UKC

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity. UKC fit club 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.

Link to last week’s thread:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_797-749047

Back on schedule!  Here’s an idea which I hope helps stoke motivation to further heights!  I’m conscious that we are approaching week 800 and wondering if such an important milestone deserves some sort of celebratory effort?  As we are well into the season, I guess an obvious thing to do would be for each of us to pick one (or more) of our targets to attempt and report in as a response to the post up of Fit Club Week 800?  Perhaps throw in a celebratory beer / pork pie / cake / protein shake (delete as preferred) and accompanying photograph for whatever your particular achievement happens to be?  Fit Club Week 800 will be posted up on 17th July, so have a think about something to try in the week of 10th – 17th July.  I’m in Wales for two or maybe three days, so I can at least visit some of my ‘must climb again here’ crags (Cloggy and the Cromlech).

Stats:

Alan:  Thanks for sorting out the Leicestershire geography!  Markfield was an early ‘real’ rock destination for me as well!

Great to see that you’ve sorted an alternative to the fingerboard that works without aggravating shoulders.  There are a few doing these pick ups which sounds as if they are quite good for isolating the fingers if that needs to be the area of focus.  A brilliant Alpine day out on your report as well, which made me hanker after a trip to the Alps – daft really as my bother lives in Chamonix, so it is really easy for me.  I really like things like your trip on the Zugpsitze and it is a long day by most people standards – good effort.  I’ve had a week of being under the weather as well (sore throat and tired) so hope to use this excuse for my own struggles!

Tom Green:  Really like your structured approach Tom.  Perhaps worth noting that plenty of (perhaps mightily strong) people use fingerboarding as warming up and warming down on their climbing days anyway and I’ve certainly read an article on density hangs saying that this was a good protocol to use.  I’m in the ‘keep some training going school’, but I think this is partly because I know I’ve lost power since my relative youth and despite trying to keep some training going, it is hard to get back to anything like my old levels.  If I was doing things at my old levels, then I’d probably sack off the training and focus on just climbing, but I’ve a way to go yet.

Another one of your target crags ticked!  Smashing it!  Raindrop is brilliant as I remember (1980) and there are some other great routes up there as well.  Some decent running in there – amused that your rehab runs are twice as far as my best!

Entertained also by your attack on the anti-style, which is something I quite enjoy myself.  These days Kilnsey would definitely do it for me.

SSB: Fantastic work at Stoney adding to the Extreme Rock ticks and (perhaps more impressive!) doing Minus Ten.  Now you just need to ‘warm up’ on Medusa on your next visit!  Your description of BF fits my memory perfectly – relatively steady moves, but pumpy placing the gear – though I have absolutely no doubt that it would be the living end these days!  Pretty sure it was my second ever E4.

Good work at the Cornice cleaning up Un Crime Passionel and redpointing the 7b.  Oddly enough, UCP was never done much back in the day as a trad route with a bolt or two (I don’t know any of my peers that ever went on it), but it wasn’t dirty when I did it in the 80’s – perhaps a tribute to Gary’s incredibly thorough cleaning of much of the crag at the time.

I’m assuming the tweaky finger is settling down, based on your faultless performance on Thursday this week?!

Ross Barker:  I think the pinky finger crimped thing can depend greatly on your relative finger lengths – there have been long threads discussing this on UKC at times.  I understand that some people can get all four-fingers into a chisel grip quite naturally, which is really hard if your finger lengths vary a bit more.  However, it sounds like an interesting discipline and perhaps will build your overall grip strength by making better use of the little finger.

Great to succeed on a bit of a project at the Dug Out and a pretty good session at the Terrace as well.  I’ve been reminded recently of the value of bouldering as a way of getting used to really hard moves, so I must make an effort to put it into my approach at some point.  It is something I used to enjoy, though I’m not so keen on the crowds these days.

Steve Claw:  More new routes!  Doing a great job developing the area Steve.  Interesting approach to top-roping which I definitely undervalue as a training method.  You seem to do some almost every time you are out and it is one way of making sure you are on moves that are going to be close to the limit.  I’d assume that this is going to deliver more (or perhaps more focused) physical gains than setting off to lead something.  Yet another insight to challenge my own (traditional and probably pretty blinkered) approach!  I did have a spell of shunting things years ago, which was very deliberately training, so it is only the same thing, but with the added benefit of being a bit more sociable.

