UKC

Hi All.

Unfortunately, the EU has granted no extensions for UKC members this week (although flextensions may be permitted if part of a structured prehab programme). Training means Training. So what have you got to report?!

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.

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

Last week’s thread can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_629-702956

Posters:

AJM: That's an interesting idea about using more 'palatable' excuses to mask less palatable reasons for failure (or incomplete success!). I guess we all recognise ourselves doing it on the obvious level, but I guess it can easily go unrecognised on the more subtle levels. Nice work applying this to your trad climbing... Sounds like you've identified some key areas that should have good, measurable training outcomes.

Tom Green: Counting last week as deload (ignoring the hugely unhealthy food and drink intake). However, there is no excuse not to prehab -even on the worst of weeks... put your TheraBand and little dumbbell in the car and stop shirking.

Somerset Swede Basher: Did you manage to stay away from the Tor this week?! Great dedication -Girl Band must be an addictive problem?! (I'm not that well informed on limestone bouldering!) Sounds like digging trees is the new deadlift -the perfect compound exercise? 

biscuit: Aw, gutted that cons didn't play ball for you with the Haute Route. Next spring? It sounds like you got some good ski mileage in though. Powder is pretty annoying! How can it look so easy but feel so hard? Although (bad workman alert!) I think having fat skis makes it much easier (I'm guessing you were on touring skis with a middling underfoot width?!) So, what are those new goals?

Alan Little: I feel your pain regarding colours of adjacent routes at the wall! I'm properly colour-blind and now I've started doing more indoors it is fast becoming my biggest pet hate! Nice work with the pistol squats -sounds like some real progress. Think it's safe to say the ante is well and truly 'upped', based on last week's sessions. Are you keeping up with the prehab to make sure it doesn't backfire on the elbows, etc?

guy127917: 5-aside is probably awesome training! It would definitely be in TFTNA -except most alpinists are alpinists because they suck at organised sport! It's probably the equivalent to hill sprints or tyre drags -explosive power movements. Sounds like a nice day in the Wye Valley. What weekend warrioring happened this week?

SFrancis: A nice well-rounded week -ticked all the exercise boxes! How does the Z1 feel compared to your 'normal' running? What did your lattice assessment tell you this week?

Ardo: Yes! Desperation Crack looks aw-ful/esome (delete as appropriate)! Good work clocking up the trad miles -what was your highlight from Crookrise? Hit us with those STG and MTGs...

Powerpuff: High five for the V6! I know we should all be too spiritual to care, but smashing in to a target grade is pretty satisfying! How long have you been doing open-handed hangs for now? Has it had an effect on the way you climb or do you still preferentially crimp? 

the sheep: Oh no! Another lurgy victim! I trust this week has been better? How much recovery time do you give yourself before getting back to full training? Do you go with the 'one easy day for every lurgy day' or just judge it on how fit you feel?

alexm198: Big kudos for a big week! Must have been quite cathartic after the previous week (if you can describe 10 hours of Z1 in a positive way)?! Nice work with the Sunday 40km -it sounds like the Z1 base-building is definitely paying off. What's on the agenda for ticking those STG alpine routes?

Tyler: Sounds like a great 'You've Been Framed' moment with the training rig! I assume this week's training featured replastering the ceiling?! Good to hear you are getting in to the swing of things for the new Malham season. Have you managed to keep your project shortlist short?! And was the running just for fun or are part of a plan?

Bones: Good work with the trad leads... en route to some of the trad goal routes? What gym are you at doing car pushes and tyre flips?! Sounds like you'll be on the World's Strongest Man contest before long (how are you with Atlas Balls?)! Success with the sticky feet on the grit this weekend?

climb that pitch: "I got spat off the first move about 7 times" -still counts as an onsight, right?! Great work getting four climbing sessions in seven days! Those goal routes won't stand a chance at this rate. Good to see a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses and sounds like you've a good plan to prep for the steep routes. Do you ever do fall practice (indoors or on sport routes)? A couple of things I try to stick to are banning myself from using the word 'take' (pre-warning my belayer that they won't get the usual warning!) and not clipping the chain before jumping off. I think I got them from Dave McLeod's '9 out of 10 Climbers' or maybe off an episode of the Training Beta podcast. I don't always stick to them, but when I do I find they help change my mindset quite quickly, so I'm falling off trying (usually a bolt higher than I would have normally shouted take!) 

Ally Smith: Glad you're feeling more human! Great videos. What's with the ankle tape? (At first I thought it was a funky sock!) Have you got a sadistic plan-of-pain for the mono strength training? The Wideboyz training for Cobra Crack looked pretty fecking heinous! And a good way to fast-track a finger injury or ten!

