UKC

Hello everyone! Here I am for one week only, filling Tyler's shoes until next week. To put my temporary role to its best use, I've got a two-pronged and in no way personally-related question to put to you all. Note for below; I haven't been keeping track of questions/goals so apologies if the questions are repeats.

1. Do you find it harder/easier to find motivation to train now that perma-darkness is upon us?

2. On days when you've got a session planned but would rather sit on the sofa stuffing mince pies (again, no links to my own experiences here remember😂) what do you do about it? Succumb hard, or do you have a strategy?

Now onto the housekeeping:

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 2

Last week’s thread can be found here: 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_659-7120...

Posters:

Ally Smith: Off anywhere exciting? I notice for your hang board session on Monday you've got a pressure measurement (?) down... is this a novel way of measuring work on the hang board or are you just scrupulous about conditions, including air pressure?

Steve Jones: Defo get yourself to Northumberland - in the opposite direction I can get from my house to Keswick in 1:50. Must be nearer than the peak. I see you've got loads of running in - this your main goal? RE: static moves - build your lock off strength and core, and think about standing rather than jumping. Also... climb a load of trad (if you haven't already) and you'll be too afraid to do things dynamically! Static isn't always better of course...

Mattrm: No need for stats old bean, I'm on it. Always important to consider how your life impacts upon your training, whether it's time or by putting stress on the mind and body. Do you eat before/during your climbing session? May help with the tiredness; I now devour food throughout and have lengthened my sessions quite a bit.

Somerset Swede Basher: Congrats on Jerry's Traverse! Found that pretty tough when I tried it. Sounds like you have a good strategy with the hang board.

AJM: Sounds like a good benchmark session. Pulley friction is a key variable to constrain - so long as you use the same pulley and your numbers go up (i.e. less weight taken off) then what more can you ask for! Only issue arises with switching setup and then trying to reproduce. Speaking of which... best of luck with new arrival

Alan Little: Beating viruses is no mean feat. I feel your pain with the walking! Hopefully now recovered you've put in a good shift this week? Any goals for you Kaly trip?

annak: Nooooooo! Best of luck with recovery. Rest, rest and more rest at this stage! Whatever you do don't antagonise it. A good opportunity to work on your core and spend time cycling.

Paul16: Wiped in what sense after your ARC session? Just very tired? Or more pumped? Be careful with the intensity, my understanding of ARC sessions are to keep it very easy. Looking at your MTGs - if you can reappoint 7a you'll stroll (probably literally) up San Melas. It's all head game... Nice list of goal routes mind!

ianstevens: 4kg is a big amount even for big muscles, take the little wins you grumpy chump, you're less shit than you think

Ardo: Impossible to have to much wine on a trip, one of my favourite days on a recent font trip involved and entire box of carrefour's finest, a cricket set and a recreation of the ashes. How did Lleida go?

planetmarshall: Ah Masochism. How far did you make it and with how many rests? Did you get to try to invert beta? Sounds like a top opportunity there. MB sounds promising, and an excellent way to get your boulder grade up a bit. How is/was Turkey?

Bones [:B: Did the extra sleep experiment work out? I suspect there is indeed a knack to doing a muscle up, as well as a mental block to cross. Keep chipping away.

Tom green: You can't stop doing the stats and then just disappear you know! Apologies to the other MIAs I'm not au-fait with.

Well done for stepping in Ian.

Well now. Last winter I made a conscious decision to skip snow-related activities and just lock myself indoors & get fit. Which worked as far as getting fit went, but I found it a bit depressing overall.

This winter I'm thinking of learning to ski. I've snowboarded a bit, but the touring options - snowshoes or splitboards - are too much faffy pita, skis seem so much more practical for getting out & about.

Oh yes. Three or more 7's including something big/steep/with tufas. And tick at least one project from previous visits, preferably more than one.

