffed with this.
Wed - Back to Desplo before flying back to the UK. I had a quick reconnaissance of Paquistani (8a). It felt feasible but a little sharp. There is a move that I find pretty tough where you have to stand up in a pocket using the top as an undercut. I'm going to practice this kind of move, and plan to get stuck in next month.

Overall 2x7c and a 7a+ flash doesn't seem bad for 4 days, and an exploration of a potential 8a on the last day was pretty good (especially given the poor run in with me being in China and doing virtually no climbing).

Thur/Fri/Sat - nothing / skin healing

Sun - family trip to the miniworks. Did most of the murples. It's probably quite telling, but I mostly struggled on some of the slabier ones.

My wife is away next week. This always makes it more difficult to train due to childcare, but I'm pretty motivated to get a really good quality 4 weeks.

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy, yes round numbers and nice patterns are worryingly motivating. A fair amount of family stuff this week, but managed to do what I had planned - nothing earth shattering but a solid week.

M - cycle commute. Yoga - more hips, still pretty hard work.
T - cycle commute. Slightly squeezed in but still decent length core session (without skinning my back again).
W - cycle commute. Bloc in afternoon. It was totally heaving with students. Tried upteem things on the steep with limited success. Did then tick a whole wodge of the 6a-6c problems which was pleasing - at Bloc this can be an annoying circuit.
T - cycle commute. UCR in evening. Dozen routes mainly in pairs, and almost everything new. Some of the grades seem a tad harsh so hope they get tweaked! Tried a 7a+ twice, 1 power move I'm stuck on, not sure where to push from. Tried a 7b, the difficulty seems mainly in the clipping so worth a further play.
F - travel to visit parents. My Dad's health is dropping off a cliff. Last time I visited he was having real problems with walking, this time he is almost house-bound and can't walk without a frame. Shocking decline.
S - travel back from parents. Rehab - pressups, weights, theraband.
S - helping D1 with her flat, but managed a good length fingerboard session too.

situation with my parents is not good. If my Dad's decline continues then I can see I may have to take some serious time to help out, we shall see. Reckon the main lesson is do things whilst you can, cease the opportunity, sod the money. Depressing.

On a happier note, off to Spain on Friday. plan on steady maintain this week then in Spain get on some 7s if the opportunity arises as a happy trip for the husband is the top priority.

In reply to guy127917:

I did thanks, just got back from Pembroke.

My week has mainly consisted of more hecticness at work and by Thursday evening I was crashing badly. I think I fingerboard once but can't remember when.

Friday was a lot colder than expected and wintours a lot less sunny than I remember which was a little frustrating. Saturday I basically slept half the day which was useful to help me catch up. Sunday we went to St Govans where amidst some faff I managed to tick the excellent Deranged (E2 5b)

Basically just clinging on the past few weeks. Hopefully things may ease soon in which case it would be nice to get some indoor routine going once more. Maybe 2 wall sessions this week should be my goal? I do need to build my foc board and some other home admin though too. This weekend I may get out climbimg for a day.

Edit: Helen, bad news, sad to hear it

In reply to AJM:

thanks Andy.

Just noticed in my post - I did of course mean 'seize the opportunity': my brain and fingers were not communicating properly!

In reply to guy127917:


Cheers! I was pretty pleased with myself.

m - 16.5k cycling, 2hrs in the gym, drills, plyo, core & circuits
t - 10k cycling
w - 10k off road run in the snow
t - 10k cycling, 10k off road run
f - 10k cycling
s - Walked up Whernside from Ribblehead with friends
s - 9k cycling

Weight 80.75kg Body fat 19.3%

STG
Nothing at present

MTG
Get weight back under 80kg

LTG
Big mountains next year

In reply to guy127917:

I didn't, I went to Alicante instead, and got the first of my medium term goals by getting some Winter sport climbing. It's not a very specific goal though, so have adjusted accordingly.

Mon Rest
Tue Strength session.
Core warmup
4x6xWide Chinups/Dumbbell press 10kg
4x4 Deadlift (80kg)
4x4 Box Step with barbell (40kg)

30 mins Threshold Bouldering
3 red problems (f6c), 2 mins between attempts
Wed Rest
Thu Was supposed to be strength session, flew to Alicante instead.
Fri Routes at Vall de Guadar (Echo Valley), 5c-6a
Sat Routes at Alcalali, 6a-6a+
Sun Routes at Reconco, 6a. Flew home.

