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...     also this - https://www.instagram.com/p/CEGfCg7DbkK/?igshid=4a1o55jwpus2

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

Leicestershire Psyche Vid - youtube.com/watch?v=HaYynW6sHd4& (how many pads?)

Last weeks post - https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_716-7286...

AJM - treasure every chance at real rock at this time of year

alexm198 - welcome to Fit Club! Would be great to do something together since you're in Munich, if our interests actually intersect at any point. But I'm mostly a sport climber these days.

Ally Smith - CONGRATULATIONS! All else pales into insignificance

biscuit - thanks for the calf tips, and good luck with the Tenerife trip. When do you travel?

Liam P -  good effort sticking to & finishing the training programme, and solid progress on the STG

Neil Kazimierz Sheridan - welcome back. Three good bodyweight sessions.

planetmarshall - will be interested to hear how the After stats compare

Ross Barker - good luck with the Nesscliffe project. I may have to rope my son in if statting is expected to include minecraft hints & tips - he built a pirate ship with cannons that actually fired. I was gobsmacked.

Si dH - I hope you can make some progress with the dodgy finger whilst also finding way to train round it. Admirable attempt to find some non-crimpy dry rock.

Somerset swede basher - shame about the Burbage session, but running in the snow sounds fun. (Max hangs & repeaters less fun, but worthy)

the sheep - hope you recovered from your cold? Charnwood is beautiful and underrated.

Tom Green - solid tooling, careful with the ankle. I struggle too with not just playing to my open-handed strength on the beastmaker.

AlanLittle - same as last week: get going properly on the general strength & conditioning, and on the calf strain (p)rehab

Absent: Steve Jones, mattrm, Tyler

Welcome (back): Neil Kazimierz Sheridan, alexm198

In reply to AlanLittle:.

Thanks Alan. I reset my expectations for this week and mentally feel better for it. I've dropped an email to a physio that a friend recommended to me - I want to give myself a shot at healing this pulley as close to 100% as possible this time.

M: evening session doing 2 finger pocket hangs (bodyweight) and 5*5 pull-ups (bodyweight+25kg). Found this quite hard.

T: theoretically a rest day, although I dismantled and moved about some old wardrobes and in the process pulled something in my right bicep/shoulder that hurts if I twist my arm. I must be at the age where I need to warm up before doing DIY

W: evening session doing 2 finger pocket hangs (bodyweight) and 5*5 pull-ups (bodyweight+23kg). Hanging position didn't seem to aggravate the issue from yesterday. 

T: mostly rest, I just did a bit of core stuff in the evening (small number of planks/leg raises)

F: rest

S: afternoon session of 2 finger pocket hangs and TRX (low rows, reverse flies, flies)

S: morning board session. Did a long careful warmup and just did all the things I've set up to 6c and their mirrors, plus one 7a that is all pinches rather than pulling hard on crimps. Pretty good session, finger seemed ok at this level.

Right bicep / shoulder still feels slightly tender when I twist my arm with my chest at full stretch. It didn't effect any of my training or climbing but it does hurt in part of my shoulder warmup routine so I've just moderated that a bit until it's fully better.

Si

In reply to AlanLittle:

STG: Get through Lockdown 2.0 with sanity intact. Ideally also with some fingerboard gainz. Couch To 5k.
MTG: Do a beginner ski tour in spring 2021.  No realistic chance of this. It's looking pretty unlikely that there'll even be a 20/21 ski season. I'm certainly not getting in any gondolas full of strangers until I'm vaccinated.
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber by 2021. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M: Went out for a walk for an hour - fresh air, movement, calf rehab.
T: 40 minutes bike ride.
    Max hangs test session: despite having done only desultory fingerboarding in November because I was getting out climbing at weekends, I'm only 2kgs short of my peak in May at the end of Lockdown One. Encouraging.
W:
T: 
F: Managed to fit a 45 minute bike ride in before 9pm curfew
S: Max hangs
S: Couple of hours very muddy hike in the woods. Being outdoors felt better than anythning I might otherwise have done indoors.