Lornajkelly: Nice route goals. Fingers crossed for a good summer to give plenty of opportunity for ticking through the list. Good point about the confidence -it sounds like you're on a roll at the moment so, combining that confidence with being able to lead 5s, I think you'll find those severes easy on your next trip out. Back on the 'Couch to 5k' this week?

MIA: Rebecca Ting,  Planetmarshall, Cyan, mattrm, Ianstevens

Thanks Tom.

Overall, a good week this week.

Tuesday - wall. Ticked off Sundays unfinished business in pretty short order. Then cracked on with circuits until my skin got really sore. Got some good pump going.

Wednesday - fingerboard aerocap. Still loathe it. 7:3 for a minute, minute-on-minite-offx10. Based off Crimpd, I should be using some assist probably but that's quite difficult on my beastmaker so I just did it on whatever holds I could manage, swapping between them as necessary.

Thursday - skin really sore and back a bit tweaked so decided double rest prior to Sat was in order.

Friday - rest

Saturday - Portland. Started off planning to go to the cuttings for a few routes - windy but sunshine, right - only to find wind but no sun. Sacked it. Tripped over and strained something in my leg, Muppet. Then onto Wallsend. Warmed up on No Place for Mambas, then the very nice layback flake of Mick Lovatt Stole My Trousers (6b+). Then decided to jump on Sang Chaud (7a+). Bit scrittly to start but improved dramatically above. Got to the big jug pretty easy, standing up on it a bit tricksy, then had a right old faff trying to figure out what to do next. All felt a bit tenuous, but decided to go for it anyway, if nothing else a fall would do me good? But I stuck the move, got the clip in, sketched a bit more before finding the right holds, and scraped my way to easier ground. First 7a+ onsight I've done in the UK. Votes suggest soft, which isn't a huge surprise, but very pleased regardless. However, the experience had caused my leg to flare up from earlier, so I did one more easier route before declaring myself done.

Sunday - leg still not right so out in the cold spotting but no climbing.still intending to do something at home, but feeling pretty wiped!

Very good day Saturday, apart from tweaking my leg, and I persevered and did some effective but unpleasant training Wednesday which is good too. Prob a bit more home training early week then hoping for a bit of climbing up north for Easter weekend.

Sounds like you need to get into your limestone bouldering. Much better than all that gritstone rubbish, you only need to wait for your muscles to recover not grow new finger tips too! (nb I got spanked by the grit this week)

Mon. Headed to Lawrencefield. Couple of easy solos in the top quarry then managed to walk the wrong way to get to the main quarry (yes, the one that's so close its almost visible) but after a nice walk through the woods I did a another couple of easy solos then ticked off a 7A+ pretty quick.

Tues. Went to Rubicon. Did Three Tier Test piece 7B. All moves I've done before but never tried to link. Repeated the approach traverse with a view to doing the full traverse in the future (which would be pumpy as F).

Wed. Should have rested. Went to secret garden and only succeeded in removing skin from my finger tips. Felt tired. 

Thurs. Rest and 10km on the mtb with the kids. 

Fri. Raven tor. Had 8 goes at girl band getting through the first crux but not the 2nd each time. I've decided to admit defeat on this one for now. At least until THE foothold has been glued back on. It's only a matter of time before that crux handhold destroys my right ring finger and I don't want that to happen. On the plus side I managed Powerhumps hard way 7B+ which was a surprise. Not tried it for ages. Nice to do a basic up problem rather than a beta intensive long traverse. 

Sat. 12km on the mtb with the kids. 

Sun. Rest. 

Thanks for stating again Tom although I nearly gave you a dislike for reminding me of Brexit in one of the only threads I read on here that is not related to that shit show!

Tongue and groove ceiling which is one day going to be replaced by a full dormer and bathroom (that is for Mrs T's benefit in case she is reading!

It was really to test my hip to see what I can do but it reminded me how unfit I am. All I've done this week is one Z1 walk/run of about 1:50 and was delighted that I didn't start to hobble too much until 1:40. Unfortunately since then I've been pretty much immobile! The reason is I am off to Scotland this week, I have three full days plus Mon and Fri to travel, unfortunately forecast for Tue has now turned to shite and it is pretty cold. We would like to get on the Cullin and if hip and weather holds up then it will be a recce for an attempt of the full thing some time, there are also climbing objectives but it might be a bit cold. Regardless, it'll be nice to get into the hills as that is the plan for this year (or if I cannot then get some new hips) so will reply to the trad email later this week once I have an idea what's what.

