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 Keendan 11 Nov 2012
Hello everyone.

Sorry I haven't made the time this week due to coursework and remembrance parade, but I'll try to get it done this afternoon.

In the meantime please post your week.

Thanks
Dan
 JayK 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Just been for an absolutely awesome run around the Licky Hills in Birmingham. The weather was fantastic. Can't believe I've not really spent much of my time there in the last few years. Perfect X country running. Did a slow 15min warm up. Then a quicker 25minute run. Weather was perfect and the trees were beautiful! Amazing.

M- Worked till 7!!
T- Worked late but went to Brummie Bouldering Centre. Up to v7. Did about 50laps of a v4 problems. Such a good bouldering wall.
W- Nothing
T- Wolf Mountain to do routes. Failed on most things. Nice to get a rope on though and climb in a different centre!
F- Nothing
S- Nothing
S- X Country run in the morning. Awesome!
 mrchewy 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Hope the parade went well Daniel.

Weight 79.9kg
Bodyfat 24.9kg
Weight is staying roughly the same - need to start cardio again and cut back on calories. No hope before chrimbo.

STG - That V3 - DONE!
MTG - Lead 6a by xmas - DONE!
LTG - Lead 6b by summer '13. Gonna try and do this this month, indoors.

M - worked late
T - worked late
W - Boulder room, knackered to be honest and didn't focus. Tried the V3 with sloppery holds over a tiny roof before I left and thought 'maybe'.
T - Warmed up, then had maybe 9 goes at the pink V3, Alex pointed out my trailing/flagging foot wasn't being used proactively - huge difference and I managed to latch the pocket above the heel hook. Too pumped. Went home with arms aching more than they ever have I reckon. Boulder reset late on Sunday - can I manage it before?
F - Rest day. DOMS. Needed. Andy Kirkpatrick talk at Pinnacle, the new function room looked good. My decorating helped at little.
S - Ben Bransby was at Pinnacle, so warmed up and then joined a few others for a footwork session with him. He asked if anyone had a problem they were struggling with, I pointed to the pink V3. Then I breezed straight up it! Scruffy but hey, it was only my second V3. Was shown a few others bits and tips that made me think a little differently about how to approach problems.
S - Pressups, lunges and core work. Coheed and Cambria tonight in Birmingham! A good work out in the moshpit hopefully.

Another V3 I thought was beyond me but learnt a lot about my flagging foot and using it actively in climbing. Something I do outside but not indoors. Ben Brandsby was a nice chap, showed me that I need to think a little more out of the box with regard to footwork. Alex Fry had been a great help on Thursday too - a top lesson learnt on the V3, it wasn't about strength but positioning, especially the feet.

Spent a sleepless night on Tuesday thinking about goals for next year and I'm almost there I think.

Tried out all the Evolv shoes and it seems the Bandits I have are the best shoe for my feet, certainly for the climbing I do. So I ordered some laceups in the same size as my velcros, the laces being kept for outdoors.

Need to get on a rope this week and there's a trip to Wales and maybe Gogarth (seconding Freebird) if the weather holds next weekend.
 Banned User 77 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

m: 5 mile trail run. eve: 6 mile road run.
t: am: 3 mile run. pm: 9 mile hill rep session
w: 7 mile trail run
t: Track, 6 miles, 4 x 200m, 3 x 1k, 2 x 400m. eve: 3.5 miles steady in burbage valley
f: 10 mile trail run
s: 3 mile warm up. Dunnerdale fell race, 5 miler, 2 mile cool down. 7th. eve: 3 mile easy.
s: Rab Mini Mountain Marathon, about 18 miles in the end, think I was somewhere top 5 ish, should have got all the controls, missed one and had time at the end.
 Exile 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Goals:

Best efforts outdoors this year, (and ever I surpose!):
RP - 7a
HP - E5 6b
Boulder - V4
Onsigth E2/3, (weather didn't really allow as much of this as I would have liked.)
Winter V 6, (would have tried VI 7 but not in the right place at the right time.)

Goals by the end of the year:
Boulder V5 outside?
Winter - VI 7 if conditions allow
Weight down to well under 11.5, Body fat under 10%, (16% at present!)

Goals for next spring:
Boulder V7
RP - 7a+
HP - E6 if time / weather doesn't allow before Xmas
Winter - VI 7

Summer
Onsight more E3s leading to an E4 onsight.

I'd be interested in what people thought of this training plan to take me through to next May if anybody has any thoughts...

5.11.12 – 16.12.12 (6 weeks)Base training / endurance / cardio training for winter climbing

• 1 wall session on routes up to 85%ish of max,(6c ish) concentrate on technique & falling (20 falls a session.)
• 1 bridge session a week concentrating on mileage / technique
• 1 outdoor session – top roping E3 / 4 ground concentrating on technique or mileage bouldering
• 4 hrs hilly road cycling

17.12.12 – 10.2.13 (8 weeks)Power training

• 1 wall session trying hard boulder problems
• 1 wall session using 35degree woody training board – concentrate on undercuts
• 1 outdoor bouldering session concentrating on doing the hardest problems possible
• 1 bridge session concentrating on one handed traversing on increasingly small holds
• 2 x finger board sessions – dead hangs rather than pull ups
• 2 hrs hilly cycling / fell running

11.2.12 – 17.2.13 (1 week)Recovery week

• Going skiing
• Couple of fell runs

18.2.13 – 14.4.13 (8 weeks)Power endurance

• 1 wall session, 4 x 4 boulder problems for first 4 weeks, short, hard routes for second 4 weeks
• 1 bridge session concentrating on power endurance traverse
• 1 bridge session concentrating on endurance traverse
• 1 outdoor climbing session concentrating on working 7a sports routes
• 1 finger board session – dead hangs rather than pull ups
• 2 hrs hilly cycling / fell running

15.4.13 – 28.4.13 (2 weeks)Recovery / getting back into leading on gear

• 2 outdoor sessions a week concentrating on leading routes at 85% of max
• 1 bridge session concentrating on endurance traverse
• 4 hrs hilly cycling / fell running

29.4.13 – 26.5.13 (4 weeks)Peak

• Weekly bridge session on endurance traverse and two outdoor climbing sessions a week centred on final building up to and completing aims
• Possible finger board session
• 4 hrs hilly cycling / fell running

Aims for Peak month:
• Head point Blow Out – E6 6a (Trowbarrow)
• Red Point Ivey League and / or A Vision of Things Gone Wild - 7a+ / 7b (Scout Scar)
• On sight Limited edition – E4 6a / 6c (Hodge Close)

This weeks training:

Mon: Nothing
Tues: 2hrs bouldering, Kendal Wall. Was going to start clip dropping but got there late so bouldered, 3 problems from the V4-6 circuit
Wed: 2hrs 10 hilly cycle ride
Thurs: 2hrs 10 hilly cycle ride
Fri: 1hr traversing on 6b+ traverse at Sedwick Bridge
Sat: Nothing
Sun: 1hr top rope reps on Limestone John, E3 5c on Red Wall, Trowbarrow. (More like British 6a as we needed to find a way around a wet pocket on the crux. Checked out Woodwell to boulder first but it was very wet.)

Sorry for the extended post!!!








 JayK 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

Goals for next spring:
Boulder V7
RP - 7a+
HP - E6 if time / weather doesn't allow before Xmas

You'll blow these out the water if you stick to that regime strictly.

What is your current weight (if you don't mind me asking?) Just getting on a campus board would definitely make sure you get up to your v7 goal. So good for working on your PE. Just make sure you use an open handed or dragged grip.
 JayK 11 Nov 2012
In reply to JimmyKay:

Just noticed your weight. Should be OK, but it'll feel hard. It's easy for us 10stone feathers!
 mrchewy 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile: Oh to be this organised! I can learn from this.
OP Keendan 11 Nov 2012
Here we go folks

UKC Fit Club is not a substitute for the training diary but to use with ( or without ) it as a motivational tool for all.

For those wanting to find out more about training for climbing a number of physical training articles here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity, noting goals, successes and failures and to swap ideas.