As to what I've been up to this week:

STG: Boulderwelt 7a+ non-training circuit. DONE
MTG: Actually get up something in what remains of the autumn season. Looking unlikely barring a dramatic change in the weather.
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber by 2021, starting with getting up something big, steep & classic on Kalymnos in the spring. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M: 
T: Wall, Thalkirchen. Bit of a shocker: presumably an after effect of the virus, but my endurance is - as we say in Bavaria - completely in the bucket. Pumping out halfway up 6b's. Hopefully will recover from this soon enough, but not sure what to do in the meantime. Take a break? Low intensity mileage / ARCing? Bouldering? We'll see.
W: 
T: Beastmaker max hangs
F: 
S: Mountain bike 3 hours. Weather was too dreich for climbing, but I wanted to be outside & not at the wall.
S: Wall, Boulderwelt. 7a+ circuit ticked. Had to go full John Kettle on this one: crux was a cross-through from a tiny pinch to a shallow pocket, too strenuous to do statically, too precarious for a full hip movement deadpoint. Had to figure out how to generate that little bit of momentum to do the move, then lock the position solid on hitting the shallow pocket. 
 

Thanks for stepping up to the plate Ian.

1. I find it harder, I much prefer getting stronger by climbing things that are hard for me on real rock. I'm finding psych particularly hard to find at the moment as I'm still mostly pulling on jugs and slopers to continue letting my poorly finger heal.

2. Just keep in mind that you always feel better once you've started. Also know the difference between low psych and fatigue that requires another rest day.

Mon. Pull ups. 20 or so body weight to warm up then 5x5 with +10kgs. Followed this with 5x5 press ups with the 10kg disc balanced on my back. ( saw I guy at the wall last Sunday doing weighted press ups and he looked totally badass!).

Tues. Rest - working late. 

Wed. Pull ups. 20 or so body weight to warm up then a few weighted ones then 5x2 with +20kg which is almost max for me (I think my 2 rep max was 23kg last time I tested).

Thurs. Got on the woody at home. Been a while as Mrs. Swede commandeered the space over the summer. Spent about an hr or so on it mostly doing 15 move circuits. Its covered in positive 1st or 2nd joint finger jugs but at 66degrees that's a good workout.

Fri. Long slow run with friends 25km but super steady (7min/km pace).

Sat. Rest.

Sun. Short on time so nipped out to the cemetery park boulder. Had a bit of a play to find something compressiony and not crimpy. Did Scouse's Other Prow (f7A+) and worked out the beta for the original prow problem.

I (occasionally) redpoint 7a & would regard proper* E3 as a huge landmark achievement. Admittedly I don't do much trad these days

(* the E3's I've done being a scary 5b slab and a crypto sport route, neither of which I regard as "proper")

Missed posting last week but plenty of training.

winter goal: zero to f7C (started outdoor bouldering this Summer)

this weeks training: 2 x hangboard sessions, 2 x board sessions, 2 x gymnastic/ring sessions 

days climbing outside: 1

this weeks highlights: ticked Crusis 7B in an hour, open hand strength gains, front + back lever progress

Returning to the UK will allow me to answer properly. :-

If I'm just a bit tired, force myself to train. If I'm knackered/mega uninspired, take it as a rest day, but as Dave McC says, never miss twice. Now where can I find a mince pie in Spain?

Like climbing, life is all about balance and balancing climbing performance with alcohol enjoyment is something I've always found tricky. Recreating any Ashes victory is always time week spent though 

The wine and tapas effect has not been eliminated by an increase in walking miles and a couple of workouts, so Sunday's climbing felt pretty hard, with os of a 6b being top of my game. Couple of tries on a 6c that should hopefully go next time. A good forecast and more climbing to come next week.

Mo: morning yoga, lots of miles, (11.9), walking around Zaragoza, another nice city. Was planning to leave today, but forecast said rain in Lleida, dry here, as I sit in van with rain pouring down outside.

Tu: yoga, 7 min workout session. Drive to Lleida, then Balaguer. 10.3 tourist miles, mainly trying to find guidebook.

We: yoga, 7 min workout session, 8.5 tourist miles covered.