Forgot to mention work has gone south and will be very time consuming so the long term plan may change again.

Hi Tom, 

Yes was very pleased to climb a v6 it's been a few months since my last one, climbed another on Monday...2 buses and all that.

I've open handed on the finger board for a while now. It's not my first stint at it either however my previous training has been of higher concentration  , like 2/3 sessions a week. No surprises that it improves your open handed strength and makes you more likely to us this grip position when climbing...I naturally  crimp so it's good training for me.

Mon:at the wall. Climbed v4, v5 and then another v6! More open and pinchy in style this time, the v6 the week previous was more crimps and more overhung.

Th: biked to the wall easy session. several problems climbed, nothing over v3. 3 sets of 20 push ups and sit ups, then 3 sets of 10 eccentric wrist curls and leg raises, then theraband for shoulders, biked back home.

Sun: felt a bit under the weather this morning, has continued all day. I still felt I could do something but didnt want to risk max hangs when not feeling well, so did 8 easy hangs on fingerboard then 3 sets of 20 push ups and sit ups, then 3 sets of 10 eccentric wrist curls and leg raises, theraband exercises for shoulders to finish.

Weight 11 stone 11...lost 4 pounds since last weigh in ....get in

Kudos for the effort you're putting into the weekly write-up Tom, much appreciated.

STG: Left leg pistol squat.
MTG (2019): Double digit 7's including Frankenjura 7b+ project 
LTG (2021): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60 

M: Bike one hour.
T: Wall, Thalkirchen. Routes. Not a strong session by any means; not feeling fully recovered from Sunday
W: Tired. Half an hour stretching, bed early.
T: Wall, Boulderwelt. Circuits. 
    Stoic's Guide to Training: some days you turn up, put the hours in, and wonder why you bothered. Today was one of those days. They are inevitable.
    Half an hour shoulders, core, legs in the weights room afterwards, including assisted full range of motion pistols on the left. This was definitely the more successful part of the evening.
F: 
S: Wall, Thalkirchen. Rather desultory circuits session.
S: Wall, Thalkirchen. Routes. Definitely not firing on all cylinders after yesterday (perhaps not so desultory after all?), but doing somewhat hard sequences while pumped is the name of the game for power endurance training, non?

I want to get some family time in now for the Easter school holidays before I disappear for two weeks, so realistically I'm not going to get many if any outdoor days in before Kalymnos. I'll have to focus on just getting fit on plastic. Seems to be working so far as long as I avoid overdoing it: this week felt like the ante may have been a bit too upped.

STG - 14st

MTG - Goblin Girl (6b) 6c at Navigation, then WFD

LTG - Definitely bouldering, bearing in mind Trad will be hard for the next few years...

Weight - 14st 10lbs

M - Rest

T - 4 mile walk

W - 3 mile walk

T - S - Rest/Ill

S - 2.5 mile walk

Mar Overall - 42% (eek!)

2019 - 40%

Things are stagnating a bit.  I've been rather ill and it's made the week tougher than expected.  The HiiT thing has been hurting my knee, so given that a miss.  Went out for a long walk in the local meadow just now.  Decent pace, so I guess that counts?  Yes, I need to get more cardio and swimming in for the Scuba thing.  Also getting a bit of weight off would help I guess.

Congratulations

Thanks

Thanks Tom!

Yep, week 5 smashed this week.  Yesterday I did the dreaded 20-minuter (which, the previous time I got to that point in the plan, was absolutely savage) and completely killed it.  Running on the canal towpath definitely made it easier - I'm dreadful at hills - but I still did it and felt great after it.  

Mon - rest

Tue - couch to 5k week 3, run 1

Wed - rest

Thu - wall session.  Mostly a teaching session but I got a few things done, including a couple of really satisfying 6as

Fri - couch to 5k week 3, run 2

Sat - rest

Sun - couch to 5k week 3, run 3

STG:  lead 6a by easter.  I'm going to pick one and do it on a top rope first, then lead it afterwards. 

MTG (week 666):  lead 5 Welsh VSs by end of 2019.  

LTG (end of 2021):  Comes the Dervish  

Great stating as per usual.

Z1 felt like I could keep going for a long time, it felt a lot less taxing on the system, and sessions could be potentially added at a higher frequency. Will add these in after Berdorf.

