UKC

Morning all! Starting to get a bit nippy even down in Costa Del Southampton, (I’m typing this fully dressed under a blanket with fingerless gloves on but Mrs Dandan says no CH until November!) I imagine everyone is pulling the downy out of the wardrobe?

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity. UKC fitclub 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

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...

Last week’s thread can be found here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fitclub_week_605-69459...

You can look back at your previous posts here (to some extent… it’s still a work in progress, this now goes back to FC500): http://ukc-fitclub-user-posts.s3-website.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/users.html

Posters:

Tyler - I’m interested to know what LVF is…? DIY club keeps eating into my time too recently.

The sheep - Good set of goals, do you have anything that might be considered a 666 goal? (End of 2019 basically)

Guy127917 - Is sacred angle one of the seashell conglomerate routes? Very hard to determine a crux sequence with so many partial holds!

Mattrm - you sound motivated, a nice day out probably didn’t do that any harm!

Biscuit - “3 hard boulders at Depot - yellows. One vert, one slab, one steep” that’s a great goal right there.

Somerset swede basher - I used to be awful on middle 2, doesn’t take long to remedy if you really focus on it, turns out it’s much stronger than front 2!

Hms - Sounds like you’ve got the right attitude, any more screaming hand jams?

AJM - Holiday sounds great, although not sure my ego could take the grade hit! Put Nightmare Scenario on your winter tick list, it’s sort of thin vert wall climbing on the crux.

Planetmarshall - Love the specificity of your training, I hope it brings great results.

Liamhutch89 - Call it a rest week, it’ll be fine!

Ally Smith - Fantastic week, congrats on the new route! I think you are on the right track for 8c+, surely it’s an inevitability…

Dandan - If it wasn’t for a training diary i’m not sure i’d remember anything i’ve done…

Jamming Dodger - Welcome back, even if it’s only briefly! My dog’s only goal in life is to catch a squiggle… What happens on the 7th of December?

Ardo - Enjoying climbing seems like a pretty decent goal. Time on rock trumps training time, at least from a morale point of view!

Alexm198 - That Alpine Combine looks interesting, does it have benchmarks or some kind of correlation to a level of fitness?

Powderpuff - Not much to say, just keep doing what you are doing!

AlanLittle - Kalimera! So the heat is still a problem in October huh? To be fair it was tops off on Portland last week…

Bones - Your weeks goals look do-able if you have a clear schedule, did you manage them this week?

Tom Green - Lurgy, nooo! Spend your recuperation time window shopping online for new kit…?

Fit Club 666 goals:

AJM - Mark of the Beast (or Blue Planet/Privateer); E5 (or equivalent); sport onsight/“quick tick” & some from Colors/Tennessee/Paradise Lost/Bird of Paradise/Return of the Gunfighter

Ally Smith - Devils Gorge newbies; Rock Atrocity; press a sport climber; 8c+

Tom Green - Satanic Verses

Dandan82 - Horny Lil' Devil/Mark of the Beast/Camino a la Perdicion; +66kg weighted pullup - +60kg; 666 one-arm pullups - 2/666; 666 ‘good’ handstands 9/666 ; 66 routes at 7a and above including 6 routes at 7c+ and above - 0/66 0/6.

alexm198 - Versant Sataniques, 1938 route

Tom Green - 666m of arete on lancashire grit

Tyler - 66 yoga sessions; 66 routes at 7a and above, 6 routes at 7c and above

Bones - A front lever

Rebecca Ting - Fiesta de los Biceps (7a); Riding to Babylon (7a+); Stanage VS challenge

Kalispera! I'll get i  first this week then, since I'm on a rest day.

STG (October): Kalymnos: succeed on some steep endurance routes. See Tuesday. MTG (spring 2019): Frankenjura 7b+ project LTG (2021): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60 

M: Kalymnos: Arhi. My mate had a project left over from last year in the Belgian Chocolates sector. Sharp scratchy slabs baking in the sun; I hated it. Crept round the corner for an abortive attempt on The Underclings, which however was also intolerably hot. Once again, scuttled off to Arginonta Valley for some jug pulling in the shade.