Th: 7.9 tourist miles.

Fr: morning yoga, 7.9 tourist miles.

Sa: morning yoga, 7.4 tourist miles.

Su: 3 routes at Camarasa.

STG: get some routes done,r at least 6c+, try at least one 7a+.

Morning Ian, thanks for stepping into the breach. Good job!

"Wiped in what sense after your ARC session? Just very tired? Or more pumped? Be careful with the intensity, my understanding of ARC sessions are to keep it very easy. Looking at your MTGs - if you can reappoint 7a you'll stroll (probably literally) up San Melas. It's all head game... Nice list of goal routes mind!"

I was wiped out due to the impending flu virus not intensity. Having played on San Melas I think it'll go but as you say it's all a head game above a nasty fall. Once I get to the break and build a bomb shelter I'll be fine!

1. Do you find it harder/easier to find motivation to train now that perma-darkness is upon us?

I've found the best way to get through the winter is to have a trip booked in Feb/March - something to target. I actually enjoy the winter training if I have a goal.

2. On days when you've got a session planned but would rather sit on the sofa stuffing mince pies (again, no links to my own experiences here remember😂) what do you do about it? Succumb hard, or do you have a strategy?

Ah, those are the days when training feels really good. I have to be honest with myself though and if I'm physically tired/creaking then I'll call it a rest day, but if it's my mind trying to avoid hard work then I'll do it. The mince pies will still be there when I get home. Hopefully.

This week was a rest week for me so not much to report. Had one session on Wednesday at AW Stockport doing some gentle leading. Was really interesting. I've been doing mileage using any hold for feet, which is great for practicing movement and seems much more similar to outdoor climbing. Which is what I'm training for at the end of the day. Wednesday though I climbed the set routes and didn't enjoy it. Couldn't flow, couldn't get into it mentally, spend my time cursing lazy route setting. I spoke to Jude about this, and of course she turned it into a mental training exercise - learn to keep calm, focus, relax and climb through the limitations of a route. She told me to think of it as on-sight training. When I think of it that way it becomes a challenge and not a frustration!

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 (STS)

M - 3 mile walk

T - 3 mile walk

W - 3 mile walk

T - 3 mile walk

F - 3 mile run

S - S - Rest

Looking at the stats, it's very close at the moment.  I've got 51 days or so to go and I need 45 days of exercise done.  Not a great start to November, but it's still better than most months I guess.  Not putting any effort into the weight.  

Ian - I definitely don't need to eat more, that's for certain.  Most of my exercise comes from walks around the local park in lunchbreaks and the like.  

Nov - 45%

YTD - 44%

Thanks - it was a great day out, and surprised myself a bit on Melvyn Bragg (f7B).

So, Turkey.

well, to cut a long sorry short I am a long way away from my 7a goal. In fact  feel so far from climbingt hat at the moment I didn't even bother getting on Freedom is a Battle (Short) (7a). It was going to be a bolt-to-bolt siege and I just don't like climbing that way.

I climbed a handful of really enjoyable routes in the 6b-6b+ range, but I didn't onsight a single 6b+, and at the moment feel my onsight grade has dropped to about 6a+. Even routes that I feel I *should* have been able to do, Nirvana (6b), Asat (6b), Saxafon (6b+), Juvenal (6c) - all overhanging, pumpy but with huge holds - I either gave up or just felt I didn't have the fitness.

I need to reevaluate my entire approach to sport climbing. Whatever I've been doing to train just hasn't been working for me - but I think I have a fair idea of what I need to do.

* Get comfortable trying hard and falling off of hard routes. (1)
* Work on filling out some route pyramids
* Physically, work more on endurance. I don't feel like I'm failing on anything due to lack of strength to make a move.
* Some physio to sort out a long-standing left/right shoulder strength imbalance

STG

Rest week, start physio and maybe a session at the indoor wall.

(1) Edit - thinking about it, maybe 'comfortable' isn't the right word. Maybe I need to get 'comfortable with being uncomfortable'

Hi Fit Club & Ian!

