UKC

Evening Fit Club! Hope everyone's been making the most of the dry days and getting out and about, whether that's on rock, wheels or water? 

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 1 1

Last week’s thread can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_641-706744

Posters:

AJM -Top week! Avon certainly increases the variety of trad route styles you've got through this last few weeks! And Yellow Edge is a bit of a terror fest so another good stepping stone towards some of those 666 trad goals!

Powderpuff -Congrats on the new pull-up record! How has mixing things up for extra psych gone this week? Did you manage to get enough variety to beat AJM's madras level from last week?!

AlanLittle: Glad it wasn't just me with the Cuillin DOMS! Good solid max-hang routine -is that part of your process of achieving Megos-strength? Any gains to show off to us? Also, hope exam-period isn't proving too harrowing.

Somerset swede basher -Loving the film refs! -keep them coming. Good varied week. Is swimming a new addition? Your 1.5 handed circuit board sesh sounds well sketchy... Don't bugger your good hand/arm up by favouring your dodgy finger!

Lornajkelly -Good work on completing the Couch to 5k. What's the plan for the biking and swimming?

the sheep -How's the shoulder? And the lurgy? Hope you've recovered from both and they haven't knocked the training too much?

Niall_li -Solid week -keep those up and Font will be a crush-fest! How was Fairhead this weekend? Did the stars align for a good go at Eat It?

David Staples -Sounds like some nice times out in the sun. How's the finger been this week? (You, SSB and Bones can start Finger Rehab Club!) Did you fit any core in this week or did the sunshine keep you out climbing?

Outdoors.nick -Nice work getting to Alderman -lovely crag for a chilled day. Whilst you're on a roll on the grit slabs have a look at Northern Ballet (E3 5b) and Green but Sure (E1 5a) at Wimberry -I've got a feeling they'll be right up your street. Any update on those goals.

Ardo -Your log for Sunday sounds amazing! Best session report of last week! Good to have identified a couple of things to work on. I guess ARC and AeroCap sessions will be in order for the first. For the second, it may be worth having a look at the Rock Warrior's Way... I've read it recently and was hugely sceptical at first (all a bit too psycho-babble!) but actually took quite a lot away from it. There's some good stuff about climbing for 'the process' rather than the 'end result' which I've actually found quite helpful in getting some anti-style routes done.

biscuit -The classic mismatched pistol squat situation -don't worry you're not alone with that! How have you responded to having a stern word with yourself? Anything to report on those Lakeland E2s?

Bones -That muscle-up intermediate drill sounds pretty wild! Any use for achieving the end goal? Any trips to take advantage of the sun this weekend?

planetmarshall -yes! yes! yes! Sounds like a great trip. Well done on nailing the sweet pitches on Prophecy. Having looked at that arch from the boat back from Mingulay, I would say that should be a route on EVERYONE's lifetime tick list. Massive high five... especially with it coming after a fairly difficult build up! 

mattrm -fair enough with the skuba diving -I've made the same call with paragliding in the past! However, it would still be good to get that Orkney dive in -is that still possible? What are your goals for the local crag?

cyan -Nice work on the grit weekend, especially GNR (what a beaut!) Glad to see the summer of trad is keeping momentum. Did you get out this week?

Tom Green -hurrah! no knee niggles despite some fairly big mountain descents. Can now get back to smashing the hill-fitness for this summer/autumns trips.

MIA: Ally Smith, Tyler, SFrancis, alexm, Ianstevens, Jackob, Rebecca Ting, Guy (It must be summer holidays!!)

Cheers Tom. Yeah, Avon offers really good variety of styles so a decent venue to have in the repertoire to build breadth. Once you move beyond the shiny sea walls top rope lines and some of the other more popular VS/HVS sorts of things it’s got a good selection of low to mid E grades to go at.

A bit of an up and down week, but the up was so much of a YYFY sort of up that it’s hard to complain!

