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...

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

Last weeks post - https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_693-7212...

Psyche video -

Welcome to UKC Baby & Toddler Club! (Week 2 for reasons that will become apparent)

Tom Green - Never be sorry for real climbing.  Lovely looking E1 ticks there.

Si dH - Did you enjoy your time at Lee's Bottom.  Not sure why you'd want to go there tbh.  Poor Lee, doesn't he get annoyed by people climbing over his bottom?  Lots of good training however.

AJM - Nice trips out.  Glad trips with the mini are working out for you.

AlanLittle - Consistency is key!  Glad to hear there's some glimmerings!  Lovely to hear the family trip went well.  Perla Nera looks amazing.

Somerset swede basher - Nice week.  Good job on the FA and nice to hear about the progress on the 8a.

Ally Smith - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I added a Week 2 in honour!  Amazing news.  In other news the climbing/training stuff you did looks good. 

the sheep - Lots of steady running.  Good job.  Where's the open water swim if you don't mind saying?

mattrm - Just get off yer arse fatty.

Cheers Matt, we went to Mallory Park  

https://www.racerapid.co.uk/

Its fab, you can swim, cycle, run or do all 3  Really well set up and no issues with social distancing.

We have another open water swim venue opening back up round here as well. 

https://www.stantonlakes.co.uk/

Not been back to it yet so cannt comment as to how the set up has gone.

Anyway working in Leicester this week has certainly chucked another curve ball! We are back down to having Covid 19 critical research on site again for the next few weeks. Only managed 1 day with others on site...

Still on the plus side we live in the county so no additional restrictions

Got out for 4 runs through the week, trail runs between 8 & 10 km. Our run group is doing the run with pride challenge this month. My wife and I have our leg on the 30th so plan to do the half marathon distance so will need to start upping the distance.

Highlight of the week has to be the swimming though. Eldest daughter has been missing her pool time really badly. She is 16 and had just qualified to race at county level in the open age category and was booked into the races but they all got cancelled. Anyway we got her a wetsuit and Tuesday was going to be her first swim in months, to say we were desperate that she would enjoy it was an understatement!. Thankfully she loved it, she is still faster than me so that gave her a boost too. She has been running with us and said all that work has improved her kick so all is as good as it can be    We did around 3km in total and are booked in for this Tuesday again. 

Thanks Matt. I feel the lack of training more when one of my climbing sessions is dws, since that’s definitely performance rather than having the same element of training that a fingery bouldering session does. This week, with 2 bouldering sessions, was better in that regard. 

I also did some thinking and put together two ticklist to try to work through over the next year or so, one of harder things and one of the sort of “why on earth haven’t I done that yet” (case in point, Coronation St, I’ve lived within striking distance of Cheddar for over ten years and somehow never done it) routes, which are usually a bit easier but might provide some good broadening of my CV. 

Back to work Monday although I’ve got Tuesday morning off to catch the spring high so I’m still hoping I might be out twice, one dws and a weekend trip with miniAJM 

Monday - climbing! On my own this time so was able to go down into the Cuttings Boulderfield and get on some stuff that’s a little bit more inaccessible for little legs. A few warmups that I’d not done before (or had no recollection of doing before!). Then got stuck into Declassified for a bit. This is a *** 7A+, a steep ships prow that you basically climb on heels and compression. I’d tried it very briefly before but managed to make progress on it this time - did all the moves and some links. The first move is the crux, which I did once (I could get the distance fairly ok, but it’s a bit blind), then 3 more hand moves (plus feet moves which in themselves are hard/tension-y) gets both hands over the lip and there’s a bit of a graunchy topout where the lip of the roof is basically mid-chest and you somehow have to get over it. I need to sort the best sequence for this - I did it once or twice but I’ve got to get the best way sorted out. Then I don’t think from the second move to the top should be undoable and then it’ll just be a case of adding in the first. At the end I also went over to try Pinky Power briefly, again one I’d tried before and couldn’t do. Managed the hard move after a few goes and got into the stand start topout which is an awkward V1 mantle - because I hadn’t expected to get there I didn’t know what to do and had no pad underneath me. A few minutes more prep and I’d have had it - next time!