I'm joining up in the hope of maintaining winter psyche and some companionship in the joys of plateauing.

Being new I'm going to answer the questions and then copy how everyone else is doing things:

1. I have far more psyche for training in winter, it feels almost like I'm fighting the wank weather.
2. Can't I have my cake (mince pie) and eat it? Train heavy!

I'm moving gently back into training mode because I had the flu the week before and am "a delicate flower" (not my words)

• Monday: Max hangs + max pulls
• Tuesday: Projecting
• Thursday: Went to new wall in Tammisto and tried to climb all the 7As & 7Bs
• Saturday: Bouldering comp

Goals:

• STG: Increase Pullup 2RM from 22.5kg to 30kg
• MTG: Maintain good form with max hang on lattic edge +35kg. +review pullup progress.
• LTG: 3* 7C next year

I had a half memory that a lot of your training in the run-up was endurance, wasn't it?

If so, I'd maybe suggest addressing 1 before investing too much time in 3, since the overgripping and lack of fluidity that can accompany not wanting to fall or therefore to try really hard can mask the actual weakest link physically (if you are climbing slowly/statically and overgripping, for example, then you're likely to get boxed - but that doesn't mean that you'd find endurance to be the limiting factor once you climbed quickly and aggressively)

I think that describes my experience climbing in Geyikbairi pretty well. I have this overriding sense of possessing a lot of strength in reserve but not really being able to apply it efficiently on a route.  I probably climbed up and down some steep sections of routes several times (I definitely did this on Saxafon (6b+)) before coming down, instead of just trying to cover those sections quickly and taking (if necessarily) the fall into space.

Yes, and I think that maybe part of the problem in that focussing on endurance I rarely climbed anything I was likely to fail - either routes or boulder problems.

I can easily believe it. I tended to find that a certain amount of falling off whilst trying hard was very useful to keep the lead head in good working order. 

Thanks Ian

Still waiting!

The feeling of "could happen any time" persisted from late week through the weekend so I didn't in the end make it to the wall but did day on day off Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the fingerboard.

I made some slight improvements - up to about 81.5 on the 8mm crimps and dropped weight (some of my own and some on the counterweight) on the one arm assist on 15mm and 20mm.

I hit a realisation on the last session though. Having flatlined a bit on the 15mm I shifted to the 20mm and found I wasn't really doing any better. I then tried the same thing on the jug on the lattice edge and it didn't feel like a walk in the park. The lattice jug is highest up so maybe forcede to start fairly straight armed rather than with shoulder nicely engaged but still. Then went to try some of the one arm "shrugs" I was doing last year off a bar (hang off the bar relaxed with say 5kg counterweight and engage the shoulder to pull the shoulder blade back). They felt desperate.

In hindsight this is not that surprising. I've had various shoulder woes over the past few months, and haven't trained pull-ups for some time anyway due to a previous bout of grumbly elbow, which put me off favouring instead the knee to bar stuff which I think is relevant but obviously not quite as specific for this type of shoulder engagement. If I look back at my logbook then 3 years ago I was doing double pull-ups at about 100kg total weight - I don't think I could do that now. 

But whilst it's obvious now, it wasn't necessarily quite as obvious before.

I ought to do more shoulder work and I should be aware of the limitations of one arm assist deadhanging as a finger strength tool (stick to the smaller holds to maximise the chance of fingers being limiting?) until I've made a bit more progress on the shoulders. I'll keep plugging away with the fingers but maybe shift the balance a bit for the next few weeks...

Yeah, heaps and heaps of aerobic mileage as a base phase is all well & good, and works, but it needs to be topped off with a few weeks of projecting harder things. At our level I think just as much for the mental benefit of engaging the "try hard & fall off" head, as for any anaerobic lactic metabolic effects. (Although them too)

So the C3 that I snapped actually feels ok in itself, but the problem is that the A4 just under it is having to take up the slack - and it's not happy, it's sore and swollen now. This coming weekend we're in Monserrat but had only planned on steady multipitching so I think that will be ok if I tape up and be careful. Then I have some time off due to keyhole surgery after that so enforced rest is coming my way! 