Tuesday - wallsend in the afternoon. Pretty toasty hot, but low humidity and no grease to speak of whatsoever. Warmed up on Waiting for the Barbarians (6b+), and then Best Fingers Forward (6c+) which had a few tricky moves on it. Then ummed and aahed for a bit. That sector of wallsend has 2 of my 666 sport ticklist on it - there’s the “something on the wall of 7bs around Outside the Gate” and there’s Colors (7b+). I thought that the tide might be coming up quickly enough that colors would be out, but Ed argued differently and actually it turns out that on a millpond flat 2m high tide the base of the route is always passable, albeit that your rope might take a dunk if you pull it. Another trivia point for wallsend knowledge is that you can also get out south from there, including via the gully rather than coastguard so overall far quicker, with only a short section of 50m or so max knee depth on that same flat but fairly high tide. So anyway, I decided to go big and get on Colors. Without wishing to spoil anyone’s onsight I shan’t give much detail away, but it was a mega fight, had to try really hard, pretty skin of the teeth in places, but nabbed the onsight. Amazing, super pleased - really pleased with the effort and really enjoyed the route. Opinions wildly differ, it’s my first guidebook 7b+ onsight, my first 7b or above onsight in the U.K. ever and my first anywhere since 2015. Whilst I’m unsure and probably need to get on some of those other 7bs to compare, I’d feel pretty cheated by 7a+ but having done it I still couldn’t imagine onsighting something like Realm of Chaos (7b+) so I’m maybe leaning more towards the 7b-ish camp. But then I guess there’s got to be an easiest end of 7b+, so who really knows. I’m not letting it bother me too much. I didn’t climb anything else and just basked in the glory after that.

friday - roaches, after the Lakes forecast turned sour. MiniAJM was being an ass before we left and the traffic and average speed sections took ages so not the best start. Did Valkyrie (VS 4c) which if I’m honest I was a bit underwhelmed by - I guess one of those where I didn’t think the climbing was that standout and the position is probably one I’d have appreciated more when it was nearer my grade. And then MrsAJM had a bit of a time on it. I looked at Commander Energy (E2 5c) briefly but d3cided hot teetering on grit smears wasn’t really what I was in for so save it for next time. Then we got stuck in horrendous traffic on the way up to the Lakes.

saturday - hardknott crag. This sadly reminded me how lucky I’ve beento have been climbing more in long periods of good weather in popular trafficked routes the last few times I’ve been in the Lakes. The hvs was filthy to start, so much so that I sacked it. I had a look at Powerglide (E4 6a), which was the thing I was really looking for, but decided that my head wasn’t in the right zone and that really I wanted some slightly less fiddly gear before going big. So we went to the pub in the sunshine instead.

So, another piece of the 666 goals falls into place, albeit the “supporting the trad” element rather than the trad element itself. Very pleased with how the sport climbing is going. 

The next few weeks are busy at work so probably a time to regroup a little bit, try to keep chugging along but try to make sure I’m in good shape and with enough life admin done that I can hit the ground running with some more ambitious plans come August when I free up again.

Thanks Tom, that crossed my mind too but I've been careful. This week has been like a Rocky montage in that I've gradually loaded my poorly finger more over the week and it keeps getting stronger. A couple of weeks ago I thought this was going to be an end of season injury but its actually got better much faster than I anticipated and I'm almost back to full strength now. 

Mon. Pull ups on jugs, a few to warm up then pyramid set to 8 and back. I've given up trying to work out how many it is, I think I'm yet to get the maths right!

Tues. Some traversing at Blackwell Dale, nice mix of jugs, pinches and crimps mostly with weight in the feet. Good progressive loading. 

Wed. 20km on the mtb

Thurs. More traversing at Blackwell Dale, think I did Jerry's Reverse into Jerry's Traverse (f7B+) but might have started at the wrong end so will do again soon. Pumped but finger holding up well.

Fri. Rest. 

Sat. 24km along the monsal trail on the mtb with the kids. 

