UKC

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
and here
http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16421.msg287007/topicseen.htm...

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 weeks (193) thread
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=435126

Repeat posters - 30
AJM
Murd - this week still sound ok? Same deal as last time?
IainRUK - if the weather's been like here this week there must have been some nice snowy running to be had...
Thickhead - packing lots of miles in there, from the look of things
Eagle River - good work on the V7, and hopefully your quick destruction of one of the Malham warmups shows you the way for harder things...
fried - home made cakes are bad, but that doesn't mean they aren't good As I write (Saturday am) my missus is just about to start baking some too...
biscuit - looks like a pretty good detailed plan, should give good structure to your training.
Steve Perry (Pezz) - sounds like a good weekend
seankenny - sounds like a good week's holiday, nice one. If youre trying to not tweak the finger then maybe volume is the way, but use it to work on technique and flow and confidence (on lead etc) - the thing that struck me from that interview with Pearson they had up this week was the phrase "its amazing how pumpy a moment of panic can be" - he is so right...
ayuplass - a busy week even if hindered by snow. Worth trying to make sure you lead every time if its something you think you need to focus on, that way eventually it becomes the norm and you dont have to even think about it
Miles - what did you learn about direct belaying? I'm intrigued.....
Liam M - its always nice to find other people struggled with it too...
andy - maybe low mileage, but to me the child/puppy sitting sounds like the crux of the week
Steve John B - keep plugging away and it will get easier
Curious Yellow - shame about the weather for you guys.
Wilbur - VoF I have never been on but have always intended to get on at some point
plexiglass_nick - I've heard good things about Keyboard Wall - whats it like? Good effort on V4 flash
catt - shame about the weather, but good you picked up some inspiration for future projects
TonyB - sounds like a good varied week, nice one
leon - hope the discussion you had with nick and I (and others) on the other thread re your training helped.
chris05 - discovery of strength moment eh..... nice one
viking - did you guys all hire a coach to get down there
flash13 - another Portland-ite. If it wasn't for the fact it was cold I'd feel like I missed out.....
andy farnell - sounds like a fairly quiet week, but good work on Sunday's circuit ticking
fimm - I've never managed to productively combine any other training with cycling to work, and I go slightly less than you (about 23.5km each way)
mattrm - I've been eyeing up the South Wales winter conditions with glee. Sadly though I'm not sure when I'll get the opportunity to get out and play, might have to be a post work night climb or something the way things are looking
jkarran - hope motivation comes back soon...
Kevster - hope the reds fell this week
petestack - given the constraints that doesn't sound too bad, and from the sounds of things you've kept it up this week too...
JimmyKay - 7c onsight indoors is pretty solid, nice one...

Departed - 1
Sonya Mc

Welcome back - 4
Alan_2468 - did you manage to up the load this week?
Eric the Red - good that youre able to up the mileage on the ankle.
TomPR - good to hear youve hit the ground running at least.....
endless winter - seems like the whole world was down on Portland!

In reply to AJM: thanks andy.

STG: a few short slow runs. shoulder physio exercises.
MTG: stay healthy and get back to running 10 miles+. 19 minute 5k and 40 minute 10k. brass monkey half on jan 23rd. get some 'wishlist' climbs ticked off.
LTG: windermere marathon, borrowdale fell race, yorkshireman marathon, lead some VS's
VLTG: long run, 2 july 2012

M - slowish 3 mile run on icy paths as the snow swirled all around. pretty hard work by the end. good though!
T - shoulder exercises.
W - slow 3 mile run in the snow. squats/lunges
T - rest
F - rest
S - slow 2.5 mile run with small amount of hills
S - slow 2 mile run. shoulder exercises.

4 runs, 10 miles, and no injuries. so far...

In reply to AJM: Cheers m8.
How was Devon?
Ok week. Not really pulling up any trees but no real problems or set backs.
Yea ok Monday Andy, about 6pm?

STG: Regular on sites of F6b’s and F6c’s
MTG: F7a indoor…get out side more
LTG: E # ‘s

M: Home Bouldering, decent session 1hr 30m, fingerboard 30
T: Rest
W: Rest
T: Wall session, did leave feeling I could have done more but overall ok
F: Home Bouldering light session 1hr
S: Home Bouldering, felt very tired and with left shoulder feeling tweaky cut the session short, 1hr
S: Rest

In reply to AJM:

Cheers AJM.

STG (by April 2011): Spend as much time as conditions allow at malham, Rose Coronary (TICK!) + Free and even easier.
MTG (by the end of 2011): 7b outdoors.
LTG: no injuries.

Did no climbing all week until today because I tweaked my middle finger pulleys at Malham last weekend. Got back to Malham today and did Rose Coronary and had a couple of goes on free and even easier which feels like it will go next time but again I was too tired by the time I had the moves wired to have a proper go.

Finger felt OK so should be training this week, power endurance and recovering on steep routes are the key things to work on so I'm thinking 4x4s at the bouldering wall and one session trying hard (for me) routes a week with beastmaker between those sessions.