The lattice assessment was very interesting, I don't have the report yet, but discussing my results during the test my fingers are strong enough for 7c/+, which isn't a massive surprise as Ive done a lot of fingerboarding and I wasn't getting shutdown on 7b+s before. The most interesting part was my aerobic fitness was around that expected of 8b, which is incredible considering I always thought this was a massive weakness. My anaerobic system was absolutely atrocious, really really poor, soon as I go anaerobic I fail I guess I have just trained aerobic fitness and fingers so far this year. I should have perhaps done some ancap and a bit of maintenance aeropow, my flexability was also highlighted a extremely poor.
Apparently anaerobic is easiest to train, so will add a bit more of that into my plan, and keep on the fingers, if i'm looking at a harder sport climbing later in the year.   

Week 08/04-14/04

M: Rest

T: Lattice assessment

W: Tired / rest.

T: GF could get half a day off so we headed to Brean Down. Climbed Pearl Harbour (7a), then had a go at Tide Rising (7b+), sorted all the beta, but wasn't quite able to get the RP. Really suited my current fitness, as its basically a few bouldery moves, a lil sustained top. Good route though, looking forward to going back for it.

F: Rest

S: Headed to Millstone, climbed Embankment 3 (E1 5b) as the warm up, not climbed a pure finger crack before arms fine but calves got pumped. Seconded my friend up it to see if i could improve, still struggled with foot work. Climbed Brimstone (E2 5b), a couple of hardish moves but good holds to recover on, good little route. Thought it felt easy, although my friend got seriously pumped. Decided to jump on Gates of Mordor (E3 5c), made it most of the way up the top crack, but it wasnt handjams as i hoped but it was the dreaded thin hands, could not get the jams to stick so went for a wreckless layback, then feet ran out and i tried to get back in the crack, and i was off. Dogged my way to the top. Followed a mate up Plexity (HVS 5a), what a route felt top end HVS, with the moves at the top getting established in the top crack. Headed to curbar to a little end of day bouldering and tried Strawberries (f6B), and to my absolute surprise worked out a sequence, and sent it as the sun was going down. I've tried this problem on off for years and thought it was impossible, and then when it finally went it felt fine. Very proud of this one.

S: Big lay in, felt surprisingly ok, so decided I would do one last PE session at the wall. 10 min ARC, EH 4x4s on the woody, 5 x FoC crimpd app, TRX I,Y,Ts, lots of stretching, 3 x 20 pushups, 30min Z2 run.

 This weeks goals:

*Off to Font on thurs, so plan to rest until then. A quick FB on tues/weds, possibly a couple of boulders.
*Stretch everyday / foam roll
*Climb something off the unfinished business list in font - a few 6Cs/7A to choose from.  
*Climb a font 7, GF up a 6, and friend up a 6C.
*Do a new circuit one I haven't done before. 

Thanks for another great job on the Stats

Of course its an onsite, I was just cleaning the bottom holds off before going for it

Currently don't do any fall practice. I really should though. I like the idea of not clipping the chains. I'm on a family holiday soon so I think I might have to buy 9 out of 10 climbers as my reading material.

Had to go away with work this week and didn't realise how lucky I am where I live that I actually have hills and its not all flat.

M - Indoor Bouldering

T - 7km run, 6 meters accent , 5:00 min per km

W - 10km run 6 meters accent, 5:22 min per km (fasted) Push ups, 10 min core

T - Indoor Bouldering

F - Rest

S - Climbed at Wintour's Leap, Climbed Zelda (HS 4b), switched leads on Guytha (HVS 5a) I got the first pitch which started out with quite nice moves but the middle section was just run out ledge shuffling. Then lead Yesterday's Dreams (E2 5c) strange to have a bolt on trad but the move next to the bolt I thought was pretty hard for 5c so was glad it was there. Either I missed them or the guidebook was wrong when it said about managing to place a full rack of nuts.

S - 10km run, 110m accent, 05:30 min per km

Lee

Cheers Tom, and thanks for another high-quality stats. I was chuffed to have packed so much Z1 in but also pretty amazed by how much fatigue I was dealing with last week as a result. Especially due to the big Sunday. Luckily I took it much easier this week. 

The agenda for STG alpine stuff was based on me being in Chamonix this week and next but (a) the weather looks crap and (b) I'm currently deliberating about joining an expedition to Peru in June, so need to keep the annual leave in hand for that...

Will be doing a few more weekend warrior alps missions through May, I expect. Would like to get on the South Pillar of the Schreckhorn, the Lauper Route on the Monch, and the Southeast Ridge of the Bietschhorn. My trip to the Bugs is looking less likely now so I'm not quite so fussed about getting on long, hard rock lines. Sadly Russia is looking very unlikely too, so I am having a mild existential crisis at the prospect of 9 months of training going down the pan!