It's just started snowing really heavily here so the cycling is quite limited now. I guess I should join a regular gym for a few weeks or something!

M: rest

Tu: went to the gym for antagonist/core session

W: -

Th: -

F: -

Sa: played Just Dance for hours, legitimate cardio workout I reckon

Su: decorated the house, which I'm sure counts as endurance workout

Oh I get that - my point was more than technically San Melas is quite a bit easier than 7a. The fear factor however.... I spent a good 15 mins standing in the break before committing to it, then wondered why I was being such a fanny. A good goal to have and a classic grit slab tick.

Agreed! When I say an ashes recreation, what I really mean is a bunch of pissed up brits armed with a tennis ball, cricket bat and disregard for all other campers within the range of a good hook/pull/ramp shot.

That makes sense - again, mirroring my own experiences somewhat, but I often find it hard to keep the intensity low enough for an ARC session. FWIW I have seen the fall taken from the crux, and the result was shaken and not stirred - although from a couple of steps higher it may not have been so pretty. Best of luck with it! You can spend many hours contemplating your situation on that break.

Couldn't disagree more with that description of you old chap  

Probably quite important. Thinking back to my ultra running days, my best performances were never when I felt comfy, more when I was okay with being uncomfy. Also a link here related to that, considering being in the army and cycling performance and a top amateur level: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/soldier-cyclists-use-militar...

Strange to follow up on your own post, sentiments reflected above. 

Last Week (2019.45; L1.5)

M: 1) Yoga; 2) Valley: warm up inc. some BW hangboard, Crimpd linked boulders, 0.5 x one on/off; 3) Bike commute: 11.3km

T: 1) Yoga; 2) 90% hangs (lattice edge) 4 @ 90.4kg, 2 @ 89.9kg (10 secs); 3) BC: 8.2km

W: 1) Valley: Campus boulders (1/2 session), strength intervals on 6C/+ (1/2 session), compression; 2) BC: 10.8km

T: 1) Yoga, 2) BC: 8.1km - tired!

F: 1) Yoga; 2) Stabiliser Conditioning, 5x5 pull ups @ 76.8kg (bad maths - should have done more!), floor core, static holds

S: Went to Brimham and trashed my skin trying Pair in a Cubicle (f7A) with poor beta. Binned off the top several to many times because I didn't get my heel up... next time!

S: Tired, trashed skin, went for a bit of walk.

Hi Ian, great to have you.

To answer your questions first:

1. I have found it considerably harder to get out - possibly because I have been tired and slightly ill but that is probably because it has gone dark and rainy so just a big, dark, vicious cycle.

2. I go to the gym at 7am and we have to book on which means if I cancel I have taken up a space that could have been filled with someone else so feel guilty if I cancel. Despite the guilt, I have late canceled a few times recently as I have just been so exhausted. I also haven't been running much and not been climbing quite as often because it is cosy inside. However, my main strategy is committing to doing it with someone or telling someone I am doing it so it's not as easy to bail. Plus I know if I don't keep going I won't make the small changes to reach my mid/long-term goal so I just keep reminding myself of the bigger picture. This seems even more important to me at the moment so I just keep clawing on.

The extra sleep was brilliant and I felt so much better. However, I did get home at 5:30pm yesterday after a fairly relaxing day and was so exhausted I wanted to go straight to bed. I lasted until 8pm. 

Mon: gym - leg day, bouldering in the evening at Barbers. Was pretty happy with my climbing and did a weird ball V4 that Guy set that I have struggled with for weeks. 

Tues: Bouldering - very tired again. Got the new 6b circuit in the monkey room but took me two attempts.

Weds: Exhausted again. Rest

Thurs: gym - deadlifts. We did 10 reps down to 1. My weight for 1 rep was 105kg and I felt like I could possibly go heavier. I weight 62/63kg so the goal is for around 125kg to get double my body weight. Reps were: 10 x 60kg, 8 x 70kg, 6 x 80kg, 4 x 90kg, 2 x 100kg, 1 x 105kg.

