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_week_820-7545...

Derek Furze: Good to see you got out, Llany is a pleasant place indeed. Glad the busy period is dwindling down and you can spend more time doing important stuff like climbing!

Randy: Fair enough, can't blame you for not wanting to suffer in cold, damp limestone caves. Are there any climbing gyms near work in India, or just your fingerboard?

AlanLittle: 76 walls?! Blimey, that's good going! I don't even think I've visited ten. Sounds like a good active week, that moonlight hike in particular sounds lovely.

Liam P: Glad the back is making a comeback (see what I did there?!), really looking forward to see the improvement continue.

Tyler: Sounds a good session on the wall. Have you been able to make use of the rather crisp conditions in the area recently?

Somerset swede basher: Solid active week. Decent progress on BSMA as well, glad you're keeping at it.

Tom Green: Two days out at some gorgeous crags, good work. That Thorn Crag approach is pretty steady as long as you pace yourself! Elemental is a gem.

Ally Smith: Challenging week! Hope this one has been better for you. Getting back into the board habits?

Steve Claw: Couple of good sessions there. Take care with the elbow! Maybe get a bit of antagonist work in?

AJM: Really chuffed to hear that there's leg progress. Shoulder tweak sounds annoying but at least not debilitating, let's hope it doesn't worsen.

SteveJC94: Nice week, board session and rock wrestling. I've never actually made it up to Over Owler Tor, I imagine like most little grit crags it's a pleasant spot?

biscuit: Three day leg DOMS?! Sounds agonising! Sounds like a solid week regarding training, especially on the circuit board.

Thanks again Ross.  There hasn't been an immediate rush to take over, so I will assume that I am picking up on the first Sunday in January.  New Year's Day I think!

I was also impressed with Alan's wall count.  I'm at ten and have a 'seen one, seen them all' mindset, which probably isn't fair, but if I can get through to Spring without going to one, I will be happier for it!

With all this preamble, you might suspect that I've nothing to report.  You'd be right!  A heavy week of work, which managed to be really rewarding, followed by more very physical digging meant that training was squeezed out.  However, it looks like things may be quieter January through March than early indications suggested, so a Christmas reset will provide a good platform for 2023!

Very good Ross! Not much training this week. I’m checking in for the dreamy gritstone strong boys after these connies. Phwoar!

Mon

Baby sent home from nursery with Strep A symptoms. Cue a 12 hour overnight wait in A&E. Sent home with antibiotics. He’s fine now but been off nursery all week which led to lots of Zoom Meetings/Muted baby-wrangling.

Wed

Fingers & Pull

• Pinch Block 5x 7s (19kg) 
• Max Hangs 5x 5s 20mm4FD (25kg)
• 43” Offset Pull-ups 6x 1
• Hand on bicep pull-ups 6x 1

Thu

Push

• Kettlebell OHPress 3x 10 (12kg)
• Pseudo Planche Push-ups 3x 3

Sat

Stretch

• Lower body stretching

Sun

Bouldering Wall

• Scap Pulls 3x 8 BW
• RTO Dips 3x 3
• Max Hangs 5x5s 20mm4FD (30kg/136%BW)
• Ab wheel rollout 5x 5

Back on the Campus Board for the first time in ages.

• Long throw 4x 1-4
• Offset pull-ups 4x 1 (1-4)
• Ladders L&R 1-3-5, 1-4-5, tickled a static 1-4-6
• Bumps L&R 1-2-3-4-5
• Go-agains L&R 1-4/5

Bouldering Pyramid up to V5

Thanks for the run of stats Mr B

Week 49

M – Worked, but was still feeling a bit lurgied.

T – Worked, but was still feeling a bit lurgied.

W – Work trip to the big smoke. Delayed trains on the way down meant I finished later than planned and along with lingering lurgy CBA with socialising. 

T – London and thankfully home in time for wedding anniversary dinner.

F – Nowt.

S – Unstructured board session. Warm-ups 6B+ to 7A and 45min trying hard on 2x 7C+ BMs. Good progress on both, but still a way off.