Anyone interested in starting is very welcome but 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 to help achieve your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

Link to last week's (294) thread:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=526028&v=1#x7083117
Posters:
Kevster – It’s good you can climb at a decent grade on Gritstone without aggravating your finger. My gosh it was windy the other week wasn’t it!
Si_dH – your training is looking very structured, impressive
JimmyKay – Great to see the psyche still remains from half term. El Delphin looks like the most stunning line.
IainRUK - Iain Ridgway Climbing!? Hope you had fun
Joughton – Jake your trip report is incredible. Congrats on the 7c onsight. It seems you haven’t plateued yet, while most of us are spending years nudging up the 7s
Exile – Nice goals. Looking forward to hearing about your E6 headpoint
Eagle River – Hope the winter bouldering goes well.
Sankey – Clock change apathy is one of the more inventive excuses I’ve heard! A lot of us have been sniffling though so you’re not alone. Well done on the VII+.
NMN – Good to see your holiday didn’t affect your fitness.
AJM – Great strength markers there. Slopey pockets is impressive. Gonna smash the PE now?
Pebble – Sounds like a very positive week. Have fun on the steep stuff!
Mrchewey – wow great week. Well done on 6a outdoors, that’s a good standard. I’m glad you’ve made memories this year to look back on.
Grubes – Ouch sounds rubbish. Hope you manage to pull the psyche back up to your usual level.
Rollo – Good week. Get back on those HVS when the weather allows!
Nomics4Sale – Put some time into those V6s, I’m sure you’ll start to tick them.
Mattrm – Hope you make progress with the DIY and find time for climbing
Oddtoast – Glad you took the plunge with the running programme. Keep at it!
Ian Bell – Good to see you back. Get on the steep stuff!
Alex@home – Good week, and a very respectable BF %
Ting – Welcome to UKCFC. Peer motivation does work, but you have to post every week, even if it’s a bad week! Nice entry week there.
Biscuit – Great training again mate. I bet you can’t wait to put these improvements to use outdoors!
Annak – great week, and 2.8 hours later sounds like a lot of fun and good phys!
Seankenny – Welcome back. I bet you learnt loads and saw a lot in your time. Sorry you didn’t get to climb El Cap, but I’m sure your trad climbing skills and movement have improved a lot. Looking forward to seeing pictures.
Ali – Not a great week Ali. It’s hard when you remember what sweet things taste like after some time eating well. Let’s have some more discipline this week (me included!)

 
 mrchewy 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Ta Dan - really positive comments there for everyone.
OP Keendan 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

I've had a lingering cold/fatigue which is really annoying

M-Bouldering, including 3.5 laps of a 7a+ circuit (it's soft but 35deg overhung)
T-
W-Militry boulder comp, TCH Liverpool. Great comp, I pumped myself with energy drinks and felt like a duracel battery. Hopefully came in the top 3 but don't know yet.

After the comp I campused the Beastmaker monos (which are further apart than the Loughborough ones) and campused a long route in the cave.

T-
F-Bouldering but felt shattered from wed!
S-Bouldering but sore skin from the week - bad planning. Would have been better to rest Fri.
S-

So a poor week with one good day. Diet was not good this week. Uni work suddenly feels terrifying.

Goals:
Eat less
Quick pumpy sessions to save time.
 mrchewy 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Anything that feels terrifying can usually be handled by preparation - just set to, head down and nail that degree.
 J B Oughton 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Thanks Dan, I've been after 7c o/s for a long time so it's good to finally get it. Quiet week from me, mostly just resting. This time of year marks bouldering comp season so I'm hoping to regain the power that I lost doing all that trad climbing.

If anyone is interested in a trip report of my week in Spain, here is a link to my blog:
Part 1 - http://jakeoughtonclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/gracias-catalunya-la-prim...
Part 2 - http://jakeoughtonclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/gracias-catalunya-la-sego...


Mon - rest
Tue - rest
Wed - Boulder comp at MCC, not as strong as I used to be but I still managed to flash some of the soft V6-8s. Hit the last hold of a V8+ four times without catching, but it'll go next week. Not sure how I did yet because it lasts all month.
Thurs - rest
Fri - rest
Sat - Another boulder comp, at rockover this time. Felt really rubbish, though I'm not sure why. I was in the adult category so the problems are much harder than normal, but I scored 180/250 which isn't too bad.
Sun - still feeling rubbish...

Cheers, Jake
 AJM 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

> AJM – Great strength markers there. Slopey pockets is impressive. Gonna smash the PE now?

Cheers Dan.

Yeah, pe starts tomorrow. This week ended up being a far lower intensity week than I had initially planned, but my body needed the rest!

Monday - Wyndcliff Quarry. Couple of easier routes to warm up, a 6a, 6a+ and 6b. Nails moves for the grade because the place is like 3 bolts long, so still packing in the hard moves even at easy grades. Led an E2 too, partially on Ricks gear after he decided he didn't fancy it. Again a knarly start move. Did a 6c+ 3rd go - basically nailed the boulder problem start on my third go and topped it out, so almost ground up I suppose. Then managed to onsight one of the other 6c+s, not the hardest of grades but for a 3 bolt micro route I was quite pleased since at that length the climbing is pretty intense.. Lovely sunny day out.
Tuesday - body crying out for a rest
Wednesday - TCA after a job interview. Mothership was being reset, so a chunk of the wall was out of use and consequently the rest was rammed. Plus I've pretty much run out of new problems to do with the Mothership bare. So psyche was low, and in fact that holds true for almost everyone I spoke to too. Plugged away for a bit but generally felt sore and aching still, so sacked it pretty early on.
Thursday - decided that the body obviously needed more rest after Wednesdays dismal performance
Friday - sneaked out for a few hours bouldering in the afternoon at Huntsham. Got spanked by the usual selection of low graded warm ups - I don't get bouldering grades... Anyway, we skated up the muddy paths to the Sliced Slug boulder and got on Ames Low, which is a 7A+ or so (my friend who i was with thinks its a bit of a sandbag - hes a stronger boulderer than me but ive probably got a better endurance base than him) power stamina problem, about 15 moves. For those who are familiar with the Churnet, think conglomerate holds like on the Virgin Wall traverse central section, but fewer of them, steeper and with far worse footholds anyway I had good fun, did all the moves bar the last two, and linked up the first half - maybe get to move 10 or so next time. I think I'm going to focus on trying to link through to the last moves before trying them in a big way because that way it will target my short end power endurance which can only benefit for Turkey. Be nice to get it ticked over the winter really. I guess you could give it a route grade if you wanted, although I'm not sure what it would translate to.
Saturday/Sunday - van hunting. We found one Let the conversion begin.....!

Got a wall session scheduled Monday, hopefully outside Wednesday, and going to try to shift the focus to get 2 good power endurance sessions in whilst keeping some background power and aerobic work there too.
 NMN 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Thanks Dan.

STG: Snowdon Race - beat last years time. - Fail
Cuillin Ridge Traverse - 2 day attempt. - Tick
Just to get out climbing again (struggle to run and climb, running has won for the last 2 years or so).
Ben Nevis Race - beat last years time. - Tick

MTG:
Sub 40 min 10km
Get back to regularly onsighting VS / HS.

LTG: Push trad grade.
(High Peak Marathon?)


M - 5.45m treadmill, 0.7%.
T - rest.
W - 7.54m road run, 165ft.
T - 6.55m road run, 80ft.
F - nothing.
S - afternoon: 1.37m trail run, 21ft; - evening: 6.41m road run, 88ft.
S - 10.15m trail run, 456ft.
 Eagle River 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Cheers Dan.

Goal: 7c by April 2013

Tues: elbow rehab

Thurs: indoor routes, wall was pretty busy which is not useful when you're focusing on one particular route. Got on the 7c I've been trying and am falling off 3 moves from the top so it doesn't feel miles away.

Sat: indoor bouldering. Still maintaining the level of v6 after a couple of attempts.

Bit of a slow week, elbows felt a bit tweaky so rested until thursday but got a bit carried away with the rehab exercises on tuesday so the tops of my forearms were really sore for thursday's session. Probably get more done this week, hopefully out at the weekend.
 Si dH 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:
>
> Si_dH – your training is looking very structured, impressive

Cheers Dan. The key will be how well I stick to it. Not done quite so well this week as last week in that regard, but still pretty good I think considering.

STG (this winter through to March): tick at least 10 Ft7s, including at least one Ft7b, before Font

MTG: tick at least 5 Ft 7as in Font in March

LTG (March-Dec 2013):
- tick F7c in Ceuse
- aim to onsight 10 E3s and 1 E4 in 2013

Weekly training plan up to March involves:
- 2 wall sessions, focusing on bouldering with occasional ancap
- 3 fingerboard sessions
- 1 outside day
- 1 rest day
(minus a wall or fingerboard session when I manage two outside days)

This week:

M: Bouldering at Alter Rock. Skin and elbows both feeling quite fragile so took it fairly easy but got a couepl of new V5ish problems done and some good mileage.
T: Fingerboard. Due to skin and elbow fragility, focussed on straight-armed hangs on various sloper combos. In particular experiemtned with front 3 / back 3 on the 35s (I can do front 3, back 3 only for asecond or two that night) and hanging the 35s with a pinch for my thumb, which actually makes it harder. Felt like quite a good session in the end.
W: rest - pub trip with colleagues was a good excuse, plus I really needed to grow some skin.
T: Bouldering at Alter Rock. Did all but two of the new problems; one of those will go soon. Fun session.
F: still conscious of elbows and skin so not too much; just 30 press-ups, 40 sit-ups/leg raises and 20 chin-ups before breakfast
S: rest (visiting parents and concert in evening)
S: good bouldering day at Burbage. Did Banana Finger Direct and 7 Ball, both Font 6cs that Ive failed onin the past. 7 Ball is hard for the grade. I also did the start of banana reverse (7a) in to banana direct several times but didnt link it together, and messed about on several otehr problems. Also did the Chant again, which by the way hasnt changed (ref some thread yesterday).