Declassified:  vimeo.com/88401007

Pinky power:  youtube.com/watch?v=Md9zBTky5Uk& (about 12.00)

Tuesday - my day at work. Rest. Achey from a good day of trying hard yesterday.

Wednesday - having bemoaned my lack of training dedication in last weeks FC I had to do something really. 4 sets of knee to bar, 10, 10, 9, 7.

Thursday - new forest picnic #2, with my in-laws this time. In total maybe 2-3 miles on foot, some carrying miniAJM (in arms or on shoulders; awkward), some carrying microAJM (rucksack), some chasing or being chased by miniAJM on his balance bike. Back a bit sore from the lugging. 3 sets of dips and 3 sets of side raises when I got home.

Friday - new forest picnic #3, with my sister. The new forest is actually rather nice, and for most visitors to us it saves them an hour or so on their round trip so seems to be appreciated. More walking, more lugging of children.....

Saturday - felt really tired all day. Decided rest was the best option.

Sunday - climbing with miniAJM. Having got close to pinky power earlier in the week I decided it would definitely be fine to take him down into the boulderfield itself so I could go and finish it off. It all went fine, and he enjoyed climbing up and down on random bits of boulder, but it’s fair to say it’s a lot more work when he needs to be escorted/guided/carried everywhere. Probably a thing to do occasionally rather than every time. Did Pinky Power - a few goes on the stand to sort the mantel out and then second go from the floor. I also tried the Prow which is a knacky 6C, one hard to stick heel which I couldn’t get to stick quite well enough. I then carted everything back to the new cuttings and set up camp in the shade thinking that once I’d cooled down and the sun had gone I might be able to get back on Phat Slapper. But as the cloud came in and the crag went into shade miniAJM decided he wanted to go home. So next time.

Cheers Matt. Lee's Bottom was ok thanks! Not too shitty.

Unfortunately this week has been a down-er as I obviously pushed too hard on my left ring finger last weekend. I haven't been able to crimp at all so no actual climbing.

M: rest

T: shoulder mobility work and some fingerboarding on two finger pockets

W: rest

T: as per Tuesday

F: rest

S: tried some board climbing with my bad finger taped thickly enough around the middle knuckle that I couldn't crimp, to avoid aggravating it. Unfortunately I found it impossible to pull hard enough on the pinches on my board like that, and I can't use the crimps. So it's not really a viable way of climbing for me.  I did some two finger pocket fingerboarding again.

S:rest. Went back in to the city centre for the first time since lockdownand did a bit of shopping. Probably only 50% capacity, lots of room to distance ourselves.

I think the coming week will be similar. Need to make sure I don't lose focus on my diet due to the lack of short term climbing 'reward.' I'm hoping that by the end of the week it'll be well enough to crimp again on bigger crimps, but we'll see.

Cheers

Si

Cheers Matt, another dedicated weeks of stats from you. Very greatful. 

Mon. Rest

Tues. Managed to add Full circuit (f7B+) to Odin's. Think I've got the grade about right.

Wed. 9km trail run

Thurs. Rest 

Fri. 2nd full session on The Dark Room (I have had a few quick plays after doing other stuff too). Suddenly I can't do the crux anymore. Some 8c wad 'crushed to dust' the thumb on the crux hold! Explored some new knee scums but didn't piece together a new sequence.

Sat. 21km on the bike. 

Sun. The dark room session 3. Worked out a sequence and it's awesome! Managed 2 links from start to falling off putting in the last knee bar. Was tired after working new beta and conditions weren't great but I know I can do it now, just need to keep turning up! 

Morning all.