Sun. Like an adict I went back to raven tor to have another go at Tumbleweed. Finger was OK and fell from the finishing jug twice. Found a new foothold for the last move which might help. Feel a bit silly as I see strong folk tick this quickly (2 or 3 sessions) and move on to better things and I've had more sessions than anything else I've ever done but I'm still really enjoying it and feel like I'm making progress. There is a sign up in our internal exclusion room at school that says, 'success is moving from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm' so I try to bear this in mind!

Morning! Yep - 'tis the season for summer holidays - here's a 2 week round up.

Nothing of note to report - June was packed full of travel and stopped me from climbing; just about crept in some training. Now time to get out on the rock and do some real climbing.

Week 26

M – 4am start to get to Hamburg for a 10am meeting. Bleurgh! Evening hotel gym. Bench dumbbells (4x12@20kg) mono-sling lean-outs, widget lifts; F3 strict @36kg LH/40kg RH. 3x10 hammer curls @18kg dumbbells. 3x25 weighted crunches. 300kcal aerobic shizzle.  

T – More hotel gym – more aerobic shizzle (500kcal). Wrist curls & Crimpd static core. Strong dieting strategy; breakfasted like a king (museli, eggs, pastries, juice, coffee) lunched like a pauper (half a protein flapjack I found in my bag at 3pm), dinned like a hobo (only had 1L weiBenbier for dinner after they shut the hotel restaurant early!)

W – Fly to London. Evening boulder with Cyan at the new Ravenswall. Lot’s a boulders up to “V6” – much skin lost; shoulders feeling worked. More strong dieting tactics, but less extreme than yesterday.

T – evening social with colleagues – normally don’t go in for these bashes, but unexpectedly had a "fun" evening

F – Nothing.

S – Drive to Cornwall – little play with grippers in the car. Managed to close my new “200lb” gripper without too much bother, but seemed to crush a nerve as pinky started tingling.

S – Feeling a bit lurgied – gentle pootle around Padstow.

Week 27

M – Still a little lurgied – Eden project. 38C up on the viewing platform in rainforest biome!

T – 45miles biking & Rick Stein fish supper

W – Mackerel fishing, Padstow pootle, 1-arm “max hangs” with unknown counter-weight (some rocks in a camelbak) & super posh dinner

T – 13miles coastal path walk

F – No surf, so tourist day along coast, followed by F3 & B3 repeaters (BW) and final Michelin Star dining experience.

S – Drive to Lyme – used Compex in the car. Wander around town and chilled afternoon reading

S – Final walk around Lyme valley, then 5hr drive home. Shattered.

Great come back!

See you at the tor soon? - I too have unfinished business with the full version of Tumbleweed - like you, that 2-finger pocket at the end causes me no end of grief!

Hear hear - Avon deserves a bit more love, it's not all death choss with rotten pegs. I still fancy doing Amanita Muscarina (E4 6a)...

YYFY! Get in laa! Tales of Yankee Power (E5 6a) should feel pi$$ with your current mix of sport & trad fitness

Hopefully, although probably not til Friday late afternoon or the wkend.  I'm on nursery pick up tomorrow and sport climbing on Wednesday.  I'm getting through the pocket most goes now, just struggling with the big throw at the end.  I can do it every time in isolation just not when I'm goosed!  I can micro beta you up if you need it

If you get on Tales of Yankee Power (E5 6a) take time to place a good wire in the flake once on the main face.  I placed a poor wire here and elected to keep moving so I didn't get too pumped. I puntered off somewhere around the thread/jug kicking the wire out on the way down and hit the ground on rope stretch (got away with bruises) with the last gear where you leave original route!  If you've not done Supersonic (E5 6a) I think that's much friendlier at the grade!

... He says picking a route which probably is death chose with rotten pegs!

Am interested though.

Tales - what's the gear like? How spaced?