S – 5x5 on-the-min pull-ups on rough edges for skin conditioning. Gradually increasing loads on F3 drag 10s hangs, topping out at 45kg (new PB, but haven’t tested for 18mths). 3x10 bench at 57.5kg. Inch lifts up to 72kg. Finished on the 6mm edges which felt like buckets in the freezing garage!

Morning all, a decent week from me. Unfortunately missed out on antagonists, but managed to get outside twice in the crisp conditions which I'm pleased with.

Last Week:

M - Weigh-in at 77.5kg. Squeezed-in but productive Moonboard session. I think I've gotten into bad habits over recent months with regard to just flicking past problems after just one or two goes, so I've compiled a small project list, where I'll never have too many problems on it at any given time, and give those priority. I'll only remove problems after a decent number of tries, and only if it's becoming particularly unenjoyable. It seemed to work well for me, finishing off "Almost There" and "Hangboard Not Required", both quite fingery.

T - Rest

W - Rigpa (V9). Mixed session, but came away feeling confident. Frustrating doing the crux as I kept hitting the face crimp in not quite the right place, but felt strong locking off to it each time. The top feels within reach, but it's a pretty wild move and I still don't think I have the confidence to fully go for it solo!

T - Rest.

F - Rest. Left ring A2 feels a touch tweaky, particularly when cold. Intensity has been pretty high the past week, taking this as a warning sign to miss a session and rest.

S - Rest.

S - Snowy Ogwen session. Beautiful day! Opened the accounts on Jez's Arete (ss) (f7B+) and Harvey Oswald (ss) (V8+). Both felt like they were in near grasp, slightly stronger fingers would be helpful. Hope to try them again come spring. A2 tweak improving.

Next Week:

M to F - Unsure really. Maybe one session of moderately intense Moonboarding, and one low intensity hangboard session?

S, S - Bouldering.

Goals:

Antagonists.

Rigpa.

Thanks Ross,

I have had a quieter week to see how the elbows react, but no real improvement.  I am going to have to consider a course of exercises.

M - Nothing

T - Just 1 x 6b sport route

W - Cold day, but surprisingly good in the sun.  Climbed routes E2, 6c+, 6a

T - Nothing

F - Brean in the sun.  3 x easy sport routes at 6a+, then turned attention to the adventure trad on the beach.  After a friend cleared the worst of the loose rock, took a TR on Bones Chimney (E4 5c), all good fun with a rope above you, would be quite serious without. Will put some more attention to the trad here over the next few months.

S - Nothing

S - Snow day! about an inch of snow was enough to go sledging in the park with the children at 7am

There are actually two climbing gyms. Both rather small, with a spray wall that could have a higher density of holds. On the last trips i went there a couple of times but this one was too busy so that i will just do a little bit of fingerboarding.

Recap last week:

Mon-Fri: Rest and too much drinking. 

Sat: Fingerboard 20mm, 6x10s at 120% BW. Assisted One-Armers with light resistance band, 2x 2-3 reps on each arm. One-Arm-Lockoffs for a couple of seconds. 18 BW Pullups

Sun: 2x20s L-Sit, 30s V-Situp, Biceps curls: 10x12,5kg, 30 Pushups, 15 Lunges

On paper a deload week, though i don't feel that rested. Just too little sleep overall and too much stress with the traveling and jet-lag. I hope that next week will be more productive and i will stay healthy.

Hi Folks. Top statting as usual, Ross. You're missing a trick not including yourself in the stats -the last couple of weeks would have been good pats on the back! 

Week 49:

M: Core and Prehab.

T: Fingerboard, Strength, Prehab.

W: Nothing -alpine start for work. 

T: Bouldering at Caley. Couple of STG ticks, but the highlight was Otley Wall (f6A) -not hard, but I tried it not long after leg-gate and found it terrifying, so it was satisfying to commit to the high moves this visit. Also made good progress on Forked Lightning Crack (f6B) -seems less impossible than in the past!