Biscuit:  Yes, I really enjoyed that Langcliffe session as well, partly because it was my first real exposure to ‘proper’ sport climbing, where I was trying to work out moves on something that was likely to be too hard for me (it was – I didn’t have the power for the thumb-sprag move mentioned in your previous post!).  If it is any help, it felt like shoulders were the challenge and pulling in rather than up.  A good learning experience for me – I now know I should have pulled past the move and worked on the rest of it.  Also, I expected the process to feel a bit boring and slow, but it was actually good fun.  I hope you have managed to get back to it since?

Sounds like Windmore was everything my friend had said and a pretty good alternative to Lakeland weather.  Plenty of successes to make up for the previous day’s frustrations – good effort.  The landings look pretty good in the photos that I have seen.

Randy:  Outdoor time is clearly paying off with the 6c+ onsight and I’d reflect that the weekly progress is clearly evident.    Good goal setting with your work trip – I think this should help with motivation and maintenance while you are away.  Your gym work looks solid again (pull ups are strong), so working on this is clearly delivering some good fitness levels that you can apply on the rock.  Hopefully, you are building some momentum with your onsighting levels and can continue to progress things on return.  I liked the flexibility to change your routine at the gym and just switch to doing as many as you could in a session – certainly would have given a different stimulus from the harder bouldering.

AJM:  Agree that push ups are easier to get on than pull ups, but also accept that while the antagonist element is essential, they don’t deliver much else.  When I am really busy / tired I have had success reminding myself that ‘greasing the groove’ is better than nothing, so I might just do a quick set every time I get up from the computer for a coffee (note to self – do more of this again!).  That way it doesn’t feel like I am taking time to have a training session, but I get some useful stuff done – with pull ups, where I find I can go back to pretty poor quite quickly, I think this really helps.  I might (like you) slump down in the evening and can’t face a session, but I can do ten pull ups when I need a coffee or whatever.

Great sounding session at Lulworth!  I’ve not done much DWS so it also sounds pretty terrifying, but good to see that your making progress.

The south Wales sessions sound really good as well – all crags that have passed me by and I think largely developed more recently anyway (?).  Some decent bouldering especially as it has not been a focus for you this year and the routes at Navigation look decent.  It sounds as if you were snatching things between the rain, so good that you found some things dry at least.

part two:

SteveJC94:  Having had a swollen elbow bursa this year (a bit like a golf ball) you have my empathy.  I rested it until it was reduced as it is supposed to be easy to trigger infection, but it was painless throughout. 

Peak lime has its attractions really, particularly the natural rock.  A lot of the moderate sport climbing venues are truly bleak, but there are some great crags dotted about, though the valley aspect of many doesn’t give them the appeal of some of the Yorkshire stuff perhaps?  I’ve been doing stuff in Clwyd in the last couple of years and I think the cliffs and climbing are worse (generally shorter and looser!) in the main, though the aspect is generally much better – some wonderful views from the routes.  This probably reflects the fact that I haven’t yet been on Craig Arthur or done any of the big sports routes there.  Anyway, Chee Tor, Beeston, High Tor and Stoney are all really good, though Stoney gives up its delights grudgingly!

Good news on the injury and a fairly intensive week of training – hope you get on the classics in North Wales!

Tyler:  Good to hear that partners are beginning to line up – definitely a significant factor in being able to get motivated I reckon.

Sounds like an entertaining week catching up with your mate from Oz!  I did Great – Bow last year having not been to Clog since 1976!  My reaction was that it was enjoyable, but that these mountain routes involve a fair amount of indifferent climbing along the way.  Positions are fantastic though.  I was a bit upset by the litter on the path and end up dragging a big bag of it off the hill!  Anyway, I’m heading back up there in a couple of weeks.  An instructive session on Body Torque by the sound of it!

Yep, those chippers are good fun aren’t they?  Amazing how much they reduce the volume down – the exact reverse of how much rubble can be dug out of a small hole!

Liam P:  My view is that stamina comes back okay once you start getting out climbing, though it may also reflect that you need less of it as your technique develops!  Anyway, I find stamina hard to train, other than doing a lot at an indoor wall, which isn’t really my thing, so I have to convince myself of the above!

Good to work on rehab, though most of what you describe is a mystery to me – as long as it works in getting your knee back in order.  The click sounds ominous, but hopefully will settle once the injections start to work on the inflammation.  Really hope you manage to make the ‘hit and miss’ opportunities work at some point and you get to put that pull strength to good use.