Good week overall, training slightl limited by skin and elbows early-mid week, btu elbows seem fully ok again now and I at least avoided going through any tips today, hopefully I will get on a bit better with them this week.

Si
 Si dH 11 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:
Glad youve found a van mate, I look forward to seeing it when complete! Best of luck with the job hunting...
 AJM 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

Cheers mate. Yeah another interview tomorrow. As for the van, I'm hoping to have it more or less done by the time the weather starts looking suitable for spring trips, and totally done in time for trips abroad...
 seankenny 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Thanks Dan.

So I've been mulling over what I've learned about my climbing from my trip, new training, goals for the coming year and so on... Still working on it but have a few S/M goals.

STG: Get plenty of stretching done, go to a yoga class - my shoulders are making all sorts of horrible crunching noises that absolutely need sorting out. Go running and hopefully get some climbing done.
MTG: Go bouldering and do some good south coast routes.

M: Run, 2.1m at 9:56 per mile.
T: Sit ups, press ups, shoulder exercises.
W: 2.3m run at 10mins/m
T: 2.5m at 9:48mins/m
F: Run, 3.6m at 9:22 per mile
S: 1.5 hours walk on Richmond Park, coming down with a cold feeling in pm.

 Sankey 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Cheers. Shrugged off the apathy and had a fairly active week, including some grit trad for the first time in a very long while.

M:
T:
W: Exercise bike 8 km
T: Foundry bouldering: 5 level 2 problems
F:
S: Bike ride 10 miles
S: Trad at Rivelin, getting used to the grit again Clean second up to E1, lead VS

STG: V4 ish boudlering e.g. Walnut Traverse at Birchen -WORKING / Crucifix traverse at Almscliff
2 problems I couldn't quite do last winter, so good benchmarks

MTG: RP 6c in Turkey Feb 5th onwards

LTG: Font 7a - want to get on some traverses at this grade at Churnet
+ 7a Sport RP
 Kevster 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Sankey:

Thanks Dan,

Another climbing shy week, work has got in the way of everything.
Managed a couple of hours indoors on tuesday. And thats it. Oh, and a breif jog on thursday.

This week, I'd like to get to a different to normal wall and start trying to pull a bit again, the finger feels OK, what its like when I pull I guess I'll find out. Maybe outside at the weekend too.

Cheers, Kev
 Exile 11 Nov 2012
In reply to JimmyKay:

Currently 11.5 stone waking weight on a good morning. I'm 6ft 1 so it's not desperate, but I have got a bit of fat to loose.

Is campusing useful at my level? I always assumed that V4 boulderers, (me!) would gain more from bouldering and potentially get injured quite easily using a campus board.
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

I think ( though i have been known to be wrong before ) that as Jimmy is referring to PE he is meaning using it feet on and doing PE sets on it.

It's very specific, measurable and takes next to no time to get an awful face gurning pump on.

To be used as well as bouldering not instead of.
 maria85 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:
I'm back! Three weeks to update... finally have internet in the new place.

Wk beg. 22/10
M: Short walk with friend and her dog on Scout Scar. 1hr or so.
T: TNF singletrack loop at Grizedale. Roughly 2 1/2 hours or so. SO GOOD to be back on the bike again, somehow dragged my 15 y/o mtb around it without breaking anything, including myself. Psyche.
W: Short bike ride, nothing else.
T: Nothing
F: Nothing
S: House moving day so nothing other than shifting boxes
S: More box shifting

Wk beg. 29/10
M - W: Nothing, start of new job.
T: Bike to work (35 mins, 9km, plus a 110m hill)
Climbing after work at Harrogate wall. Did 4c, 2x5c, 2x6a, 6b, tried another 6b but bailed, bouldering. Feeling weak.
F: nothing
S: Fought my way around Leeds Primark on a Saturday?!
S: Best mate's wedding. Lots of food and booze.

Wk beg. 5/11
M: Nothing
T: Bike to and from work (1hr 10 total, 130m elevation, 17.5km)
W: Bike to and from work. Run in evening, 3.75km, 22mins, super slow but blaming that partly on not knowing where I was going!
T: Bike to work. Bouldering at the Bingley wall after, problems up to V3ish, finished early when I managed to fall and catch my chin on a jug... yowch! Thankfully nothing broken.
F: Nothing
S: MTB ride over the moors, 29km, 3.5 hours. Lots of taking the bike for a walk through bogs. Fun. Freezing cold on the way down though!
S: Climbing at Eastby. Led Eastby Buttress (VD), 2nd Eastby Buttress variation (VS 4c), tried to lead Scoop and Crack (S 4a) but the offwidth scared me and I bailed right, 2nd Nose Climb (S 4a), led Pillar Rib (VS 4c) - really pleased with this last one, I haven't climbed much on grit and I found it a little bold at the top but made it

Starting to feel like I'm settling in to new job/area - 2 weeks in - need to hit the fitness again hard now as I'm spending lots of time at a desk.

Objectives for this week - 2x indoor sessions, bike to work at least 3 days. Run twice. Get out climbing next weekend, maybe Lakes if weather good?

Mr Chewy - congrats on the V3!
Exile - great training plan... don't know enough about training to give you my opinion on if it will work or not, you've inspired me to really think about what I want to aim towards though and come up with my own
 Si dH 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:
> (In reply to Daniel Heath)
> [...]
>
> Cheers Dan. The key will be how well I stick to it. Not done quite so well this week as last week in that regard, but still pretty good I think considering.
>
> STG (this winter through to March): tick at least 10 Ft7s, including at least one Ft7b, before Font
>
> MTG: tick at least 5 Ft 7as in Font in March
>
> LTG (March-Dec 2013):
> - tick F7c in Ceuse
> - aim to onsight 10 E3s and 1 E4 in 2013
>
> Weekly training plan up to March involves:
> - 2 wall sessions, focusing on bouldering with occasional ancap
> - 3 fingerboard sessions
> - 1 outside day
> - 1 rest day
> (minus a wall or fingerboard session when I manage two outside days)
>
> This week:
>
> M: Bouldering at Alter Rock. Skin and elbows both feeling quite fragile so took it fairly easy but got a couepl of new V5ish problems done and some good mileage.
> T: Fingerboard. Due to skin and elbow fragility, focussed on straight-armed hangs on various sloper combos. In particular experiemtned with front 3 / back 3 on the 35s (I can do front 3, back 3 only for asecond or two that night) and hanging the 35s with a pinch for my thumb, which actually makes it harder. Felt like quite a good session in the end.
> W: rest - pub trip with colleagues was a good excuse, plus I really needed to grow some skin.
> T: Bouldering at Alter Rock. Did all but two of the new problems; one of those will go soon. Fun session.
> F: still conscious of elbows and skin so not too much; just 30 press-ups, 40 sit-ups/leg raises and 20 chin-ups before breakfast
> S: rest (visiting parents and concert in evening)
> S: good bouldering day at Burbage. Did Banana Finger Direct and 7 Ball, both Font 6cs that Ive failed onin the past. 7 Ball is hard for the grade. I also did the start of banana reverse (7a) in to banana direct several times but didnt link it together, and messed about on several otehr problems. Also did the Chant again, which by the way hasnt changed (ref some thread yesterday).
>
> Good week overall, training slightl limited by skin and elbows early-mid week, btu elbows seem fully ok again now and I at least avoided going through any tips today, hopefully I will get on a bit better with them this week.
>
> Si

Ps. I have a slight confession to make, which is that while in kalymnos with all the eating and drinking, I put on about half a stone in a week. I thought it would drop again with a normal diet but so far it hasnt, so im now about 11st7 vs an average over winter of 11st2 and a min of under 11. Im not worrying about this too much at the moment as I think a bit of extra weight harms stamina more than single move strength, and at the moment its all about bouldering. Plus some training heavy cant do any harm. So, im going to see if it comes down naturally for a while and if not ill try to hit it a bit harder around february or so. Of course I can always pretend its all muscle
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:
> Of course I can always pretend its all muscle

That's good going, i'm impressed. I found it hard to resist free puddings over there as well but 1lb a day is true dedication.