STG: Finalise planning & book huts for now-August-maybe Dolomites trip - climbing partner can't get time off this month at short notice, and is having rouble with a recurrence of an old ankle injury.
MTG: Autumn Kalymnos trip. Do a beginner ski tour in spring 2021
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber by 2021. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M: 
T: Wall, Thalkirchen. Performance continues to creep slowly back to normal. 
W: Box step-ups - Dolomites approach training.
T: Didn't have time to get to Boulderwelt; beastmaker, mobility & shoulders at home instead.
F:    
S: Sport climbing, Hanger. Very nice little crag in the foothills near Garmisch. Very steep but not mindless jug hauling: steep but technical at the same time on a lot of flat holds & slopers. Added another to the open projects collection; will have to start ticking some of them off at some point.
    Also: post-lockdown skin. Today was the day all my calluses fell off.
S: Alpspitze KG Weg - Dolomites training campaign. Very much Alpine Lite: eight pitches of UIAA V, and a lift to the start. But still routefinding, chimneys with rucksacks etc take a bit of getting re-used to.

Thanks Matt.

I'm going to need to plunder the hive knowledge on various baby apparatus; pram, chair, buggy, car seat, etc, etc... (taking into account my wife doesn't possess climber shoulders for carrying sproggle)

Week 27: 

M – 20min warm-up board session; ticked off 3 of the sand-bag benchmarks. Then 35 degree sloper “max-hangs” @BW+20kg x2; BW+22.5kg x3; BW+25kg x1. Getting back to previous max levels.

Rolling thunder; 47.5 kg x8 reps x3 sets. RH + LH. Was quite fatiguing; interested to see how this will complement climbing strength training; as apparently Huffy rates it.

25min more on the moonboard; volume of 6B+ to 6C+ problems. Rings: 3x 12x prone press/Y hybrid.

T – 15min Moonboard warm-up: 6B+ to 6C+. Collagen/Density hangs. 3x30s @BW+18kg. Easier again and less tweaky than last week.

Pinch-block – repeaters: 7/3/6/3 @15kg lift x3 L+R. L felt hard; R steady, but completed the lot.

Ironmind hub; 15 kg lifts x8 reps x2 sets. Felt very chalk dependent – had to re-chalk mid-set

4x 4 bench @65kg. Ground out slow 4th reps each time, but form stayed good.

W – 30km ride. Core and groin COMPEX.

T – Evening boulder in Odin’s cave. Flashed the 7A+. After a few goes found the right beta for reversing it at 7B. Did the moves on Dark Room again, but broke hold and had a heavy dismount so finished off with Somerset Swede Basher’s 7B+ link “Full Circuit”. Back and core felt worked

F – Nothing.

S – Also nothing – not sure – lost track. Importantly, finally got roof lighting installed for Moonboard as I’d had to remove the original lights during the build.

S – Shitty tor. Tried Revelations (8b) 3x times. Got shut down hard. Groove (knees, no surprise) was the only bit I was consistent on. Exiting the groove and slab felt hard after a long time concentrating on the steep, but the boulder entry was the real problem. Made minor progress with a knee-scum method; was miles off the weird heel toe beta shown in various videos (including the footage of Ned “soloing” it). Drove home in a foul mood; wish I’d gone elsewhere. Had tea and cake to raise spirits, then did some rings.

Ally, what is your collagen for, what form is it in and does it seem to work?

Travel system with buggy, bassinette and car seat, and a soft baby carrier is the way to go when they are born. Travel systems are super flexible. If you don't see one with a good discount it is worth looking on ebay. 

You can get a rucksack once they are 6 months old although they're quite expensive. My wife has a weak back and has never been able to use it, but if you are keen, toddler on back and a pad in each hand is doable - I got to Thorn like that  

Si

My friend got a second hand baby carrier rucksack for £20 recently. Ours was also second hand, but more (£50?£70?). The old macpac ones are bomb proof and I fully expect to get several more years out of mine and still be able to sell it on. The wraps are good up to a point but as they get heavier you will probably either want a more structural carrier or a rucksack - I found in a wrap they would just gradually sink down and pull you forwards.

