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

And for those looking for more theoretical background, there's a useful subject index of published research studies on the Beta Angel project. Not sure how actively maintained if is though. https://beta-angel.com/research/research-inventory/

Last weeks post - https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fit_club_week_756-7390...

AJM - sounds like a good DWS session/season, but for how much longer will the water be warm enough? My son came home yesterday from an evening with his buddies at the Starnberger See(*) and declared the alpine lakes swimming season definitively over.

Ally Smith - sounds like a good Peak lime session - including an os of my "project" (as in, tried Incapacity Benefit a couple of times with Kelvin a while back but haven't caught the Cornice dry on any of my occasional UK visits since then)

biscuit - shame about no miniproject tick, but it sounds like you should be match fit for the trip

Liam P - delighted to have reeled you back in, as you put it. Still eagerly awaiting my copy of Beastmaking.

mattrm - welcome back!

planetmarshall - looks like you're building some good trad momentum, hope the weather & connies stay reasonable for a bit linger.

Ross Barker - sounding strong on the plastic, but I hope the nettles will die off and allow you to get to the crag again soon

Si dH - there are times when you just do what you can and are thankful for whatever you do manage to do, and it sounds like you're going through one of those times. 

Somerset swede basher - here's hoping the Peak lime stays called for a couple more weeks.

Steve Claw - impressed by your autobelay endurance routine. Or is it a warm-up, since you're bouldering afterwards?

the sheep - solidly maintained post-race activity level there

Tom Green - busy with the house move I assume?

Tyler - so are you on holiday in Dorset this week? Sounds like it started well if so.

AlanLittle - so, did you manage to lure somebody back to one of gotta-go-down-soon projects? And/or make it to somewhere with some realistic onsighting goals? (Spoiler: nope)

(*) I have a strong sense of cognitive dissonance with the Starnberger See. On the one hand, pleasant afternoon bike rides to a  tourist spot in a rich suburb of the city I now live in. But on the other hand, I can't get TS Eliot's faded Belle Epoque Central European exotic in the first stanza of The Wasteland completely out of my head either.
 

Thanks Alan. End of season is usually dictated by the air temp rather than the water temp - it gets unpleasant being out of the water and wet! The sea temp probably doesn’t peak until October, and for Lulworth late season can be good since the sun is low enough to catch the rock (in high summer, the face is too steep to see the sun) which can help keep the grease off. Also, for Portland as days get shorter the peak of the spring tides become harder to catch in daylight, since they are usually early and late in the day. This coming weekend has good tides still Saturday so keeping my fingers crossed. Was definitely a good session, although the season itself has been a bit mixed - with glass half empty I’ve not been out anywhere near as much as last year, made only token attempts on MotB and ticked none of the Portland projects. With a glass half full of course every day on dws is a good day!

Been a pretty quiet week. My parents were down much of the week, which meant social disruption to any training and far too much eating! I was also feeling really quite fatigued and tired, definitely Friday I wasn’t tip top.

At the weekend, after a summer of letting things slide a bit (consciously, to take advantage of the summer weather), we started to do some admin and faff and things. So I didn’t get outside. 

Saturday - painted some orange spots on the hard circuit, then in the afternoon did an introductory session on the home board. On the good footholds I was able to do the 14-move easier green circuit in either direction, and the harder 19-move orange circuit in either direction (after much faff with spinning holds and having to re tighten everything). Thoughts so far:

- green on good footholds should be good for doubles, or longer intervals including the rest station at one side, pretty versatile. Might be doable with tight gloves on to preserve skin, tbc?

- the orange is pretty crimpy. Doubles on this will be tough, and interspersing this with recoveries at the rest or laps of the green offers good value for winter training. Might also work for something like 1-on-2-off but tbc.