Find the best mirror in the house with the correct lighting, tense up and suck it in and you can kid yourself you're still in shape for months i find ;0)
 grubes 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:
> Grubes – Ouch sounds rubbish. Hope you manage to pull the psyche back up to your usual level.
... Psyche is so f*cking low right now ...

STG (end of Nov):
7a or harder in Chorro
MTG (end of 2012):
No major injuries
Do some DWS
LTG (June 2013):
7b
7A
E3/4

This Weeks Goals:
Fly to Spain - TICK!! nice to actually get one of these take the little victories I guess
Go forth and crush!!!! - Fail completely
Meet Biscuit sunday - Tick on monday
Easy milage saturday after arriving - Fail Wet

S: Fly to Spain it was wet
S: Everything wet. sat around for a bit walked up to encantadas. IT was wet and humid. I tried to finish a 6b I tried to onsight last year it was wet. I fell off sweted buckets from the heat sacked it off back to the olive branch
M: Desplo with andy. It was dry in places. I warmed up on a 5. Then tried a 6a+ as a warm up it was very wet. I slipped off on the last move. pulled back on did the move. Did not get back on.
Got on manzailla madness (7a) tried to give it a go as a flash/onsight. Fell very early. Climbed it bolt to bolt up the end of the rp crux but got confused. Andy got on it and dogged his way up after trying to flash it and showed me the way.
Dogged my way up on top rope and got all the moves.
Time to try lead it.
RP1 Did the physical crux then the rp crux but forgot my foot work for the pull onto the slab. pulled back on and worked my feet and lead the rest of the route to remind myself of the top slab.
RP2 got to move last move of the rp crux elbowed the wall. fell off backwards
RP3 Tired messed up my footwork
RP4 Too tired messed my sequence
T: Really f*cking wet
W: Still wet. Walked up to poema de roca it was really wet. I lead a 5+ waterfall sacked it off got drunk.
T: Frontales. A bit drier. went to castoroja. I warmed up on a 5+ little brown baby was soaked. I went to los albercrones. Got on El Truco Del almendruco. Tried to onsight it. got three quarters of the way up then completely stumped on a move. Had another go on top rope again got up to same point no idea what to do. Third go up still not idea. pulled past the move and topped out. 1 move completely stumped great climbing though.
F: More Rain! Went to a perma dry bouldering cave did a problem straight through the roof. Felt about 6A+ probably 5 or something
S: Arabe. Dry weather still wet from the day before. Got straight on a 6c. Felt nails dogged my way up to half height and realised I was on the wrong route and it was actually a 7a+. lowered off and striped it. Tried the 6c and it was not my style sacked it off.
Soloed a 3 in my trainers.
Lead a 6a
Got on El Arabe Perdido (7a) dogged my way up through the crux sequence. I got all the moves. Top half was easy but soaked, bottom half thin and painful. I just had run out of psyche so I stripped it.
I lead another 6a and sat about in the sun.
S: Fly home depressed and pissed off

Next Weeks goals:
Get psyche
Grit.
 Si dH 11 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:
> (In reply to Si dH)
> [...]
>
> That's good going, i'm impressed. I found it hard to resist free puddings over there as well but 1lb a day is true dedication.
>
> Find the best mirror in the house with the correct lighting, tense up and suck it in and you can kid yourself you're still in shape for months i find ;0)

I think it had more to do with the Mythos!
 grubes 11 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:
Forgot my tick list:
Completed routes:
El pilarito 3 Solo
Slipped in 5
Ostras Pedrin 5
La Princessa Carol 5+
Filou 6a
Solo Afeitar 6a

All onsight

Tried:
Manzanilla Madness 7a
Colaboracion Ciuadana 7a+
Amor Sandunguero 6c
El Arabe Perdido 7a
El Truco Del Almendruco 7a
 Si dH 11 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:
Dont let a disappointing ticklist get you down too much Grubes. It sounds like you were really unlucky with the weather - these things happen.
I also think when you climb on a new rocktype for the first time (or eg first time for a year) it takes a bit of getting used to. Next time it might be worth doing a few 6bs or 6b+s - something you will find challenging but are unlikely to fail completely - to get used to the rock early in the trip? There is a big grade gap there between your easy onsights and hard attempts. Its easy to get demoralised if you are dogging anything and not many people tick their hardest redpoint grades in a week-long trip.
Still, if it helps, the grit has been in great nick the last fortnight - so get psyched
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:

Well it's still raining here :0(

I've never seen Chorro so wet. The whole of Frontales is black and streaky. Tufas are dripping and caves are seeping. Not much is dry. One nice day yesterday won't have solved it.

Had real problems with skin this week. After crimping like mad on razor sharp holds in the Blanca my skin formed that limestone glassy hard layer. Then no climbing for a couple of weeks and i was peeling like a snake. Great big waxy flappers everywhere.

M - Met up with Grubes. The hunt was on for dry rock and ended up at Desplo. 5 warm up, 6a+ wet route 2nd warm up. Had to retrest to a hole and stick my head in it to get a rest before topping out. 7a done 2nd go. Could/should have got it 1st go as it was a retro flash but the top 1/4 really scared me last time ( slabby moves so close to a bolt but no way to clip it until you've done about 4 moves past it )and i bottled it. Wobbled my way up it 2nd go. Skin peeling off in chunks so decided to just do some top roping on the same route to try and practice what i'd been told by Nik Jennings the other week. Good fun.

T - Supposed to be out with Grubes, no chance pissing down

W - May have been out with Grubes but wife needed to work. Pissing it down anwyay.

Should have done more on T&W but was a bit de motivated as i knew my wife was going away on Thurs and i was going to be stuck in the house for 10 days with the kids.

T - BM intermediate work out with lock offs. 2 sets. All completed.175 core. 30 min run. Finger tweak from Blanca seems to have healed.

F - same but moved onto bottom rung for front 2 now again. I can't complete the lock offs on front 2 though. Felt good and all completed.
+

S - No rain :0) Got out on my board for 2 sets of 60s on 20sec off. 1st on pinch and 2nd on rungs. Failed in 4th set on both still. 30 min run and 15k walk with kids.

S - Raining again. 1 set of BM intermediate. Still feels easyier than ever. 175 core. Pinching wood block then i ran out of motivation to do more on FB.

Next week is all about being at home with no car ( in garage ) and no dry rock.

Going to look at upping the FB to concentrate on front 2, back 3 and maybe some 1 handed stuff ( crikey ). Need to be able to 1 arm lock off as well just for my own self esteem.

Need to get on my board more and get less fat. 14.1% today and that is the lowest of the week. Oops ! Running is very hard to get round to doing when it's pissing it down and freezing. Need to man up.

So next weeks targets:

Body fat: 13.5% average
Run 30 mins 5 times
Board - 4x. 2 sets of 60s on 20 s off. going to do both sets the same not change from pinch to rungs.
FB - start ( gently ) to look at 1 handed and more intense fingerboard work.
Core - 175 x 4 but adding 40 moves of more intense exercises.
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

He really was close on MM. Going for the jug that finishes the pumpy steep section, before the technical slab stuff he loves, he whacked his elbow and came off. That would have been his best go energy wise and he was cruising. After that he ran out of steam.

Gutted !

You can't control the weather.

Get on the grit, crush and look forward to Xmas. There won't be any rain left in Spain by then.
 pebbles 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: monday. 2 hrs bouldering at harrogate. got two new blue problems ticked - two more to go.
tuesday . good wall session. warm ups on easy boulder problems then got on the main overhang, 5+, 2x 6a, 3x 6a+, 1x6b. first time I'v attempted a 6b on the big overhang, so I'm very happy.
wednesday: started couch to 5k running sessions - thanks for the inspiration from oddtoast. Core strength session.
thursday: bouldering at red goat - got up the first of the white routes I'v managed from this lot of problems. After supposedly beasting myself doing laps, so I guess the lesson is I wasnt as beasted as I thought!
friday. another couch to 5k session, plus antagonistic weights.
saturday: afternoon at scugdale soloing with friends. got all the way up Tippling Wall, which I'v previously backed off, and this time found it straightforward. Must be getting stronger, or less of a scaredy cat. Or maybe it was just the huge pile of mats ;-D.
sunday - relaxed day showing a friend round one of my local crags, so mostly seconded after pointing them at routes. Probably not a bad thing, as my shoulders were aching after saturday
goals for next week:
stick to couch to 5k plan
get back on more steep stuff.
try to get at least one more of those pesky blue problems at harrogate ;-D
 seankenny 11 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:

Don't worry Grubes, this happens a lot. If it makes you feel better, I've done two successive trips to the Verdon that were pretty much washed out, and when I arrived in Yosemite this year after dreaming about it for years, it was over 30C and way too hot to climb. It sucks!

