UKC

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.

The following training article by Alex Barrows gives an excellent breakdown on training the four main "energy systems" specific to climbing:- http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/training-for-sport-climbi... 2

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

This week's psyche video is from Tom Green - youtube.com/watch?v=bh-aOS3dB8U&

Suggestions for the psyche video always welcome.

Last week's thread can be found here:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_665-7136...

biscuit - I'm pretty sure you were first when you statted back in the day?  Any session is a good one.  Well done on the 7a onsight.

AJM - Seems like a sensible tactic re mini/microAJM and sleep.  Glad to hear the wall session went well.  Don't stress the home stuff, just keep up the maintenance, once a week through the next few months and you won't loose it all.

Somerset swede basher - YYFY on Blind Date!  The down climb sounds harrowing.  Otherwise some good sessions.  I hate overly hot sweaty walls.

mattrm - More climbing, less pies fatty!

AlanLittle - Hope you're over the manflu? Kunsthistorisches Museum looks amazing.  Well done on fitting in the BM sessions.

Tom Green - Effort on the White Goods session, sounds errrr, ummmm, fun?

Ally Smith - Glad to hear about the good session in the cave.  Sounds like a great week, lots of good volume there.

the sheep - Glad to hear you're getting better.

annak - See above   Keep the rehab nice and light, but it's great to know it's going ok.

Paul16 - Great wodge of sessions there.

Sfrancis - You are forgiven my son.  Perform 10 4x4s and 20 Max Hangs on BM.  Amen.  Or something like that   Well done on the 7as.

ianstevens - Real Thing?  Link?  Lots of good sessions.  The new problem sounds like it was fun.  Well done on beating your mate in the comp.

Steve Jones - Lovely runs.  Two good sessions there.  Don't overdo the elbows, you don't want an injury.  Is there really that much between a 6c+ and a 7a.  I'd just try a 7a, but depends a bit as to where you are normally with 6cs?

Powderpuff - Hope you're better now tho?  Good effort on getting the sessions in while you're not well.

Ardo - Enjoy the break!

Missing - PlanetMarshall,

As it's week 666, if you all want to resurrect your week 666 goals and report on progress that'd be ace.

If anyone wants to put down some goals for 700, I'll try and track them.

Thanks Matt.

I delivered my 666 homework a bit early in October before I strained my shoulder, repeated at the bottom. 700 is going to be roughly middle of next summer isn't it? Mid August? I've got a month of ShPL planned for June, but until it's planned out it's hard to know what to aim for. But sketching out some thoughts:

- decent batch of star ticking and ticklist routes on southern sandstone end March

- some sort of progress on any of my Dartmoor long term projects/infeasibilities (setting a vague and low bar here!)

- 7A on the board?

- Progress on lattice, 8mm and 15mm hangs (current pbs 67kg, 81.5kg and 67kg respectively)

- maintaining some sort of vague outdoor competence, but quantification tbc until I figure out what I can arrange and in what style.

- some new and classic dws ticks.

A tough week. Persistent backache at the start from child wrangling. The run into Christmas at work is proving manic and I expect to be rolling at least a day, maybe day and a half, into next year as I try to get it all finished.

My only real achievement was quite a motivating session on the new LED board setup. Going to be good to get a decent range of problems in the database, nice to have something new to try. I tried 2 problems, one I set myself and one that was already listed - the latter 6B+ and I gave the former the same by comparison. Got things sorted on both of them but didn't actually finish either off, quite. One hard pinch move on the existing one and a big Dyno for the top on mine. Shoulders sore for days afterwards.

Hoping for a reasonable week this week with visiting family to distract the children. Planning 2x wall trips, hopefully some home stuff too.

My 666 report...

1 E4 (Amanita) and a bunch of E3s (Certain Surprise, Video Kills, Ocean Boulevard, Yellow Edge, I think that was it?). I had a fairly good run, but I obviously thought I'd have time for a Swanage autumn, and I lost several days including August Bank Hol to a shoulder injury. I learnt though that getting back to E3/4 doesn't need tons of mileage as I previously thought if I just try really hard.

Didn't get out anywhere near as much this year and on none of these - I think Bare Reputation was my highlight/hardest tick. Need a psyched team for Mark, if I'm honest I'm just too intimidated to raise the psyche to start up it if everyone else wants to try other things.

