UKC

Hi Folks, 

I'm a fat 55 year old punter whose goal has always been to climb E1 (just to increase the amount of climbed available to me). I have managed a few, but probably the most proficient I have ever been is about VS, although probably now leading about HS. 

I have a learning fund at work, which will cover a weeks course to help me to improve, so my question to the hive mind is any recommendations?

The answer may be to hire a guide for a week, but again the question is which one (plus they need to be willing to make the week look like a course, to meet the requirements of the fund). 

Any recommendations will be appreciated. 

Thanks 

Steve 

I recommend Esther Foster, Sally Lisle or John Kettle for a week of climbing coaching. They can package it up how you like for your fund. It will be worth every penny.

Without sounding harsh - if you're identifying as being a fat punter, perhaps a really good use of the learning fund money would be on a professional training plan which also comes with some dietary advice? Surely this would count as some sort of course?

Addressing the fitness first, so you feel comfortable and confident onsighting sport/indoors at 6a/6b is probably the best thing you can do in the short/medium term to up your grade.

As an instructor, I would be very happy to write a course outline for you and take the booking for a weeks intensive coaching, but I feel perhaps the underlying fitness might be your let down. It's easy enough to teach the technical skills to help someone keep themselves safe, but impossible in a week to help with climbing fitness. 
 

Hi Luca, thanks for the advice, but whilst I consider myself a fat punter, I already on sight 6a/6b indoor outdoors. I absolutely acknowledge I need to lose weight, but if that was my main objective, I would be going to weight watchers. Sorting my head out is probably the limiting factor. Fortunately I have received some suggestions that work for me, so I think I'm now sorted.

Cheers Steve 

Have a week with Rich Mayfield at: https://theorangehouse.co.uk

He runs coaching courses, so should meet the criteria of the fund.

Getting out consistently during the course is important and the weather in Costa Blanca is way more consistent than anywhere in the UK. There is a huge amount of trad there too, in case you didn't already know.