Ally: Sounds like the perfect rest week in the Algarve.  No doubt you’ll be back to the gorge soon enough!  Enjoy the holiday as you missed some indifferent weather at times.

Sheep: More brilliant wildlife spotting in amongst your relatively quiet week, though any week with a 1.5 km swim can’t be considered quiet in my book.  I was entertained by the reaction of the female peregine to her partners apparent ineptitude.  I’ve had a week seemingly surrounded by Red Kites, which I always find brilliant simply because I can remember their almost complete absence as a youngster – indeed the same is true of loads of wildlife really.  It is easy to forget how few rabbits, deer, hares, birds of prey etc. were actually seen in the late 1960’s.  The world is a better place these days – my daughters have Red Kites in the park next to their house, which is actually in Milton Keynes city centre!

Ger_the_Gog:  Hope the rest week pays dividends.  Always a bit of a balancing act allowing the body to recover, without losing the routines that make it necessary.  Hope you can track down some bouldering options – there must be loads about surely?  I’m not that familiar with the North Wales bouldering scene, but perhaps some of boulderers on here can offer some advice – maybe Ross or Tyler could tell you about some useful venues?  In the meantime, I will do a bit of research to see what I can track down.

JayK :  You must be delighted with the home board as it is giving you so many options when previously there were none.  You had me checking which week it was, until I worked out what you were saying – the report was on the ‘wasn’t great’ week, but you were already reporting ahead having not posted until Thursday.  As you say, it doesn’t look bad when you write it up – three decent board sessions, three runs that I’d be proud of and a bit of footy.  It can feel a bit indifferent when you don’t get outside though – I suppose it should as it is really why we all do this stuff at all!  If it any consolation, I have had a couple of really poor training weeks – a combination of travel, work, holiday, running partner injured and being a bit under the weather all conspired against any real exercise other than getting outside climbing, so I am feeling a bit of the pace.

Planet Marshall:  I didn’t see a post, but hope you managed to get on with your Peak Limestone campaign.  I went down Chee Dale last night – a place I used to go to three times a week at one point.  I hardly recognised the place, so it is all going to feel like starting afresh.  I’m hoping that my struggles at the Cornice are not going to be representative of what will happen at some of the other crags!

That sounds like a good idea. I am getting closer on a couple of targets, so would be interesting to commit on one of them and see what happens.

Recap last week:

Mon: L-Sit 15s; handstand against the wall, 8 pike pushups, 12 lunges, 12 bodyweight squats, 30 pushups and 30s V-Sit Up; took it a a little bit easier after the travel and a little bit sleep deprivation

Tues: Felt good after warmup so decided to try one-lockoffs just for fun to see where i am at. To my suprise i could easily lock off with right arm at 90° and 135°, which i was struggling with a couple of months when i specifically trained for this. Left hand was a little bit worse with 90° but i could still do a clean lockoff. Afterwards i got gready and tried a one-armer with my right arm. Managed to get to get to about 150° starting with fully relaxed shoulder, which is huge progress for the.

Afterwards did fingerboard repeaters at a 20mm edge, 6x 6x7,3 at 100 % bodyweight, 3x12,10 pullups with 3 min P. 

Wed: L-Sit 2x15s; handstand against the wall, 2x10 pike pushups,12 lunges, 1 pistoal squat with left and right, 30 pushups and 30s V-Sit Up; first time i tried pistol squats after my covid infection and was presently that i could knock out one which did not feel maxima.

Thurs: Fingerboard Repeaters: 20mm Edge, 6x 6x7,3 at 100 % bodyweight, 4x10 pullups; Felt a little bit tired, especially Pullups felt much harder than on tuesday

Fri: Rest

Sat: Climbing session at a local gym. Brutal conditions despite training at 7am in the morning. I've lost count how many times i dry fired off a hold though it was so greasy that i did not even felt like a real dry fire . Spent the session on a ~30° overhanging spray wall. Defined and climbed 3 Boulders in 6b+/6c range, and two in the 6c/6c+ range that i could not put together. Finished the session with 5x10 Pullups with 2 min rest. Decided to shorten the rest for the pullups instead of increasing the numbers per set which i think is a good option as an intermediate step to get from 5x10 to 5x12.