Last Week (Base Week 21/30)

M: Rest

T: Bouldering @ Westway. Relatively unstructured. Warmed up with the lower body mobility session from Crimpd. Figured out some new beta for one of the new problems in the V6-8 circuit (take that with a pinch of salt!) but haven't figured out the last move yet. Got quite close on a linkup of three steep, powerful problems (my complete antistyle!) in the Fridge that is supposedly F6c+. All in all felt really good. 

W: 1h Z1 stairmaster. Legs felt like absolute lead!

T: Bouldering @ Westway. Relatively unstructured (need to stop lapsing back into this habit!) Warmed up with the upper body mobility session from Crimpd and 6x7s/3s repeaters (1x middle outside edge of the BM2k; 1x one hand in the deep slot, one hand on the bottom outside edge). Then just worked on a few of the problems I hadn't done yet. Figured out some new beta for the pink comp circuit problem I'd been trying for weeks and got it on the last go. Made good progress on one of the V5 slab problems, fluffed the last move (a mantle onto a chest-high foot on a sloping volume).

F: 2h Z1 stairmaster. Felt tough. Still carrying lots of fatigue from last week, I think. 

S: AM ARC session at Westway. Warmed up with the forearm mobility session from Crimpd and some sets of scap pull-ups, normal pull-ups, and leg raises. Then got stuck into 2x30min blocks separated by 30min rest. I hadn't done this before so stuck to the super easy 4+/5 routes on the autobelay. Felt really solid and the 30mins flew by, so perhaps I'll have to try something a bit harder next time. I really enjoyed figuring out how to move with optimal efficiency. Finished by having a crack at the V5 slab problem that repelled me on Thursday, and got it first go! PM 1h Z1. 

S: Rest

Last week's goals:

• 6h Z1 [Tick - Decided that 4h was a more appropriate number for a rest week] 
• 2 wall sessions (one to include an abbreviated max strength session) [Tick, actually did 3 but missed out the max strength session]
• Potentially a weekend running/climbing solo objective if weather plays ball. [Nein - but hoping to get out over Easter]

Goals

This Week

• 8h Z1
• 2 ARC sessions
• 1 muscular endurance session, four times through the circuit.
• Weekend running/climbing solo objective if weather plays ball. 30km leg of the North Downs Way -or- a climbing objective if partners/conditions are forthcoming.

STG (End of April 2019)

• Average 8.5h Z1 across the 7 weeks between now and end of April [Rolling average: 7.95] 
• Build up to 5 times through the muscular endurance circuit [Current: 3] 
• 2 alpine lines >700m (not necessarily rock) [Current: 0/2] 
• 1 alpine rock lines >700m >6b in preparation for Bugaboos (might be touch and go with conditions this early) [Current: 0/1] 

MTG (End of July 2019)*

• 2 more alpine rock lines >700m >6b in preparation for Bugaboos 
• All Along the Watchtower (5.12a)*
• Welsh 3000s running/climbing sufferfest

LTG (End of September 2019)

• 6x5000m peaks on the Bezengi wall, Caucasus.

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Thought this would provided some motivation to keep up the training psyche!

M - Rest Day

T -  4.5 Mile Fell Run

W- Malham - New high point on project Obsession. 30 Min Yoga

T - Malham - 2 goes on proj. Too hot couple of goes on free and even easier and laps on consenting adults. 50 pull ups. 25 Min Repeater Session. 30 Min Yoga. 20 Min Core

F - 8 Mile Run

S- Malham - Sent project first 7b+ and also free and even easier (7a+).

S - 5.5km fasted cardio. Malham - Cold cold day. Feeling tired but had a play on the moves on free and easy(7c). Potential new prjoect. Managed to do all the moves but worried it might get too hot up there in the sun over the coming months.

Happy to get my self down to 68.8kg lightest ive been since I was 18.

Goals for coming week:

Stick to CKD diet.

2 fingerboard sessions.

Find a new 7c project.

5 Yoga sessions focusing on flexibility.

4 core workouts.

Good week! 

Congratulations on doing Obsession (7b+) - not many 7b+'s are harder than that. Personally, I found Free and Easy (7c) the simpler proposition. Fingers crossed you find the same and get a quick tick, as it can get pretty hot upstairs!

That would have been fully deserved!

A better week, most goals ticked (one strength sesh was a bit short!)

Week 15:

M: Indoor Climbing. Max hangs, AnCap, AeroCap, Shoulder Prehab.

T: Core and General Strength (upper body only as didn't want tired legs for Weds).