- I did try the dome footholds on the green at the end, which was really quite hard - they’re 30mm wooden hemispheres, so no flat bit at all, which means you have to really push to get weight onto them - and at the same time that it feels impossible to pull on them - toeing in to rock across on one just doesn’t seem to work as there’s nothing to pull on! It seemed to force quite a different way of moving (the easy and hard footholds are paired, but it certainly wasn’t the same foot sequence a few inches to the left). Also requires a pretty steady and even force application as they are slippery! A style to learn, I should think.

- the better footholds, which are just ply, were probably a false economy. The edges of them are splintering a bit already.

Sunday - tired enough I tried to have a doze mid afternoon! Did some exciting admin faff, and had another short calibration session on the board. 

- There and back on the greens without the rest was ok from cold but probably doesn’t make an ideal warmup. 

- I had a few goes at trying the green circuit on the poor dome feet - gradually adjusting to them a bit. I could do it clockwise but anti-clockwise there was a bit of a stopper move - sort of running out of left feet due to the edge of the board which made a move from opposing side pulls to two side pulls facing the same way really unbalanced. Might see if I can find a workaround.

- it’s a bit tricky for the left foot since the better footholds are just to the right of the domes so it’s a bit hard to avoid the accidental assist at times. If I replace the better footholds I might put them in between rather than pairing the domes.

- I had a very brief go on the orange holds with dome feet - that’s going to be hard! The handholds are a mix of 20mm and 25mm edges with edge radius - moving when on two 20mm holds and the dome feet is hard, and there’s a few places where that’s the case. The full 19 moves on this will be a good level! Feels very much like the whole body is trying to engage, which can only be good for me.

Thanks Alan. More of the same this week - I did a hip mobility routine on Monday and then a decent fingerboard session on Tuesday - 3*30 second density hangs, then 5 sets of 3/6/9 second hangs with bodyweight + 20 kg on a 27 mm edge, first with strict half crimp and then the same with front 3 drag. Since then I've done nothing all week - focusing on family and a lot of work.

Cheers for stats as always. A good week rock-wise, tapered off towards the end with the partner's birthday and a bit of general anxiety.

Last Week:

​​​​M - Rest.

T - Rest.

W - Big day out in mountains, first time actually climbing in The Pass. Quick ascents of King of Drunks (V6) and Killer Weed (f7A), and then a not-so-quick but ascent of Lordy, Lordy (V5) (absolutely fantastic if you like that sort of thing). Then played on The Wolf (f7A), got the hard moves down sharpish but the topout was harrowing! Caked in moss, holds covered and filled with shite. Shame. On the walk back we tried to tackle The Crook Roof (f7A) but pebble crimping and contorted leg positions didn't work to my favour. Quick flash of Pocket Wall (f6A+) at the Cromlech and it's time to go home!

T - Rest.

F - Rest.

S - Short Moonboard session. A couple of 6B+-6C+ benchies. Too hot. Wasn't really feeling it. Scap pullups to feel more productive.

S - Rest.

Next Week:

Gonna play it by ear. I'm starting a new job Monday, so not sure how much energy I'll have to throw myself around.

Hopefully at a minimum I can keep up a little volume and stay reasonably active!

Goals:

​​​​​​Rehabilitate finger (going rather well).

Rigpa.

This turned into a bit on an unplanned deload week, but unfortunately probably a bit too low on the sleeping to have much beneficial effect.

STG: Actually climb something
MTG: Autumn 2021 sport trip. Ditch the lockdown weightbelt (3 to 5 kgs) beforehand and get fit 
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M: Rest day. Half an hour stretching before bed
T: Wall, Thalkirchen. Got some route mileage in; also had my first experience of being caught with an Edelrid Ohm. Abrupt.
W: Too late to bed after getting home from the wall last night, up too early because my son is back at school. Involuntary rest day.
T: Big presentation at work tomorrow, working too late to make it to the wall. Some beastmaking before bed instead. 
F: 
S: Zellerwand. Hadn't intended to go out today, but I was free, weather was good and a couple of mates were in search of a lift. Pottered about in a team of three repeating routes I've done before, plus some falling practice on a non-project that I try every now & again when I happen to be in the vicinity. All a bit aimless but a pleasant day out.
S: Wall, Weyarn - my son's return to climbing after he gave up bouldering three years ago. He did well; I did ok considering I had a belayer who had a grigri in his hands for the second time ever, and was constantly being brutally short-roped. He'll learn quickly enough.