Or as some 70s German alpinist said:
"Go to Patagonia? I might just as well sit in a fridge and burn 100 Deutschmark notes."

I think Si's idea of building up to hard routes over the course of a trip is a very good one. Always takes me ages to get into the swing of things at a new venue.
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to mrchewy:

It's amazing when someone/something new comes alomg and gives you a knowledge boost like that.

I always thought i was good with my feet. Turns out i know where to put them but i am very passive with them. I never/rarely bear down with them and really work a foothold to take as much weight off my arms as i can. i tried it on a top rope this week and the route felt toally different. A bit too different actually to start with but i'll get there.

Great to see the V3 wasn't a fluke, nice one.
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to JimmyKay:
> (In reply to JimmyKay)
>
> Just noticed your weight. Should be OK, but it'll feel hard. It's easy for us 10stone feathers!

I've just converted my weight from kgs to lbs. Turns out i should be pulling a lot harder and need to be less fat.

I never knew 65kgs was so near 10 stone. I think i actually need to put a bit on (muscle ) and lose the gut.
 biscuit 11 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

What did you get and what are you going to do ?

Worst thing i ever did was getting rid of mine '0(

Very excited for you.
 AJM 11 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

Transit, medium roof mwb. White, obviously!

It's going to have the usual - windows, insulation, fridge, bed, stove, all that sort of stuff. Everything it needs to survive a European climbing extravaganza
 mattrm 11 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Continuous - Shoulder / knee rehab / ankle strengthening
1 - Lose 1/2 stone (lost a few lbs)
2 - Improve finger strength (no progress)
3 - Improve footwork (footwork session done)
STG - Consolidate VS (2nds DONE | 7/10 leads), 12st 2lbs, 6a onsight.
MTG - Lead HVS, 12st
LTG - Lead E1, 11st 12lbs
VLTG - Lead E2, maintain weight - 11st 10lbs
Aspirational - Climb E5/6, Scottish Winter VI, WI5, Redpoint 8a, stay injury free & maintain 11st 7lbs

Weight - 12st 4lbs (lost 3 lbs)

M - Rest
T - Core work out
W - 1 hour bouldering session
T - 3k run
F - Rest
S - DIY
S - Visited Gran

Lost a few lbs this week, so back on the diet train. Got out down the bouldering wall. Got a short run in. Did a bit of stretching. Put down some laminate flooring on Sat, it's harder than it looks, but it's gone down ok. Visited Gran at the hospice today.
 mrchewy 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit: I remember when you said a couple of weeks ago about being proactive with your feet - it resonated with me as I'd been told this before. I really try to place my feet neatly but then almost instantly forget about them, which of course makes for weak body tension too.

Cheers re V3 - the boulder room gets reset every five weeks from now during winter, so hoping I can still manage to get one each time. Need to get solid on V2 but pretty sure the footwork stuff will help.
 mrchewy 12 Nov 2012
In reply to maria85: Thanks Maria. Looks like you had a great session on grit. Glad to see the move went well too, always nice t get settled in.

There's some great singletrack round Grizdale - I did an adventure race there last March on my 15 year old Trek frame, everyone kept commenting how retro it was but it did the business and was a hell of a lot lighter than all the full sussers.

Use that psyche!
 Nomics4sale 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

Thanks Dan, morning all.

STG: 7b at a wall, V6 at boulderUK, outdoor boulder goal TBC, work a 7b outdoors.
MTG (March 2013): RP 7b in Spain
LTG (Summer 2013): more E1s and look at E2

Mon: boulderUK, ticked 4 x V5 and had 2 halfhearted goes on a not too desperate V6. If I'm going to tick it I think I'll have to work on it for more than 2 goes!
Tues: 5 mile night trail run on Beacon Fell with the Bowland runners.
Weds: Malham. Baltic. Toproped Consenting and then clipsticked up Free and Even Easier at which point my mate decided she wanted to go home and needed her rope back so I then dogged up it again to strip it. Then me and my other mate finished with 4 top ropes up Consenting without a break. Boxed by the end!
Thurs: 7.5 mile night trail run up Whernside with the Bowland fell runners
Fri: Kendal wall, warmed up on routes up to 6b then toproped a 7b 3 times. Couldn't do the crux move. It's a bit reachy but I think I'm lacking in lock off strength.
Sat: 3 mile local flat walk with aged parents
Sun: Giggs South. Onsight up to 6b to warm up then clipsticked up Silent Laughter, 7b. Had one go on toprope but couldn't do the crux move or a move below it.

Hmm... So I've been getting on 7bs but they're not really going very well. Both the indoor and outdoor 7bs have a similar crux move which involves a high right foot and locking off with my left hand on a fairly rubbish hold. I can't hold the position to move my right hand to the next hold. Might practise lock off moves on easier routes.

And I got a big burn in my arms from the laps on Consenting on Weds which still hasn't subsided fully. My other excuse for 7b failure is I think that's making me weaker than usual. I had planned to go to boulderuk toinight but I might rest instead. Dunno.

 Nomics4sale 12 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:

Hey what a bollox trip for weather, but looking on the bright side you did have some goodish days out and got on some hard routes. I'm sure your usual high pysche will come back in a few days... As Si_dH says, bring on the grit!
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

Thanks biscuit, that makes a lot of sense.
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

It's great you've got that plan and i don't know your personal set up but i've always found periodised, detailed, plans to be a weight around my neck.

If my plan says i had to do 4 sessions in a week and i only got 3 done what do you do ? Repeat the week ? Try and squeeze an extra one in the week after ?

What if that happens for a couple of weeks ? Do you extend your period, thus bumping everything else out of sync too ? Or carry on knowing you're not where you should be and so that will carry through the other periods making them less efficient too ?

I ended up getting too stressed by it.

Anyway that's not meant to be a don't do it. It's the best way to get the quickest improvements but just be aware of its pitfalls so you don't end up like a grumpy stresshead like i did. If you can think now what you're going to do if you miss sessions it'll put you in a better position to deal with it when life gets in the way.

I agree with Jimmy btw that if you stick with that you'll blow those targets out of the water.

Go for it.
 pebbles 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Nomics4sale: "And I got a big burn in my arms from the laps on Consenting on Weds which still hasn't subsided fully"

you watch yourself missus, dont get an overtraining injury or you'll end up setting yourself back. If it still hurts after three days maybe you should rest it a bit to give it a bit of a chance to recover?
 mrchewy 12 Nov 2012
In reply to pebbles: Nice work on the overhanging 6b - I've a similar goal this month.
 Nomics4sale 12 Nov 2012
In reply to pebbles:

Yeah I think I will rest. My fingers are a bit swollen and painful too and I'm sure a day off will help with that.

Sounds like you had a good afternoon on Saturday. I should have bit the bullet and driven over. Oh well. And good going on your steep 6b. It's all good progress innit.
 Rollo 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

M- 2hr MTB Home
Bouldering, Biscuit. up to V3 comp wall. 6b+ circuit, up to 1.5 laps
T- Bouldering, Biscuit. up to V3 comp wall. 6b+ circuit, up to 1.5 laps
Jog home
W- Ill
T- Ill
F- Ill
S- Resting
S- Bolt clipping, Winspit, West Quarry. Onsight up to 6a+, so close to the 6b onsight; fell bottling final moves on Any Old Time. Lead up 2nd go.
Run from Wispit Quarry to carpark and back!
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

Thanks very much for the feedback.

My climbing situation is that I have a great wall and some good crags / bouldering venues close to my house, but my climbing time is limited by work / family life so is usually in short bursts, (not usually more than 2hrs at a time, three or sometimes four times a week.) The cardio work I do is during commutes to and from work.

I've got a bit of a background in using periodised, detailed plans for cyle sportives / mountain bike enduros and long trail / fell running events, so I'm happy with the approach for me.

Personally I accept that the plan is the ideal and if I miss a session I don't try to make it up, it's just gone. If that happens for a number of weeks I just ensure it's not the same session I'm missing out on each time.

The training in my power and power endurance blocks will be stepped - slowly increasing over week one and two to what is detailed in the plan above being the 'max' training week, then an easier week before repeating each week at a slightly higher intensity.

I've put mental training strategies and target weights / diet strategies against the climbing training in my plan, I didn't put them here as people really would loose the will to live reading it! However I try to view it more holistically than it appears from just displaying the physical aspects as above.