W: Soloing/Hill Running enchainment. Direct Route (HVD) Gashed Crag (VD) Slab Route (VD) plus 103min Z1 hill running between routes (Totalled 12km at 8:35/km avg. 765m vert gain).

T: Rest

F: Rest

S: Indoor Climbing. Max hangs, AnCap, AeroCap. 30min Z1 run.

S: Core and Max Strength. 135min walk (approx. 50 min Z1).

Week 16 Plan:

4h Z1

3 Climbing Sessions

2 Core Sessions

2 Strength Sessions

2 Prehab Sessions

STG/Q2:

Average 300+m vert running per week (Currently 499m)

Bowland run/climbathon

N Wales El Cap Day

Welsh 3000s

MTG/Q3:

Cuillin ridge traverse

Average 300+m vert running per week

Some of: Salbit Westgrat, Piz Badile Cassin, Grand Montets ridge, Innominata, Cordier Pillar, etc...

666 Goals:

6 Crack routes of each size

6 Roof routes

6 E-points in a day

Strong Fit Club debut!

Cheers Tom. Well that's mountain weather for you. Nothing that can be done. Deffo going back next year for touring/off piste. I don't think the Haute Route will be on the cards. It's a lot of organisation and planning.

So I've had a sit down and a think about what's coming up and what time I've got available and come up with a plan. The next month or two will be finishing uni and getting what climbing in that I can. But I can do a lot with my diet and conditioning meanwhile that will put me in a good place when I get there. I've actually got round to writing these in a word doc (yes i was prevaricating over my dissertation) which I've saved and will paste each week to keep track of where I am. This is where I always fall down. Sorting my battered shoulders out once and for all is priority and then get onto my left knee. 

Long term goals

TBC

666 fit club goals

6 x V6 slabs – 1 done

6 x V6 vert – 2 done

6 x V6 steep – 4 done

To be done at BUK for ‘proper’ grades

Medium Goals 2-6 mths (Mid June – Oct)

Shelterstone June - E2 classics

October sport trip – 7b in a day

Red wall traverse R-L (7b+ ish) by June Shelterstone trip

Short term goals 1-2 mths (to mid june)

Climbing – get out as much as poss. Lancs quarries and trowbarrow.

Diet – DQS 25+ per day. 2250kcal per day with 90g+ protein.

Flexibility – 2 x a day

Shoulder – left elbow touching the floor in supine with arms overhead. Currently approx. 4 cm off.

Legs/hips – palms to floor in standing with straight legs (challenged by one of the kids on the squad)

Measure side splits and focus on these for 2 mths.

Conditioning – press ups every day when shoulders OK. Pull ups as often as possible.

5 x 10 rep press up sets. 1 min rest.

5 x 10 rep pull ups. 1 min rest.

These will act as a decent base to then start specific strengthening work. Baseline this week.

Core – 3 x a week. Complete CRIMPD app core (static, floor, extended) for starters. That’s one each session, not all 3 in one session. Baseline this week.

Repeaters – 1 x a week or more if no climbing. Baseline sets to failure this week.

Shoulder(s)

Currently doing open chain stuff x 3 a day

One more week of this (?) then assess and progress exercises.

Cheers Tom, played it by ear through the week just working out how knackered I felt. Week built well though

Monday, rest

Tuesday, 2k swim

Wednesday, 2k swim and 8k run in the evening 

Thursday, 2k swim but stretch class cancelled 

Friday, rest

Saturday, 13.5 km trail run

Sumday 20km road run

Cheers Tom - stat'ing is much appreciated.

Ankle tape was covering a nasty weeping rash from previous heel hooking efforts - not all limestone bouldering is skin friendly! Mono training starts this week...

Week 15

M – Yoga

T – Brief boulder warm-up, then max hang test as part of Derby Uni sport science/critical force testing. Managed 8.5kg/9.5kg assist for R/L hands (7s hang). Not too bad considering my lardy >79kg bodyweight.

W – Plain lazy – should have pulled my finger out.

T – 30min boulder warm-up, then critical force testing on a strain gauge. Left elbow not having it and bailed out after 90s. Went the full distance on right arm (5min) - good gurning! https://www.instagram.com/p/BwIG5OPh8Kn/ Leveled out @27kg force, but no idea if that’s a good value or not? 10min TRX session to finish.