Sun: L-Sit 2x15s; handstand against the wall, 2x10 pike pushups,12 lunges, 2 pistoal squat with left and right, 30 pushups and 30s V-Sit Up; 

Review last weeks goals:

• Nutrition: Eat healthy, get enough protein and don't eat too much -> Check
• Two fingerboard sessions during the week, and one bouldering session in the gym on the weekend -> Check
• Keep relative effort level in these session at 7-8 on  a 1 to 10 scale, so don't completely wreck myself but also don't keep it too easy -> Uncheck, wen't a little bit harder on the fingerboard than i should have and noticed it in the next sessions

Goals next week:

• Sleep: Get more sleep, at least 7 hours on average per day which will be challenging
• Keep relative effort level in the training session at 7-8 on  a 1 to 10 scale, so that i don't completely wreck myself but also don't keep it too easy
• Sent the two remaining boulders from saturday's session

It really makes a difference. Can’t state how good the Silly Goat/HWH/Taylor Made/Habitat holds are. Every session is enjoyable. 

So work load should now be easing off in the evenings and weekends. This will allow me to get my head down for the next 3 weeks and do some actual training. 27 days until we fly out.
 

Monday

Board session - 60 mins of bouldering, really good session. To finish - 5 laps on the crimp circuit. 1st -2 moves, 2nd half way, 3rd half way, 4th full loop, 5th 3/4 loop.

Tuesday

AM stretch

PM rest (felt better after a nap)

Wednesday

AM stretch

BBC session (first in 2 weeks). Went round a couple of circuits. Spent about 30mins on the board. 90mins in total.

Thursday

AM stretch

Friday

AM stretch

Saturday

Board session. 60mins. 

Sunday

Run (8km) only managed the one this week with work commitments. Early one this morning as I’m heading to edgbaston. 🏏

Another quiet week for me, largely caused by picking up a bug at the weekend, so I felt tired and slow throughout the week really.

Sunday – daughters visiting so family stuff.  Diet included more stuff that I don’t usually include these days which has a noticeable effect as well.

Mon – felt rough, weather poor so plans to get out were put off in any case.  Worked instead.

Tues – Wed working away marathon.  Tuesday had six and a half hours driving and four hours of meetings.  Continued to feel rough, so time in the car wasn’t pleasant.

Thursday still feeling off, but got out with Somerset Swede Basher for a late afternoon / evening session.  Another delightful and very instructive session learning this sport climbing stuff.  Really interesting and quite inspiring seeing the power and precision that SSB delivers.  Went to the Cornice – my last visit in the 1980s when much of it was still in development.  On that particular visit I did the trad routes – Spiders from Mars, Un Crime Passionel and Fey (which was frightening).  By comparison, this week's visit was eye-opening as SSB efficiently put the clips in Blurred Lines RH (7b+).  I had a go on the rope, but it had a move in the middle of the lower wall that I simply couldn’t hold (despite several goes).  Managed the rest of the lower bit okay as far as the roof at the top (second crux).  SSB redpointed and then set about the left-hand (7c) finish, which he quickly linked.  At this point, I set off up Un Crime Passionel on a rope, but couldn’t do this either – to be fair, I was knackered, but I was a bit shocked as I remembered it being OK.  Who knew thirty-five years would make a difference?!  I was probably close on this, so not too disheartened, but I am reminded how far I have to go to get anywhere near my previous standards.  Really interesting to see that trying things that are too hard may well be a useful way of developing strength and making the routes I am normally on feel pretty easy by comparison.  Also, very surprised to see that the crag was absolutely heaving.

Friday – companions bailed

Sat – some push ups, pull ups, stretching and max hangs at last!

Aiming to climb Monday and Thursday / Friday this week.  Back to trad in preparation for heading up to Cloggy in the following week.  Will try to fit in some training as well, but my work days are a bit full on at the moment.

Thanks Derek. I'm afraid I won't be achieving any climbing related goals in the week of the 17th as I'm attending a friend's 50th birthday celebration that weekend.

Nada from me this week either. Persistent heavy cough that according to repeated self tests isn't covid, but it's definitely something. Doesn't at this point feel too promising for the coming week either. Managed a few sessions of stretching and rotator cuff exercises, but that's all.

Thanks Derek, great to meet up last week and put a name to a face.

Mon. Aerocap session. 

Tues. 8km run.

Wed. Rest.

Thurs. Cornice session with Derek. Fairly swift redpoint of Blurred lines RH (7b). Did all the moves on the 7c finish (might need to refine the right foot position) but not quite enough beans on the redpoint go. Looking forward to going back.

Fri. Rest.

Sat. Another aerocap session to support that current trad aspirations and to continue to let my finger heal which is feeling a lot better now.