In reply to Murd:

6 sounds good yeah, see you then.

Devon was fun, although minimum climbing done - a few easy routes today, but it was cold enough my feet (and hands by the end) kept going numb, so I didn't fancy trying anything hard given it was bold slab climbing! Will probably punish myself on the beastmaker later to make up for it...

In reply to Eagle River:

You're making steady progress on the malham routes - I reckon if Free and Even Easier (7a+?) goes on your next visit you should be well set for 7b by April, let alone 2011

In reply to AJM:

Enjoying packing miles in at the moment, unfortunately Aber 10K postponed today but had already decided not to travel 2hours each way to get there. So thats the season done for me and the next race I have pencilled is the Nick Beer in Mid Feb by which time I'll be a Dad, so expecting something of a drop in mileage between now and then!

M: 14mile road run and 3mile dog walk
T: 4.5mile trail/beach run
W: 4.5mile trail/beach run
T: 7.5mile trail run Great Orme x3
F: 6.5mile trail/beach run
S: 6.5mile trail/beach run
S: 20mile road run and 4mile dog walk

In reply to AJM:

Thanks Andy.

M - Core (300) + antag
T - Cockermouth
W - core (300)+ antag
T - Penrith - performance
F - Ill
S - Ill
S - Ill

Not the start to the training i wanted. Combination of man flu coming back to get me and schools being closed have played havoc.

Cockermouth was quite good with improvements seen in stamina from before my holiday and i did a couple of moves i couldn't pull off last week.

Penrith wasn't as good as i wanted. Climbing as a 3 and freezing wall meant it was hard to keep warm and i started to feel ill. Worked a very bouldery 6c+ ( 2 people came over to say it's at least 7a not 6c+ ) but couldn't pull the crux. Putting it down to feeling crap and i will get it first go next week.

So a fail this week but i am feeling well again except for a hacking cough that has wrecked my back. Should be better this week assuming schools re-open.

STG
4 sessions a week. 3 training + 1 performance.
3 x core + 3 x antagonists each week.
Routes are short. Mix of technical/vertical + strong/steep.

December

1 x 6c+ a week
CIR boulder @ V2
Cont climb 6a
4x4 1121
Body fat - 13% end of Dec

January

1 x 6c+ a week
VIR boulder @ V3
Cont climbing 6a+
4x4 2021
boulder session
Body fat - 11% end of Jan

February

1 x 7a a week
2 x boulder sessions - inc volume
4x4 - V2121
Body fat - 10% end of Feb

March

2 x 7a+
1 x campus a week
boulder session ( woody )
2 x boulder - 1 on longer probs of 8-16 moves
4x4 - V3021


MTG

April

7b - hopefully outdoors ( Malham ? )

training wise not sure yet will see what i am lacking when i get nearer


LTG

Comedy 7c before next Oct
Lourdes 8a before 2012

In reply to AJM:

I'm really enjoying malham, been lucky with the conditions so far. The 7bs look flipping nails but if I can get free and even easier quickly and then maybe Rated PG (also 7a+) then I'll have a look at Seventh Aardvark or Something Stupid. My friends were on Wasted Youth today and it looks pretty savage!

In reply to Eagle River:

well done on rose coronary, that was my start point at malham.

Rated PG IMHO is a horror show, I wouldn't bother.

Seventh or Something Stupid both good first 7b options, with Wasted Youth being slightly harder than both of those.

for 7a+ at that end, Frankenstein is nice, or Free and even easier, Appetite at the other end.

In reply to AJM: Nice one AJM for putting in the hard work.

Lots of snow this week and not very much climbing apart from some indoor training. Pretty boring really, but at least I could get some DIY done at the same time! Had a couple of good sessions in the offwidth cellar, so that's coming along nicely at the moment.

M: 300 Dish tucks, 200 Basic + Dishes and L-hangs
T: 500 Basic
W: 500 Basic + 200 Dish tucks
Th: 500 Basic
Fr: 100 Upside downers, 300 Basic
S: Rest
Su: 500 Basic, 250 Dish tucks.

In reply to AJM: Thanks Andy, nice work.

M: Nowt
T: Nowt
W: Stamina session at the wall (laps): 2 x 5, 1 x 6a, 3 x 6a+, 4 x 6a, 3 x 6a. Tired
T: Chores
F: Dinner with gf, party.
S: Ran 4.7m at 9:07/mile
S: Laps session at the wall: 4 x 6a+, 5 x 6a+, 4 x 6a+, 3 x 6a, around 200m of climbing - tired afterwards.

A reasonable week. Feel a bit of stamina returning and finding that I'm pretty boxed at the end of these sessions. Trying to work on flow and keeping good technique too, and building up confidence on steep ground (something I'm not usually good at).

Unfortunately not much this coming week as I'm on a hostile environments course until Thursday.