We got a pram/pushchair combo second hand (plus a really cheap folding pushchair also second hand which we use for travelling - being able to strap them in for airports etc has great value sometimes and since it was very cheap we viewed it as disposable if it broke, wouldn't fit etc) and it also had attachments to for the car seat although we didn't actually use that that much.

Basically gumtree has been our friend. Lots of baby stuff has quite a short life cycle especially for newborns as they grow so fast so it doesn't get much use before it becomes redundant.

Edit should probably say, if you go the eBay route for a travel system, then you should buy a new car seat separately.

Like AJM we also bought a separate lightweight buggy for traveling. Bought it new but it only cost £35 and is going strong after nearly 2 years, although we still use the travel system buggy more often.

Thanks Si, AJM & Matt for baby advice.

Unflavoured collagen powder from MyProtein + Vit C tablet; alright as protein powders go, not too nasty. Apparently the Bulk Powders version includes the vit C and is good value. 

Collagen (or gelatin) + vit C consumption before exercise is to optimise tendon synthesis. Proposed mechanism is that you have a good supply of collagen peptides and free amino acids in your bloodstream before commencing exercise that is tailored to load tendons. However, the evidence is weak for climbing specific tendons (finger, elbows, shoulders) as the literature out there is focused on collagen supplementation for larger tendons, particularly patella and achilles.

The same goes for the literature supporting the best loading pattern for tendons to promote density (more fibres) and stiffness (more cross-linking) - all based on big tendons in the lower limb. I put up some links last week for Jill Cook podcast; there's also a more climber focused discussion on the Power Climbing podcast: https://www.powercompanyclimbing.com/blog/2019/10/21/ep-147-making-sense-of... 

Hi Fit Club. Top statting, Matt, thanks for keeping things rolling.

Reasonable week. Ticked most of the weeks sessions (just need to fit in those short, fast runs!!) 

Good advice sesh with Biscuit on the elbows... expanding on some of the advice from Team Fit Club. I feel like I'm well set up to avoid getting in to a mess with them!

Week 27 (past half way!!): 

M: Core -two sets.

T: Long work day.

W: Hill run. 14.1km, 531m vert, 7:31/km. Felt quite an effort for reasons unknown.

T: Board sesh. Circuits min-on/min-off x 10. Core -1 set.

F: Hill run. 24.1km, 1300m vert (approx -Strava fail), 7:45/km. Felt good.

S: Strength and board sesh. Felt awful. Failed on max hangs. Failed on Board 10. Just weak as a kitten.

S: Board sesh. Redeemed myself from yesterday with some good limit bouldering and circuits. Felt less kitten.

Week 28:

250 min Z1

30min Z3

2 Core sessions

2 Strength sessions

3 Climbing sessions (2 Aerocap; 2 Strength/Ancap; 1 Aeropow)

3 Prehab sessions

STG (End July):

Max Hangs 78kg total (TICK: 79.5kg)

Weighted Pull-Ups 90kg total 3RM (TICK: 92kg)

Squat 70kg 3RM 

Deadlift 85kg 3RM 

3 sets of core circuit. 

Cheshire Cat, Stigarete.

Curfew, Gaza Strippers.

Clean shunt/TR of Marlene in the Corner (E5 6a)  Imagination (E3 6a) 

Run the Stretton Skyline

MTG (End Sept):

Eliminator, Yates' Layaway.

Grid Iron, Traction Control.

Black Wall Direct, Red Square, Digitron.

Cheshire Gritstone Trail

Congrats mate! Huge news!

Darn it, I forgot to post for the week before last. I didn't do anything but I still wanted to post. I just randomly stopped running. I didn't do much last week either. I've been working non-stop. I went for a few walks and then did about 8.5 miles (walking) around London on Sunday.

Mon-Sat: some walking

Sunday: 8.5 miles of fast-paced walking beating slow google times

It's the due day tomorrow so might go for a run/slow jog to celebrate. Might not.

Nowt, nowt, nowt...