UKC

Morning all, you’re stuck with me again for a few weeks, so notes come with a switch up from expertise to enthusiasm

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.co.uk/2014/02/training-for-sport-climbi...

Last week’s thread can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=668773


AJM - Whats the programming like for your 1 on 1 off campusing- like sets/duration/progression etc? I’m guessing something slightly more scientific than “as long as the baby is asleep…?”
Mrchewy - Doesn’t sound dismal to me- pulling on 3x a week plus additional pre/rehab etc sounds like a solid week of conditioning? Think it was Alan who brought up the 1-6-3 rule- 1 workout in 10 will feel excellent, 6 average, and 3 pretty bad. (I may have bastardised it completely there but I’m sure you get the point).
AlanLittle - Kayaking as cross training- good for the shoulders and core, bad for hand skin!
HMS - “one short and very hard sequence, the rest is just relentless and unforgiving” sounds like a gimme Did the support help stabilise your knee?
Ally Smith - What does tin foil in the pockets do? Dry it out or provide some sort of lining? Not hear of that before…
Hokkyo - Good to hear some immediate treatment being achieved through the NHS! How is your shoulder responding to the shot?
biscuit - I’ve never used strava, do you get feedback during sessions or just after?
DanDan - Many thanks for taking the reins back for a few weeks. Will fitclub get to be the judge of ‘solid’ for this 5 second front lever?
guy127917 - Keep up the diet
Tyler - I like this “inspiration of the week” section to your post, might take that up!
mattrm - my congratulations on the newborn also!
The Sheep - I see from the last few weeks you’re getting into intervals and longer runs, nice one! I’ve been following Matt Fitzgerald’s blog recently, he has been living with a pro running team and blogging about his/their training etc, pretty motivating short posts you might enjoy finalsurge.com/therunningbum


AWOL - TheFasting, PlanetMarshall, Jennifer Jones….

In reply to guy127917:


Ha! As if!



That's not a bad idea, I'll try and film one while I'm in Kaly and you can all tut and point at my bent arms and saggy hips!

In reply to guy127917:

So I've been doing 20 minutes, so 10 on 10 off. I've been mixing up different combinations too, but always about the same overall length to fit into a nap cycle. As for progression, there's 2 sizes of hold and things like cross-through sequences to change the difficulty of the hand pattern, and I can move my feet from a stack of weights in front of the kickboard to the top of the kickboard and eventually to the holds on the kickboard itself.

What did I do this week then? I forget the early half of the week.

Monday - I went out for a walk with miniAJM and friends. Was meant to be blackberry scouting/picking but too early. I also did something in the morning, I think a set of 2-on-2-off.

Wednesday - 1-on-1-off in the morning. Attempted 8-2-8 in the afternoon to try to get some more base stamina in. Too intense - did 8-2-4-1-1 and then MiniAJM woke up early. May try 5-2-5-2-5 next time for this and try to judge/progress from there.

Friday - bouldering en famille with hms and D1. Portland Bill. Breakthrough on Force Majeure (f7B). Did the crux move a couple of times including 2 links through the first roof. I've got to re-wire the second roof (easier, basically the meat of Hoffmajeure (f6C+)), but it should now go. Very pleased with the session. Toyed with some vertical razor blade nonsense briefly too as hms seemed disinclined to lark about on roof jugs with me.

Saturday - walking round Lulworth ranges. A very up and down 14km mostly carrying the child. Quite hard work.

Sunday - urban wandering, minigolf and more. Not much training value but I did need a nap just now as it was surprisingly tiring. Hoping to do a foc session once miniAJM is asleep later on.

Off to Morzine on Thursday for a long weekend. Unsure if we will climb much or at all but hopefully keep the exercise volume high somehow...

Edit: Force Majeure is at about 1.25 on the video here:
youtube.com/watch?v=w891OOKN5X4& - the crux is getting out to the left hand undercut (the second move) and then slapping to the slots is hard too.

In reply to AJM:

Would you like to borrow the guidebook for that area? Bought it for a weekend of rigging for kids a fortnight ago so have it if anyone needs it.

In reply to Just Tintin:

Morzine?

That would be fantastic, thanks. I'll mail you.