Last week's STG -


Managed the limit bouldering but missed out on second session due to last minute decision to fly to Spain. With no particular plan and no climbing partner arranged, still managed to get some great climbing done. Need more of a plan if I do this again, though. There were some great ridge climbs and runs I could have done had I planned better.

STG - Not likely to get any outdoor rock this week. 1 threshold bouldering session. 1 CIR bouldering session. 1 long run ( at least 10km ). Might be going to KMF at the weekend so the Lakes should provide no excuses to get out into the hills.

MTG - Looks like it'll be mostly bouldering and strength work over the Winter. Not making any concrete plans until the end of my contract in February. Get some winter sport climbing and redpoint a 6c.

LTG - 2017
Cenotaph Corner (E1 5c)
Brown's Eliminate (E2 5b)
Regent Street (E2 5c)
Steeple (E2 5c)
Shibboleth (E2 5c)
Innominata Ridge (D+)
Cuillin Ridge Traverse (Summer) (VD) - Solo
Kami-kaze (Winter) (VI 7)
Something at Kalymnos

BHAG - Beyond 2017
Archangel (E3 5b)
London Wall (E5 6a)
Right Wall (E5 6a)
Sundance (Winter) (VIII 8)
The 1938 Route (ED2)
Octopus Crack (7b+)
US Road Trip
El Cap
New routes in Scotland
New routes in Alaska

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks for statting Guy,
A decent week back on the training, I was obviously super pysched to get back into it but Tom did warn me not to go too mental straight away as he has seen a lot of people injure themselves soon after a big achievement like that.
With that in mind I was very restrained which did mean I didn't try the Warwick 7c so that's my GuyGoal failed for this week. Despite not going off half-cocked, I did have a small injury issue, I did a 1 hand hang fingerboard session Friday and afterwards one of my knuckles was a little sore and a bit swollen, anyone know what this is? It's been bugging me a little for a few weeks, seems to be made sore by climbing but doesn't hurt while climbing, wrapping it in tape seems to keep it happy, but I forgot to tape it friday and it was particularly sore afterwards. I don't want to give in to the possibility of arthritis or something horrible like that, i'm only 34! I think I can manage it fine but I would like to know what it might be, i'm not sure who to ask?

M: nothing

T: Indoor boulder; 3 x 8min aero. Ticked a crimpy V7 (that's more like V8) while warming up, this felt impossible last week.

W: Indoor boulder; timed reps at V6/7

T: Indoor routes; Polarised continuity, did the hard part at 7b instead of 7a/+ and the recovery part felt better than ever, pleased with this.

F: Fingerboard; large outer slot on BM2K for 10 seconds with +3.5kg, outer slot with AA battery in for 10 seconds at -5kg. I'm not sure how to feel about this result, as I understood it, the BM slot with AA battery in is as close as you can get to the Lattice test edge, am I remembering that right? Ok, so this hang was for double the time, but still, -5kg is a long way from +3kg which I achieved on my assessment, there's no way I could have cut the time in half but added 8kg! My recollection of the test edge is that it felt easier than the AA battery slot, that or I was having a strong day on the assessment. I'll find out in Feb I guess!

S: Garage construction

S: Short moonboard session, triples on V5. Dodgy knuckle felt fine doing this with tape on so I'm sure it's manageable.

Due to the knuckle I did skip one fingerboard session, so messed up my STG to do all sessions on first week back, but I think it was sensible to go careful, bearing in mind Tom's words of wisdom.

Last weeks STG:
Stretch hamstrings every day - Complete fail
*Guy Goal* Tick the new 7c at Warwick Uni - Fail
Do every session on first week back on Tom's Plan - Fail, missed one!
Ask Mac to recommend some 8a+ in Margalef - Fail!

New STG:
Stretch hamstrings every day -
*Guy Goal* Tick the new 7c at Warwick Uni -
Ask Mac to recommend some 8a+ in Margalef -

MTG: (this year)
Remain uninjured to allow me follow through Tom's plan - Going well
Get outside if weather allows - 1
Tick another 7c/7c+ outside

LTG: (next Year)
8a+
Pull on to Photo Shot (8b)
Re-test on the Lattice board, booked in for Feb, hoping for 100 moves max

In reply to Dandan:
STG - Get outside when I can, hopefully manage a few weekends in November
MTG = Keep filling up 7b+ pyramid this year. So far 9x7a, 2x7a+, 1x7b.
BHAG = 8a by 40

Fairly quiet week for me, recovering from illness most of the time.