Hackney Wick boulder comp. Was very pleased with my result, the highest I have had so far and got first place. Really good problems especially an overhung slightly slopey route which took me many, many goes!

Fri: And sleepy again. Rest

Sat: rest

Sun: 5.5 mile run which felt great - was going faster than I thought considering how relaxing it felt. This was nice after a couple of awful slow, short runs recently! Did however have a mild headache for the rest of the day which wasn't great but hopefully, I won't get these so much if I keep going out and my body gets used to it.

Realised I didn't answer these.

I train more in the winter. In fact the last 2 summers I've not really done any training at all, which is rather lazy of me. I've basically got out an afternoon/evening after work each week, maybe two. By the time I've made up for a shorter work day, and devoted some evening time to chilling out (a necessity, I find, these days with a youngster to keep up with!) and house admin, I can't then really summon motivation for much more. I'm sure there's time in reality, but it's a question of motivation - circumstances constrain me from really being able to focus on route training like I used to, and in the summer the idea of bouldering (where I could  make gains a bit more easily) isn't a sufficient motivator, so doing enough in the summer to maintain strikes the right balance for me. The fact the wall gets too hot for comfort doesn't help really, but it's not the main factor.

In winter, by contrast, my evening out gets replaced by a wall session that overall requires less time away from home, and the summer evening temptations of BBQ, being out in the sunshine etc are more easily replaced with short fingerboard sessions and the like.

I'm not very good at motivating for that extra session at the minute. I find the guilt that comes from reporting an empty week on FC helps sometimes!

Hi Ian - thanks for stepping up!

Much harder to get our running, or to hit my home gym (it's in the shed so gets dark and cold). It's not to bad to get out to the wall of an evening tho, probably easier than in the summer when the weather is nice and I want to run!

I'm so terribly weak willed - the sofa is far tempting a lot of the time.

I'll see what my buddy says if we ever end up with the same day off - he's climbing in Morroco at the moment and I'm not jealous at all, honestly...

At the moment I am (was - see below) looking for a fairly even split with running and climbing. Consistant but not massive milage will be good for now (in the summer I was doing c.100k a week, if I can get towards 40-50k throught Nov/Dec I'm happy) - if i can stop the weight getting out of control that'd be good. Come the new year then I'll look to get back to race weight and big milage. It'll depend on th efoot injury - I still don't think thats sorted. I think the trad will have to wait til spring, given the weather.

M - Squats 5x5 @75kg (so about equal to my body weight). Pull ups (x6) in each recovery plus some other bits.

T - Legs, especially glutes and adductors were absolutly fried! Tried the club session in the evening and had to bail. I though it was just lack of energy but thing the squats took their toll. managed about 7k in total.

W - Clibing at the wall a good 2.5 hrs, didn't lead anything just focused on trying to get some of the routes that defeated me last time - which I mostly managed. stupidly jumped on a hard route straight away which may have been the cause of waking up the following morning with a very sore wrist.

T - Rest

F - 7k round the park - sacked off clibing due to the wrist

S - 9k including 5k parkrun in 20:51, so 1 sec per k slowwer than a few weeks ago, but looking at HR data I wasn't pushing it (had no direct competition to race against), so trying not to feel like I'm going backwards.

S - Rest (band practice all day!)

Regarding the wrist, I did a little grip strengeth test on the Monday and my left was noticably weaker (c26sec vs 40+sec with a 12k weight suspended off a wooden block) which was not the case last time I tried. I'm wondering if this could have been used as a predictor of an oncoming injury? Atm I can hang off it, but trying to pull up hurts, as does a push up - tho' with a fist it's not so bad. It's also my fretting had for the bass, but that doesn't appear to hurt it, which is the one plus.