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy, I guess you're right (or Alan at least) but every benchmark is way down, so it is pretty crap. However, it can only get better and it's just a matter of knuckling down and putting the hours in. Not started with the foot on campussing yet but I think I might join the wall for a couple of months and FOC should help me recuperate the losses.

Mon - Rest day. Some stretching and antags. Nails hard day at work up a ladder.
Tues - Paul's board. 4x5min on'off @ 5deg. Set a maximal reach move for the right hand to an openhanded edge, off an undercut. That was a test for the back and the core. 1hr trying hard. Antags.
Wed - Paul's board. 2min on/off x4, then 1 pullup on the minute x 11. Then 30deg trying the maximal move, then 20deg trying small edge moves. Antags. Foam roller on lower back.
Thu - Rest day.
Fri - Long day at work, no food or drink for twelve hours. I forgot!
Sat - Rubicon. Traversed a bit, then had a go on the reachy 6c. Then got back on Trunk not punk - so tired, I think down to the lack of food the day before. kept going at it tho. It's all gotta help.
Sun - Rubicon. Felt much better. Fingers are finally responding but the core is the issue still. Some progress and I went home happy.

Need to ramp up the antags and stretching this week I think before the shoulder gets worse. Started to feel like the fingers are happier to hold on now and I think I've maybe got ten weeks till I head to Albarracin for a while, so the goal is to feel in reasonable nick for then as it's pretty shoulder dependent there.
Never been able to do pullups in any sort of quantity, three generally is the limit and general strength has always been an issue - so gonna try and sort it AGAIN. Scapular pullups are not an issue, I can lower down easily enough but it the point were the scapular pullup ends and something else needs to pull. My brain doesn't compute this.

Near enough every day the back is aching but generally in a good way, so I'm pretty happy.

In reply to guy127917:


It acts as a (fairly low friction) liner - mixed success with that on my roof project, as it makes an already tight pocket slightly harder to fit my fat fingers into.

Overall, a mixed week; lurgy wiped me out for the first half of the week, which had a knock-on effect for the weekend. Need some good nights sleep to recuperate now.

Week 33
M - Nowt. Could still feel the #DOMS. Lurgy hanging on
T - Nowt. Lurgy moved from throat to guts; maybe different lurgy? At least the crag is soaked whilst I die quietly from viral plague.
W - Nowt. Just about starting to feel human again.
T - Lurgy mostly gone - so decided I needed to wake my body up before the weekend. Random FB’ing and assisted 1-armers before FoC to failure. 298s – not quite a PB, but certainly puts me in the ~f8b+ RP region based on previous benchmarks. With this as a measure of stamina, I then worked through the “economies of training” table from http://www.stevemaischtraining.com/the-economics-of-training.html (strong/moderate/weak substituted for the Icelandic phrases)

Strong; narrow pinch, plank
Moderate; 1/2 crimp, Wide pinch, Push up,
Weak; Middle 2 open, Deadlift

Unknown/not tested; Pull-up (1 rep max), Pull-up (BW reps, strict),
Not tested, but fairly certain I’m weak; Push-press (1 rep max), Bench Press, Back Squat

Looks like pocket strength is an obvious thing to train, as well as overall body strength/antagonists – the former could be particularly important if I can wrangle a trip to Montsant/Margalef/Siurana winter ‘16/’17.

F - Nowt – stretched and foam rollered only.
S - Kilnsey. Tie-in#1 (TI#1); dogged and dried entire 40m roof project, fairly damp to very wet for majority, except oddly the final Mandela crux.
TI#2, appalling RP - didn’t even get into the crux pockets due to other dampness. Sacked it off.
TI#3 dogged back-up project #2.
TI#4. Did first half project, then came off the top at the bowling ball pocket (bloody hard work for the fat of fingers, so decided to crimp the sloping edge of the pocket instead). Re-worked it.
TI #5. Flash of Stumped (7a+); defo 7b.
TI#6, stripped project. Fairly beasted, then slept badly because of multiple over-night phone calls for on-call other half.
S - Much needed coffee, a morning of chores, then an epic drive back to Kilnsey (unpassable 20mph flat-cap Sunday driver all the way from Skipton to Kilnsey). Much drier, but too busted to get on roof project.
TI#1, dogged back-up project #2.
TI#2, RP effort, falling at the bowling ball pocket again. Re-worked it.
TI#3; same deal. Think I’ve finally got a method for getting fingers in solid, which makes the next move so much easier, but takes some oomph out of your left arm as you lock-off for a few extra seconds.