Sun. Did a 10km Tough Mudder with Mrs. Swede. I was drafted in as super sub after her friend dropped out. I wasn't that psyched but I actually really enjoyed it! 

Ouch, that elbow injury sounds pretty uncomfortable! Luckily my shoulder's not bothering me too much - the only pain I've got at the moment is in the deltoid following a Tetanus Booster! 

Thanks for the detailed stats Derek. Interesting to hear your thoughts on the Clwyd. As it happens I ventured there for the first time yesterday and came to the same conclusion. Great views and an idyllic setting, but somewhat suspect and often friable rock. 

Quite a good week for me all told:

M - Campus (matching ladders x 2, standard ladders x 4, 1-3-5 x 2, 1-4-6 x 2). 5 limit problem on the woody up to 7B

T - Rest

W - Route 4x4s

T - Fobbed off the S&C with a stiff shoulder following a Tetanus booster

F -Rest

S - My partner had to cancel last minute so took the static rope to  Dinbren Crags. Tried and failed to get on It's Yours (7b+) - turns out a 5m cave start isn't very conducive to top rope soloing! Managed to tick off Arm Worms (E4 6a) and Quick Flash (7a) in the end. Despite the suspect rock, I had a great day out and it's a lovely spot to climb. The line of Elite Syncopations (8a) was pretty inspiring

S - 10 problems on the woody (6B; 6B; 6B+; 6B+; 6C; 6C; 6C+; 7A; 7A; 7A+) followed by some S&C: Pull-ups (5x5); Tricep Dips (10x3); Russian Twists (20x3); Bench Press (5x3); Hanging Leg Raise (10x3); Push-ups (10x3); Bicycle Crunch (20x3)

Plan for next week:

M - Rest

T - Campus & woody problems

W - Rest

T - Circuit Board problems

F - Rest

S/S - Weather dependent but hopefully some outdoor sessions

Wow!  Just wow!

Hehe, the last thing I need is any more coffee! But yes, I feel like this sort of thing should be the kind of thing that working from home makes fairly easy - I just need to deliver on it, I think!

The trick is to fall in - I was bricking it the first few times I ever went, because my subconscious just thought I was soloing.

Yeah, we did a lot better than the forecast suggested. I’m not quite sure when they were first developed but they’ve definitely risen to greater prominence more recently.

Dire start to the week. Much stress and frustration at work, and some busy evenings of work too. Didn’t have the energy to do anything. Managed to pull things back at the back end of the week and the weekend.

Reflecting on this more, the start of the week is usually where I struggle most - my wife and I both work Monday to Wednesday (she has Thursday and Friday off), and at work my calendar tends to be less flexible and more full of meetings at the start of the week, plus I am in the office more too. That gives several reasons why things generally become a bit easier towards the end of the week, and why at the start of the week it often feels more like just treading water. Usually the Wednesday wall trip with miniAJM acts as a slight counter to this, but this week I was just too wearied by the whole affair. Having had this bit of self reflection, I now at least have some ideas for what to do about it.

Thursday- Got back onto a slightly more even keel, and did 2-finger pickups. Nudged the weight up to 31kg, with middle 2 on the right stepping up to 32kg. Progress…

Friday - squeezed in 3 sets of pull-ups (10,10,9) whilst the children were having breakfast, on the assumption that I’d definitely make time for breakfast later whereas I might not make time for exercise later. Then slotted in a couple of sets of chin-ups after lunch (10,10,9), and in the evening a few goes at the tuck planche.

Saturday - a busy day of faff, but I did a short session of pickups in the evening. Just to 30kg this time.

Sunday - after many changes of plan, I ended up trying to take miniAJM and microAJM out climbing on my own for the first time, to try to get them out of the house for a bit so my wife could do some admin. We ended up at the New Cuttings which is basically the most child friendly crag on Portland. Unfortunately it’s also thin vertical wall boulders, which face the sun for all of the morning and early to mid afternoon. Not an optimal summer crag! After a few fruitless efforts trying to repeat Phat Slapper (f6C+), and much much child wrangling and bickering, I moved on and had a few goes at Stompin' with Bez Direct (f7B+). This avoids a little loop left on Stompin' with Bez Start (f7B) by just doing a massive throw from the start holds to the edge on the arête. To my surprise I tickled it a few times and on my last go even started to get some microscopic deceleration out of it.

Good evening, thanks for the detailed stats as always Derek. Still early stages regarding the pinky crimpage, but feeling strong and no ill effects thus far! Currently in a slight period of low psyche, but not forcing anything to avoid being burnt out when the good weather arrives!