F: Trail run. 5.8km, 155m vert, 6:17/km -short, snowy, pre-dawn leg stretch before work (junk miles, but good for the mind at least!)

S: Core and Strength.

S: Trail run. 32.8km, 49m vert, 6:06/km. Canal tow-path... flat running on good surfaces always feels delightfully easy compared to the normal techy trails!

Week 50:

M: Fingerboard. Prehab.

T: Rest. 

W: Climbing.

T: Run.

F: Climbing.

S: Fingerboard, Strength, Prehab

S: Run/hill day.

STG -end Dec:

Triglav N Face -TICK.

Stewker (E1 5c) -TICK.

First of Many (none 5b) -TICK.

The Night Watch (VS 4b)

Gauche (VD)

Minion's Way (HVS 5c)

Roof of the World CD Problem 4 (V1) -TICK.

Angel's Wall (f5) 

The Cruel Crack (f5) -TICK.

Overhanging Arete (f6A) -TICK.

Delstree (HVS 5a)

Tufted Crack (E1 5c)

Chelly Express (D7) placing gear. (TICK)

Three big mountain days >1500m vert.

Ultra-distance run.

Weighted Pull-up: 85kg. Max Hangs: 80kg. (Adjusted down to reflect recent lack of training)

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

2022 Climbing goals:

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

ALL of my local must-do list: 6/15

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: 5/8

(For lists see FitClub 772)

Start properly getting to know: Brimham 2/3, Almscliff 3/3, Caley 1/3, Slipstones 3/3.

At least two big, classic alpine goals -TICK

Thanks Ross. A slightly less active week from me: the arrival of winter has shut down my cycling season. I once hurt my back quite badly falling off my bike on black ice, since which don't ride any more when there's snow & ice on the roads.

STG: Xmas - New Year 22/23: find climbing partners in Leonidio
STG: Winter 23 - do an actual off piste ski tour
MTG: April Kalymnos trip with my son: tick at least two things from my wishlist
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M:    
T:    Wall, Thalkirchen. More moderate mileage, but this time avoiding vertical tic-tac and instead focusing on building my confidence on steep jug pulling, my biggest area of mental weakness in climbing. Breathe!
    Bike to & from ~45 minutes
W:  Half an hour stretching while watching Hannah Morris's "how to get more reach" video with Alex Waterhouse. Hannah is rapidly becoming the internet's best climbing technique channel.
T:    Bike ~40 minutes, fingerboard, stretching
F:    Wall, Thalkirchen. Kilterboard & rings
S:  Quite a bit of snow lying in town now: was tempted to get the touring skis out and go for a hike up one of the not-yet-open local pistes, but reluctantly concluded I had too many pre-Christmats chores & errands to do at home.
S:    Wall, Freimann. Ten routes up to 6c.

New STG: I had a few days holiday to use up over Christmas-New Year and no climbing partners available, and have booked to go to Leonidio. Looks like the weather there is less stable & reliable than southern Spain, but I already know the area, I like Greece and it seems the winter climbing partner scene is pretty active. As a naturally not particularly gregarious person I'm nervous about travelling without a known guaranteed climbing partner, although I've generally had good experiences climbing with random internet strangers when I've tried it. Wish me luck.

Cheers Ross, my usual approach of 'keep turning up' beginning to work on BSMA.

Mon. 6 sets of repeaters (+5kg), 5x5 on the min pull ups. 3x10 press ups.

Tues and wed. Rest. Was a domestic god and amassed many brownie points.

Thurs. Lamp session. Should have cleared the snow off the top of Old King Cascade (f7B) for the flash go but hadn't expected to get that far, got it next go with a cleared top and spot. Also did The Captain (f7A) which was quite sequencey and took longer.

Fri. Napalmed my stack of brownie points driving straight to the lakes from work.

Sat. Did Pulse Direct (IV) and then Blunt Gully (II/III). Nice to get the tools out again. Loving frozen turf! Snowy drive home.

Sun. Multiple laps of the sledging field and dragging kids around in sledges.