I had managed to get my weight down from the first lockdown peak, but it's creeping back up again now. Comfort eating to ease the tedium and frustration, just as much as lack of physical activity.

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan - yes, I’ll grab it whilst it’s there! 

Another busy start to the week. What should have been a quiet time at work is still being completely overtaken by project work. And then after Christmas we will go straight into a busy period!

Thursday - another early session at the wall. Didn’t feel like I had as good a session as last time, but on the other hand I was trying harder problems so maybe it was a lack of success distorting my view. Either way, it was good. I did do an up and down on both the cracks, interesting I tend to move both feet then both hands rather than a hand foot hand foot motion. I’ll probably take them again and keep doing this.

Friday - I had the afternoon off, and more or less built some paralettes to play on.

Saturday - first thing I replaced the rather broken mop handle on my brush-on-a-stick with an old broom handle, which being wooden feels a lot more substantial. Then, off to Portland with miniAJM. This time I forgot fewer things - only his bike and my mini tripod this time. With a flapper on the side of my finger still healing from last week Firestarter was out. Went to Neddyfields and spent most of the time trying Petes Rib, a *** 6C+/7A (supposedly stand/sit, although it has to be said the stand feels pretty nails for that and the sit is only one move to jugs and quite good feet). It is quite balancey and about body position, and unlike a lot of Neddyfields the feet are actually not terrible. Video linked below. My high point, eventually, was reaching around trying to find something for the left hand at about his 40s point. I failed to find anything at all. From the look of it if I can find something up there it’s feet up and reach for the top. No dice in the end but it was good to actually be making some progress on it.

vimeo.com/332927156

Sunday - finished the paralettes and had a play with them. Good for pushups, get a bit more range of motion, and good for l-sit work too. I tried them with handstand style pushups (I.e. feet high and bent at the hips, so the upper body is going more up and down) and that was good too although I’m fully terrible at it. Any sort of planche progression feels like a total impossibility, I just can’t even comprehend the idea. There’s probably a skill component here I’m missing as well as the requisite strength. But also the requisite strength, which I guess doesn’t have much transferability from climbing training. But they should be pretty useful. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvGpYDj7f7/?igshid=h3oeknypaqwq

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan, I'm bored of rain now, will it ever stop? There is so much moisture in the Peak right now, a dry day and a good breeze might see some exposed dry grit but everything that seeps is wet now. 

Mon. 6 set of repeaters +4kgs. 5x5 pull ups +10kgs. 3x10 press ups.

Tues. 4x 10mins on 10mins off in the attic. Made it harder than usual with more time in the steep. Felt good. 

Wed. 14km run @ 5.12/km. Included 450m ascent of hill reps in the middle. We'd downloaded a workout called 'Satan's Ladder' and it did feel tough!

Thurs and Fri. Rest. 

Sat. Went looking for dry rock. Didn't really find any. Did Tin Of (7b) clip to clip to warm up then 3 clean laps on the top rope. It got a bit drier by lap 3... maybe. It was 12yrs ago that I last climbed this route and I remember it being tough so am pleased to get up it in poor conditions. 

Sun. 5km run. Hurty left shin. I think running down kinder last Sunday then Wednesdays hill reps might have been a bit much. Annoying as it run club Christmas special on Wednesday which is a flattish 18km. Will se how it feels by Wednesday. This is the last week of school so will have time to ride my bike instead of run for a couple of weeks if its still grumbling. 

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan; taking some time to adjust but managing to fit in some short sessions.

Wk 50

M – Nothing. Hospital with squiggle.

T – Lattice block pick-ups. 55kg 10s “max-hang” protocol from Crimpd. Followed by same protocol on Rolling Thunder @50kg.

W – Tendon Density pick-ups using the appropriately named Tendon Block! 30kg 40s lifts in forced F3SC (basically jamming 3x fingers into the comfy 2-finger slot). Floor core routine.

T – Nowt. 5min stretch was about it.