Trying hard is absolutely a skill in itself, sometimes I go through phases or sessions of not being able to truly give it max effort myself.

Last Week:

M - Max no-hangs. 30kg, 6x10s per side, 4 min rest, pinky crimped. 

T - Gym. A bit of uninspired blob wrestling led to a creative MoonBoard session. Three newbies (Don't Panic!, Holy Union, Ho Hum), and a fourth which just snuck away after doing all the moves.

W - Rest. Weigh-in at 77.3kg.

T - Rest.

F - Quick MB session to finish off the one from Tuesday - `';DROP TABLE problems;` which of course is a silly name.

S - Rest.

S - Rest.

Next Week:

M - No-hangs. Might nip out somewhere if weather and psyche allows.

T - Rest.

W - Rest.

T - Moonboard.

F - Rest.

S, S - Busy plans, but hopefully able to sneak a session in somewhere!

Goals:

Bulletproof fingers.

Summer DWS!

Derek,

Thank you again for the extremely detailed stats and commentary, I can see you have a encyclopaedia of climbing knowledge there to draw from.

I think top roping and in particular "shunting" is very underrated as a training tool.  I think its the one thing that has really brought me up through the grades.  From a training point of view, it allows you to break a route down in to exact parts, which you can work on and unlock with good efficiency. Best of all, its training on rock, which is always better than indoors and more fun.  I make a point of trying to "pull hard" 2-3 times a week, as its the real thing that the hang-boarding would have been trying to emulate.

For well bolted sport climbing, I have no fear in falling, so (for me) a redpoint on TR or Lead is pretty much the same, as I always practice the clip points.  The only difference on lead is that I am doing it for the "tick" and someone else's ethics. 

Traditional climbing is of course completely different, and my approach to that is changing all the time.  I want to climb hard, but E5+ is just too dangerous for someone with a family, and when at E1/2, I have enough "grades in hand" that it looses a small part, (not all) of what makes it special.

Often I climb on a top rope just because I love the moves and movement, with nothing else to think about.  It is often argued that sport climbing is supposed to be that.

Less to report this week, and didn't managed to pull hard enough times.  It is noted that my current Fit Club reports are just me climbing at the moment, but its just the phase I am in, and structured training will return at some point.

M - Quick TR session on Jimmy Lowe (E5 6c), Not far off getting it, but my fingers are just not strong enough, or I need more rest as pulled hard the days before.  Fingertips shredded.

T - Climbed some new routes.  6b+, HVS, 6b+ 7a, 7a, 7b, 6b, 6a

W - Nothing

T - Nothing

F - Trad fun, HS, E2 and a couple of V-Diff's

S - Nothing

S - Nothing

Hi Folks. Thanks for the analysis Derek -useful perspective on the 'just climb' vs 'try to train too' debate.

This week marks the turning point of my year... I've a horribly busy work period starting which means both climbing and training are going to be squeezed hard. I need to combine discipline with tactics to ensure I don't go backwards over the next two months.

Week 26:

M: Trail run. 5.6km, 155m vert, 6:06/km. Just a little one -kind of junk miles, but used as 'on-the-job' rehab for my sore knees.

T: Trad at the Napes. Chilled evening session doing a handful of routes on the Needle (The Obverse Route (VS 4b) being the clear winner -amazing moves!) -good to tick a crag off my 'why haven't I climbed here?' list. 

W: Trad at Black Crag. Highlight was Raindrop (E1 5b) -gorgeous first pitch and slightly gripping third pitch!

T: Nowt. Just a stroll and swim in the sea.

F: Morning swim. Gentle cycle. Trail run: 12.2km, 99m vert, 5:19/km.

S: Morning swim. Gentle walk: 10.5km.

S: Nowt.

Week 27:

Aim to get two runs, two fingerboard sessions and one bouldering session in.

STG -end June:

Arc en ciel -TICK!

Ultra distance hill run. (Almost! 2km short on my McPhies run!)

Eight of my big mountain day list (at least two on consecutive days). (4/8)

Keep injury free (elbows, hips and knees). (Mostly, just managing tweaky left knee).

MTG -end Sept:

Need to come up with some finer detail now these have become STGs!

Two big alpine routes.

2022 Arbitrary training goals:

Weighted Pull-up: 100kg.

Max Hangs: 95kg.

Weighted hill climb: 2 laps of RT in 30 mins with 15kg.