In reply to guy127917:

Thanks Guy. Knee support has probably helped - I used it at the weekend when the knee was twinging a bit and all seems fine. The real proof will come next time I go near squidgy mats at UCR/TCA. Fingers crossed.

M - cycle commute. Yoga - balance.
T - cycle commute. FB in evening. Warmup then 5/10/5/3 on half crimp (+kg assist), 4 and 3 finger drag (up to 12kg added weight). 8 sets in total. Can certainly go higher than 12kg. Finished with 1min on:1min off x 10 on small lower rails, 5kg assist.
W - cycle commute. UCR routes in evening. Still hot and humid in there. Finally got the troublesome 7a, which is now very slippery. Goes on 7b using new beta but didn't work for me. Got tired and grumpy.
T - cycle commute.
F - Portland bouldering. Don't believe AJM - I did try really hard on the easier roof problem but my attempts at chucking round the lip were well short. The f7b problem I couldn't shift my arse off the floor! Up to f6b on nice flat wall fiddling
S - froze at Battleship but did tick Bouys will be Bouys which was great fun. Decamped to the Cuttings and got Modern Nightmare 2nd go - bit of a bête noire route for me so pleased to lay it to rest.
S - roasted at Blacknor central and was defeated by a mystery move on a supposedly soft touch 7b. Pah! Slow journey home due to Wessex Truck Festival at Yeovil. People sit on the side of the road watching the trucks go past - why??

In reply to hms:


Work thy weaknesses...


Chapeau


People are strange, some even climb rocks when there's an easy way "round the back"...

p.s. I don't see any antagonists (or core for that matter) in your last couple of posts - please don't only do them only when your shoulders are sore - get ahead of the game and make a habit of doing them every week. I fit them in around a FB session.

30 push-ups for ladies on this table...

http://www.stevemaischtraining.com/the-economics-of-training.html

In reply to Ally Smith:

you're right, I didn't get an antagonist session in. Would have been Thursday but lots of general rushing around meant it didn't happen. Shoulders generally hanging in there. Elbow intermittently niggly but not too bad.

In reply to guy127917:


Thanks for standing in. I'm sure we all appreciate it


It was certainly a surprise, firstly to be seen so quickly and secondly for the prompt treatment! But most importantly, it's working. I've got a lot of movement back already and it's actually allowed me to do the physio-prescribed exercise, which were really painful before.

m - 10k cycling
t - 10k cycling
w - 1.5k warm up, 9.5k YVVA mixed terrain race 46:48. Really pleased with this, not a million miles off my 10k PB pace.
t - 10k cycling, 8.5k walk/run
f - rest
s - Horton Park parkrun 5k, 23:59
s - 21.2k 2hr 7min. Slower overall than I wanted, but quite pleased as I was quicker in the second half.

STG
Keep my weight down

MTG
September - Yorkshireman off-road half marathon
October - Budapest marathon

In reply to guy127917:


D'oh. Life and train delays made a bit of an incursion into training the last couple of weeks, but managed a few good sessions. On the work front, my contract's been extended to the end of the year so I might take Jan & Feb off for some Scottish Winter/Winter Sport.

Mon - Rest
Tue - Fingerboard. BM5a 5 reps@ -10kg
Wed - Rest
Thu - Hill Sprints. 2sets 6x8s
Fri - Bouldering @The Depot. 4 laps on the 6a circuit, 1:2 work:rest which works out at about 5mins rest between laps.
Sat - Ill
Sun - Trad at Stanage North. O/S Exodus (HVS 5a), Cracked the start of Quantum Crack (HVS 5a) only to fail on the awkward upper overhang. Downclimbed Deuteronomy (E1 5b) after fluffing the start to save for another day. Hard.

Last week climbed Sunset Slab (HVS 4b) and repeated Three Pebble Slab (HVS 5a). Still terrifying.