In reply to AJM: Cheers

Mon: Ran to local club meet and did run with them. About 19k fairly consistent hard effort. It felt bloody cold by the end!
Tue: Short (4-5k ish) easy run from work at lunch to allow me to enjoy the snow in daylight and explore some of the local paths near to the office.
Wed: Nothing
Thu: 11k run by headtorch over to Spetchley Park and back. Fairly slow due to ground being solid and slippy, and again due to exploring paths I didn't know.
Fri: Nothing
Sat: 9k run from Elterwater to Ambleside, including a decent amount of climb as I flanked Loughrigg Fell. Hard work to run through the powder, but glorious. Walked from Grasmere to Elterwater, and a bit of a pootle around woods to Chapel Stile later.
Sun: Short (though vertical) walk up Dow Bank/Silver How area from Elterwater.

A fairly leisurely week, but really not concerned, as I'm not training for much specifically. It's just been nice and go for easy snowy runs, and take the opportunity to learn some of the local trails around here. It's also the first time I can recall that I've gone out and run by headtorch to find my way through routes I only know on a map before hand. I made a few navigational errors, but if I do a few more runs like that it will hopefully sharpen me up.

I have the Calderdale Way relay next weekend. It could be interesting if conditions stay like they are at the moment.

In reply to AJM:


Well basically there was a Bulgarian guy in our group who'd had a lot of experience doing long multipitch routes (where he had always used direct belays)and he asked our instructor why we didn't tend to use them over here. Before this discussion I'd never even heard of the concept of direct belaying but when it was explained that it took alot of load off the belayer and left them much more freedom to move around if necessary I figured it sounded like a technique worth adopting.

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Fairly short, easy session.
Wednesday: Decided to try some harder stuff, was trying to clean a very balancey, slabby '6c' but managed to fall off it in different ways about 4 or 5 times. Also tried a 7b and was surprised to find I could do all the moves (and potentially link them if I'd tried it again) but misread the route and lost the onsight.
Thursday: Bouldering - nothing particularly hard, I just wanted to do some before the competition.
Friday - Rest
Saturday: Bouldering competition in London. Unfortunately I was feeling pretty ill so wasn't performing at my best but still managed to come around 25/65 which I was pretty happy with considering how bad I was feeling and how rarely I actually boulder.
Sunday: A friend convinced me to go in for a short session with him. It started badly (misread 6c+ as 6a+ and subsequently fell off my warm up route) and then felt fairly weak for the rest of the session. Also discovered they'd reset all the routes I'd be trying so no chance of RPing that 7b

STG: Try the new 7a+ that's been set and clean the 6c+ I fell off
MTG: Learn to crimp less (will hopefully be able to train openhanded strength over christmas on the beastmaker )
LTG: Stay injury free

In reply to AJM:
Thanks Andy - I assume Ok rather than AJM.

Your prophecy was good - the reds finally fell (high 7), today. It had become one of those nemesis routes which should have fallen ages ago but didn't and continued not to even though I could fly up it in any combination of sections. Now it is ticked, I can move on to the remaining two routes at the wall left to do. Smile and a small sigh of relief.
G if you read this, you were right, just had to man up - sod the clip and go for the glory.

Sunday: MK bouldering - did OK with reasonable mileage, tweaked finger which seems to be OK a week on, but taped.
Tuesday: Indoors - Elusive reds being elusive, frustration.
Sunday: Indoors - Ticked hard reds, finally.

Aims for upto xmas:
Next week/Tuesday - try the 2 remaining hard routes.
End of next week to xmas - volume of routes, aim for 30m climbing each climb.

My year end is for FC was xmas last year. So overview for new years resolutions.
No point publishing targets, most are outside ones now and the weather/xmas drinking has put paid to further progress on them.

Thanks, Kev

In reply to AJM:
STG:
MTG: A revamped training schedule for 2011+.
LTG(2010): 20 HVS points (done). (12)12 e-points(done). 2 sets of 4x4(v1,v2,v2,v2)(done). Tippler & Desperation.
VLTG(2029?): Left Wall & Regent Street.

Falls this week:0 (19 this year)
Weight: 9'13", 11.3% fat.
Focus: Core.

Mon: Ill.
Tue: Ill.
Wed: Ill.
Thu: Ill.
Fri: Ill.
Sat: Ill.
Sun: Ill.

Yes, the other thread was food for thought. I'll definately focus on volume for a few months, should help with the tendonitus that I cannot get rid of too.

Next year I want to try to reach this years training highs by end of March (rekon I've slipped in the last few months & will slip more looking after the elbow) then I'll concentrate on technique & volume in the main.

I didn't find my limit routing this year & I think at my fittest I was probably fit enough to onsight 6c+ (only time will tell). So I'm hoping that I don't need to improve too much on the PE, endurance side so I can concentrate on technique, tactics, etc.

I'll change the sport climbing pyramid to be a flatter one, start onsighting 6b+ & top out @ 7a with a lot of onsighting @ 6c+ being the key target & 7a being a nice to have. Key weaknesses to work on: Leading confidence, dynamic climbing, reading balancy sequences quickly & lock-off strength.