I seem to have bad luck with Paradise Lost, having twice failed to get on it, but I did Troll Team Special, a host of 7a/+ onsights, and Colours, which I'm really chuffed with and is my hardest onsight in a while. Pretty chuffed with progress against this one.

Cheers Matt, yeah I was really pleased with Blind Date, although I've done lots of harder stuff on the limestone I think it's only my 3rd or 4th send above 7B on the grit. 

Mon. Rest. 

Tues. 2nd session on Blind Ali. Managed the only bit I didn't get last session pretty quickly. Got into the crux 5 or 6 times from the start but couldn't quite finish it off. Managed crux to end. If my legs were just a bit longer I'd have done this first session but I don't fit in the first knee bar using the good edge and have to use the shity smear instead but hey ho, it's a cool problem and I'm looking forward to going back. 

Wed. Rest

Thurs. Pull ups 60 in sets of 5 with the middle 5 sets with +10kgs.

Fri. 7km run

Sat. Sheffield Depot session. Tried out the bouldering league problems. Flashed first 20, next 6 went down with a bit of working but never managed the last 4. Pretty beasted after that. 

Sun. Rest. 

As for 666 goals, they were the 3 long link ups in the cave at the Tor which I got at the end of the autumn. 

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 5lbs (STS)

M - 3 mile walk

T - Push ups

W - Rest

T - Indoor problems at Cragfit

F - 3 mile walk

S - Push ups / ToddlerFit

S - Push ups / ToddlerFit

So UKC says I'm at 50%.  I make 365/2 as 182.5.  So I'm going for 183.  I'm at 178, with 9 days to go so that's 5 days.  Means I get christmas day off for sure.  But broadly speaking the 50% seems like it's pretty close.  In case anyone is wondering ToddlerFit (tm) is a 1.5 mile circuit of your local town with a toddler in tow.  It consits of a number of interval sprints, a walk, squats with ToddlerWeight (idk, like 15 kgs of wriggling toddler?), carrys with ToddlerWeight (tm).  All patent pending   To make Sunday more fun, I also pushed a pram the whole time.

Really enjoyed the session at Cragfit.  They've set some really nice problems.  Including one layback thing where you use the same line of holds the whole way up.  Not something you see lots of at walls in my experience.

Pretty happy with the week all in.  Got some bouldering in, kept the numbers up and didn't overeat tooo much.

Dec - 95%

YTD - 50%

ISTR my 666 goal was 6a/6A, 6b/6B, 6c/6C.  I've definitely ticked the 6a/6A.  I think I did a 6b a little while back.  No 6c/Cs of any kind.  Could probably manage one if I lost a bit of podge, but there we go.

Normal service resumed, thanks.

STG: Get partners to commit to dates for spring Kaly trip
MTG: Be fit for Kalymnos in May; ideally get a couple of decent things done at home beforehand.
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. Shockingly weak session; not fully recovered from last week's cold, plus I made the noob error of going too hard too soon and collected a flash pump I couldn't get rid of. Decided an extra hour's sleep was of more value than digging a deeper recovery hole & bailed early. 2 x 6a+, 2 x 6b, 2 x 6b+.
W: Half an hour mobility, wrist extensors, shoulders. Have been doing almost exclusively pure climbing training lately, and not enough general health/prehab stuff.
T: Moonboard. Oh dearie me, barely able to pull on & do single moves. Not to worry though, I have experienced this before starting out on the moonboard, and improved quickly. I can do so again.
F: 
S: Wall, Weyarn. Autobelay aerobic base mileage. 1x6a, 1x6a+, 5x6b, 3x6b+, 1x6c
S: Wall, Freimann. More base mileage: 1x6a, 6x6b, 2x6b+. Being able to do two of these sessions back to back at a credible level feels like a result, particularly since on weekend warrior weekends I often struggle with being able to do anything on Sunday after climbing hard on Saturday.

Morning Matt, thanks for doing the stats. More of the same for me i.e. plastic. Climbing outside is starting to feel like a distant memory, something I did in another life. Hoping to get out at some point of Christmas.

Discovered I've lost quite a lot of finger strength but not unhappy about it because I'm climbing harder than I was, so working on movement and my mental game is paying dividends. When I add some strength I should push through the grades. Optimistic about my MTG's now.

M - Shoulders mobility and core

T - Routes at Rope Race. After lots of warm up routes I worked a 6c+ that's starting to annoy me because I should be getting up it but seem to blow it every time!

W - Finger board, minimum edge. Wow, I've lost so much finger strength...more of this planned!