M - T - ill / recovering
Fri - WW bouldering. Managed 35 mins and then got tempted to go to the pub.
Sat - Urban Ascent bouldering. Managed a load of V2-4 problems. Did 3 of the V4/5 incl one flash, grades definitely easier there than the Westway!
Sun - Castle bouldering. Bit tired, managed 1 of the V4-6 circuit and some sub V3 stuff.

Won't be outside next weekend but hopefully manage the one after, that'll prob then be the last outdoor session pre Xmas.

In reply to Dandan:

I have something very similar with the lower knuckle of my LH ring finger (and the top joint on that finger has frighteningly restricted movement). Taping the lower joint quite firmly before climbing helps a lot although the tape has a habit of sweating off and needing to be redone during a session. Flossing with a bit of theraband on non-climbing days helps too. As to what it is - well I'm a fair bit older so assumed it was some sort of arthritis-esque joint damage, but don't know.

In reply to hms:

If you sweat the tape off, have you considered using some additional adhesive to hold it on?

Charko Unction, or plain old super glue?

In reply to guy127917:
Just being nosy from the balcony.

Guy - you are being over generous giving me one of your points for my performance last week - it was a disaster!

Kelvin - sounds like you should rest a bit more during a session rather than going really hard in a session and then having to rest for days/weeks in between? Sorry if this is obvious. I saw the ukb advice you've got - I'd also say something similar based on mycown experience, but take it easy. If it's bad on your first session back, then I found light climbing on jugs (basically ARC training) accelerated the healing a lot vs complete rest.

Tony - sounds like a great trip, 2 7cs in a weekend, nice one!

Dan - Joyce and I measured the aa battery hold as a good way to replicate an 18mm edge, which is what others seemed to be using at the time, so was useful for benchmarking purposes. However I'm pretty sure (based on what others are now using and have told me separately, rather than having done it myself) that the lattice board edges are 20mm rather than 18mm. The bottom middle edge on the bm2000 is about 20mm. That's obviously useless for 2 handed weighted hangs, but if you are benchmarking one arm strength then it's probably a better match for the lattice board test? It feels a lot bigger than the aa battery edge.
Re: the injury, have you read Make or Break? I don't have it with me here, but there is definitely some stuff that might help you diagnose your problem. Short term, the answer is almost certainly to keep climbing on it at an intensity that doesn't cause pain. And possibly to try icing it.

In reply to Si dH:

Cheers Si, the middle edge definitely does feel better, perhaps I should move to that, although I suppose it's better to train on a worse edge so the lattice test edge feels better when I get on it perhaps?
I do have a copy of Make or Break, why i've not looked in it yet is beyond me, i'll go do that now.

hms - A bit of flossing might be a good idea too, ill do that, thanks!

In reply to guy127917:

Week 44:
M - Rest; stretching.
T - Tor; watched Bosi do Hubble! 4 RPs on the link-up project. The last 3 by headlamp. High point on the last go, tickling the go-again crimp on the crux of Chimes. Wee go on Bens Roof afterwards. Mono beta might be the way forward?
W - Rest.
T - Back to the Tor. Another 4 lantern goes on the project. #1 & #3 I couldn’t do the boulder start. #2 equalled high-point. #4 mucked up the match on the lip. Stripped it and tried Ben’s roof, finally working out the second knee-scum that allows for an easier release on to the left wall.
F - Rest.
S - Travel to Jordan.
S - Jordan Day 1; 10miles walking, mostly downhill.

Week 45:
M - Jordan Day 2; flat 10 miles walking in the baking desert, then 2 mile round trip up a local canyon.
T - Jordan Day 3; hilly 11 miles walking.
W - Jordan Day 4; hilly 10 miles walking.
T - Jordan Day 5; 10 miles walking to “Little Petra”.
F - Jordan Day 6; 12 miles walking to, and around our destination, Petra. Epic fail in ordering a round of alcohol free beers!
S - 2nd day wandering around Petra
S - Travel to, and then jeep tour of Wadi Rum – very keen to return especially for La Guerre Sainte (ED2)

Week 46:
M - 7 mile Camel ride out of Wadi Rum, then onward to Aqaba.
T - Lazy – snorkeling.
W - Less lazy – 2 scuba dives.
T - Early gym session, 6 reps deadlift @ 100lb. Wreck dive and snorkeling in afternoon.
F - Early taxi to Dead Sea, classic floating in the sea reading newspaper scenes, well, actually Climb magazine – see: https://www.instagram.com/p/BMrRPyeBf-X/
S - Travel home.
S - Sunday lunch social engagement; minor gluttony compared to previous week of buffet dinners.