The real question for me is if the above plan will get me to V 6 - V 7 so I can transfer this to my route climbing. I have improved my route climbing through the last year but really I think that this has been through closing the gap between what I can boulder and what I can do on a route; the 7a I redpointed and the E5 6b I headpointed, (both relatively quickly,) probably both had V3/4 cruxes on them, but I struggle to boulder V5 outside. I think the 'foot on' campusing combined with my sessions on the woody at Kendal should really help with this, so thanks for the pointer. Any more observations would be welcome.
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit, Eagle River, Si dH, grubes and any other 5.10 pad owners or users out there:

Thought this video might be of interest:

http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/

We have clearly missed the true calling of the 5.10 pad - its not just for downgrading routes, it works for boulder problems too!
 oddtoast 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:
No climbing this week for me, just two couch to 5k runs. Am enjoying them, though it's cold in the evenings and has taken a few attempts to work out what to wear. My dad gave me a hi-vis vest though which looks suitably daft on top

Aims for this week, do the x3 Week Two runs plus a bouldering session.

Nice work on the 6b overhang pebbles Glad you had a good weekend out, I will get to Scugdale eventually! Am aiming for red goat on thursday.
 pebbles 12 Nov 2012
In reply to oddtoast: I'm finding the key to not getting bored on runs is to take an mp3 player (like everyone has been telling me like, forever)
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

I wasn't trying to put you off so i'm glad you didn't think that.

Sounds like you've the organisational skills to make it work ( and you're not too OCD about missing a session here and there ) much healthier approach than me.If a session was on my timetable and i didn't do it that is what would stand out at the end of the week. Not the 3 or 4 other sessions i may have done just the fact that i had FAILED to do that one.

My issue obviously, not yours ;0)

Short bursts of 2 hrs 4x a week would be awesome.

You'll crack it for sure.

Most of the 7a's i've done tend to have V2 ish cruxes, if not V1 ( Eng tech 5c/6a). I've come across one with a V3 that was noted as being very cruxy.However when i was stronger but less fit ( i've not done any strength training/bouldering to speak of for over a year ) i could climb to the same level as the moves felt easier. Just my 2p.
 mattrm 12 Nov 2012
In reply to oddtoast:

oddtoast - Remember the saying 'Be bold, go out cold'. Or basically, dress as if it were 5 degrees warmer. So if it's around 10 degrees, dress for 15 degrees. You can get away with shorts most of the time, as your legs are moving and generating heat. But a long sleeve t-shirt and some thin gloves are often useful over the winter. I find that a long sleeve and short sleeve t-shirt combo is often better than a t-shirt and jacket combo.

AJM - loving those knee pads.
 Eagle River 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Nomics4sale:

Silent Laughter is hard for 7b I thought. The crux is really Sequency and has some really small holds.

 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

They may have just felt like that then - the 7a got an E4 6b grade before being bolted, is relatively short, (five bolts?) and is on Cumbrian limestone which I've been led to believe is toughly graded, if any of that helps explain anything!

From what you're saying then V4 probably have the power for 7a+/7b then? I'd always assumed it would need to be at least V5, my V7 target wast to give me a bit in hand and to build for the future.
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

My point at the end was to say that having a bit in hand is a massive help without a doubt so i don't think you need change anything.Strength takes longer to build up than fitness so get strong and then get fit.

What was the route ? Can't think of a 7a that short at Chapel Head Scar but yes they do have a certain reputation in Cumbria.

And of course normally shorter route = harder moves. A route i was trying the other week had the hardest moves i have ever done on rock, bouldering or roped. No idea how hard it was, just hard. It was a 5 bolt 7c+. However there's a 7c+/8a at my local crag that is 32 metres long and only has a V4 crux. I can do all the moves in isolation but have no chance of putting it all together - yet.

The joys of climbing.
 Nomics4sale 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Eagle River:

Glad you said that, I thought it was desperate! And a bit run out... Might see if I can find another 7b.
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

Thin end of the wedge. Things will be getting regraded all over the place.It's going to turn climbing on it's head and it will never be the same again.

Maybe Shark wasn't wrong to question Mina's 8b+ ;0)

I love how he says it's still the same bit of rock as everyone else climbed.
 grubes 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:
> (In reply to AJM)
> Maybe Shark wasn't wrong to question Mina's 8b+ ;0)

... don't start that again ..

 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

> Thin end of the wedge. Things will be getting regraded all over the place.It's going to turn climbing on it's head and it will never be the same again.

It does sometimes feel that way doesn't it

> I love how he says it's still the same bit of rock as everyone else climbed.

Well, a classic line is still a classic line even if you climbed it with more points of contact than anyone else
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

There's how hard you need to pull to do the crux and there's how hard you need to pull to be able to do the crux and the climbing around it, and the difference between the two depends on your recovery/endurance/etc too, so there's probably not a general answer. A V4 on a 7a should mean it's pretty cruxy though.

Your V7 goal - bear in mind that Weedkiller at the Tor is down as 7c+ in some places and V7 or occasionally V8 in others, for a 15-move or whatever power stamina problem.
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

Check Doylo's blog out:

http://doylosblog.blogspot.com.es/

V Funny.

It seems he is bringing a different technique to the cave more than anything.BUT he is downgrading the problems ( or saying they are easier his way/with kneepad which is different that downgrading the original).

My vote goes for a dual grading system +P and -P for with pad and without pad.
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

From past readings of Doylos blog he isn't the first person to bring pads into the cave and use them to good effect. Different grades for different sequences (which is a big part of the pad thing, obviously some of it is equipment too but we dont give people a higher grade for using rubbish shoes or not using cams or whatever) sounds like a can of worms to me.

Anyway, regardless of the grade debates I just thought it was a cool couple of bits of knee work that folks might find interesting.
 Solsbury 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Hi, I am limping back to fit club (figurateively only though) have shied away since Kalymonos which, climbing wise, felt like a disaster.
A year ago i went to Brean with my mate Tom, knew I had cancer and waiting for the op, climbed sweet FA, last wednesday went back to Brean with Tom once more and climbed my first ever 7a!! Hooeffingray.
For the past six weeks I have been climbing like a fool and then giving up-last Wednesday I was leading the 6b+ as a warm up and putting the clips in- was going up and down to the crux without committing and was mentaly getting ready to bail-some vague thought came in that i was doing this because I wanted to and had chosen to and I then climbed straight through clean and clipped the chains.
Feeling marginally happier I started up Chepito (Tom put the clips in)this optimism changed at the first hard pulls where I became convinced that I had not chalked up-time to bail -I did manage to breath, keep moving and pay close attention to my feet, the next thing I knew i was standing at the hidden pocket with only really one move to go and all the time in the world! I had not redpointed this route to death-about third RP attempt and first attempt of the day, felt great and that feeling has stayed with me.
Although i had not really seriously thought baout giving up climbing post kalymnos and did wonder whether I was deluding myself about improving much-not anymore baby.
One of the things i love about climbing is the mental side-all my best battles are with myself when I am honest-I think I had underestimated the pressure of the cancer and of trying to carve out some work for myself and how that has impacted on me but one thing I have learnt is it is always worth hanging on that extra day or week before making a major change like giving up climbing, just like it always worth going for that next hold, I never know, I might just hang it.

Bit of rant but...anyway I have been pootling along-swimming, bit of fingerboard bit of wall-i am going to sketch out a more detailed plan for the winter this week-inital focus on strengh, no routed, lots of bouldering and just grab the odd day when it comes along. Fit club has helped me stay focussed and I will continue to post, next week shorter though.

thanks to all

Rich

STG (April)-repeat/red-point 6c (tick) lead HVS Tick
MTG (October) red-point 7a, TICK lead E2 Fail (would love to do Ahimsa but not sure how realistic that is)
7A 1/1, 6c+ 0/2, 6c 6/4, 6b+ 8/8
E3 0/1, E2 0/2, E1 0/4, HVS 1/8
LTG (April 2013) On-sight 7a, lead E4(????!!!!)
 mrchewy 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Solsbury: Top work on the 7a, it really is and as you said - the biggest battles are in our heads.

Kelvin
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Solsbury:

Nice one on Chepito Richard - sounds like a proper mental turnaround too!
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

I am hoping Doylo's blog was very tongue in cheek.

Barrows has obviously got something other than lank going for him ( and knee pads )if he can go into that cave and come up with new beta that makes things easier.

Agree it's a cool vid.
 Si dH 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:
> (In reply to biscuit, Eagle River, Si dH, grubes and any other 5.10 pad owners or users out there)
>
> Thought this video might be of interest:
>
> http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/
>
> We have clearly missed the true calling of the 5.10 pad - its not just for downgrading routes, it works for boulder problems too!