T: Kalymnos: Olympic Wall was an eye-opener and has caused me to rethink my goals. Hiked up through a couple of heavy showers, which turned out to be a good decision because after they passed over we had our first day of actual good conditions. Did the - superb - 6a warmup, then looked rightwards and was terrified. All those immaculate thirty-plus metre endurance jug fests, exactly the sort of climbing I am intimidated by and avoid. Time to stop avoiding, so I jumped on Biloute (7a). Found the moves individually pretty easy (except the move into the big niche at the top where it looks like it should all be over but isn't) and I think it's intimidation & mental stamina, as much as physical endurance, that stops me from stringing them together. Took half a dozen falls / jump-offs to help with that - and managed four decent goes on the route in total, which is definitely a sign that my physical endurance training is working and session capacity improving.

This caused me to have a bit of a rethink. I know I can figure out bouldery routes and I know I can tiptoe up slabs. But I'm terrified of anything steep and pumpy no matter how straightforward the moves are, and grade chasing on bouldery & slabby routes isn't ever going to change that. I'll do myself more good as a climber by getting on the steep pump-fests that intimidate me. And by a happy coincidence here I am, with another week in one of the best places in the world for steep pump-fests. So, new goal: forget 7b, stay off the grey slabs, get up some proper Kalymnos style steep things in the 6c to 7a range.

W: Rainy rest day

T: Kalymnos: Arhi/Arginonta. A significantly improved state of affairs after the rest & rethink. Headed to Arhi in the morning, thinking it would be a good option to shelter from the forecast strong northerly wind. Which it was, but everybody else realised it too & the routes we wanted to do - Underclings and Kastor - were nose to tail. Bailed round the corner to Arginonta, which had equally good conditions but more worthwhile routes free. One of which, Code Quantum (7a), I really could have onsighted with a little more luck/determination/footwork. As it was I got it second go. A good confidence booster, and although it's relatively short it definitely qualifies under the New Rules; most of the climbing is a tufa and steep pockets (although the actual crux is the transition onto the grey slab at the top). 

Wound up with a couple of 6b's round the corner on Infrared Wall. A good sign endurance wise to be reasonably relaxed onsighting these when already tired: last year I was finding the routes on this wall very pumpy.

F: Kalymnos: Ghost Kitchen. Swings, roundabouts: my annual fall from the top of the pumpy finish of Globus (6c+). Exactly the same spot as last year, at least this time I fell actually trying to make progress rather than just thinking "oh shit I'm pumped"  and letting go, so would have scored a "+" under IFSC rules. But still, half a move feels like not much to show for a year of endurance training. Yeah, big day yesterday, tattered fingers bleeding all over the holds, blah blah whatever. Disappointed in myself.

S: Kalymnos: attempt at a third day on. My hands are a mess: barely there tips, bleeding knuckles, an infected thumbnail that hurts when I touch anything. Such as a hold orthespacekeyonmylaptop. My partner wanted to try something at Arhi, but no wind today & it was too much of an oven even for him. Retreated round the corner to the Sea Breeze cave for a play on some roof jugs in the shade - great fun until I strained my hamstring on a heel hook. At least this shows that I was actually pulling on the heel, rather than my normal procedure of just draping it over the hold in order to look like one of the cool kids.

S: Rest Day, trying to get myself back into some kind of working order in hope of still being able to rescue victory from disappointment on the last couple of climbing days.  

Thanks Dandan, yes think my goals are definitely pretty do-able. I have tried to make them as achievable as possible so that I can stick to them and once I have got a rhythm going I will crank it up a little. This coming month is possibly going to be pretty hectic work-wise but I think I should still be able to still to goals if I plan well.

This week I managed 3/4 runs. Should have gone for a 4th yesterday and was a little too hungover to manage it today but starting to feel human again so will go climbing later to fit in all 4 of my climbing sessions this week. (Sorry HMS couldn't manage it earlier!) I have also been working on L-hangs for front lever progression.

STG - to run 4 times a week - 3/4 complete - have a minimum of 4 climbing sessions per week - tick - stretching my back and shoulders - tick - daily work on front lever programme - tick

Mon: run, front lever progression, bouldering on a new set working on V5/V6 circuit, finish in the cave

Tues: continuation of yesterday, boulder session focussing on V5/V6, finish in the cave

Weds: run - times and breathing improving

Thurs: run

Fri: heavy actual job work day so didn't get anything else done

Sat: lead climbing session, warming up on toprope slabs up to 7b and then working routes with an overhung start, finding I am getting very pumped early on so need to put some work in on my power endurance. Fine on the big overhang with massive jug holds!