Ill all week so no training done.

MTG for the rest of the year: Core three times a week. Volume twice a week (40 routes or 120 boulder problems).

In reply to AJM: Steady week, interview in plymouth allowed some new areas to be visited...not overly keen on the area though..

m: 8.35 road run from work.
t: 6 miles, 500m ascent Foel Goch fell run
w: 5 mile run at lunch, 2 hrs at wall
t: 6 mile trail and minor road run southern dartmoor
f: 6 mile trail and minor road run southern dartmoor
s: 18 miles, 1000m ascentm coastal Trail run, Lands End > Sennen and back to Penzance.
s: 12 miles, 600m ascent. Fell run on Dartmoor.

In reply to Kevster:


I'm not fussy


Nice work

<STG>

Build freestanding fingerboard setup and use it regularly DONE

Get out when possible - busy in the run up til Christmas so I'll take whatever rock time I can get

Regular wall sessions, 2-3 per week, focusing on strength when bouldering and redpointing on ropes

<MTG> - before Easter

• 10 routes at E2/7a or above if I qualify, 5 if I don't and hence have more exams at Easter
  
• Include at least 2 routes from local hitlist of harder routes
  
• 7b redpoint on ropes or circuit indoors
  
• Intervals on 6c+/7a indoors
  
• V5 indoors, V4 outdoors
  
• Bike odometer to 1500km - currently at 356>

<LTG>

• Well rounded E3 leader, tackling routes in committing locations
  
• E4 onsight
  
• 7c redpoints at Cheddar and Portland
  
• 7a/+ onsights at hard continental crags

<BHAG>

• Big mountain routes like Tempi Moderne, Comici etc
  
• E5 onsights
  
• 8a/+ redpoint
  
• 7b/+ onsights at hard continental crags
  
• Some big silly bike ride like Pyrenees coast to coast or tour du ont blanc or something

Quiet week this week. I had an exam on Friday (which I passed, good news) so was a bit busy working during the week for much training time. Was also ill Monday which didn't help.

So yeah:
Mon - ill
Tues - short BM session I think
Wed-Fri - nada
Sat - finished the beastmaker rig - I've now got the beastmaker itself, a campus rung mounted behind and a foot or so below it, a counterweight set up for hypogravity work and a kickboard for foot on campus and stamina-ey sort of exercises. On the less healthy side, we also baked cakes and ate far too much of them ourselves
Sun - Devon. Went to Meadfoot, chilly. Feet went slight numb in my rock shoes so didn't fancy doing anything hard but did a few easy routes. When I got home I had a beastmaker session - some offset pullups on the "mouth" and the campus rung (can manage 2-3 pullups at a time like this, but that really needs to improve) and some hypogravity work, all at 20lb (9kg) off bodyweight, just to explore what I could do really. Managed:

• one-arm hang on the mouth (easy - weight coming off next time, not far from no weight for this one I don't think)
  
• one-arm hang on the deeper of the "eyes" (hard - maybe some weight off soon, but a few more sessions at this weight first I think)
  
• middle 2, front 2 and (very surprisingly) back 2 - some weight reduction as above for middle in particular, a bit longer for front and back two
  
• 35 degree slopers (barely)
  
• and found I can't yet do one-arm hangs on the big crimp at he bottom or 3-finger 2-handed hangs on the little rails bottom edges - targets to work up to.

Going to try and do some assisted one-arm locks in future sessions too, gauge where I am on those

Good week. Getting a bit busy with Christmas parties but hoping to get a couple of sessions in - a wall session or two and a beastmaker session or two. I'm in the Lakes this Saturday night so might try and do some bouldering on the way up (Churnet or Roaches perhaps, if the snow has gone), and/or maybe a trip to Chapel Head Sat/Sun or something if the weather allows... open to recommendations for routes/problems at those locations, or company if other Fit Clubbers happen to be there.....

AJM

In reply to Eagle River: Rated PG is ok, but a bit of a non-line with a poor finish. Frankenstein is much better, as is Harley Hare, both good 7a+'s. Wasted is a tough 7b, but fine once you sort your feet. Something Stupid is bottom of the grade, Seventh Aardvark about middle, but with an easy to fluff finish.

On the other side of the crag, Appetite and the direct start Mule Variations, are both excellent.

Andy F

In reply to AJM: Thanks again.

Tues - Awesome liverpool, quite a good bouldering session.
Fri - BM, 45 mins
Sat/Sun - eldest son's birthday, so did nowt.

Will try harder next week.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look at Frankenstein and Hartley Hare next time I'm there. At the moment I'm playing to my strengths so anything over about 12m (such as appetite) will have to wait until I have some stamina!

In reply to AJM:

Stop me if I'm being very patronising but with regards to 35deg slopers on the BM are you using chalk? And how are you holding them? I found that brushing chalk into the wood (I think it was Jkarran on here who suggested it) helped a lot and not trying to get my whole hand on the hold but using from the middle knuckle to the end of my fingers instead.