STG

Next week's goals -
* 4 leads at HVS or above (weather permitting). Got half a chance of doing this this week.
* Increase FB weight to -5kg, 5 reps per hang
* 2 trail runs, long one at the weekend.
* 4 laps at 6a or greater on the circuit board at the Depot. (So at least 1 lap at 6a+)
* Add 2 core sessions. Been letting this slip ( combine with the Beastmaker workout ).
* Physio on Thu.

MTG

OMM End October

Left shoulder rehab.
Kalymnos in September
Magma (6b+)
Something in the Grande Grotta Area,
Elefantenhimmel (7a) maybe.

British Trad Routes:

The File (VS 4c)
Flying Buttress Direct (E1 5b)
The Sloth (HVS 5a)
The HVSs on Hen Cloud
The Unconquerables
Brown's Eliminate (E2 5b)
Cenotaph Corner (E1 5c)
The Embankment routes at Millstone

Bouldering

Banana Finger (f6A)
Technical Master (f6B)
Crescent Arête (f5+)

LTG

The Rasp (E2 5b)
Regent Street (E2 5c)
Left Wall (E2 5c)
Steeple (E2 5c)
Vector (E2 5c)
Cuillin Ridge Traverse (Summer) (VD) Solo (Spring 2018)


Kami-kaze (Winter) (VI 7)
Central Buttress (Winter) (VI 7)
Shang-High (Winter) (VII 7)
Central Grooves (Winter) (VII 7)
Sundance (Winter) (VIII 8)

BHAG

The 1938 Route (ED2)
London Wall (E5 6a)
American Direct (ED1 6c+)
Dalriada (E7 6b)

Something on El Capitan.

In reply to guy127917:

STG: book flights for Kalymnos
MTG (2017): Redpoint a 7b that isn't a 6-move boulder problem.
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

(Re-)learning to climb

M: Active rest - family hike on the north Norfolk coast.
T: Highball, Norwich. PE session - half an hour bouldering to warm up then 4x4's on the autobelays
W: Big drive Norwich -> Kendal
T: Coaching session in Kendal with John Kettle: acquiring the skills, techniques & attitude I need to rebuild my static, frontal, old school traddie climbing style into something more suitable for sport climbing in the 21st century. Lots to think about, practice & absorb.
F: Ditto Day 2.
S: Rubicon with MrChewy & friends. Redpointed a 6c second go that I really should have flashed, but was stopped by head issues - always nervous pulling over roofs. Had a look at a couple of 7a's. Walked along to have a look at the Cornice, but my Big UK Project from two summers ago is wet.
S: Rubicon Day 2. Working Trunk of Punk (7a). Made good progress, did everything bar one move moving right past the fourth bolt that felt too powerful for me. But I now know, thanks to Mr Kettle, that this simply means I need to find a more economical way to do it. And so another brief annual foray into Peak District sport climbing ends with another open project.

In reply to AlanLittle:
It's no better if you live here, I've accumulated 6 new projects this year and managed only one of them!

In reply to guy127917:


M: Went for a run but got a calf strain and had to limp back, I've had this before and it kept coming back so no running for a few weeks, annoying as I'd got over the horrible first couple of weeks so was probably about to start enjoying it again.
T: Cried off Kilnsey, partly due to reported seepage and partly due to leg so went to House of Pain, did nothing really but didn't aggravate calf
W: 30 mins gentle yoga
T: Kilnsey, three bolt to bolts including from 'ledges' to top, its only a link involving one clip but doing anything into the crux throw is landmark for me, makes me think it is possible.
F: Yoga
S: Kilnsey, four and half bolt-to-bolts so lots of volume, didn't repeat Thursday's link but got longer links on middle section (jug to established on greasy bowling ball hold). 15 mins yoga
S: CyL for a couple of hours, lots of sitting around but left with arms tired which was good but only managed one of three benchmark moves on the 7c+ traverse. Did 30 mins yoga both before and after.

Injuries: Elbow and hip seem constant, finger seems worse (joint from Metal Guru last week) and new calf injury
Diet: Better towards the latter half of the week
Inspiration: Got to be the 4x 100m relay team(s) in the World championships

STG: Kilnsey Wednesday then trad in Devon at the weekend, stick with the yoga no running unfortunately
MTG: Get something ticked before summer's out
LTG: L'Escalmadres and Mandragora in Dec

In reply to Tyler:


I know the feeling well; 3 unfinished projects just at Kilnsey for me. Even if you just add in the "local" crags <2hrs from home (rest of Yorkshire, CyL, North Wales coast & Peak) i've got 20+ unfinished projects, most of which will need multiple sessions to complete.

