UKC

I was wondering if anyone else is a relative novice (Severe, 6a+ sport and the odd 6b boudler for context) and trying to make the best use of lockdown without crags or walls.

My plan so far has been:

- Lose weight (so far lost 8kg down to 81kg).

- Do lots of pullups (Currently at 17 unweighted and doing weighted 5x5's twice a week)

- Hangboard (2 sessions a week of "beasty 5A)

- 2 weekly sessions of core work

Not going to lie im pretty happy with what ive managed and its about the only thing that has kept me sane.

If there is anywher emy attention would be better focussed I would be interedted to hear.

Cheers

 

Flex and mobility unless you're already really bendy and do something like yoga regularly.

Sounds like you've got everything covered to me!

The only suggestion I'd make is to see if you can get some progression on the fingerboard and not sticking with Beasty 5A the whole time.  

Of course with fingerboarding, especially if you're a relative beginner (as I am too) I'd advise caution.  If you're not confident in how much to push things perhaps pay for a personalised plan from a training provider?  

I did this and I really felt the benefit of having a structured plan with 3 x 2 week periods focussing on different areas.  But then that's me, I really need a plan where I know what I'm doing it's all laid out, as I get a bit lazy when I fart about on my own.  

Sounds like you've been doing pretty good so far though!

Do you do any leg work? Squats, pistol squats, lunges, that kind of thing.

Good shout - plenty of courses on youtube

Yeah definitely trying to take it easy on the board for now. Had a pal nearly bail on last years lakes trip because he over did it in the weeks before!

Agree with having a plan as I'm the same. Sort of the reason behind this post. Currently ticking off a spreadsheet on the wall each week to try and keep consistent which helps.

Make sure you do some antagonist work. Keep some variety too. Just doing more and more of the same and you'll likely end up with problems.

Are you mainly trying to get stronger? You're doing a lot of volume, especially the pull ups, and less can be more. You might be better off doing less volume and changing the protocol. Slow pull ups can be really hard work, even at very low reps.

And I'm presuming the fingerboarding is repeaters? Again, that usually means a lot of volume and maybe won't give the best strength gains. I wouldn't add any weights as you're a beginner, but lower volume might give you better strength gains. Even keeping your feet on the floor to allow less than bodyweight can give a good stimulous, and is less stressful on the fingers.

There are a few more things to consider...

1. There is a less obvious danger with finger-boarding at your level which is that when you get back out climbing you'll naturally rely on your new-found finger strength rather than good technique (which will be disappearing through lockdown). So, try to get inventive about things you can do at home to  maintain some semblance of lower-body technique. For instance, I've always found high step-ups onto sloping holds really hard (obligatory for gritstone slabs) both in terms of flexibility and balance. That's the sort of thing you can easily simulate at home (a 'toe-board'). Think about your technique weaknesses and get inventive! Also, if you're gym-strong you are likely to get more 'static'. Think about how you can incorporate balancey & dynamic moves into your routine to help the muscle remember.

2. 'Core' means different thing to different people, but one aspect I would make sure is in your program is full-range-of-movement exercises of the shoulders and hips. If you're doing even careful finger-boarding and pullups, it very easy to end up with lazy shoulder/hip stabilisers and that's not good in the long term.

3. Flexibility - is that something you need to work on? Very few people are too flexible.

4. Crimping on small matchstick ledges is great, but think about the holds you are likely to encounter on routes at your grade: Pinches (wide and narrow), jams (ditto), sidepulls, mantles. All these are probably as important as crimping (if not more so), so again, get inventive (and alleviate the finger-boredom). It's not easy, but there's always something you can do to simulate these moves/positions/holds.

As well as the physical stuff what about ropework? Some excellent videos on JB mountain skills such as different ways of equalising belays and even the one handed clove hitch...

Do whatever keeps you happy and sane. More time spent learning skills and climbing on rock will pay dividends. You can currently do more pull-ups than Adam Ondra could when he did his first 9a!

Thanks very much for the mention!

Here's the link to my channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/JBMountainSkills

Yeah fingerboard are bloody brilliant training but they really do have to be treated with respect!  A proper warm up and stretches afterwards are vital.  

Good that you've a plan and tick things off, I need to get myself more organised (my 6 week plan finished around xmas) as I'm a bit aimless right now.

Is it worth spending some of your resting time dicking around with ropes?  I'm thinking rigging self rescue systems and that sort of thing.  It's the kind of thing that if you ever need to use it you'll be very very grateful for having spent some time practicing!

Good idea that!

Sounds like you are way, way stronger than I was when I was climbing 6a/b sport and seconding E1. Is suggest sitting on the sofa eating pies and watching climbing films. 

I guess you need to do lots of climbing. Do you have any trees, walls, bridges etc nearby you can practice on?

I've watched quite a few of these, superb videos! Safe to say they helped me and my pal teach ourselves to lead trad this year which resulted in a couple of lakes trips with more planned. Thanks very much (and good luck with the project in spain) 

great shout. Taught myself anchor building this year by attaching screw gates to radiator pipes and 'belaying' from the top of the stairs. My GF thought I was losing it. I probably was.

I've traversed on a few walls but that involves at least 30 minute cycle (which isn't so bad). As the weather gets better Id like together out doing more of this. 

I'm sure the training will drop off as normal life returns but when working from home with a finger board in the same room its much easier to fit in 15/20 mins exercise around work.

That’s awesome! Hope you get loads more routes in this year

I've found them so you have made much better fist of lockdown than I have. Your pull up strength is not lacking and it sounds like you are taking care of fingers so I'd definitely recommend doing yoga or similar. Anything that makes you a bit more bouncy and able to move between positions will help but I would not do it at the expense of anything else you are doing

The worry about your approach as a novice is that you’re getting strong without developing techniques. There are disadvantages to being too strong - you can get up many climbs with just strength and no skill and so you don’t learn those all important skills. 

What's your flexibility like?

The big gains I made came from improving my awful flexibility (daily stretching) and cardiovascular fitness (running). That and redpointing. That was making decent gains toward the end of a stagnant (but very enjoyable) low-grade trad career. Coming at it from the other end as a novice unable to actually climb currently... can you build a board, work on your movement efficiency and stamina?

jk

I like the 9c test on youtube as a very broad-brush method of seeing where your weaknesses lie. E.g. if you can fire out a load of weighted pullups but can't hold an L-sit, you should probably do more core work.