Cheers Tom, the shoulder is pretty much back to normal. The lurgy is still hanging on in there though which is a pain. Still got to train most days though. Week went as follows;

Monday, 1km swim

Tusday, 1km swim and 16km ride home

Wednesday, 1km swim and 26km ride home

Thursday, 1km swim abd stretch class

Friday, 1km swim which brings up150km for the year     and a 26km ride home

Saturday, gentle 5km trail run

Sunday, youngest daughters running club were doing a relay challenge to complete the Leicestershire Round (100+ miles) in under 24 hours. We did a 5km leg of it with her which was great fun.

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 3lbs (2lbs loss)

M - 3 miles walk

T - 4 miles walk

W - 3 miles walk

T - 3 miles walk

F - indoor bouldering

May - 38%

June - 50%

July (so far) - 63%

YTD Avg - 41%

All the numbers are going the right way.  Averages are going up and weight is going down.  I basically ate salad for tea all of last week, which explains it.  Bouldering was ok.  I was supposed to be going to the wall, but my mate had to bail.  So I just messed around on the circuit board, did a 4x4 and called it a day. I've not been climbing for ages, so no need to go nuts.  Just need to ease back into things and not get hurt.  My shoulder did ache a bit, but weight and powerful bouldering don't work well together.

Yes, hopefully I'll still do the Orkney thing.  I still have to do an asthma test, so got to book that.

A couple of weeks for me to report, as was away for quick summer alp session.

Weeks 24th- 30th

M-T: Nothing, on antibiotics feeling sorry for myself.

F: Flew to Milan 37C and humid.

S: Drove to Orco 35C, incredibly warm but got on with it, Incastromania (6a), brilliant hand jams, loved this one. Then headed over for Legoland (P1) (6b), which was just too much in the heat, took a big whipper from the end of the traverse, hadn't realized how much I had run it out, and just slapped for what I was a jug but my sweaty hands just slid off. Big swinging whip, lucky not to hurt my ankle. Pulled back on this time placing a new red dragonfly to protect the traverse. An absolute schooling in poor finger crack technique. Too hot, we retreated for a swim before heading up to Dado to do Apogeo (6a) brilliant little route on loan from Millstone, after we both led the route we had ran out of time so headed down for dinner.

S: Another super hot day with storms forecast for 4PM, but we decided to do Apparizione del Cristo Verde (6b) based on a recommendation.  Such a brilliant route, a strange mix of pitches some with a lot of bolts, some a couple of bolts  and others all gear. We were flying up it at ~ 20mins a pitch, but then got caught behind two teams of 3, so had to hang around before the crux. Heat took its toll, and I was happy to get to the top. Down for a swim, and a few refreshing beers.

Week 01- 07th July

M: Decided to climb in the shade, walked in to Tramonto. Stunning walk, paddling through the river, and alpine meadows eating wild strawberries. Almost stood on a huge black snake which gave me a little shock. It literally brushed my legs as it scampered off. Both led Fessura del Tramonto (5c), an absolute stunner. Headed back for a decent lunch, and drove to Geneva. 

T: Interview in Geneva, a full on day (08:00 - 16:30) of presentations, intense competitive environment. Drove to Chamonix, where partner came down with food poisoning and spent the whole night throwing up in the thunderstorm.

W: Storms forecast for 2pm, and partner feeling much better but a little subdued. We headed to Barberine, and did a few slabs before rain came in. Dinner, and planning for the weather window on Friday.

T: Woke up to find storms forecast for later in the day so original plan to climb Nabot-Léon (TD- 5c) went out the window, but we headed up to the Plan Aiguille, and decided just to wait and see what happened. Chilled until around 17:00 and walked into bivvy for Cordier Pillar (TD+ 6b).  Around 2 or 3 teams with same idea, brilliant bivvy spot, clouds stopped us seeing the Charmoz adding to suspense, that and the sound of rocks crashing down.