F – Rest

S – 90min veggie patch digging warm up before driving to Anston Stones. Finished off 2x 7C from last wknd (Bullet & Fine Art) and a quick flash of Colt (7A+) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwTw7WmDAXU/

S – Feeling tired and elbows grumbling after yesterdays efforts; took a long time to get going again at the Tor. Skin screaming too. After 6 RP goes, finally put a 10 year old project to bed. Out of My Boots (7c) – worst route at the Tor? Watched the second best climber in Litchfield smash Make it Funky - inspiring stuff

Thanks for the comprehensive stats Tom.

Desperation Crack looks aw-ful/esome: correct, (both). Highlight from Crookrise was The Sole, really nice climb and deffo 3 star. Cool crag and will look to get back there at some point.

STGs, (Apr-Jun):
• multiple e1/2 trad leads, (FBD, LTS, The Rasp, Quietus?, Peak lime targets tbc). Check wishlist.
• lead 7a outdoor, (2018 project still outstanding!)
• complete > 25% of remaining Wainwright's
• weight target 10st 0lb/bf 15.0% (started at 10st 3lb/15.4% 1/4/19)

MTGs, (Jul-Sep):
• trad: e3 trad leads. Check wishlist.
• sport: lead 7a+ minimum outdoor
• Alpine: at least 1 4k peak and one 'classic' alpine rock route.
• complete remaining Wainwright's
• target 9st 12lb/bf 14.5% (started at 10st 3lb/15.1% 1/1/18)

Mo:    General walking, 7.3 miles. 15 probs; MH: 4*12/150; IDH: 5*4*10:10/60; LB pyramid: 12321/90"; LB laps 4 laps.
Tu:    General walking, 7.6 miles. 6 lead.
We:    General walking, 10.7 miles.
Th:    General walking, 8.5 miles.
Fr:    General walking, 8.8 miles.
Sa:    General walking, 8.2 miles. 4 trad.
Su:    General walking, 9.3 miles.
Weight: 10st 3lb/bf 15.3%

Diet back on track. Lacked a bit of focus training write, though still got quantity done, just not the quality, with an arse kicking at Hen Cloud to boot. Time to step it up youth!

This week's plan
At least one training sesh, one lead and two outdoor.
Review Jan-Mar.

Bit of a hiatus due to working in Oxford during the week, but back to some sort of routine now.

Any fitclubbers in the Peak at Easter?

Living in Oxford (E7 7a)

;-p

Hi Tom, cheers for statting and comments last week. Had a busy 10 days with the work element of my trip, but that's now done and dusted so have some time for fitclub posting! Heading back to the UK in a few days, this one really has flown by.

Also had some news that means I'm off on another extended work trip to Svalbard for all of July. Bit of a bummer on the climbing/training front as this rules me out of a good chunk of the outdoor season and takes a big block of training time away too. Good for the career however... Any others got tips on how to deal with frequent, extended trips away?

Previous week (2019.14 - w/b 1st April)

Mon: Travel - the sights and sounds of Sydney Airport. Got to NZ pretty late so no training.

Tues: 1) Yoga; 2) Run 10.3km, 681m elevation

Weds: Run 31.5km, 1510m elevation. Had wanted to run the entire Routeburn (a famous NZ multiday walk) but a bridge was out so ended up doing one half twice. Amazing stuff though.

Thurs: Yoga

Fri: 1) Yoga; 2) Bike 53km, 470m elevation. Chilled one on 4x4 tracks on a hire bike.

Sat: Yoga

Sun: 1) Yoga; 2) Run 27.2km, 1660m, on trails and hills near Queenstown; 3) Hangboard - tried the crimpd ancap session on a 17mm edge @ BW. Felt about right. (FWIW it should be done at 80% of max, which for me mneasn +5kg on a 20mm edge).

Last week (2019.15)

Lowest hours for a training week all year this one, and probably lowest since the final week of my PhD. Lots of work and changes of location were not conducive to my typical training volume!  Did end up at a hostel which had hangboard (?!?!?!?!) at the back end of the week so capitalised on that.

Mon: Yoga

Tues: 1) Hangboard (Ancap, BW on 17mm edge); 2) Run 6.1km, 135m - squeezed in between a full day of teaching and a scheduled dinner, so poor quality

Weds: Yoga

Thurs: 1) Yoga; 2) Ancap, BW on a 3/4 inch hold; 3) Crimpd floor core

Fri: 1) Yoga; 2) Crimpd small holds (7 secs x 6) @ BW on 1/2 inch hold - probably could have made this harder but lacked equipment/imagination to do so

Sat: 1) Parkrun (Wanaka) in 19:20 - not my best effort but didn't feel great. 8.6km total; 2) Hangboard - small holds as above (1/2 inch) followed by ancap (3/4 inch)

Sun: 1) Yoga; 2) Run 4.2km, 370m elevation - short and very steep!