I did a boulder problem that used a knee bar only yesterday...although I did use just my trousers.
The problem is, if the knee bar bouldering is just training for knee bars on routes, wouldnt you be better without the pads so it feels harder when training? Then youd get a pleasant surprise when you put them back on for the routes
 Si dH 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Solsbury:
Nice one Rich, thats a huge improvement in only a couple of weeks!

Keep the psyche going.
Si
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

Wont that just engrain the same bad habits as climbing in rubbish shoes with holes in - you learn you can't really trust them as well as you actually can, and in some cases teach yourself that marginal knees don't work since some only work with a pad...
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Solsbury:

Welcome back and congratulations
 Si dH 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:
I guess it depends whether youre going out looming for onee bars or not - youd be more likely to miss them maybe without the pad, but if you are already fairly good at spotting and using them then you might get better physical training for using them by not using the pad?
Im a complete novice, just making shit up...
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

Pain tolerance training for sure

I guess my worry would be that really poor knee bars (the ones which just help do a move rather than being at all restful) are just not useable without a pad, so if you don't train with the pad on you won't be able to really find out what it can do. I'm sure I saw Alex make some comment on ukb about there being a few moves which involve a knee which he just can't do without a pad on. given that all it really is is sticky rubber, I reckon the comparison with rock shoes is quite relevant - I climb hard problems in stickies rather than doing easy problems in trainers in order to make things feel easy out on the rock.
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

It was Idle Times at Scout Scar, now waiit for many 'That's never V3/4' posts!
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

Yeah, I realise that a crux may feel a lot harder than it actually is due to the climbing needed to get there. If you're saying the V7 goal is relatively ambitious then you may well be right, I haven't got a great deal of experience of training to improve power hence me asking for opinions.

Thanks for your help.
 Si dH 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:
Just read your and Andy's posts. I dont think that aiming for v7 bouldering is over-ambitious, I know people who have bouldered v7 but havent led a f7a. Dont expect it to immediately translate to harder sport leading though. It will be good to have that strength especially for low cruxes, but to build the endurance to be able to oull hard moves (even 2-3 grades below your bouldering limit) high up, you will need to climb lots of routes or substitute with so.e other training.
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile:

Sorry, i was typing in a bit of a rush so apologies if it didn't come across quite right.

It wasn't so much to highlight that the crux would feel harder once you've climbed up to it, that's fairly obvious, but just to say that the boulder headroom you need varies dramatically between people. For example I've been trying an 8a which reputedly has a V6 crux, and I'm very confident I've not climbed any harder than V6 yet because it's harder than any route cruxes I've done before and I've not really done any outdoor bouldering. The V7 I tried last week is power stamina, so the moves (based on the ones I've done and from watching the 2 I haven't) are no harder than on the 8a and the crux of the 8a has fewer moves. Based on what he said earlier this year Si probably wouldn't disagree that he probably operates (or operated) with a bit more headroom between his max route crux grade and his max boulder grade than me. That's more what I was getting at, that the headroom you need to pull off V4 on a route varies between people and so you're probably the best judge of how hard you need to be doing above a pad to be able to pull off the route cruxes you desire.

I wasn't implying it was over ambitious at all, more just to highlight how much headroom you will have for low-7s sport climbing you will have if you can boulder V7 (in a similar style, obviously!).
 Si dH 12 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:
Indeed.
+ I think a lot of it comes down to what you do more of, sport or bouldering.
 mrchewy 12 Nov 2012
Reading all this with interest as the science behind it all is all still a bit vague to me but slowly coming to the conclusion that boulder 4x4s are my own way of progressing through the sports grades, well, and trad for that matter.
 AJM 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

> I think a lot of it comes down to what you do more of, sport or bouldering.

Definitely! If you're a sport climber who does bouldering in order to boost their sport grade rather than necessarily as an addiction in itself, like me, then improvements to your bouldering grade have a pretty big and fairly immediate impact on your route performance. Someone like you who does a lot more bouldering and hence is a bit more balanced in terms of time spent on each will get some impact but perhaps a bit less. And at the far end of the spectrum where you have out folk like your "V7 but not French 7a" friend who probably sees next to no difference in their sport grade from pushing their bouldering further because it's just not what's holding them back.
 Alex@home 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath:

cheers dan. second weigh in this weekend gave some very peculiar results. apparently my weight went up 3 lbs but my body fat went from 11.9 to 11.3. i suspect a lot of it was to do with time of day as last week i weighed myself first thing and this week was in the evening. i'll give it a few weeks and see where it levels off to.
anyway, i can believe that i put on 3lbs as last week was rubbish. ill babies do not make good training partners!
i did manage:

sun - 6 mile trail run with about 500ft ascent

mon - nothing

tue - routes at stockport. first time i'd put a harness on for over 2 months. surprised to find 6bs on tall wall feeling easy (maybe they just were?) so tried a7a+ on the slightly shorter wall on r and was even more surprised to do 3/4 of it onsight. then managed a steep 6b+ and almost another one and a few other bits and pieces.

rest of week - nothing apart from fri - 6 mile trail run with about 850ft ascent

spent most of rest of time clearing up baby sick and not sleeping so no core/weights session

new stg for this week is to recover from the lack of sleep and try to get a reasonable amount of exercise in.

question for those out there who regularly climb 7a/V5/E3 or more - do you have young children? if so how do you manage to fit in enough climbing to sustain your level?
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH & AGM:

Thanks both for your imput, all good stuff.
 Exile 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Alex@home:

I've got a 5yr old and 8yr old. I climb in short bursts three or four times a week; (usually a Tuesday evening outside / at the wall depending on time of year, one or two 1hr bouldering sessions outside, either traversing or prblems, during the week and then Sunday morning 7 - 10ish am, bouldering or routes. I make these count by maximising my time on the rock and by generally finishing knackered.

With a baby it's a lot harder though, I went through a cycling and fell runnin phase when ours were younger as the training was easier to fit in, (mostly commutes to work.)
 biscuit 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Alex@home:

> question for those out there who regularly climb 7a/V5/E3 or more - do you have young children? if so how do you manage to fit in enough climbing to sustain your level?

I used to think i couldn't and floundered around being generally unsatisfied with my climbing and couldn't see a way out. I then started bouldering as it could be a quick fix and i could do it on my own when i had the time.

Eventually i realised it was really important to me to feel as if i was doing well ( for me ) with my climbing and i had a chat with Mrs Biscuit about what we could do. A bit of re-jigging, and it wasn't necessarily that my wife was more understanding or let me out more, but i just didn't feel guilty at being out. Previously I was always thinking what the time was and when i needed to be back or what i needed to do when i got back. I never had an empty head to climb.I always felt that being away from the family was a bit naughty andmade me a bad dad. I reckon i'm a better dad because i am happier in myself and can give more of myself to the family when i am with them.

However it comes down to how much you want it and what you are prepared to do. Some people get up 1hr before anyone else and train, go to bed early, don't drink as much etc.so when they get out they're in top form. Others put a lot of quality time in during the week ( with the family ) so they can get out at the weekend.

Getting organised really did it for me. Sitting down with my wife at the start of the week and seeing the opportunities to get out.

I then moved my family to Southern Spain - that helps ;0)

Actually it's nearly as difficult to get out here. I still work ( but not as much ), still have 2 kids and my wife still works ( but not as much )and we've less money. However when i do have free time the sun will generally be out somewhere nearby ( but not this last month ) and the rock will be quality. I've probably a couple of thousand routes within 2 hrs drive and that all makes things easier.

Long post, but in a nutshell if you want it enough you'll find a way. Being organised takes some of the fun outof it i guess but you'll reap the rewards.

 Solsbury 12 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:
> (In reply to Richard Popp)
> Nice one Rich, thats a huge improvement in only a couple of weeks!
>
> Keep the psyche going.
> Si

Unfortunately not so much a sign of improvement (though it is a big achievement for me) as much as a sign of how badly I was climbing a couple of weeks ago.

Cheers though,

Rich
 Ali 13 Nov 2012
In reply to Daniel Heath: Another bad week exercise/eating wise - I know, I know, I need to get it sorted...