F: Up at 05:00, could make out head lights heading up the glacier, we left bivvy by 05:30, at base of route by ~06:30ish, one team in front and 3 behind us. Surprised how chossy the first few pitches were, the team in front just gunned on a single 80m so they were out of the way, but then my partner got rope stuck on pitch ~6, and had to down climb to sort it out, allowing two teams behind us to catch up. Then we went off route, leading to a tenuous unprotected slab traverse (thank god for all the slab practice in orco and barberine) to get back on route, two friendly Americans caught us up, other teams backed off i presume as we didnt see them again. The Americans were the same speed as us so we ended up waiting depending on who got to what belay. Mostly climbed rope lengths rather than looked at topo. Climbing massively improved after 2/3rds ledge, with fantastic golden granite. Finger crack crux was hard, and offwidth surprisingly easy. At the top and began abseiling around 18:00, rope jams, dehydration, meant we got down around 22:00ish, just as it got dark. Had seen huge boulders falling down the glacier just before it got dark, partner had dropped headtorch, so we had a rather harrowing crossing with huge blocks letting go intermittently, crouching down and peering into the gloom as they went crashing past. Went as fast as we could in crampons, arrived back at the belay around 23:30 and past out. All in all a fantastic adventure with some quality climbing higher up, but possibly a little to much choss to get there. Easy to look back on the glacier crossing as all part of the fun when your safely back in town.

S: up early as hover flys kept trying to pollinate our faces. Strolled back to lift, and headed down to Cham. Quick shower, and a few beers and burger before driving back to Milan for flight home.

S: Spent the afternoon having lunch in a country pub garden.

All in all a quality week, the thunderstorms were annoying as they did mean we had to be careful what we planned, but we got our main objective ticked. Seriously impressed with the Orco valley, barely anyone climbing there (maybe the heat?) and the locals were very friendly and interested in what we had been climbing. Will definitely be heading back, hopefully in cooler temps.

Great effort on Colors (7b+), doesn't really matter what the grade is, its got to be one of the best routes on Portland.

Thanks Tom.  Not MIA but nothing to report because everything's been turned upside-down for the move.  Hopefully back to it next week, starting brick sessions with the running with a short bike ride beforehand, getting longer on the bike.  Once I'm moved I'll be a lot closer to a pool so will hopefully work some swims into the schedule too.  Can't say for sure if the event in early September will happen but I can certainly aim for it and am then on it for next year.

Great isn't it!

Sounds like a cool trip, Orco is great eh!

Would love a list of non-death choss Avon routes...

Got one! Think Pink is as safe as houses but, to keep to the required style, you will have to do an HVS approach pitch. I don't know anything about that HVS pitch, though.

Am in two minds about fingerboarding.

On the one hard, I don't think finger strength is my major limitation at the moment, movement fluency & confidence are. So bouldering would do me more good, and fingerboarding is better than nothing when I don't have time to make it to the wall.

Versus: to progress long term I will definitely need stronger fingers at some point. Plus I actually quite enjoy it.

Currently at +12kgs on the BM 1000 outside bottom edges, which is a return to my previous best level rather than actual progression. But I'm claiming a win because it's been hot & humid, those previous bests were in winter and beastmaking is so conditions dependent. I've done 23kgs on a well worn in, sticky public board at a wall, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't as strong then.

STG: Frankenjura thugging project. Re-establish regular stretching habit.
MTG (2019): Double digit 7's including Frankenjura 7b+ project. Currently: 2
LTG (2021): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60

M: 
T:    Beastmaker max hangs.
W: 
T:    Beastmaker max hangs.
F: Poorly timed office party.
S:    Frankenjura with a hangover. Felt dreadful in the morning, surprisingly better in the afternoon. Not back on The Proj, because my partner had nothing he wanted to do at the Grüne Hölle, so instead got settled in to another anti-style project, Löwenherz (VIII-). This one is actually a much better route, not least because the crux involves going uphill rather than traversing. It's basically ten metres of overhanging jug pulling to a good rest, then a steep crux on considerably smaller holds that feels like a moonboard problem (an easy one!) Didn't have my sequence sufficiently sorted on the moonboardy bit, hesitated too long pondering when to slap to the sidepull, powered out. Still, a decent go and a thoroughly worthwhile day. Would be nice to actually get up something at some point though.