This week

As I've said above, work for half the week (but with more scope to train) then a few days free. Half marathon on trails on Friday, which I'm lacking motivation for, I'm now (Thursday morning) very much in the end of trip mindset and kind of keen to just get the travel over and done with. Loooong flight back to the UK on Saturday.

I spent two months working in Bangladesh last summer (have also done similar long work trips in the past). I took a Tension Rung, a Rock Ring and a TRX, and just went to the hotel gym three times a week. Did a lot of one-arm pull downs on the lat-pull down machine, plus various weights/IsYsTs, etc. Tried to go running but it was too hot, too crowded and too monsoon-y, so I used the treadmill in the hotel (obviously I'm aware that conditions on Svalbard will be somewhat different). 

I came home feeling fairly strong but clearly unfit and with terrible skin. That took a month to sort out but by then I was climbing reasonably well (for me) and felt like the trip hadn't been a disaster climbing-wise. I imagine one could do more endurance-orientated work with the kind of kit I had, but I was a bit busy and time was limited, as was psyche for doing boring training. Extended trips are easy, but doing frequent trips is much more disruptive. 

Thanks Tom.

Tough leader.

Last year my trad goals included 30 VS but I have gotten much more into bouldering and this hasn't been much of a focus recently. I am definitely feeling a lot more relaxed leading trad and would like to gradually tick some more VS and get on HVS as the year goes on.

The gym is Barber's in Hackney, all we do is train for World's Strongest although I don't think I would win the men's one. Friday was a bit unusual but so far no atlas balls have appeared. I would actually like to do that crazy strong/gym tv show...can't remember what it's called...but it looks fun on instagram. 

Mon: Bouldering. Did my arch enemy V5/V6 orange circuit route in the loft on the overhang. Was pretty happy with that. Been trying it for a while. I have now done all the V5/V6 in the section (not on the stack if any of you know it)

Also, had a go at figuring out my max pull-up weight. I managed 1 pull-up with 22kg of added weight. I also did the 11 pull-ups that I mentioned last week. Oops.

Tues: total rest

Weds: Morning gym - Finally sort of able to do low 1 leg squats. Front-lever work doing ice cream makers with a band which gave approx 20/25kg assistance https://www.instagram.com/p/BwESJaLhWwa/

Bouldering, not a very long session as I was pretty tired. Couldn’t do much on the new reset of the back wall. Some good problems that I would like to try. Either my slab climbing has gone a little downhill or I was having a bad night. Did finally do another orange V5/V6 overhang in the pen. Definite benefits for having a slightly stronger core.

Thurs: Boulder session and back on the back wall. I don't think it was just a bad night last night but today made some improvements on all of the problems although none went. 

Fri: Morning gym rope climbs, pull-ups up to forearms on top of the bar as a progression to muscle ups.

Sat/Sun: weekend climbing in the Roaches. I felt pretty bad and cold this weekend and didn't make any particular progress much but did enjoy the climbing. Seconding on Saturday and bouldering on Sunday.

Late post this week- picked up an injury to my lower back on Sunday whilst bouldering and have been sulking all week.

Monday: Lunchtime run z2-3 felt great, general bouldering session IIRC

Tuesday: Lunchtime fast run, felt even better

Wednesday: Pretty short session at the castle

Thursday: Better bouldering session

Friday: rest/exam day

Saturday: Trad at the Roaches, did some VS and HVS, happy to get up Sauls Crack onsight. Watched someone having an epic on Valkyrie, quite entertaining I must say.

Sunday: Bouldering at the Roaches, did greener traverse (v3) and very close to uncut traverse (v4) but back started going. Struggled to make any progress on grewsome v4... need beta/psyche.

Didn't do any training/running this week- lower back pain/stiffness has been pretty bad. Starting to feel better today, managed to cycle to work, so hoping to get away tomorrow and do some fun trad climbing or something over the weekend.

Thanks Tom. I exist!

Got away in the end and collective haul was:

4 x wall sessions (endurance at Brookes before going, 3x altitude boulder sessions to V6/7)

6 x piste days with great powder and lift served off piste type runs. Serious work on trees. 

7 x touring days and some 4000+m peaks. Snow pack amazing - dug an observation pit and it was 2.2m+ deep. Good work out! 

6 x yoga sessions

3 x canyoneering days in North Wash, Utah ( Hogs 1&2, Blarney both forks, Leprechaun Left&Middle, Monkey Business)

2 x welding sessions (because why not?!)