T - ARC at the Chapel - 1x40 mins, 1x30 mins, 1x20 mins. Not bad, skin survived. Change my resting strategy so less rests but longer when I do. Protocol is roughly 8-10 mins of movement then 1 min of shaking out on a jug. Feels more intense but also more like the real thing.

F - Rest, shoulder mobility

S - Rest

S - Session at the Boardroom. Plenty of 6b+'s, 6b's, etc.

I've pushed my MTG's back a month to give Rubicon wall chance to dry out and be in condition, March was a bit optimistic.

STG (Early Jan 2019): Increase shoulder mobility, use rests correctly on a route i.e. have the correct body position to maximise energy gains. Increase power endurance while maintaining endurance base.

MTG (Spain, Early Feb 2020): Costa Blanca early Feb. Redpoint Kashba @ Sella (6c+). Redpoint some 6c+/7a's at Gandia or nearby crags, and see where I get to on those.

MTG (UK, April 2020): Redpoint Rubicon 7a & Kiss Me Hardy 7a+, head point San Melas E3 5c. On-sight of Wings of Unreason E4 5c/6a/6b

LTG (Sept 2020): Redpoint Indecent Exposure 7b+.

Thanks Matt - trying to fit in lots of volume at the moment for some general fitness gains and make sure my legs can survive a week of skiing at the end of Jan - not fitted in quite as much this week...

Week 51

M – Legs aching, but best weather for weeks so took off on’t bike for 50min at lunchtime. 23km.

T – Chapel: 2k ergo row warm-up. No lactate nausea despite taking 18s off last weeks effort: 7m35s – 7m20s might be on the cards before skiing in a month? Quick play on a hard 7B on the 45 board, then linked boulders an-cap. Used Crimpd protocol and 7A yellow traverse with extended finish (not quite the longer “7c” version). Perfect 45s effort but guess it needs to be harder or rests shorter as I nailed almost every rep and although feeling powered down, wasn’t “powered out” at the end.

W – Worst day at work of the whole year; needed to de-stress so threw weights around in the garage (squats, DL, OHP) and then did some hangs. 3x30s density hangs @BW+15kg. 7/3/5/3 BW-12kg strict front-3 crimp x4 (definitely lost some strength in this grip). In the end, beer turned out to be a much better tonic than exercise.

T – Mid-morning: More an-cap hangs. Back-3 7/3/5/3 @BW x6 with the Crimpd hanging core slotted into rest intervals.  1on-1off aero-cap FoC x12 (surprised with how steady this was – might have not lost as much fitness as I feared). Compex Core/groin strain rehab in evening.

F – Rest. Core & shoulder DOMS

S – Cave of justice. Quite damp. Still achy from mid-week training; compounded by 3hours gardening before climbing! A bit of project shopping…

3 goes on Daisy From Concrete. Dialled in some good (fast) foothold beta and got through to TC shothole with RH on best 2 goes, but couldn’t match. Body too pooped to have a good go on Last Stand and pi$$ed off with Nightlife, so focused on what was dry. Finally worked out a sequence for the shothole handswap on Triggertrocity/Pilgrimage and also worked a sequence for Brimage.

S – Not a lot. 2hours gardening club. Evening stretching.

Reflections on the Reini Scherer Intermediate Training Plan: Base Phase.

What I was supposed to do in four weeks: 8 x "base" route sessions consisting of seven to ten routes @ approx 6c, 4 x bouldering.

What I actually did in five weeks (including one when I was ill): 10 x base route sessions, 3 x bouldering, 4 x fingerboard.

Not enough bouldering, and "base" route level nowhere near 6c. Started out at 6a+, ended up at a mix of 6b/+. So a substantial improvement, at least in my confidence to try a larger volume of moderately hard, around onsight level routes. (Also a good amount of push in the right direction there from FitClub, thanks folks!)  

Reini's "base" sessions are fewer but harder pitches than I've done in the past for aerobic capacity  base training. Previously I've ARCed or just done heaps of easy routes/circuits; this feels very different (and less tedious). Will it turn out to be as, or more, effective? Being able to onsight more plastic 6b's in a session, while not a bad thing in itself, isn't the object of the exercise. Whether it will actually have improved my endurance or session stamina on the real thing ... remains to be seen.

Bouldering felt like I improved a bit too despite fewer sessions, but given that I had hardly bouldered for a year and a half this is entirely unsurprising, anything would probably have worked. Nevertheless, focusing on anti-style roof problems for my projects felt like the right thing to do. Need to get more comfortable upside down if I want cliché pics of me in the Grotta.