S: Another rainy Frankenjura Sunday. Bailed to Cafe Kraft for a decent bouldering session: excellent routesetting there.
 

If you just don't get on the far left end (i.e. exploding galaxy wall) then there's very little other death chose. But assuming what you meant was neither death nor choss, then my vague recollection would be:

- most things on the Ramp. Rancho is a bit peg reliant but my memory is that mirage, new horizons, banshee etc are all fine

- I've done M1/2 and I don't recall them being too bad.

- I've done an E2 on the left edge of Main Wall, Last Gasp possibly, that I vaguely think was ok. The Mal is stuffed full of pegs - reliant but on so many...

- think pink as mentioned

- peryl is peg dependent but ok if you trust them.

- basically everything on the suspension bridge that I've done has been fine.

Re reading, a clarification - this is "the gear is reasonable if you trust the pegs" not "you should trust the pegs, just trust the pegs and it's fine"...

Think Pink (E3 6a) - typical Avon HVS pitch to get to the hard stuff 6c+?

Main Wall Eliminate (E4 6a) - slightly spicy start, well protected from then

The Mal (E3 5c) (pegs were replaced circa 2004 - think there is some wires too? The other HVS-E2 stuff on this buttress is good and well protected too)

Lich Gates (E2 5c) (approach via Goth (E2 5b) for maximum entertainment and a direct line)

Yellow Edge (E3 5c) (first pitch has nice stainless bolts, middle pitch some minor choss, top pitch is awesome and exposed; Captain Swing (E3 5c) is similar, and perhaps an even better top pitch?)

New Horizons II (E2 5c) & Them (E3 6a) on Upper wall; but most here are well protected anyway

Arête de la Dégéneration (E3 6b) - slightly obscure, protected by bolts and threads

Everything on Suspension Bridge Buttress with stars (avoid GT Special & Nemo Me Impune Lacessit - they're not $hit routes, but they might might not fulfill the original brief!?!)

If you've not seen the new guide btw then yellow edge is down to E3 5b, 5b, 5b now, and Think Pink up to E4...

Is MWE natural gear, or in situ (before the bolts, obviously)? I know one of those two is meant to be more of a clip em up, but for obvious reasons I am less trusting of Avon pegs...

Thanks Ally, Andy and Mike for the suggestions. Time to overcome my Avon aversion!

I have the latest guide, but haven't looked through much - it was gifted to me by CC after contributing new route & bouldering info to Martin Crocker. E4 for Think Pink is fair IMHO.

MWE - I remember placing a hex early on, so it couldn't have been all clip-up. The upper section has at least 3 glue-in bolts, but i think there are a bunch of pegs of unknown vintage too

The weather was good, Fairhead was perfect and now i seem to be unable to do the start of the problem. I think i'm just being a bit too static on it on reflection. Not a total waste though as I improved my beta on the rest of the climb - the rail I could barely hang at one stage I can easily hang off now so i'll take that positive! Decent week for me overall, new updated training plan starts next week

M - Climbfit, +25kg 3x5 pullups and +9kg 5x4 dips (failed on the last set on the dips)

T - Finger benchmarking session - 3KG improvement on the right hand and 2KG on the left since Feb (which is not too bad considering my seeming fingerboard allergy), Pilates

W - Started an anaerobic capacity session, felt super tired, tapped out after 2 rounds as I was majorly having to bring the intensity down

T - Boulderworld session - couple of red problems, black problem and knocked off a problem i'd been working on the comp wall. Decent session overall

F - Rest

S - Fairhead, cracking day out bouldering even if it didn't all go my way

S - Rest, ate ice-cream

Will definitely start fingerboarding next week, probably.....maybe...we'll see

Long weekend and bouldering in Glendalough this week

I did Krapps/Think Pink and wouldn't disagree with E4 for the full outing, 2 very different E3s back to back - and Think Pink is hard climbing even in its own right so doesn't seem unreasonable at E4.