Thanks for stepping in Ian, two weeks for me although not exactly a heavy training fortnight. Finished work on Thursday and went to pre-op appointment on Friday morning. Went to Depot Manc in the afternoon whilst checking forecast for coming week. Had previously arranged to go somewhere with strong Ru, on Mon - Wed, probably SW sport climbing but the weather was nailed on for Skye  and so I apologetically blew him out and tried to muster some folk for Skye (also the weather down south looked iffy).

Unsurprisingly there were no takers but I went anyway. Longer drive up than I anticipated and got to Glen Brittle hut to find it busy with a group from Glasgow, nice bunch, they had a cool slideshow and then snored like frikkin' volcanoes! Next day I thought I'd try to find an easy part of the ridge. Got lost on the way up, thought the weather was turning, descended and stumbled on the correct path. Mustering more fortitude than I thought I had I turned around, got up Sgurr De Sgurr Dearg, looked at the In Pin, decided it was too windy (it was) and that I'm a coward (I am) and turned around. Great day

Monday - Assumed my legs would be shot but felt ok after a late start, tried to get up on to An Caisteal, got lost on some pretty sketchy scree and loose buttresses, decided to press on as I thought it was irreversible and I was just below the ridge only to get to a cul de sac. Descended gingerly, got a better scree slope but got freaked again and turned around. Not such a good day but I learned something...

Tuesday drove home, it was clear blue sky but had arranged to climb on Wed and assumed I should be in no fit state to walk anywhere. As it was things weren't too bad so walked up from the north face car park to get a decent view of the Ben, last time I went the path wasn't there so this was good knowledge. The whole drive back was a near religious experience, so beautiful, good tunes, had the car in sport mode and went as fast or as slow as I wanted. Amazing

Wednesday - felt ok, went to Depot with Ru as weather was filthy. Bumped into biscuit, gave him some advice which I know he will take on board! 

Weekend was spent in Hathersage for a 50th Birthday, did a bit of walking and even less partying. Returned to spend Sunday afternoon apologising to neighbours following a sandblasting incident. Went better than the apologies for the chainsaw incident that precipitated the move to this house in the first place!

New hip today, obviously went ok and some unexpected alpine training thrown in.

Cheers Ian. I forgot to post last week. Oops!

The last few weeks have been a bit aimless other than 'rehab finger'. Got my revised goals back up now and have actually had a structured training session this week.

<b><u>Last week</b></u>

Mon – Circuits at BUK. Wood 7a+ in halves with 3 min rest 7 times. Felt desperate, but didn’t hurt my finger!

Tue – Crossfit

Wed – Depot – tried some boulders out whilst coaching. Up to V5 ish – went OK.

Thur – Crossfit

Fri – Bike ride 60km 1000m

Sat – Rest

Sun – Routes at Kendal. Finger feeling OK. Spotted a slopey project on the main wall. It has two bone down crimps on it and even the slopers hurt it after that. Bit grumpy and depressed about that. First session that I feel it’s not improved. In fairness afterwards it settled down quickly and felt good the next day. I just need to avoid holds that press on the pulley.

I’m still enjoying crossfit, never thought I’d say that. A good mix of lifts and calorie burning.

I need to get on with FITNESS. I am so unfit it’s depressing and post xmas Spain trip is looming now.

<b>Diet</b> - over 25 DQS and 100g protein 2250cals. Managed this most days. Not weighed myself but I’m feeling better.

<b> Plan for this week:</b>

Doing this to then compare what I manage and don’t manage.

Mon – Crossfit. Circuits at BUK before coaching

Tue – Rest

Wed – Auto belays before coaching

Thur – not sure.

Fri – probably nothing, got a busy day

Sat – same

Sun – do some climbing at coaching

<b><u>Long term goals</b></u>

7c in 2020 – route to be decided. Would make sense to look at Chapel Head/Hollywood bowl

<b><u>Medium Goals 2-6 mths (Nov to April) </b></u>

After trip change back to strength training until end of Feb.

7B (outdoors) in Winter 2019/2020 – Ned’s Problem and Discohesion sit. One steep and one vert.  