And there's no shame in a bit of nestling to get used to the slopers

In reply to Eagle River:

I had chalk on my hands, hadn't thought about putting it on the wood. I think I started out with full hand contact but kind of slid down and ended up about at that middle knuckle. I'll experiment with chalk on wood though.

Nestling - definitely, but does reduced weight and nestling start to become a step too far...

In reply to AJM:

Cheers Andy. Good to see the masterpiece is finished. Any pictures to share with the class?

Keyboard Wall I think is probably fantastic. Much more featured than I had expected from the guidebook description, but with very directional holds - short and very technical. I reckon it boils down to a sequence of maybe 10 hard moves. Perhaps V5 though there is at least one move I haven't done (even in isolation) so that could be wildly out.

Indoors all week for me though some fab bouldering sessions had, feeling a bit of power come back. Went to check out the new walls at the Arch - what an amazing job they've done. They've added a new, large room with varied angles and interesting panels with some top outs - but imho the best bit is they've built a cave area with a 'tube' - a 60 degree overhanging wall about 10? m long with a mat that slopes up underneath it, so you can do endurance roof 'up' routes and still be bouldering. Massive potential for getting very, very pumped and an awesome core workout.


STG
Hall of Mirrors autumn/winter 2010/11
Boulder V7 and regularly (once per week) boulder V6 - Spring 2011 2x v6 this week
El Chorro (New Year trip) - 1x7b, 1x7b+
Winter training goals TBC - maintain endurance, get stronger.

MTG
Onsight 7a+
Try a 7a every onsight day
Onsight/Flash pyramid for 7b (1x6c+, 1x7b) ticked: (7x6c+, 4x7a, 2x7a+)
60 pitches led at 6b+ to 7a in 2010 (current total: 41)
Maintain 2010 project tick rate at 33% Currently: 33% (-5%)
7c+ Pyramid (3x7b, 2x7b+, 1x7c, 1x7c+) ticked: (5x7b, 2x7b+, 1x7c)


LTG
F8a in 2011
Onsight 7b+
Supercool

M: Boulder - decent session. Repeated yellow v5 on panels, eliminated flailing and got it first go. Also did new purple v4 in pen and two blues (v4 and v5?). Working on blue problem on wave - getting further than ever before, linked from the start through to move 4 (previously a stopper). Pull ups - offsets and fingertip pull ups on med campus rungs.
T: Boulder - bit tired. Did a CIR aiming for 15 problems - got to 11 (1x V5, 6xV4, 4xV3) before running out of juice. Based on this stamina levels seem noticably down on a year or so ago - but overall feeling a bit stronger.
W:
T: Boulder - great 2hr session. Did all boulder ladder (20 probs incl 1x V5 2nd go, 1xv4 and 1xv3 flash) and ticked grey V6 project on Mezz.
F: Boulder - ok session. Linking moves on purple v6 on mezz, threshold bouldering on v7 and v8 in pen. Got the two new v5s on the features quickly.
S:
S: Bouldering - checking out the new walls at the Arch. 11 new probs from v3 up incl 1x v6 and 2x v5. Also did the f6c up the tube and it's f7a extended version. Working on the 7a+ which is a much harder proposition. Sadly think we were having a bit _too_ much upside-down fun and I appear to have pulled a muscle in my core somewhere so it looks like an enforced rest day today.

In reply to AJM:

Many thanks AJM.

STG - 25:45 5k, Consolidate HS (9/10 - 2nds | 5/10 leads), 11st 10lbs weight, Onsight 5+ (with out any dogging)
MTG - 25:30 5k, Consolidate VS (4/10 - 2nds | 3/10 leads), 11st 7lbs weight, Climb 6a
LTG - 25:15 5k, Lead HVS, maintain weight, Climb 6b
VLTG - Lead E1, Climb 6c, maintain weight
Aspirational - Climb E5/6, Scottish Winter VI, WI5, Redpoint 8a, stay injury free & maintain 11st 7lbs

Weight - 12st 7lbs

M - F - Rest
S - Pen-y-Fan - 10k, 1300m ascent, a I gully and a II route
S - Rest

Lazy week apart from Saturday. Was coming back from Germany on Mon/Tues, that took ages on the coach so was knackered on Weds/Thurs (I go 2 hours of sleep one night). Then didn't want to push my knees in anticipation of Saturday. Had a great day out. Good to get my eye in for Scotland mid Feb.

Going to push it this week. Need to really get going otherwise I'll have basically done nothing ahead of feb.

AJM - if you want to get down here, either tomorrow or weds are your best options. After that the freezing level goes way above all the summits. We had a very hard frost last night, hopefully the same again tonight. There was a decent amount of snow on Friday, followed by a slight thaw, so it should be good. The NE Face of Pen-y-Fan was nice. Lots of easy gully and rib routes.

In reply to AJM:

Thanks AGM. Hope the cake turned out well...