F – Lost a day somewhere in here, but definitely had a day off before Saturday board session

S – 90min board session. Set a new 7A+, tried a couple of 7B+’s and got close on both but did neither. So was surprised to do a 7B benchmark dyno at end of session. 4x12 leg raises.

S – Lattice block pick-ups. 55kg 10s “max-hang” protocol from Crimpd. Followed by same protocol on Rolling Thunder @50kg. Felt harder than Tues; warming up with kettlebell swings might be the reason?

In reply to AlanLittle:

Cheers Alan. Started my second cycle of Eric Hörst 10 week programme. Feeling small but noticeable gainZ after the rest week and managed to reach my bouldering high point after only 2x visits to the wall.

Doug Scott blessed us with a dry and bright Saturday, in December! Made the most of it and ticked another 2x VS leads at Wintour’s Leap - should make 10 by New Year.

M - Rest Day

T - First trip back to the wall! 3x IYT (5,5,5), Volume Bouldering 26x problems (max V3), TRX ab circuit (20s sets)

W- Max Hangs on the Hangboard. 5x4(7s/30s)18mm

T - Wall. 3x IYT (6,6,6), Volume Bouldering (Max V4), TRX ab circuit (30s sets)

F - Rest Day

S - North Wall, Wintour’s Leap. Joe’s Route -  VS 4c. Psychotic - VS 4c. Both really good!

S- Max Hangs on the Hangboard. 3x4(7s/30s)18mm

Slowly bearing down on the STG

STG(14 Feb)

BW<185lbs (currently 192lbs)

Max Hangs. Cycle of 15mm@BW

Moving Hangs 53535 w/feet on stool

Pull-up 3RM BW+35kg

Climb V5

10x VS Leads (7/10 done)

MTG (25 Apr)

BW<180lbs

Max Hangs. Cycle of 10mm@BW

Moving Hangs 10on 10off

Pull-up 3RM BW+40kg

Climb V6

10x HVS(incl DoWH)

LTG

E1

Alpine Routes (Migot Spur)

In reply to AlanLittle:

Crikey, time is flying at an alarming rate as I didn’t realise I missed a week - not that I did anything. This week has been good though.

S: Managed the new wood circuit in the Outhouse, total surprise. 
M: Day off work and after a lot of faff I set off on my first ‘fell run’ of 2020. I’ve got a new phone and ViewRanger app so was able to track how slowly I went, I’m embarrassed to say it was less than 4mph with rest! Over six miles but more importantly it was a start and great to be out on a lovely afternoon  
T: Rest

W: Easy exam

Thur: Outhouse, managed the hard climbing on the wood circuit twice but dropped it in the second half. New PBs on Orange and Red but still miles off being able to double these.

F: Another day off so another fell run, felt a lot more clunky than Monday but forced myself to keep going for 9 miles, a detour through a mile long big cost me a lot of time but even without I’d still be averaging less than 4.5 mph which is walking pace a pretty depressing and even at that speed I’m definitely well into Z3 at times.

S: Nowt

S: Depot Manc, surprised myself by flashing most reds I tried which is as good as I’ve ever managed but I think I picked the low hanging fruit and tired quickly, particularly enjoyable as I went with wife and son who both seemed to enjoy it as well.

Another day off tomorrow so more wading through ditches, panting up small inclines and generally moving like an 80 year old. Can’t wait

In reply to AlanLittle:

Cheers Alan! Project is going to be a bit of a long term siege I think, had another session this week but didn't regress. Fair play to your son, maybe there's a fit club equivalent on some Minecraft forums?

Decent week though still no grit, as Swede says it's just too bloody wet! This weekend looks like a decent forecast, though I say that every week so who knows?

Last Week:

M - Intense evening: Bar core consisting of leg raises (10 x3) and tuck levers (10s x3). Max hangs + 12kg (10s x5, 3m rest), intended on 6 sets but set 5 was so close to max I know that 6 would have gone to failure. Additionally isometric "T" holds (what's the proper term, pec flyes? Can't remember!) (10s x4) and press ups (10 x5).