Minor YYFY moment this week - I've finally gotten back all the shoulder flexibility i lost due to my rotator cuff tear 15 months ago

Weight this morning 77.7 kg – heaviest for quite some time!

STG – this week:
Climb at least twice.
Lose 0.5kg.

MTG – end of Nov:
Find a local gym that doesn’t rinse my wallet, and has ergos and dead lift facilities.
Record benchmarks for finger-strength and fitness, ideally on a lattice board if The Boardroom has got its one set up and running in time, if not FoC.
Make training plan(s) for Chulilla in late Feb, and onward to peaking in June/July for Kilnsey project

LTG – end 2017:
8b in Chulilla in Feb.
The Wire, Parisella’s Cave.
The Traverse of the Gods.
Kilnsey Project.
Bonuses: Gorge project(s), Tor link-up project, The Brute.

In reply to guy127917:

Not got anything to report from this week as I'm still in Hong Kong but I land 7am tomorrow and need to get straight back into it as I fly to Siurana on the 5th of Dec

In reply to Ally Smith:

the other solution might be for me to buy some decent quality tape, rather than something that looked the same but isn't as sticky as the expensive stuff!

In reply to Ally Smith:

What is Charko Unction? I just googled it, but it isn't clear how it works. I have problems with hangnails around my cuticles that get really bad when I'm climbing pockets. Do you think it would help putting it around the fingernails? I have used superglue before in desperation, but I'm not sure that this is a good longterm strategy.

In reply to Si dH:


Thanks Si, it was a bit longer than a weekend though. Two 7c's in four days.

In reply to guy127917:

Glad I joined in last week, it gave me a mental boost to get off my arse. So a better week last week for exercise and ate well, too much wine was not good but weight remains the same.

Exercise wise the week went as follows;

Monday, rest day. Not planned but work got in the way.

Tuesday, cycle to work, 16km. Lovely morning so did the majority on the canal tow so pace was slow. Light core session at lunch time and cycle home, 26.1 km

Wednesday, lunchtime swim, 2km, 37 mins. Not fast but enjoyable, followed with light core and stretching.

Thursday, lunchtime swim, 2km, 39 minutes. Slow but was daydreaming a bit too so not surprising. Cycle home, 25.9km.

Friday, cycle to work, 15.9km (not feeling it at all that morning!). Lunchtime swim, 2km 36 mins so better pace. Cycle home, 25.9km. Good day in all

Saturday, 5.3km run with the wife. 34.10 so think im slowing her down a bit but happy to have gone out a second Saturday in a row.

Now its a case of keeping it going!

In reply to guy127917:
Alright, I'm in. Let's see:

Monday: Calves were so sore I was limping around the city after doing stair climbing for 3 hours and going up and down 399 floors. Skipped training.

Tuesday: Climbing. Top roped one n5+ easily, then went to work on an n6 that me and my climbing partner have been attempting since we started 4 weeks before. First I failed at the same spot as last time (2 holds from the top) then he got it, then I got it but accidentally touched a hold not on the route, so I did it again. Overall climbed just about 3 short pitches of n6, so I'm pretty happy.

Wednesday: Did slingshot bench press with 110 kg, 4 sets of 2 and a 3 rep AMRAP for the 5th set. Then I did close-grip bench with 80 kg for 4 sets of 6, wide grip incline bench with 60 kg for 4 sets of 12,10,8,5 (failed miserably), dips with 10 kg for 4x12, and I think I skipped out on standing overhead triceps extension.

Thursday: Started with 5x5 with last set AMRAP for 8 reps of 72.5 kg of incline bench press. Volume PR I believe. Then cable rows with 65 kg for 4x12, leg curl with 65 kg 4 sets of 12,10,8,5, leg extension with 55 kg 4x12.

Finished off with a 30 minute zone 2 workout. Treadmill at 15% incline, for 5 km/h. 246 meters climbed.