Mon-Tues - in Stockholm as per last week's post.
Wed - Biscuit Factory - for the first time since coming back from Spain not aching or feeling particularly injured prior to session! Week and a half off must have done some good. Wrist still felt dodgy but taped it and could pull on pretty much everything I wanted to. Mainly tried blues and greens and a few problems on the comp wall.
Thurs - nothing - learnt how to make pasta (yum).
Fri - Quick gym session - 10mins cross trainer, 5 mins row, free weights (shoulders, chest press, triceps, biceps) and some core. Went out drinking
Sat - Nothing (caught up on household chores and friend's birthday)
Sunday - After much debate of Portland vs Swanage ended up at Dancing Ledge where it was sunny and very hot! Frustratingly spent a lot more time belaying than climbing so didn't get a huge amount done. Warmed up on a 6a+ with a nails (6c/7a?) move if you're arms aren't long enough, and a 6a. Then at end of day managed onsights of a 6b+ and as light was failing jumped on a 7a (Mr Choo choo?) which had a top rope on it. Onsighted this with one rest at the crux, felt fine so one to come back for I guess at some point.

Feeling pretty much exhausted as have been out every night since getting back from Sweden and am out every night this week - none of them climbing! Also my car failed its MOT yesterday (great birthday present!) and costs too much to fix so am getting rid, meaning I may be car-less for a while! Or at least have to sacrifice some climbing time to find a new one.
 AJM 13 Nov 2012
In reply to Ali:
> Also my car failed its MOT yesterday (great birthday present!) and costs too much to fix so am getting rid, meaning I may be car-less for a while!

Bad luck Ali...
 Alex@home 13 Nov 2012
In reply to Exile and Bisciut:

thanks for the ideas. think i was coming to similar conclusions about prioritising and maximising time available. it's good to hear that others manage to achieve a lot in a little time. i've always been reasonably fit but turning 40 and having 2nd child have made me more determined to not lose the fitness i have (or at least not lose any more). this led to wanting to structure things better and then i found fit club as a way to motivate me to actually do these things.

it may end up that i'm being over optimistic to try to achieve all of the goals i have set for the next year or so given that we have a 4.5 month old baby and a 4.5 year old are both very demanding but in very different ways - but then if you aim low...

one other thing i'm realising is the importance of getting nutrition right. not just in terms of what you eat and how much, but also in terms of when. eating soon after training really does make a huge difference to recovery times and getting energy levels back up again sooner. and keeping energy levels high is crucial both for looking after young children and for being able to fit a worthwhile session into a short time
 biscuit 13 Nov 2012
In reply to Alex@home:

I've found when i time my eating better i feel miles better, tend to eat less crap and lose flab. It's certainly important.
 Ian Bell 13 Nov 2012
For me

T - WW for some bouldering. Did a number of V3 ish. Tried working a few harder ones, mostly steeper stuff.
S & S - Castle bouldering. Worked on a few V3 but only managed to do them on the slabs. Did at least try the steeper ones though. Did some weights in the castle gym which was good.

Overall OK week, very busy at work at present. Hopefully more bouldering this week. Strength is coming back, will just take a while.

More of the same (although hopefully with more effort) this week. May start doing some more fingerboarding.
 Exile 13 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

Likewise
 UKB Shark 13 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:
> (In reply to biscuit)
>
> but we dont give people a higher grade for using rubbish shoes or not using cams or whatever) sounds like a can of worms to me.
>


Talk to Joe Brown. He can get irate on the subject of how cams have taken the challenge out of crack climbing.

Various innovations over the years have changed the character and difficulty of routes and problems.

Kneepads are just a new slant on old story.

You have to grade or re-grade things for the easiest way or have route/problem specific rules.
 biscuit 13 Nov 2012
In reply to shark:

I can seriously see why you made the ( badly timed ) comments that you did about Mecca. Having used a pad now they really do make a difference, and that's the important point. They change how hard the route feels. However the comments were only badly timed because the comment came on the back of the " a woman has climbed it therefore it must need downgrading " debacle. I am sure your comment wasn't about the gender of the climber just whether a pad makes it easier. If lcimber X ( who is male ) had climbed it and you'd said that i think there wouldn't have been the backlash.

I'm not at that level or particularly wanting ( or justified ) to make a call on it but the one route i've used one on it made the route easier - though i still didn't do it ;0)

As rubber shoes, cams, off set nuts, RP's etc etc etc haven't changed grades i guess these won't either. Just the first time in my climbing career this sort of thing has happened.













I am still getting one for Xmas though :0)
 Si dH 13 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:
I heard those rubber jamming gloves you can buy make The File HS.
 biscuit 13 Nov 2012
In reply to Si dH:

I'm considering going for a all over body rubber suit and becoming an off width specialist.

And yes i would claim the original grades AND when recollecting my stories down the pub i'd forget to mention i was rubber covered.

I have no morals, as you can tell by the fact i am considering wearing an all over rubber body suit.
 biscuit 13 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

On a total aside, last night and tonight i've been watching ITV 4 ( i think for the 1st time ever ) showing the Sports Life series. Ronnie O'Sullivan last night and Dame Kelly Holmes tonight. Wow ! What a proper insight into what was going on behind the scenes and how these top people operate mentally. Nothing physical ( training wise ) mentioned so far in the Kelly Holmes interview. It's all about the battles in her head and how she dealt with her injuries.

Brilliant programs.
 AJM 13 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit:

> I'm considering going for a full body rubber gimp suit and becoming a fetish specialist

> I have no morals, as you can tell by the fact i am considering wearing an all over rubber body suit.

Clearly!


 biscuit 13 Nov 2012
In reply to AJM:

But think of the grades !
 UKB Shark 14 Nov 2012
In reply to biscuit: Mina's a wad. Doing Mecca was awesome although it is outweighed by her bouldering achievements IMO. I'm sure she could do Make it Funky.

The most eye-catching thing for me with the report was the photo of her with the kneepad wedged in the groove which coincided with me chatting through with Steve Mac earlier in the week on what diffrence the pad makes. She was only doing what most people had been doing on the route for the last 12 months but it highlighted the issue for me.

There is no doubt that a pad makes it easier but whether it knocks it down to 8b was what I wanted to know. No one online seemed to think so and only two people I know think it might be so I reckon the 8b+ consensus grade is safe. Grades aside, far too many people have done it with a kneebar for it to be called cheating, except in the privacy of their own homes.

Re your comment: "As rubber shoes, cams, off set nuts, RP's etc etc etc haven't changed grades i guess these won't either" Not so certain about that. Although I havent got a specific example I'm sure grades of certain routes/problems will have changed but not been noticed as the process of a consensus and time between guidebooks takes time.

Also because a grade has a top end and a bottom end and a fuzzy area in between which all means that just because something is made easier by a kneepad doesnt mean it is demoted to a lower grade.

Good luck getting a kneepad. They're all sold out - I've tried !

 grubes 14 Nov 2012
In reply to shark:
> (In reply to biscuit)
> Good luck getting a kneepad. They're all sold out - I've tried !

It's okay they had some in the shop in el chorro when I was there last week he will be okay

But if you want to buy one at an inflated price ... I know one that has only been used once on one problem at an indoor wall that could be sold ...
 UKB Shark 14 Nov 2012
In reply to grubes:


£40 and pick up at Sheffield Wall or moral high ground of your choice
 grubes 14 Nov 2012
In reply to shark: will pm you on other channel
 biscuit 14 Nov 2012
In reply to shark:
> (In reply to biscuit) Mina's a wad. Doing Mecca was awesome although it is outweighed by her bouldering achievements IMO. I'm sure she could do Make it Funky.
>
t it highlighted the issue for me.
>
That's what i was getting at with the 'bad timing' comment. It is an issue but you got ( hilariously ) jumped all over for saying it at an unfortunate time.

> Re your comment: "As rubber shoes, cams, off set nuts, RP's etc etc etc haven't changed grades i guess these won't either" Not so certain about that. Although I havent got a specific example I'm sure grades of certain routes/problems will have changed but not been noticed as the process of a consensus and time between guidebooks takes time.
>
> Also because a grade has a top end and a bottom end and a fuzzy area in between which all means that just because something is made easier by a kneepad doesnt mean it is demoted to a lower grade.

But surely adjectival grades have changed ? Easier to place gear, more gear and cams and so on but your idea of consensus and guidebook lag is probably true.
>
> Good luck getting a kneepad. They're all sold out - I've tried !

But it's on my Xmas list and i've been a good boy so i am sure Santa will come up trumps - or i'd better get back to El Chorro and buy one quick.

Cheers for the heads up Grubes.
Got on rock. And trying a few new things at the gym. Need to practice crimps.

M: Wall: Lead routes in tower. Technical.
T: 5mile run
W: Howling day at High Neb. Absolutely freezing and had to drop my leading grade, but glad of the experience of conditions.
Th: -
F: Bouldering. Wall still busy. Working V2s and V3s. And a really cool new V4.
S: -
S: Fun day away at Reading Wall. Working leads on big overhangs.

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