Thanks Ross - excellent stats as ever and much appreciated.

3 weeks away from the gym felt like starting all over again. I didn't even do the classic thing of going back in where I left off. I reduced the weights quite a lot but it wrecked me. I have cut back my calories from 3k to 2.5k as I wasn't going to the gym ad was doing less while I was injured. I think this really shows in my recovery.

On the plus side overall my lean mass went up by 1kg from going to the gym 3 x a week for 8 weeks. I'll take that. The 1.5kgs of non lean mass (normally referred to as lard) is not so great and is also why I'm trying to reduce calories, but maintain protein. 

I did feel very energised during this time and got loads of climbing and gym work done. It gives me some more good info on what numbers to be aiming at in future training cycles. 

M - Gym - bench press led to 3 days of chest DOMS this time. 

3 x 10 min on/off on 6b. I am thoroughly bored of this now

Stretch

T - Bouldered at Rockover Bolton. Not a great session.

Stretch

W - Max hangs and broken halves at BUK. Max hangs were a bit rubbish. Couldn't do the first hard move on the circuit. tried 3 times but couldn't hold it. No body tension. I did feel like I was forcing myself to do this session. I just had no psyche. That combined with no body tension meant I binned that session and did 1 on/1 off instead.

T - Rest

F - Unstructured boulder at Lancaster Wall on the Kilter board

Up to V5. I like that a lot.

S - Rest

S - Kendal - unstructured routes

3 x autobelays to warm up. Very very cold.

Main wall - 6b, 6c, 6c+, 7a failed on 7a+ I onsighted a few weeks ago. Still a bit under par I think. I was getting pumped very quickly, but recovering very quickly too thankfully.

This week is the last full week before going away. I will be getting some structured sessions in (broken halves, 1on/off, board session) and hopefully some routes at the weekend. I am feeling very underpowered at the moment too but will have to deal with that after the trip.

Thanks Ross. It's a nice spot with a great view over Hathersage, though there's not a huge amount to got at so it's a good venue if you've only got half a day there. 

M - Varied grips on the 20mm edge at 80% (BW +12kg), 6 sets. Project bouldering on the Depot orange circuit. 2 x plank; 2 x side plank; 2 x hollow body hold

T - Upper and lower body mobility

W - 10 problems on the woody (6B; 6B+; 6B+; 6C; 6C; 6C+; 6C+; 7A; 7A; 7A+). 3 x 8 shoulder press; 3 x 8 bent over row

T - Rest

F - 3 sets of 6 problems in 6 minutes. 2 x 5 weighted pull ups at 85% (BW+18kg)

S - Project bouldering on the woody. Finally managed to link a 7B+ on the  50 degree after many weeks of trying

S - Rest 

Thanks Ross.

A far better week for me this last week, certainly in terms of psychological boosts.

Monday - physio. Getting stronger, some more specific exercises to do.

Thursday - wall with miniAJM. Decent enough session I think, learnt some more about things I can and can't do.

Saturday -  Winspit. 2 easy routes, although the 6a+ I missed a massive jug on for ages and spent a while wondering whether I could do it without aggravating my shoulder. Nice sunshine and still ok out of the wind despite frozen ground and frost on the walk in and in the shade.

Sunday - wall. I did some of the rehab stretching before climbing which felt good and I had a few moments where I found problems that aggravated neither my right leg nor my left arm and I was actually able to try fairly hard, which was great as whilst climbing easy problems is better than nothing it's nice to feel like I'm not completely broken!

Unfortunately not, a visit to Manchester took out the weekend although truth be told I prefer bouldering indoors.

Thur - Afterwork trip to the Beacon, got properly worked so that was good but best of all my elbow seems fine.

Sun - Blochaus Manc, I enjoy this wall and it was a rare treat to be doing anything with Mrs T but especially climbing as she’s been in Manc on family duties for 6 weeks. Unfortunately my elbows did not enjoy the trip quite as much, I thought I’d had a break through with them, alas not.