Friday: Was going to bench but shoulder felt funky so I went bouldering for 2.5 hours. Got my first V2 and did almost all of the V0s in the gym.

Saturday: Paused bench press with belt and wrist wraps, 105 kg 4 sets of 1 and last set AMRAP for 2. Bench is starting to feel better. Didn't have time for the other exercises.

Then did zone 1 cardio for an hour, 15% incline on the treadmill. Started at 4 km/h, but discovered my heart rate was lower this week than previous at this speed, so increased to 4.5 km/h. It started creeping up to 155 BPM at the 30 minute mark, so scaled back to 4.3 and then 4.1, then 4.2. Ended up with 4260 meters "hiked", 639 meters climbed.

Sunday: Was going to do a 3.5 hour stair climb but didn't have time because I hadn't hit my goal pages for studying for the week. Figured out the shoulder thing, did a bicep tendinitis test and it was positive. Have to stretch it regularly now.

Goal was: Climb n6 for the first time, complete a bouldering problem. Goal achieved.

Goal for next week: Get the tendinitis sorted, take a lead climbing course and lead climb an n5, do a V1 in the bouldering gym and try this cool V3 I saw last time.

In reply to Ally Smith:

Awesome photo, love it!

In reply to TonyB:


I obviously had a bit of brain-fade there. Still really good going though.

In reply to TonyB:

Charko Unction is a commercial tincture of benzion preparation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tincture_of_benzoin

In reply to Si dH:

I didn't rest at all - two reasons for this. I was pottering around with lads I didn't know, so psyched to try stuff and an ex who hasn't really seen me climb turned up and that stupid male ego took over. Total amateur mistake. And yes really obvious but I appreciate the reminder and good advice.
Luckily, I heal really quickly when it comes to muscle pulls and tears but yeah, I'll be doing lots of arc on Wednesday.

In reply to guy127917:

Cheers Guy. BOB went ok thanks. I slept through my alarm and woke up an hour before it started. A mad rush, forgetting my lunch, a choc croissant for breakfast and snacking on rocky road and coffee wasn't ideal. By the time I'd warmed up and checked in with the kids I was coaching it was nearly an hour in.

I was hoping for 200 pts but got 184. 200 would have put me in 3rd so maybe that was a bit ambitious. There are some seriously strong veterans about. The winner would have placed 9th in the male open category.

The place was rammed and queues of 10 mins weren't unusual to get on a problem. I learnt a lot (personally and from a coaching perspective) and really enjoyed it. Pleased overall but dropped 6 pts I shouldn't. Basically I could either flash a problem or not do it at all. Problems relying on slopers need doing early, before they get hot and greasy and I need to improve my hip flexor strength. I knew this a while ago but have done sod all about it. It cost me two problems I looked at early on and thought I'd come back to and get them easily enough.

Not a bad benchmark after a few weeks of disjointed climbing and not much of it.

New goals are to get 200 pts in a round of The Depot winter league.

In reply to TheFasting:


I admire your willpower. Keep it up!

In reply to planetmarshall:

Thanks! I'll do the same session each weekend I can't be in the mountains and slowly add weight. This weekend I'll do it in boots and with a camelbak. Fingers crossed that I won't be crippled again!

In reply to TheFasting:

Just be wary of your training volume and be careful you don't start overtraining. A couple of things stand out in your log as things to look out for - the back to back AMRAP sessions, and the AMRAP following a bouldering day. It's individual so it may be fine for you, but this would be way too much volume for me.

Plus, with all that you must be eating like Michael Phelps...

In reply to planetmarshall:

It takes a good while to eat back the 3 hours of stair climbing, usually I have to take the next day after to get it all back in.

The AMRAP sessions is only up to RPE 9 (so one rep in the tank) and the sets before it are usually low reps. I do 4x12 of rows and pull-ups too of course but so far no problems in terms of recovery.

But I think I will have to watch out now that I've gotten some bicep tendonitis. It most likely has something to do with climbing. Going to have to stop all training until it's fixed (already have a nearly recovered lower back injury so I'm 100% crippled in terms of climbing and lifting at this point). Only endurance training going forward.

In reply to guy127917:

Second easy-ish week last week. Although I've already kind of made up for it this week.