<b><u>666 fit club goals</b></u>

<b><u>Short term goals 1-2 mths </b></u>

Costa Blanca trip after Xmas. 9 days of climbing potentially.

Onsight 7a x 4

RP 7b in a day

6 x V6 vert – 5 done

6 x V6 off vert – 3 done

6 x V6 steep – 4 done

To be done at BUK for ‘proper’ grades. Cancelling these due to finger injury.

<b>Diet</b>– DQS 25+ per day. 100g+ protein.

Get on with some climbing youth - you're behaving like you're on holiday or something! Yes, that is jealousy right there.

Still, you've got grit season to come back to if any crag isn't under 3 feet of water.

Hey all, making another attempt to commit back to posting.

Mon: Rest.

Tues: Wall. Mostly a social but ended up having a good session, tried hard and got a couple of V4-6 circuit problems.

Wedns: Rest.

Thurs: Comp with Bones. Second by quite some distance - in case it's not clear from her account, she totally smashed it!

Fri: Rest.

Sat: Wall. Took it fairly easy, super sore skin for some reason.

Sun: Rest.

This week is going to be rubbish from an exercise perspective, got a lot on. Off to Leonidio 9 December though so will try to do some last minute fitness rescue after that! Any suggestions (and route recommendations) welcome...

Welcome back

And in answer to your questions, the main barrier between me and training is spending three hours a day commuting. That will finally be fixed by the start of December hopefully! I think in winter I'm probably more inclined to train, less distractions. And agree with people above saying that the main problem is getting started. I tend to drag myself to the wall and if it still feels crap once I'm there, bail early or have a light session. But yeah, fairly academic at the moment.

Forgot to post last week and i'm late with this week.

Week 28/10 -  02/11

M: Rest

T: Warm up, 5 x 1/2 crimp hangs +24kg, campus 4 x 1-3-5, 4 x 1-2-5, Woody session, 1min on/off - 5 mins, 3 x 5 deadlifts (80kg), pullups 3 x 3reps +20kg

W: rest

T: A few boulders and a few routes, sore from deadlifts.

F:  FB +20kg, 1/2crimp and a few easy woody problems

S: Wedding / drove to White Goods

S: Dry tool day 1, brilliant fun great first day. TR one route then did a few leads o/s Guava Half (D7) and And Pears (D7) putting draws in. Then TR cleanly Don't Tumble (D6+), this felt hard lay backing on dodgy torqued axes.

Week 03/11 - 04/11

M: Back to white goods, warmed up leading Don't Tumble (D6+) cleanly, whilst putting draws in. Exciting stuff, was rather pumped and gripped by the top. My friend put a rope up Jaz (D8), so I gave it a couple of toppies. Best go was falling after crux move pulling onto headwall. Really enjoyed this route, christ did i get pumped. Actually really keen to go back and get it done, reckon it should go.

T: Went to the wall but core was wrecked, so headed home

W: rest

T: FB 1/2 crimp +24kg x3, +20kg 3 fingerboard, great board session, 1 on 2off (10mins on), Deadlift (70kg 3 x 5), Weight pulls +16kg 3x3, TRX IYT.

F:  Rest

S: Linked boulder workout, split continuity, bench press 40kg, 3 x 5, 10 x 4 reps of pullups on the minute,

S: First day going paragliding on my own. 2 hrs of ground handling, and about 1min of actual flight, quite intimidating, but broken the psychological barrier.

This weeks goals

Verdon cancelled but hoping to go to Cap Canaille / calanques if the weather plays ball.

Jaz has now been added to MTGs, I would like to say STG but not sure when i will be heading back.

Better late than never....Felt tired all week.

Tuesday: warmed up climbed v4 and v5 . Full set of exercises 

Thursday: easy bouldering to warm up . Then made up some 15 to 20 move endurance problems. Then up the auto belay a few times.

Sunday: leg raises, theraband for shoulders. 5 easy hangs on beastmaker...better than nothing I suppose