2022 Climbing goals:

7a (Possibly one of: Arc en Ciel, The Jim Grin, Rock & Roll, Clink) -TICK!

ALL of my local must-do list: 4/15

Visit at least five of my 'why haven't I climbed here' list: 3/5

Get at least one session at each of my 'I should climb more at this crag' list: 0/8

Start properly getting to know: Brimham 2/3, Almscliff 2/3, Caley 0/3, Slipstones 2/3.

(For lists see FitClub 772)

At least two big, classic alpine goals.

Thanks for the Moonboard newbies to go at this week :-D

Thanks Derek - no post last week but have been cracking on.

Last week
--------------

Not much to report on but now booked for two weeks in the Dolomites end of July. A couple of possible stretch goals but will depend on other climbers. I was going to switch back into a full training cycle starting with strength goals but as I have a trip coming up I think I'll just concentrate on AeroPow type training as the adaption times are shorter (I think?? What do FitClub say?).

Monday

Bouldering at Substation. Actually spent most of the session on the woody, which I prefer for pure strength training.

Thursday

A few routes at AW Sheffield up to around 6b. Too warm for indoor climbing, but I like the slightly overhanging walls which the nearer AW Stockport just doesn't have.

Saturday

Some Clwyd Limestone at  Trevor Quarry. A couple of 6a's and a dogged attempt of Borderline (6a+) - found this the living end! Maybe it feels like 6a+ if you know where all the holds are, thought it very difficult to onsight.

Sunday

A couple of 6a/6a+ warm up routes then Black Wall Direct (E2 5c) at  Llanymynech Quarry (sort of). Actually started up Bastard (E2 5c) but found the crux of that route too hard so crossed over to the former route. Not quite solid on those 5c moves yet but you only get better by trying them.

A good couple of days climbing but not all that convinced that Clwyd is worth a weekend when Peak Lime is, frankly, better...

Next Week
---------------

• 2x strength and conditioning sessions focusing on unilateral shoulder exercises
• 2x AeroPow - probably outside unless I can get to the Depot at 6am. Maybe actually try redpointing something? Laps on Wee Doris again?
• 2 Trad leads at E1 or above. One should be E2 5c.

I did a lot of TR soloing with a shunt when living in Bristol; as you say it's a great training tool, but i find it very faffy for anything even remotely overhanging, i.e. works brilliantly for the majority of Avon, Cheddar and surrounds, but not great for the stuff i'm now have interested in for peak, Yorkshire and North Wales.

Thanks for the extensive stats again Derek.

I forgot to mention a quick 1-armed deadhang session last week the day before going away to Portugal.

The whole of this week was on holiday. A couple of longer swims in the sea (brr - the Atlantic is cold in June!) and some more pull-ups and press-ups, including a max-rep test of 31 reps - a bit short of all time PB of 40 reps, but quite happy as i've not done much pushing lately. 

I'll give it a day or two to settle down and then do a weight check - A LOT of food was consumed!

Thanks Derek. Yes, the legs felt better after their week off. I had about 15 miles of a Garmin quarterly walking challenge left to do so I got them done before the end of June. I didn't start the challenge until towards the end of May so I'm chuffed to have completed the required 91 miles in time, 90%+ of it with a ruck too.

Looking forward, I want to shift my focus away from speed and on to endurance. I've already changed my regular cross country circuit to include more hills which is helping but I'm going to include one longer outing per week - at least 3 hours, preferably 5.

Mon:

13kg dumb bells: 3x10 arm curls. 3x10 shoulder press. 21kg dumb bells: 3x10 bent over rows.

Tue:

6 miles (circuit), very light pack (not weighed, approx 10lb). A gentle outing to get back into the swing of things but was pleasantly surprised afterwards to see that my GPS plot line was mostly a single colour, indicating that my pace was very consistent with no significant drop-offs while climbing hills or recovering once at the top.

Weds:

6 miles (circuit as above), 28lb pack. Legs good, hills and recovery good again.

Thurs:

3 miles (circuit as above), 28lb pack. Legs feeling it. Glad to finish.

Fri:

13kg dumb bells: 3x10 arm curls. 3x10 shoulder press. 21kg dumb bells: 3x10 bent over rows.

Sat:

Rest.

Sun:

Rest.

Give me a shout if I can help. The climbing will be above my grade but I have a natural talent for ballast.

No worries, anything to make your warmups a bit more interesting I'm quite enjoying setting new ones at the moment and have even splurged on a membership at the gym, so will hope to keep a steady stream coming!