T - Felt the leg raises, never had core DOMS before!

W - Session on Rigpa (V9). Light drizzle started as soon as I started warming up but thankfully the bush at the top overhangs enough to keep it dry (though if the rain was heavy it would be a no-go!). Bumped into the wad squad again and managed to match the high point of last session, but no further. I think I wasn't 100% recovered from Monday, but not a bad session either way. Core still a bit sore, but improving.

T - Rest

F - Rest

S - So nearly went to North Wales but could bring myself to do it with the forecast. Peak was wet too. Rest, too miffed to train.

S - Big fat training morning, same as M but did the 6th set of max hangs, felt solid and strong. Core was hard though! If I can manage 6 sets +12kg max hangs solidly again next time I'll move up to +14kg but with only 7 second sets.

Next Week:

M - Rest

T - Weather looks tolerable, maybe Rigpa session? If not I'll have a big ol' training session instead.

W - Rest

T - Weather also looks decent. Will do whatever I didn't do on Tuesday (unless the weather dictates going on the grit on Saturday).

F - Rest

S, S - As usual, dreams of grit!

Goals:

Brass Monkeys

Tierdrop

Suavito

Old King Cascade

Rigpa

In reply to AlanLittle:

Hi clubbers. Thanks for keeping up the quality statting, Alan.

Week 50:

Mixed success this week. Ankle still too sore to run and I've been reluctant to boulder on my board as I don't want to drop off it at the moment. So both leg and arm endurance are taking a hit.

M: Max Hangs and Prehab.

T: Strength sesh and Core sesh. Keeping Frenchies and Offset Pull-ups in the mix.

W: Max Hangs and Prehab.

T: Rest

F: Dry tooling at White Goods. Weirdly excited to be back here after being locked out! It felt like a real treat! Warmed up on some old favourites. Then highlights were a fighty onsight of Left Wall (D5+) and a PB sesh on Jaz (D8). Still don't have the power endurance to get it in one go, but felt miles stronger than on previous years (it's almost as if training actually works!?!)

S: Rest (tried a run, but within 200m the ankle was hurting).

S: Dry tooling at Masson. A bit demoralising in that I fell lower on Heavens Above (D7+) than previously! I think I was probably still carrying over some fatigue from Friday? Quite annoying as I had expected to be making further progress... maybe this mindset was also part of the problem!  

Week 51:

Need to sort the ankle out. It's starting to be a proper inconvenience now -with a real chance it's going to stymie a couple of my end of year goals.

STGs (End Dec):

BW <72kg (Annoyingly can't seem to get below 73.5kg despite the fact I normally find losing weight very easy. I'm wondering if it is muscle mass? Despite not wanting/aiming to bulk up the board climbing and strength work is increasing size of biceps/lats/etc. Maybe need to recalibrate what my fighting weight is? It also explains why fingerboarding has been harder!)

Max Hangs +5kg (Currently 2.5kg)

Pull-up 2RM 90kg total (TICK)

Curfew (6b+) The Day of the Triffids (6b) (looking less and less likely with each day of poor weather!)

Black Wall (E1 5b)

Run Edale Skyline (ankle isn't making this look that likely either!)

MTGs (End Feb):

Max Hangs 80kg total

Pull-up 2RM 100kg total

Grid Iron (6c) The Deep (6c+)

Black Wall Direct (E2 5c)

Run Cheshire Gritstone Trail

LTGs:

7a, 6C.

33 E-points in 2021 (to beat current best year).

Run Welsh 3000s

Revisit Cairngorm Classic Rock in a day

Long alpine rock routes off my to-do-list?

In reply to Somerset swede basher:

You need to get back tooling! It's the perfect weatherproof option! ;-p

In reply to Tyler:

Great work with the fell running. It doesn't seem that long ago you were battling dodgy hips... not a bad turn-around! 