M-6mile run
T-General Bouldering
W-Rest
T-Rest
F-Rest
S-General Bouldering
S-Rest

In reply to guy127917:
Thanks Guy. Things are a real struggle at the moment with work and family leaving little room for anything else. The highlight of the week though was a 10th wedding anniversary run with my other half on Sunday morning. We were without kids for the first time in five years (wonderful friends took them overnight) and went up a hill near us from which we could see Bath, Bristol, both Severn Bridges and away to the Black Mountains. It was very easy but great to be out running again after another extensive period of injury.

I've also been thinking about what my aim is with climbing and I think I've decided that all I want to achieve at the moment is VS bumble-dom. Every time I have climbed harder than that the stress of placing gear while under duress kills the fun for me, yet without any structured training I get fat and weak and end up in grotty VDiff gullies. So VS bumble-dom feels like the right place to be.

Mon - Nothing
Tues - P56, S48
Weds - P53,S48
Thurs - Ran home from work.
Fri - Nothing
Sat - Nothing
Sun -Run with wife to celebrate 10th wedding anniversary!

Weight: 72.35 (-0.20)
Injury report: Exercises - press-ups, sit sups, one leg stands leg in front, one leg stands leg behind, squat stance, use foam roller.

New Goals:
Short Term (through to January 2017). Press -ups - 60 in 2 mins. Sit-ups 55 in 2 min. Flash 6b at the wall. Start gentle running - 5k twice a week (when?!). Get outside at least once a month. Alternate trips to the wall and the pool in different weeks.

Medium Term (before September 2017): Unknown Wall at Avon, The other Pat Littlejohn VS's at Wyndcliffe, Osiris at Fall Bay, Tons in Pembs, Tons at Chair Ladder, LBJ and Anvil Corus at Bosi, Freedom at Wintours. Run a 10k again.

Long Term : I'd love to run a marathon! The Cuillin Ridge, DoWH, Cenotaph Corner.

BHAG: ?

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy

Training for the new alpinism is a really good book. Just started Eric Horst conditioning for climbers as well to see the difference as this is more specific.
Really let myself down last weekend and this week on eating way too much
When doing 4x4 should I be falling off on the last rep of each set?

Last weeks goal

Weigh 79kg - Fail still 80kg.
Run twice or mountain walk - tick
Climb twice - tick
1 general conditioning and core workout following the outline in training for the new alpinism - Fail by being lazy on weekend

Next weeks goals

Weigh 79kg
Run twice or mountain walk
Climb twice - 1 session of 4x4
- 1 session climbing no harder than 6a and ensuring good footwork and climbing style

Mid term goals (now till March next year)

Gain lots of winter experience walking and climbing, would like to have a go at the following routes
Number Three Gully Buttress (III)
Raeburn's Gully (I)
Fingers Ridge (IV 4)
Spiral Gully (II)
Fiacaill Ridge (I/II)
Aladdin's Mirror Direct (IV 4)Aladdin's Couloir (I)
Lots of hillwalking and wildcamping and gain enough experience to do my ML training next year (solid navigation, 10 hour plus Hill day)

A peak bouldering trip

Long term goal (Summer 2017)

Start season climbing HVS
Progress quickly to e grades and becoming solid at e1 by the end of the season again will think of routes that I want to get done by next week

M - 9.4 mile run
T - Rest
W - Mainly bouldering then a few routes up to 6a. Rode my bike 10 miles to work and found it really hard. When I got my bike out to go to the climbing gym realised I had 2 really flat tyres, lesson learnt to check bike the night before.
T - Rest
F - 4x4 on an auto belay starting at 6b and dropping down the grade as the arms started to pump out
S - Rest
S - Climbed Ragnarok (HS 4a)

Happy Training
Lee

In reply to guy127917:

The Goal - Climb Western Front Direct (7a)

Weight - 13st 7lbs

M - T - Nowt
W - Indoor climbing - 12
T - S - Nowt

Got out to the local wall on Wednesday. Tiring, but an increase on routes from last week. Hope to push up to two sessions a week soon.

Next week:
1 climb
1 yoga

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy. Another mental week and not enough training. I promise next week will be better though.

M - T some conditioning and fingerboarding at home but mainly nothing
F - Boulder mileage at Climbing Unit - got slightly distracted by comp routes but definitely blasted a circuit's worth at the appropriate grade and speed
S - back on the 7A - two overlapping pieces but a bit too pumpy to link. Opened an account on Hamper's Hang (f7A)too.
S - wet so Wirksworth for a condo round. Currently second in the aggregate in senior women's.