Thoughts like this certainly help focus the mind on doing specific training for the task at hand...

In reply to Tyler:


Nice

Any magic beta for getting fingers set in the bowling ball?


Good choice of routes. Both will need some crimp training

In reply to Ally Smith:



I find right foot up before going for the hold more stable than left foot, after that I imagine it's down to finger size. The two finger pocket should be ok regardless of finger size though as that's quite baggy for me. The mono is pretty tight

Something I'll need to address as The Bulge is a crimp free zone!

In reply to guy127917:

Second week of rest for me, just did some fun bouldering on tuesday and saturday, probably 2 hours per session. Diet is going reasonably, bit of a sticking point at 78.5kg but i'll re-assess that by the end of this week. Have been considering trying a keto diet after hearing Neil G's experience/opinion on it recently.

I'm not going to ramp up training again this week, don't have the necessary psyche yet. It's coming though...

In reply to Ally Smith:



I seem to remember toying about with either feet up to the well rubbered rail, step left to the obvious foot hold and then go to BB or step through with right foot all the way to that obvious hold, left foot through to a smear and then go for the BB. This second way gave more stability/time to get fingers in, but was harder to move off from. In the end I think I stopped trying to get the BB perfectly and bury my fingers in it and found taking the holds near their lips was good enough. That's my fingers though.

In reply to Ally Smith:


This will likely make little sense (or be useful even if it does given our different finger sizes), but here's the beta I wrote down when I was working the route, from the move to the shake out below the crux:

....match crimp rail over lip: RH on best crimp. [clip - long extender] and shake out (RF on top of flake, LF on notch in crack, high and across to LHS of groove).

Crux: smear up on small edges; crank off RH and LH to pocket; RF on rubbered smeary footledge 8" down and left of RH crimp; rock onto RF and cross RH into bowling-ball hold; LF to polished, rubbered smear to LHS; drop-knee and LH to small crimpy sidepull (18" below jug); step RF in to LHS of crimp rail and LF to polished rubbered smear further to LHS; drop-knee again and LH to jug; walk feet through along smears to LHS; [clip]; RF on furthest polished smear (high and to far LHS) and LF flagging; RH to pinch on lip and go again - punt RH to ticked slot over roof; step LF in to small brown tongue and RF twist into bowling-ball-hold; crank LH to slopey shelf; match RH to slopey shelf; move LF up to base of jug and LH to crozzly crack hold to left of first belay bolt; RF on higher hold (either heel next to slot or RF toe on pinch under lip) ; rock forward and get gaston to RHS of belay bolt; get stood on lip and gain finishing jug next to 2nd belay bolt (can undercut beneath gaston if in extremis).

In reply to guy127917:
Since coming back from Jotunheimen, due to insufficient funds, I've had to cancel my gym membership (I'm moving before the month is over anyway) and I've only been able to climb when the weather is good. Seems like a general theme in Trondheim is that it's so rarely good that when it's not raining you pack up the car and do a long rope session. I want to do some short boulder sessions too to get some more volume in.

Last week:
Went to Trolla, did some bouldering. Made up my own small problem that I called Moseflaket (f3). Also did two f5s, one of them flashed.

Went to Hell and actually climbed some things. My slings were left there after a previous session where I was too scared to climb up my warm-up.

Did some fall training (about 10 falls around hip level to the bolt). Climbed the pre-slung route (Edderkopp (høyre variant) (n4+), F4c). Ended up being a slightly epic send for me because I realized up there that there was one bolt before the anchor and I had left my slings. So I used the locking carabiner for my belay device. Also, due to being scared, I sort of climbed up over the top of the route via a tree, then descended down again to clip the anchor... Maybe not approved beta.

Felt good fear-wise after that so I jumped on a "project" of mine and sent it, equaling my PR grade so far (Peklo (n5-), F5a).