Don't take too much notice of the pace. 'Walking pace' is pretty good when it's over terrain that most people wouldn't walk! It always amazes me how long little interruptions to moving (e.g. wading those ditches!) take when I look at Strava -moving time versus total time.

In reply to Tom Green:

I did notice you'd been to Masson Lees and was considering dropping some hints for an invite!  I think there are some new sub M9 routes there I've not done.  I've not got any fancy fruit boot type things though and tooling properly in big boots and crampons is really hard as mine weigh a tonne! 

In reply to Somerset swede basher:

Yep, loads of new routes gone up over the last few months, including four or five at 'nice' grades! 

You should check them out -especially if you're going to have some free time mid-week over the holidays (it's starting to get crazy busy at weekends, so I think week days are the future). Give me a shout if you fancy a Masson hit at any point -it's probably the only 'winter' climbing I'll be getting done this season so I'm perma-psyched!

Don't worry about the big-boots... it's all just training weight ;-p

In reply to Tom Green:

I might treat myself to something hideously expensive that I'll probably only use a handful of times!

In reply to Somerset swede basher:

Then you’ll have no excuse not to start smashing out fig fours!

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan. Stay in touch over the calf. I have the time to help out now as i am not going to Tenerife anymore. It went on the list for isolation on return last Thursday. Even with this new testing system where you can potentially come out after 7 days (no it's not 5 days like they tell you, you have a test on the 5th day then wait 24-48 hrs for the results) we would have had to cut it from 2 weeks to 1 week. Plus the extra cost of the testing etc. It just wasn't worth it.

On the plus side i finished Lattice feeling really good with my thoughts are on insta

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvhdYSjkIJ/?igshid=kc2l8h3gg0y5

So, what next?

This week will be a rest week. I'll climb for fun and maybe do a max finger and pull up test. I am going to experiment with Climb Strong Logical Progression and am sorting out my plan and testing exercises this week for a 12 week phase.

Priorities:

Bouldering - so pull and finger strength and power

Get stronger, more powerful, less painful, legs and hips

Goals: 

Son Of Krypton 7B 

Wild Rose (f7B+)

Ned's Problem (f7B)

Ash Tree Wall (f7C)

The Crushinator Low Start (f7B+)

Voodoo People SS (f7B)

Texas Hold Em' (f7B+)

I'll be delighted to get one or two of these, but let's see how it goes. 

After this i'll hopefully be strong enough for Kleptomania (8a) in the Spring.

In reply to AlanLittle:

Cheers Alan, felt pretty rough for most of the week so very little to report. Did make it out for run on Sunday though. Fingers crossed for a better week ahead!

In reply to biscuit:

Oh noes. Gutted for you, but not entirely surprised. I didn't really believe my Kalymnos trip in October was actually happening until I was past the random test counter at Kos airport arrivals.

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan, my 2018/19 FitClub season was the fittest and strongest I think I've ever been, so I have high hopes for this time!

I would definitely be keen to do something together. At the moment I'm mainly focused on the running, but from Spring onwards I'd be keen to make climbing plans. Do you have any interest in doing any of the long limestone stuff around here (I recently bought Adi Stocker's Longlines book)? At any rate I'd be keen to do some local sport when the weather is warmer.

Straightforward base-building week this week. Didn't fit in as much core work as I would have liked.

Week 3:

M 4.5km Z1 

T 8.0km fartlek (1km warmup, 10x90/120 sec splits, 1km cooldown)

W 4.5km Z1

T Rest/Cake/Beer (my partner's birthday). Did 30 minutes core work in the evening.

F 10km cycle commute to-from office. Snuck out in the evening for 6.7km tempo, 6min/km. Felt really crappy. Think this was too much beer and birthday cake from Thursday!

S 16.4km steady Z1 plodding. Good but not as good as last week.

S 10.7km Z1 in the drizzle. Felt surprisingly way better than the previous day.