What I'm  supposed to for the next "build-up" phase for five or six weeks: replace one of the weekly base mileage sessions with hard projecting(*). So weekly 1 x base mileage, 1 x route projecting, 1 x bouldering.

(* I have invested in a fifi hook, thus making projecting on autobelays a viable option if necessary)

FC666 goals revisited:

- devil by name; 2x new routes I've bolted at Pantymwyn (Devil's Gorge)

TICK: The Bear (8a+) & 52% Believed the Lies (7c)

- devil of a bugbear - Rock Atrocity (f7C)

TICK - chuffed with this one in particular.

- devilishly antagonistic - press a skinny sports climber over head (55kg OHP?)

FAIL - got up to 53kg as a 1RM PB. Shoulders are definitely got stronger though, so having a focus on shoulder strength & flexibility, including antagonists has helped.

- devilishly optimistic; 8c+ (gulp!)

FAIL - always a BHAG; feel like I'm closer, and have worked on some of my weaknesses, but still have a few things that need addressing before I'm capable...

FC700 Goals:

- Get through January ski trip with no injuries - need stronger/fitter thighs to protect groin strain. 

- 2x Kilnsey newbies I've bolted; both 8b?

- Everyone always needs more finger-strength: this year i'm going to focus on F3 crimp, B3 & M2 (e.g. BW repeater on strict F3 & shallow M2; BW+15kg lattice edge B3 repeater)

- Get stronger in a wide position and way more "body burl" for steep climbing rather than just cheating my way up stuff

- Nice pyramid of bouldering ticks; 5x 7C+, 3x 8A, 1x 8A+

I feel that. The board at the wall is good but I'm going to have to wean myself off the big feet as I can twist and outside edge a bit too much! 

Thanks - I'm trying but just go from one injury to the next at the moment - see below...

One man's 6c+ is probably another man's 7a, but I can only claim what the tag on the wall says! I think the 6c+ is just beyond reach for this year unless I hit it at just the right time, but if it stays for a few months I think I'll get it (if I avoid injury and can keep training!)

M - 2 hrs of mainly slabby stuff at Kong

T - 6.5k - Went to the club run despite injury (calf/shin from running, hip from day befores climbing) - could hardly keep up with the group on the jog out, bailed after one rep

W - 2 hrs at the wall again. Tried some routes I last attempted months ago but this time waltzed up them so progress has obviously been made.

T - 15.5km, 90 mins, 450m climb - steady jog round glenderaterra. calf/shin and hip still sore

F - 90 mins bouldering and routes. Managed a couple of V4's so again signs of progress

S - Fellpack's 'Triple Expresso' - their 3 challenge runs done back to back (Catbellls, Walla, and latrigg - going back to the cafe after each sumit) - 25k, 1200m climb, just over 3 hours. Did this last year with my brother so it's now a xmas tradition. It broke both of us this time, but we knocked 2-3 mins of the record.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2947326759

S - Rest - can hardly walk due to shin/calf pain...

700 goals (Mid Aug)

I guess leading some sport 7's outside would be good. I guess bouldering at V7 is too optimistic, so Bowderstone Crack direct as I failed to even try it this winter.

Start leading some trad, no matter how easy. Get some more HVS's and some classic rock routes done (as second at least), maybe even push into the E's?

Thanks Matt.

Happy Christmas Club everyone!

Week 666 -hmm, could have done with this holding off for a few more weeks (months?!) but I'll do a separate post for 666 goals.

Week 51:

M: Trail Run. 7.4km, 315m vert, 6:23/km. Pretty techy.

T: Core and Max Strength. Core felt hard after a couple of slack weeks.

W: Rest

T: Dry Tooling. White Goods. Warmed up on Apple (D7), onsighted Apocalypse Now (D5+) and worked Jaz (D8) -I think I just need to work on strength to stop powering out on this... I can do all the moves, just not all on the same try!

F: Rest

S: Core and Max Strength.

S: Road Run. 18km, 230m vert, 5:10/km.

Week 52 Plan:

180min Z1. 

30min Z3.

2 Max Strength.

2 Core.

1 Climbing Sesh.

STG (Feb 2020):

Scottish 7.

Ultra Distance trail run.

Weighted pull-ups >+15kg 3RM.

Scottish ski tour.