Monday - work
Tuesday - work
Wednesday - indoor bouldering, nothing much done. Tried to down-campus a juggy overhang (stupid as my shoulder is weak) and surprise, surprise it aches a lot. Stop as I climb like crap and being in pain ruins my normally silky technique
Thursday - nothing
Friday - jog 30mins
Saturday/ Sunday - In Brittany for a birthday. Weather dismal. Drink a lot.

Generally a poor week with little time to do much. And whatever time I did have spent getting injured. Weather hasn't helped.

Weight a pleasing 73.5kg

STG -I will go to Font next weekend come rain or snow.

In reply to AJM:
Hi Andy, bit of an up and down week...

Mon – Castle. First good session since Turkey. Nothing ticked but making good progress on various problems V4-V6, feeling stronger.
Tues – Rest. Coming down with a cold.
Wedns – Ill.
Thurs – Ill.
Fri – Castle. Easy session. Lots of V2, 15x black problems. Tired.
Sat – Rest.
Sun – Arch. Checking out the new areas – brilliant. 7x V3, 3x V4. O/S 6b and 6c in tunnel, fell off the start of the 7a.

In reply to AJM:

Thanks, Andy... might not be shifting the weight yet but at least I'm getting enough exercise to maintain some kind of fitness and stop putting it on!

M: Single big lap, 2.9 miles
T: Falls beyond German Camp, 3.6 miles/750 ft
W: Full Grey Mare's, 5.4 miles/1,600 ft
T: Penstock, 4.6 miles/1,200 ft
F: Eilean nam Ban (Seagulls' Island), 3.8 miles (some fartlek)
S: Dam by Leitir Bo Fionn (up) & Ciaran Path (down), c.10.4 miles/2,000 ft
S: Raeburn's Route, Stob Coire nan Lochan (IV,4)

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Since you asked so nicely, I've even taken some. Forgive the appaling camera phone shots, please...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajmorris/5239002705/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajmorris/5239002525/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajmorris/5239002303/in/photostream/
shows the fingerboard setup with the pulley loop and campus rung (expertly modelled by my other half) and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajmorris/5239598666/in/photostream/ which is nothing to do with the fingerboard but is something I'm experimenting with for pinch grip training.

Interesting news on the Arch, sounds good. Effort on the 2 V6s - you are cranking at the minute.....

A

In reply to AJM: Not sure about that! It was just interesting as I hadn't really tried to find my max reps; I usually just do a few sets of lower reps.

STG: 7A - should have done the cave RH at RHS but time is now against me, I may not even make it back to RHS before I head north for xmas so STG may have to become GSG (Grit Season Goal)

M:4m run & core (430)
T: pull-ups, press-ups, weights and BM (one-arm max hangs and 8sets of 8 footless moves)
W: 4.5m run
T: nothing
F: nothing
S: pull-ups, press-ups, weights and BM (one-arm max hangs and 8sets of 8 footless moves)
S: nothing

Fairly crap week again, although probably not as bad as this one is going to be. Just trying to maintain fitness/power for now.

In reply to AJM: Thanks for doing fit club. I've had a bit of shift in focus at the moment. With the young baby it's becoming harder to get out and I'm just trying to go out and enjoy climbing at the moment. It's working, I'm having a lot of fun and I think it's helping.

Tues - Boulder session (relatively poor this week as for some reason my footwork was quite poor)

Thurs - Route session (Tapanila) OS 6c, I also identified to 7a routes that focus on completely different skills (both slightly overhanging one on hideously sustained crimpers and the other super balancy on slopers). A STG will definitely be to tick both of these routes.

Sat - Routes (Salmisaari) OS 6c+ also tried two other 6c+ routes but didn't get either.

I'm feeling pretty good on steep routes with relatively good holds but I want to get this good on all routes at this grade. Going to different walls seems to be helping and my STG is simply to get to the stage where I can climb every route between 6c and 7a at all three of the Helsinki climbing walls. It's a lot of routes but fits quite well with the mileage theme for this month.

In reply to AJM:

STG: V6 outdoors (End of March 2011)
MTG: V7 indoors or outdoors (end of May 2011)
LTG: V8 outdoors (2011)

Monday: rest
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: Bouldered at the Castle - up to V4, felt tired and weak!
Thursday: rest
Friday: nada - xmas do
Saturday: Bouldered at the new Arch extension up to V5 - a nice addition to London's climbing walls, I'm even considering changing from the Castle to the Arch as i live near it!
Sunday: nada - another xmas do

Thanks AJM - we all got in Wilbur's Focus! Need a bit more psyche this week, but xmas silly season is starting to get in the way already! Gonna try to sneak a day in the peak on the weekend of the 18th...weather/money dependent!

In reply to AJM:

By Apr 2011
Font 7B - Possibles... Jerry's Traverse/T-Crack
French 7c - Possibles... El Chocco at Brean. Hall of Mirrors at the Cuttings.