Hey Tom looks like I won't need to join the others in the finger rehab club luckily. Weather has been superb for the last few weeks down here in the South West. Hope everyone has been able to make the most of it. Might be off the grid for the next few weeks as off on a two week van trip with the Mrs to Scotland on Saturday. Here's hoping the wee bastards stay quiet like they did last year and the weather is good.

Not much in the way of training this last week as I have been making the most of the amazing weather and just being outside as much as possible. Coupled with a few other commitments it has not been a super productive week.

Mon - Indoor bouldering at a very sweaty Rockburn. A bit hot for me to go all out on the hard problems but still managed a good session. Tried to focus on power and using hard crimps as much as possible.

Tue - Family BBQ

Wed - Evening sport climbing on Portland. Some mid grade 6's as it was quite hot until late so we didn't fancy jumping on anything that involved smears and crimps.

Thurs - Evening DWS down Lulworth (Stairhole) - Had a great evening playing about on the classics Maypole, Horny Lil Devil etc... fell in enough times to keep cool

Fri - Van work

Sat - Afternoon sport climbing on Portland - Was soo nice and hot Saturday even right down by the sea. Went for more swims than I did routes. Nothing above 6c but did manage to tick several routes between 6a+ & 6b+

Sun - Much the same as Saturday just not quite as hot.

Cheers and hopefully will be able to catch up with everyone in a few weeks time

Good job on Colors (7b+) dude. This is on my hit list of routes I want to do at Wallsend in the future along with Reverence. Really good effort

Well, that is a very good question, Tom. I don't know what use a muscle up is except to impress the other gym people! I'm really enjoying trying though. This has been a good question to get me thinking though! On the other hand, the front lever is definitely helping to build my core and making steeper problems feel much smoother. I really think I need to do some more specific finger work but at the moment I have some very sore knuckles from bouldering and I am not really sure what the best action for that is. Probably just tape.

I did not go away climbing this weekend as I had a friends birthday on Sunday but hoping to get away this coming one if the weather isn't too hot/rainy - fussy climber.

I also got out for my first run in ages this week and have two planned in for this week. Suddenly remembered that I signed up to a 10 miler in October!

Mon: leg day at the gym - much stronger back squat with better technique (keeping knees out rather than allowing them to collapse in)

Lunchtime woody session at Barber's gym - finding it much easier to stay on especially compared to the wave at the castle which considerably steeper.

Best lead session I have had in a long time. I led a 6c in a couple of pieces and tr 7a+ and 7b+ in pieces too alongside a bunch of other climbs. I also took a couple of falls one totally unexpected and large as my awesome belayer gave out rope instead of took in at the top. 

Tues: went for a 7km run, av pace: 6.29mins/km - felt pretty good until about halfway and it felt like survival most of the way home 

Wed: core and movement gym session. Got a freestanding handstand for around 7 seconds! Also, did a muscle up using the 50-120lb band. Good to feel what the movement will feel like when I eventually get there.

Thurs: lunchtime woody session at Barber's gym. Worked on big power moves and saw improvement over the session - up to V4

Fri: morning gym session - did my box jumps on the highest box which I have no dimensions of (roughly 100cm). This will not seem impressive or something worth noting but those who have seen me jump will understand why this is incredible. Finished off the session with 4 assisted muscle ups (50-120lb band)

Sat: went for a hot boulder at the castle - in general, felt pretty weak bouldering over the last few weeks although maybe could blame the setting getting a little harder?! Also still got pain in the knuckles on a few of my fingers, thinking this is only a little inflammation so just climbing as usual but using tape.