Thanks Alan - I'm really hoping the same. In endurance mode for a powerplant tick before everything gets wet for the winter now.

Mon. Went indoors for the first time in ages. Aerocap autobelay session. 4x 10 on 10mins off. I found up 6b+ and down 6a felt about right and usually managed 4 up and downs in each block of climbing. Lots of blood flow but never totally pumped which I think is the idea?

Tues. Mostly a rings session as I'm struggling shoulder and tension wise on the big stretches. 3x10 shoulder shrugs, 3x10 press ups, crimpd tension routine and crimpd compression routine.

Wed. Ran to Moat Buttress and did Ha -Ha it's Billy no mats (7b+). This was a second session send but the first was really short. Ran back then 9km run in the eve.

Thurs and Fri rest.

Sat. Early doors session back on powerplant. Couple of beta tweaks on top rope then 3 redpoint attempts. I knew I didn't have it all totally worked out but sometimes you need to be on lead to work out what's missing. Got through the crux from the floor and made it one or two moves further up the head wall each go. On my last redpoint I was only 3 moves off the 'rest' by the last bolt and if I can just get there I think I can probably recover enough to do the last bit. It might not be next session, but it's coming...!

Sun. Rest

Cheers Alan. Appreciate the motivation. A good week with good news from the Ortho: comminuted fracture but the bones aren’t displaced and nothing in the joint so should be a successful, albeit long, recovery. He was also happy to lose the cast and give me an AirBoot which is far more comfortable.

RecoveryClub Goals

• Recover
• Parallette Psuedo Planche Push-ups
• 5x 5 (5s) Frenchies
• 7a BM
• A full 20x Core Circuit (Crunch, Bicycle, Reverse, Oblique, Side Bends) - ticked this week so will increase the difficulty and work through Front Lever progressions.
• Maintain weight below 175lbs

Mon

• 20x Crunch Circuit: normal, alternate, reverse, oblique, side bends. 3x 5,3,1.5 Pseudo Planche Push-ups. 3x 16 Dips. 1:20 Plank. 3x 1&2/3 5s Frenchies
• 2 sets of 3x 7/3 Repeaters on 50mm pocket (Front2/Mid2)

Tue

BM Max Hangs:

• 3 sets of 5x 20s on 45mm (Full Crimp, Half Crimp, Open 4)

Thu

• 20 Crunch Circuit: normal, alternate, reverse, oblique, side bends. 3x 18 Dips. 1:25 Plank.
• 5x 1 Pseudo Planche Push-ups. Stronger lean forward with a noticeable increase in difficulty. Measured 29” lean from hands to head on the wall but realised I’m doing it all wrong. The best way is to measure from feet on the wall to your hands so you aren’t head butting the wall on every rep - aim is to reduce distance.

Fri 

• 3x 2 5sFrenchies. The last 60deg lock-off felt v hard!
• 3x 8 Knee Raises. Start of Front Lever training.

BM Repeaters

• 3 sets 6x 3/7 Front2 50mm
• 3 sets 6x 3/7 Mid2 50mm
• 3 sets 6x 3/7 20deg Sloper

Sun

• 3 sets of: 10x Pull-ups, 18x Parallette Push-ups, 10x Knee Raises, 20x Dips

Weight: 172lbs

I’ll have to dig out my TS Eliot Anthology to look up your Waste Land footnote. I bought it years ago for The Hollow Men, after Brando piqued my interest in Apocalypse Now. Unfortunately, I never got around to reading anything else. The Horror!

I rate Eliot up there with Shakespeare, the Four Quartets are one my favourite things I've ever read.