That weekend I also did some bouldering in Oslo. Onsighted an f5 and an f3, redpointed an f2... and flailed around on an f6A that I ultimately couldn't send.

This week:

Yesterday I went back to Hell. Did fall practice first with about 10 falls on a route much harder than what I can climb, to get a feel for failing involuntarily. Then jumped on Ekstremsport (n5), my F5b project that I've failed on all summer. First fell right below the anchor with an actual lead fall (very rare for me). Then next try I reworked my foot placements and I got it! New PR, very excited. Ended up with finishing with a very frustrated and loud scream as I desperately tried to unsnag the rope from the nose of the anchor carabiner as the pump ate up my strength. It popped in as I fell.

Because of my newfound boldness I then went for the left variant of Edderkopp (F4b) that I bailed from due to fear in May, and with a slight pause (no fall or anything, just working out the beta) went right to the top. So it seems I have ended up making a lot of progress this summer fear-wise.

Sport climbing is a lot more fun when you aren't scared shitless the whole time. I climb best when I do fall practice beforehand so I need to keep that up.

EDIT: I guess I can post the video for some feedback too, but I'm guessing it will mostly be that my footwork sucks? Any particular remedies or drills I can use?

youtube.com/watch?v=IhQ-x0tIEjE&

In reply to TheFasting:

One thing from that video is you do not drop knee or step through once. You pretty much always have the inside edge of your shoes on the wall, heels out. Generally that will force you to use your upper body a lot more than necessary, both pulling and locking off, which will tire you quickly.

Here are two videos demonstrating something you can practice:
youtube.com/watch?v=dIQWmj1wGfs&
youtube.com/watch?v=YSmPqafOdB8&

In reply to TheFasting:

Congratulations on the project.

In addition to Guy's comment about not climbing so frontally - which I heartily agree with (guess what Mr Kettle spent two days telling me last week) - your footwork also looks generally more tentative than I would expect on a project, where you should already know the sequence. Nearly everybody can recite the hand sequence on their proj - often learning & memorising the feet is at least equally important.


Bouldering is rarely a bad idea, but it looks to me like your general fluency on rock isn't really there yet, and that is probably better built by mileage on long easy pitches than by bouldering.

In reply to guy127917:

Anyone doing any mental training? Currently focusing on tackling fear.
Notable success this week was my first 6a after 4 mouths off climbing.

In reply to AlanLittle:
Yeah I tend to (mistakenly, probably) think that I don't need to use outside edge/drop knee/flags on the easier grades. Just didn't find anywhere to apply it.

I like bouldering for that reason. It takes the pressure off fear-wise and then I use those techniques much more fluently. When I get high then suddenly all the footholds are super sketchy and I could fall at any second. But do the same stuff closer to the ground and I float up.

But yeah I should have had the foot placements more dialed after so many attempts but I only had the guts to go above the last bolt there maybe 3 times and then never with a slack rope so I had to make it a bit up as I went along.

I think my main issue is just inexperience and fear most of all. But just getting out there 1+ times a week seems to gradually fix things.

In reply to TheFasting:

There were a couple of points higher up where it looked like a step through and outside edge would have helped you loads. Around the bulge you had to cross.

After 3 attempts on a section you should have all the holds wired. Make sure that on first go, learning the moves is your prime objective, not just doing them. Experiment with different options so that the one you eventually pick is that bit better engrained. Get a clup stick and do this with a short too rope to the bolt immediately above you so that fear doesn't make you rush.

But primarily as Alan says get loads of mileage, you looked very rushed, tentative and sketchy on your feet the whole way up, that's just a case of getting more mileage/practice climbing - it takes time. The good news is that the practice is fun

In reply to TheFasting:
Practice doing those two things on easy ground, and it will come naturally on hard stuff. It may also seem like more foot placements are required with a less front on approach, but it pays off in reduced arm effort!

Generally I have found doing lots of cruiser miles to be excellent for technique development and confidence- I've probably done about 80/20 easy-hard [for me] ratio this year. Only point to note is (IMO) you still have to focus when cruising to get benefit- like are my feet moving silently, am I in balance, am I pulling, am I locking off etc etc

In reply to guy127917:

The Goal - Climb Western Front Direct (7a)

Weight - 13st 12lbs

M - Hospital
T - Hospital
W - Hospital
T - Hospital / Home!
F - S - 'Rest'

Been a tiring week for obvious reasons. Hopefully I'll do some kind of exercise this week. Even if it's just walking to work.