Last week's goals:

• 50km again (I'm going to avoid ramping up the mileage until the new year, when my partner leaves Munich, so I can continue to enjoy going on runs together) [Tick]
• 3 x yoga and TFTNA core routine [Missed]
• Daily foam-roll [Tick]

Goals

STG (This Week)

• 35km weekly mileage (possibly inc. first ZUT segment recce, check COVID guidance)
• 2 x core routine
• Daily foam-roll

MTG (End of June 2021)

• Finish the Zugspitz Ultratrail 
• 3 x big winter alpine routes

LTG (End of 2021)

• Himalaya Expedition (or plan B)

In reply to biscuit:

I would be keen to meet up for a session on any/all of these of you'd like. Can provide many pads  

In reply to alexm198:

I'd be delighted. "Do something from Longlines" is very much on my bucket list, and since my regular sport climbing partner has retired from alpineering due a multiply f*cked-up ankle, I'm currently short of partners for that sort of thing. 

In reply to AlanLittle:

Hi all

Signed back up with lattice and also signing back up here. I've had some long term health problems this year which I'm taking as a kick up the backside to get in the best shape I can. Good intentions immediately thwarted by getting covid.

On the plus side, I've only had mild symptoms and fingers crossed don't have significant fatigue. I've hardly eaten for two weeks though so a bit wobbly.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: Rest.
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: Rest.
Friday: 30 mins yoga.
Saturday: Short and terrible fingerboard (as in, can hang the middle flat holds on my beastmaker 2000 for about 3 seconds). 30 mins yoga.
Sunday: Freedom day. Long slow walk (2 hours ish). Fingerboard taking 10kg off in order to complete beastmaker 6Cish workout at 3 reps 1 set. Starting from where I am I guess. 30 mins yoga.

In reply to Cyan:

Welcome back!

In reply to Cyan:

Welcome back! When I had it my general strength and finger strength came back very quickly, but I was in a much worse state in terms of cardio. That was over a month ago and now I'm pretty much back to normal, bar some very steep approaches.

In reply to Si dH:

Nice one! I’m not particularly wedded to anyone of them. I’m on leave from this Thursday with some family stuff to do obvs but not much on over Xmas 

Looking ahead (on the off chance I don’t tick them all over Xmas ha ha!) my climbing days are Mondays and Thursdays with weekends available too. I can’t do all 4 days (I wish) but they’re the days I can regularly have free. 

In reply to AlanLittle:

Hi,

I didn't bother posting last week - did all the usual training but nothing climbing specific so thought I wouldn't bother updating!

This week I did all my usual stuff - ran 60k (nice to have the railway line path back open) - and did all my main weights sessions. On Wed I went back to the wall for the first time since March. Mainly did some easy top-rope routes. Lead a couple of 6a. Then went back on Friday, did 45 mines bouldering (V1-2) and then auto-belay routes up to 6a+. Quite like using Griptonite to log it all - should get some interesting stats.

In reply to AlanLittle:

Excellent! I am still slightly giddy from discovering there are 1300m lines just down the road from here!

Let’s stay in touch about it. Seems like no getting out will be happening for a while yet anyway...

In reply to Ross Barker:

Thanks, that's reassuring.

I've not had much by way of respiratory symptoms so hopefully won't have too much cardio impact. I'll find out if I run at the weekend I guess!  Still no smell/taste/appetite though and eating is a bit of a grim struggle...

In reply to Cyan:

I had to take 5 weeks off running and for the first half a dozen runs back it felt a bit weird and I was slow but after that back to normal. Strength wise (for climbing) I found I could boulder OK sooner as long as it was short problems and I rested well between attempts. This was from a position of being slightly out of breathe lying still in bed for about 3 days. Obviously everyone is different but that was my experience. 

In reply to AlanLittle:

Not a great second week unfortunately!

M: cycling 20 mins (road), 2x12 crunches, 2x12 one-leg squats, 3x8 pressups, 1x28 calf raises, 2x12 leg raises, 15 mins yoga, 2x12 lunges

T, W, T, F, S, S: Just walking ~40 mins per day. 

On the bright-side I got better form with the one-legged squats now!