Thanks Alan. Yes that was my feeling too. I was happy about the fact i climbed until i fell with total focus on the climbing.

This last week was a disaster trip prep wise. Family stress with teething problems at my son's supported accommodation, lots of work related stuff to sort before going away and a full on interview day for a new job. On the plus side i got the job.

So literally nothing done for the trip. So i guess i'd call it a rest week......

Yesterday we went climbing at  Castellet de Calp 

Maiden Voyage (6a+) twice to warm up

Pilot Error (6c+) flash (felt soft)

Brain Freeze (7a) onsight (not sure why i came to spain to climb a jamming crack)

Ant Invasion (7a) came free but people were wanting to go so i jumped on before i'd recovered from Brain freeze. Came unstuck at the low down crux. Figured it out and went to the top. One to come back for. Good North facing crag.

Hopefully lots to report next week, but the weather looks a bit iffy. 

Cheers Alan, defiantly a week of two halves gone by!

Monday, 1km swim

Tuesday, 1km swim

Wednesday, 1km swim and 6.5km run

Thursday, 1km swim and stretch class. Tried to run in the evening but felt terrible. Managed just under a km before giving up.

Friday, woke up  with a terrible cold, muscle pain, snots, the works. Took covid tests which were negative but felt crap all weekend 

On holiday in Cornwall this week. No proper write up while away from a keyboard. 

Last week was a bit of a mare with work, trying to close out stuff before 6 weeks SPL. 

I managed to get out one evening and completed Sunset Sit-start (f7C+). Happy with finishing that off, but the alternate finishes will have to wait as they cause shouldery grumbles.

2 sessions of physio instructed exercises and not a lot else.  

He's ultimately responsible for "Cats", though. Swings and roundabouts.

Ah well, no more negative tests for me an the middle daughter. We both have tested positive today so that’s us confined to quarters for a while.

Shame as I got up this morning and said to the wife that my cold was finally shifting 🙄

I was, I love that place although from a climbing POV it’s no Kalymnos. We used to have quite a few Portland regulars on here but now we are down to one, who has access to my logbook, there’s no point me posting a ‘best of’ list for discussion. 
I climbed on 5 of 6 days (on my rest day I got pretty pumped on The Maypole (HVS 5b)) and I struggled with that. 
Drove back Saturday and considered climbing on Sunday but after going to the wall yesterday (Monday) I realised that a bit of yoga was the better choice. 

Thanks Alan.  The auto-belay described is the warm up, but it does get you really going. To switch it to endurance then I try to do the same on all four of the autos, resting on the 5 route of each one.

M - Indoor bouldering.  Auto Warm-up, Max hangs 10s*6 +15kg then boulder around V6.

Sat - Went to Lundy, but raining so no climbing.

Sun - Lovely weather, dropped into Wolfman Jack wall and did Venus Flytrap (E2 5c) and Wolfman Jack (E3 5c) and then off to The Indy 500 (E1 5b) at sunset.

More Lundy on next weeks post.  I found the climbing harder than I expected, not sure if it was just the style/conditions, but I seemed to have a lack of staying power on grades I would normally be very steady on, so stuck to classic low E's and didn't push the grade.  As it was my first time on the island there was no shortage of 3 star routes to choose from.

Hi All. Thanks for the stats Alan. Sorry for two weeks of being AWOL!

Unfortunately it is two weeks with nothing to report. No climbing. No training. Just a lot of work and A LOT of moving stuff.

The only redeeming feature is there must have been a fair amount of strength and conditioning! A lot of deadlifting and squats!

Hopefully back on track over the next couple of weeks. Time to plan the autumn campaign!

In news that will shock no one, I didn't do much this week.  There were plans to get down the climbing wall, but these were scuppered by my mate being on holiday.  I did do an amount of walking and a few hours cutting and chopping firewood, but nothing overly exercisey.  Nothing that would have dented my cheese, beer and cake intake.  My diet is still shocking.