M - Rest
T - Castle - bouldering. 3 x V5 of new Pen problems including the orange. Quick play on the V7, very hard and fingery.
W - Fingerboard - ad hoc and assisted one arm hangs.
T - Castle - bouldering. Tired. Attempted some new boulder ladder problems. Tweaked finger a little. Worked some projects on the wave.
F - Rest
S - The Arch - bouldering. Checked out their new walls, good job! Several problems to V5 including one V5 flash. Boulder style 'routes' 6b and 6c.
S - The Arch - bouldering. Went back for the boulder routes. Up to 7a and worked on the 7a+ & 7b.

This week. Not get ruined by the start of the Christmas party season! Keep up 1xfingerboard sess per week in addition to wall sessions. Get back to the Arch and do the 7a+/b.

In reply to AJM:

Cheers AJM, I'm hoping it will be!

Really want this snow to bugger off as it's holding my progress up with regards to route mileage. Still managing to get out bouldering once or so a week and then to Awesome a few times but I really want to get out on some routes whilst I'm feeling it.

---------------------------
GOALS - above all else have fun and remain injury free
---------------------------

STG - by end of December 2010
O/S HS trad
O/S V4 bouldering
H/P Ousal Low trav at Churnet (V6)
Rippler (V3) - DONE
H/P Rippler SS at Roaches UT (V6)
Red F7b+ in The Cave at Awesome Walls Stoke

MTG - by March 24th 2011 (my birthday)
Lead 100 routes up to HVS (4 DONE) – This is a tall order in this weather, I know, but the aim is to get high mileage in ready for spring.
O/S Cenotaph Corner
O/S Cemetery Gates
O/S F7a sport

LTG - hopefully some of these will be next year but will see how short and mediums go before setting dates
O/S Left Wall, fully consolidate at E2, O/S V5, H/P V7, O/S V6, H/P V8, H/P F8a sport, O/S F8a sport.

---------------------------
WEEKLY TOTALS
---------------------------

M: Snowed in.
T: Snowed in.
W: Snowed in.
T: Easy circuits at AW Longton. Felt confident even after a few days off which I'm happy about. Going to start pushing the confidence on harder, smaller, more go-ey moves again now.
F: Rest.
S: Wanted to get on some routes but snow changed plans again. Ended up having full day at Churnet working on varied volume of moves. Quite a few problems done today including a repeat of Booze SS and Sneezy - both of which felt super-easy again so I've either got them well wired, the friction was great or I'm actually progressing quite well (or all three).
S: Steady session at AW on easy circuits.

Weight: 141 lbs (-1 lbs from last wk)
Body Fat: 7.5% (+1% from last wk)
(Really don't trust my body fat percentage figure but on a week-by-week basis it's fine for keeping track of ups and downs.)

---------------------------
NUTRITION LOG (Daily guidelines only, I don't always stick exactly to them)
Please note that this is for me and won't work for everyone as nutritional requirements are very different from person to person.
---------------------------

BREAKFAST: Black coffee. Porridge (cooked with boiled milk, NOT microwaved) with chopped up fruit (1 apple and 1 banana / strawberries) / beens / eggs.
SNACK: Black coffee. Fruit / nuts and seeds.
LUNCH: Chicken pasta with fresh salad / chicken or ham salad sandwiches on wholegrain / brown bread.
SNACK: Fruit / nuts and seeds.
TEA: Chicken breast (or equivalent) usually with potato / pasta etc., and fresh veg (especially broccoli).
SUPPER: Cottage cheese.

TRAINING SUPPLEMENTS:

Reiki and meditation
Once a day: 500mg Cod Liver Oil and 500mg Fish Oil (plus vits).

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

Any idea what the roaches or the churnet will be like Saturday...? Am considering a stop on my way up to the lakes, but I've no idea how the snow will be affecting them at the minute or how easily access is to them.

In reply to AJM:

A friend of mine was up The Roaches last Sunday and said that you could drive up to within walking distance quite easily. People were bouldering up there too.

I was down at Churnet on Saturday and it was fine then for the most part and access was fine.

As long as we don't have any major weather changes I'd say that you'd be fine at either and I'm sure I'll be at one of them on Sat and Sun myself.

Feel free to email me closer to the time and I'll give you the best update I can. I might see you about!

In reply to AJM:
Mon - rest
Tues - day off. 4 hour walk in snow with pub lunch on middle
Weds - another day off work! 3 ht walk in snow & core exercises
Thurs - dumbell circuits 30 mins, 3 sets
Fri - rest
Sat - gym 1hr - hard intervals, really good session - felt effects for rest of day
Sun - wander about in snow with camera

Not a bad week considering the weather. Loving the gym, its been years since I went to a gym but it's much more motivating if you are getting fit for something rather than just being 'gym fit'. Not too worried about lack of climbing cos the one.

In reply to AJM: part 2 - my fat fingers pressed 'submit' before I was finished!

Anyway not worried about lack of climbing as the one thing that will improve my climbing St the mo is losing weight. Only lost a pound this week though.

In reply to AJM:

Like the look of this Fit Club idea! Think i'll join in!