Sun: rest and gin

Awesome work on colors I skipped the details just in case I ever get anywhere near giving it a go but saw skin of the teeth!! Excellent work.

Sorry Father Tom for the late post, please let me know what my penance will be for forgeting the fit club parish

Yeah nice to get a new PB but I must be honest and say I'm not deliberately trying to concentrate on improving my pull up capacity it's just something I do at the end of fingerboard sessions as suggested by Dave Macleod ,  I'll take the pat on the back though old bean, thanks!

No comparison, AJM is a proper climber who goes outside and tries the full "buffet!"of climbing disaplines, where as I'm a wall rat! I did get to two different walls last week though so more varied than most weeks. 

Monday: climbed hard v4 then tried and failed on two v5's at the wall both seem hard for the grade (excuses excuses!) 3 sets of 20 press ups and sit ups. 3 sets of 10 eccentric wrist curls and leg raises.

Thurday: went to a different wall, climbed two v4/5's and then tried a v6 I had worked on last time I was there, did the crux which I couldn't manage last visit but didn't have enough juice to do the last move...oh sugar! 2 sets of the same exercises from Monday.

Sunday:6 max hangs on the beastmaker 2000 slopers , then 24 pull ups.

Weight 11st 10, diet is better but I'll never be full keto.....me love the carbs too much

Thanks Tom. I am still here and reading along. Haven't really been doing any 'structured' training although have been bouldering and indoor leading a fair amount and am feeling some progress in the latter (lead head turned back on somewhat). I'm finding it tough to get out of London at the weekend consistently and have loads of 'summer' stuff in the diary which mainly revolves around drinking :-/

I'm always up for Avon Sean, have only done 4 routes on suspension bridge so far

Cheers Tom. I nearly forgot to post. 

Did some leg stuff and core and went climbing twice. 

No E2’s to report as it was bouldering (Langdale) and sport (Scout Scar). Bouldering was fun. Did the low grade classics (The crack, the pocket, traverses) but still can’t do The Overhang. 

Got absolutely spanked at scouts at and came away empty handed. I am bouldering OK and trad fit but I have no sport fitness at all.

i have also developed a strain in my left arm. It’s shoulder related and goes all the way down the flexors to my wrist. Had it before and it took a while to get over it. Should be fine for trad though. 

Thanks for stats Tom and book recommendation. Got a free sample sent to my Kindle, so will give it a read.... or actually finish 9/10 climbers by Dave Mac!

Good week had bagging Wainwright's and living out of the van. Northern book finished and van beta test successful, so all good. Also spent some time at a fantastic bagel and doughnut shop in Carlisle, which may go some way to explaining some weight and bf increase!

Mo:    Walking, 9.7 miles. 6.3 mile hill walk, 2 Wainwrights.
Tu:    Walking, 12.4 miles. 9.3 mile hill walk, 2 Wainwrights.
We:    Walking, 9.5 miles. 12 boulder problems. 3.7 mile hill walk, 1 Wainwright.
Th:    Walking, 10.1 miles. 4.7 mile hill walk, 1 Wainwright. 3.1 mile hill walk, 1 Wainwright.
Fr:    Walking, 8.7 miles. 6.4 mile hill walk, 4 Wainwrights.
Sa:    Walking, 14.8 miles. 10.1 mile hill walk, 3 Wainwrights.
Su:    General walking, 10.1 miles.
Weight: 10st 5lb/bf 15.6%

Lake District walking and van living.

Next week's plan
Get diet on track.
Get back climbing/training.
Do more work on van.
 

Thanks for not forgetting me Tom even during my continued delinquency! I feel I ought to check in with a sit rep as we've reached the halfway point of the year. 

I've started working away three days a week, I don't normally have much lunch but now I am three days a week and exercising little restraint when it comes to the room service menu in the evening.

Obviously evening cragging has come to an end during the week.

I've just turned 50.

My trad renaissance has come to nothing (I had a nice day in the lakes last weekend) and I've not got up anything harder than 7b on sport.