MTG (April 2020):

Two big alpine routes off my hit list.

Jaz &/or Hidden Dragon.

I've been missing due to holiday - best reason possible!

I'm planning on deciding some new goals for next year and will put them up next week.

Cheers Matt. I guess I was first when I was posting  but that doesn’t really count. I was just pleased to be organised enough to post early. Life has felt v busy since starting the new job. 

On holiday now and off to costa Blanca on the 30th. Haven’t climbed for a few days now and won’t before I go. Not at all fit and haven’t climbed on rock since????? 

But i’m sticking with STG’s of 4x7a onsights and a 7b in a day. Let’s see what happens. 

This last week was ok. I realised on Monday that I hadn’t actually been fully recovered from being ill 3 weeks ago. I woke up with a weird feeling and realised it was called not being a bit ill.

BUK circuit session - nearly back to my previous best from out of nowhere on the circuits. 

Kendal routes - felt much more able to dig deep and keep going. Messed up on a 7a+ with a blind second to last move. Missed it and grabbed a volume right below it from another route. Felt much more on it! 

Circuits at depot - 6a,b and c. Too short a rest and then fell off the 7a. 

I’m sure I did something else? 

I’ll reassess goals whilst on holiday but UK 7c seems reasonable for next year. 

If my finger continues to behave then I’ll still be keen to try 7B but I think by the time I’ve got back from Spain and then skiing in Feb it may be time to get start getting fit for routes. 

Happy Christmas everyone! 

Hi mattrm,

Thanks for heading up fit club again.

Feel better now thanks! 

Tue:
Went to the wall climbed v4, v5, worked an excellent v6 . 20 pull ups . 20 leg raises.

Fri: local wall was shut so went to the next nearest wall, very enjoyable session climbing v4, v5, and what I think was a v6, very pleased with that! 20 push ups 20 leg raises. Full theraband for shoulders.

Sun: had hoped to do a max fingerboard session but only managed a few easy hangs in the end.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Feeling really OK, starting to try a bit harder with training. 

Mon: cycle 10km commute. 

Tues: 3 weeks post-op. Fingerboard, easy bodyweight session. 30s plank, pushups. 

Weds: cycle 10km

Thu: rest

Fri: fingerboard, easy bodyweight session. Fly to UK for Xmas visit. 

Sa: run 5km, 28min

Sun: run 5km, 28min

Hoping to continue to increase load, planning to be back to easy indoor routes and bouldering in the next few weeks. 

STG (end January) : 2 months post op so hopefully back to 6b / 6B level at least

MTG (end of spring) : planning a 2 week trip to Red Rocks and Zion, happy if I tick any 5.11s, ambitious stretch goal 5.12

LTG (end 2020): tick some classics in Taghia, consolidate 7a, get up at least a couple of 7bs and 7As.

I feel I may have to take a view on this one again once (if?) the board grading reaches more of a consensus - it's all rather scattergun at the moment!!!

Thanks for stats Matt, sluggish getting my report in this week! Link for the real thing is here:  youtube.com/watch?v=brbxoKEgsw0& - always one of my fave climbing films to motivate myself through conditioning. Writing this on my phone so detail light I’m afraid.

Last week was the last of this current training block before an assessment on the 8th and subsequent plan. Looking forward to a few weeks with more freedom but will try and keep good conditioning practices going! 

Re: fitclub 700 - i think this is a little soon to use my goal for the summer (8a) so will pick something different - a long term nemesis of mine, Deliverance (f7B+).

Last week:

M: Yoga, varied grip hangs, campus 123, 134 and 144 (x4 each), boulder triples at 6B+ ish, bike commute

Tu: Yoga, static holds, extended core and 5x5 pull-ups 

W: Style triad @7A, 1/2 boulder triples @ 6C.

Th: Yoga, 5x5 pull ups, press and row (17.5kg/32.5kg), hip and leg flexibility

Fr: Yoga, comp at the wall. Easy problems and got 230/250.

S: Yoga, ARC (5C routes) and some random boulders 6C-7B, stabiliser conditioning, bike.

S:  Bowden Doors. Mess around on some easy stuff and had some goes at Working Class (f8A+) - did more moves than I expected so who knows what could happen here...

Cheers 

somewhat lost days wise with the madness of kids and family etc. However went out and ran 2km today. Not much but first run post opp. Had to go for a lie down afterwards but it’s a start 

I have also lost track of the days.  I'll post up this week later on this evening.