Cheers Derek, a pretty scant report this week. The pool at work is still closed due to lack of chlorine and my open water partner (eldest daughter) was living it up in Cornwall with her mates after finishing A levels.

Things did pick up in the latter part of the week. I was helping out my youngest daughters run club organising a sub 24 hour attempt to run the Leicestershire round as a relay. Anyway one of the parents had to drop so i took on running one of the legs with a couple of lads from the club. Friday i worked from home and the wife and i popped out to run the leg as a sighter, good job we did as it was pretty much all off road with some unclear signage in places. Saturday was the relay so did the run again. This time with the 2 lads who were way better runners than me so i must have slowed them down. Thankfully one had a hangover and the other a slightly injured ankle so I wasnt too far behind. They didnt have a clue where to go so they did at least need me for navigation. Was very happy to do the 110k or so in under and hour. Then cycled back to the car (wife and kids all at a swim meet in Sheffield) and home for lunch 

Thanks Derek. Outstanding attention to detail. Much appreciated. I read everyone's and I feel like I really know what everyone is up to.

I've not been back to Langcliffe yet. Chapel Head Scar has opened now so I think that may be where I sport climb for the foreseeable.

M - Knee and shoulder rehab

T - Boulder up to V6 at Kendal. Auto belay - up down up x 2.  6c and 6b+ on the ups.

W - Knee and shoulder rehab and bouldered up to (very hard V4). Felt pretty tired so just a short session.

T - Run - 1 hr on local trails -lovely.

F -  Llanymynech Quarry again. 6a, 6b+ and 6c x2. I was going to keep doing more of that level but got sucked into Strawberry Tubin (7b). Had a go scoping it out then a lead. Failed at the crux as I was sure I needed right hand on the smallest of the crimps. I didn't, it was left. Lead through to the top. One to come back for.

S - Rest

S - Chapel Head Scar -back on the warm ups. Moonchild (Sport) (6c+) 3 times to get acquainted, Witherslack Alice (6c) once and then tried Shades of Mediocrity (7a) with a terrible flash go even though people were shouting beta at me. I was on it for about half an hour battling away and then fell off at the end. Not happy.

I feel like I'm really consolidating but don't have much top end/sustained effort in me. I can hang around and recover forever, but I need to recover or else I burnout quick.

This week we've got a weekend in Buttermere. Weather permitting we'll get some trad and a nice walk in and maybe a hit at Chapel Head on the way home.

Cheers Derek and thanks for another mega set of stats! As I’m struggling for time, my FitClub posts are becoming very ‘samey’ so don’t worry if I’m becoming difficult to comment on. If anything I’m just trying to maintain the training habit while life has switched in to next gear.

Another week of a rehab session plus two stints on the fingerboard!

Mon

• Leg Rehab
• Calf Raises 3x 20 (8lb)
• RDL 3x 12 (50kg)
• Leg Extension 5x 15 (L 15kg)
• Leg Press 3x 15 (L 45kg)
• Straight leg raises 5x 20 (R BW)

Tue

Fingers

• Max Hang 20mm4FD 5x 7s (24kg)

Thu

Pull Strength

• Weighted Pull-ups 4x 5/6/8 @ 28kg/17kg/6kg

Have a good week!

Thanks for the offer!  I'm actually fixed up with accommodation, partner and a plan.  However, happy to find a day to get out with you sometime over the Summer.  Don't mind doing something classic to suit.  Let me know what would work.

Great stuff, Derek. I'll definitely take you up on that. Thanks, much appreciated.

I feel I should preemptively manage expectations that despite having done this self reflection, I have not really out any of it into practice this week, with first microAJM and now both of the tiny terrors stuck at home ill this week has been, shall we say, challenging…..

w.r.t. July trip to Dolomites.

Crack on with aero-power ASAP. With a couple of weeks training this 2-3 times a week you can start to make an improvement in pump tolerance before going away.

I'd be looking at a minimum of 6 weeks to properly training aero-power though. However, this has the advantage that this little blip shouldn't inhibit overall strength focus if you revert to that post-trip.

Foot-on campus is a favourite tool of mine, but is dull AF and has zero technique element reducing it's transference to real rock. Repeat circuits on something a couple of grades below your RP limit would be more sensible (even better if you could find a traverse or TR on vert limestone to better replicate Dolomite terrain?) 

Thanks Ally for the technical support!

Couple of trips to Minus Ten, then...