I started climbing at the end of August this year climbed alot since then but got tendonitis in my elbows early November. I stopped climbing completely, iced and stretched my forearms/elbows to death for a month (still did other training, running etc.) Started back again last Thursday and feel 100% with no pain!

I've bouldered up to V2 and can say I can consistantly boulder V1. Getting into sport climbing now as well so will hopefully start this in the coming weeks.

Before climbing I have done alot of running, usualy enter alot of 10k races my best time being 45 mins. Also Weight trained for 2 years and done Martial Arts for one year.

----------------------

Age: 22
Weight: 11.4 stone
Body Fat: 10%

----------------------

STG:
Climb more V2's
Start sport climbing
Make sure I don't pust things to hard and get bad forearms/elbows again!

MTG: April - Mid Next Year
Buy a Beastmaker 1000
Boulder: V3
Sport: 6a - 6b

LTG: Mid - End of Next Year
Boulder: V4
Sport: 6b+

If any of the above are too ambitious let me know. Any advice is appriciated!

----------------------

Training:

M: 3 Mile Run and 1 Hour Gym (Chest, Triceps and Abs) & Stretching
T: Rest
W: 3 Mile Run, Abs & Stretching
T: Indoor Wall 3.5 Hours top roped some 6a's. Bouldered at V1. Stretching.
F: 3 Mile Run, Abs, Pull ups & Stretching
S: Rest (Trying to recover from a cold)
S: Rest (Pretty much back to health)

----------------------

Nutrition:

Breakfast: Scrambled Egg, Beans, 2 Wholemeal Toast & Apple Juice
Snack: Cotage Cheese, 2 Ryvita, Small Probiotic Yoghurt & Green Tea
Lunch: Chicken Salad Wholemeal Sandwich & Green Tea
Snack: Cashew Nuts & Green Tea
Pre Workout: Protein Shake
Post Workout: Protein Shake
Dinner: Chicken, Steak or Steamed Fish with Veg. & Green Tea
Snack: Cottage Chease or a few Cashew Nuts & Night time Protein Shake.

----------------------

Training Supplements:

Multi Vitamin, Flaxseed Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Zinc.

Creatine, BCAA's, Taurine (Post work out, Pre Sleep), L-Glutamine & L-l Arginine

In reply to AJM:

Thanks AJM. I'm sure the enthusiasm will return soon enough. Ticking off one of my projects at the wall will probably sort me out. Anyway, I'm off to Scotland for some wintery fun if the postie shows up with my tickets before the train leaves!

M:
T: Indoor Bouldering, good session
W:
T: Run in the snow, 3.69mi (8:08 pace)
F: Indoor climbing, unproductive session
S:
S:

STG (by 2011):
Regain enthusiasm

jk

Thanks again AJM:

Goal for last week: Run 25 miles plus. No speed work until the ankle is right as it's banging down hard that makes it hurt I think.
STATUS Achieved.

Ran 24 miles which I'm taking as done. Had a really hard week maintaining mileage in attrocious snowy and icy conditions. A couple of near misses running on unlit pavements with patchy ice hidden under leaves.

M: rest
T: 45 min spin, hard. Run to gym and pack
W: 3.3 mile uphill, cross fields in the snow to work. 3.3 miles back again.
T: long walk in the snow
F: nothing
S: 4.7 ice-run/mince around the streets.
S: 10.7 miles icy run/mince around the streets.

STG: Enter a 10 mile ish run
MTG: Run a marathon either December or early 2011
LTG: Run an ultra
VLTG: Sub 3 hour marathon, sub 1:25 half, sub 40min 10k and run all 100 miles of the SDW in under 24 hours.

In reply to AJM:

Monday - Rest, work to do.
Tuesday - Visited the Arch - general conditioning
Wednesday - Core work out
Sit Ups 50
Crunches 50
Plank 4x1min hold, 30 secs rest in between
Lateral Bridge Left 4x1min hold, 30 secs rest in between
Lateral Bridge Right 4x1min hold, 30 secs rest in between
Thursday - Rest, Core hurts so bad!
Friday - Gym session
Chest 95kg
Shoulders 57.5kg
Lat Pull-down 130.0kg
Forearm antagonist 2 x 20 x 5kg
Rotator cuff - external action 2 x 20 x 3.75kg
Rotator cuff - internal action 2 x 20 x 8.75kg
Cable cross over - 2 x 20 x 6.75kg

Short Term Goal - Get into a good training regimen with new job.
Stay at 84kg, don't get too tired
Medium Term Goal - Improve shoulder press and cable cross over by 20%
Get beastmaker routine sorted.
Long Term Goal - V11/Font8a outside somewhere.....

In reply to AJM:

been a rubbish last couple of weeks the weatehr has stoped me getting to work and the pipes burst twice, now no heating so moved in with the relatives.

Finally got to the climbing wall Friday after work for a bouldering session. But they where replacing all the bouldering problems so did laps arounf the lead climbes and top rope areas.

Weather has broken so hoping to get back into the swing of things next week!