In reply to guy127917:


Cheers, I will take a look Its a late log in this week as again I have been off with the kids as its the summer hols. Just goes to show how much i rely on commute and lunch times to squeeze exercise in. Anyway last week was mainly spent in N. Yorks at my mums with the sprogs so very little to report apart from some hill walks. Oh no wait...... I actually did some climbing I escaped for an hour or so on Wednesday afternoon and did some easy soloing. Happily being lighter and doing plenty of swimming i felt nice and strong however the stamina wasnt what i hoped it would be, still i guess its a totally different recruitment of the muscle groups. On the down side the head game was totally gone and and got seriously nervy towards the top outs. Still all good fun.
Was back in work on the Friday so the usual 16km commute each way and a 1km lunchtime swim and went out for a 7km run on Saturday.

In reply to guy127917:

Cheers Guy. I'm a cheapskate so I've just got the basic. I look at it after I've done something, not during. But the thought that the clock is ticking and people who follow me will see it spurs me on. It's working for me so far. Also a whole lot easier than writing down your times to track progress. I'm just wanting to use it to lose the last bit of muffin top and get my running legs back, no real goals.

Left it a bit late this week and struggling to remember. Feast and famine pattern continues.

Went to the Depot (or was that last week?) for the bouldering league. I was feeling good and flashed the first 20. It was then obvious that someone else took over the setting from there as problem 21 was well hard and I failed on everything from there. Not bad problems by any means, just bloody hard.

Went back to Hoghton Quarry and had a bash at Mandarin (E2 5c) Took a rest of shame on one of the cruxes as I missed a crucial little crimp. What a climb! Crimps, jugs, slopers, smears, finger jams, hand jams, knee bars, mantleshelves, back and footing, bridging etc etc etc. I had to use the full armoury and felt like i'd been wrestling a gorilla after. So many moves just feel committing. Gear is good, the commitment comes from having to go for a move and if it's the wrong option you can't reverse it. If you live in the NW and trad about that grade get it done. It does get very hot and humid in there, but it stays reasonably dry in the rain (as I can vouch for) but this will affect the last crack moves, which are awkward enough without wet. Seconded a very nice VS in there too in the 'Lost World' area. That's not as bad as I thought. Bit of bashing to get to the routes but the routes themselves were much cleaner than the Boedicea area. I'll be back next year for some cleaning and climbing for sure.

Went to Wales in search of sun and found some at No match for crag id:22502. Nice little venue. Cool in the morning but the rock is sheltered from rain (climbers/belayers aren't though weirdly) and after 2pm it turned into a sun trap. Nice spread of grades up to 7a. Surprised myself by flashing the 7a. It was going OK until the crux when after 15 attempts my belayer took pity on me and shouted the blindingly obvious beta to me. Failed on a 6b+ a bit later. Turned out it was the last hard move. Fitness is obviously not as it was and I was feeling tired all weekend, but it was pretty fierce as its basically packed into the first 10 metres. Great moves though.

I then got ill, which explained why i'd been feeling a bit underpowered all weekend. That's carried through into this week unfortunately and i'm on child amusing Summer holiday duty for the next week.

Fingers crossed September is going to be a good weather month.

In reply to guy127917:

Lots of awol from me sorry...here's a moping post to catch up...

So mid-July I was going well munching through the E grades and felt I could seriously lead an E5, then a few weekends away on friend and family duty and I'm now feeling miles off...
Missed week 1: midweek wall and then weekend in Samoens rigging single pitch for a friend's kids. In the process of this I did lead 5c...pretty epic.
Missed week 2: midweek wall then that bit of France where baby boomers eat food and drink wine but there isn't much rock (aka Dordogne). Worked a 6c+ over a couple of days and did lots of fingerboard.
This week: midweek wall then Ben's work BBQ/grandma gardening weekend.

Now after lots of zipping around and missed sleep and interrupted rock time I think I'm coming down with lurgy and it's raining in the Peak so I may not get anything in this weekend unhappy Tintin.