Sun: bouldering climbing session about to take place

 > I jumped on Biloute (7a). 

I did this in April and my log book entry said it would have been easier if I could knee bar so maybe something to consider if you go back. 

I assume this knee bar goes in the big hole at the beginning of the final cave, just before where it looks like it should get easy but doesn’t?

Will report back on Tuesday 

To be honest I can't even remember the crag so this is purely based on my logbook, I can imagine Kalymnian knee bars being pretty painful without pads so good luck!

Thanks for your efforts dan. 

7th December I’m off to the Land of Scot for a long weekend of fellrunning and (hopefully) sea kayaking, depending on the conditions at the time. So just want to be in half decent shape for that really. Having the electrics and a heater installed in the van in a couple of weeks so I won’t die of hypothermia. May die of poverty though ????

This week hasn’t been the most worthy of rambling on about so I’ll keep it short. 

26 mile cycle commutes on Wednesday and Thursday. Had two days off work so skived in the meantime. Today did a ten mile run. Same route as last week and felt a LOT more full of beans so im pleased with that. Milo caught a chicken.... Oops. Managed to get it off him though reasonably unscathed, minus a few feathers. To be fair to him there were about 30 of them wandering round a field and the gate was wide open. Too tempting. 

Having bragged last week about hardly drinking, my friend came over on Friday eve with six bottles of Prosecco. “They were on offer!” So you can probably guess how that turned out. Saturday was not very productive. Meh. Made up for it today.

Bit more cycle commuting next week and another run at the weekend. Need to sneak in a short mid week or Saturday run in just to keep the little legs in a running pattern, but we’ll see. My friend did a little impression of my running style today. It wasn’t flattering! Must work on that.

Have a good week. H 

Cheers Dan, will have to think of a 666 goal. Put a good week in to start conditioning my legs for more running before starting to work on pace. Week went as follows;

Monday, 4.5km run with the dog first thing in the morning and 1km lunchtime swim 

Tuesday, same run in the morning again. Lunchtime swim, having not done a pure 400m sprint for quite a while I decided to go for it to see where I stand time wise. Smashed out a 5.28 so will have to revise the 6 minutes goal. As my wife helps at swim galas for the kids swim club she has the county qualifying times. Anyway to qualify to race in the 400m open event you need to go under 5.01 so that seems like a logical target. Warmed down and rounded up to the usual 1km. Cycled 22km home after work 

Wednesday, lunchtime swim and 8km run in the evening 

Thursday, usual morning run, 1km lunchtime swim followed by stretch class and 16km ride home from work 

Friday, just the 1kmswim

Saturday, rest day

Sunday, 16km trail run with the wife’s club. Really nice morning off road in the sun

At last, someone showing an interest in this utterly dull subject! Luxury vinyl flooring is like laminate but vinyl so fine in kitchens and bathrooms and is not like vinyl on a roll. The cheapest I could find was £20 sq meter, it's easy to work with, to alter the length of the planks you just score with a knife and more intricate shaping just needs a knife and hacksaw (or jigsaw). 

Anyway, to the climbing.....

Another poor week, I was hung over until Thursday when I took myself to the wall, did some easy bouldering (it's amazing how even easy problems require some dynamism, you don't notice until you can't risk falling off, it was like trad climbing). Two sets of FoC, missed by about 35 secs in total.

Saturday <drum roll> I climbed outside for the first time since 25th July, Malham (obvs), freezing to begin with, eventually there was some watery sunshine and conditions were excellent (surprisingly dry). Stick clipped up Space Race and did very few moves then had two TR attempts which were predictably awful, I am noticeably less mobile and my skin didn't last. I then got on what I suspect is the worst route at the Cove. I started stood in someone's ashes (didn't realise) and things went down hill from there, the only two independent holds on the route would slice your fingers off if your feet slipped. Still, it was ace to be back, I love this place and this sport!

As an aside did anyone else experience strava having a bit of a mid life crisis last Sunday and earlier this week? It stopped my run half way round (maybe gave up on my glacial speed?), refused to allow me to be tagged onto my friends run and then on Tuesday temporarily deleted all my followers/ followings and entire ride/ run history. Stoopid app.

Cheers Dan. Perhaps oddly, I feel almost the entirely opposite about the grade hit thing. I think I’ve sort of accepted that I don’t really have that much time to train any more. That means that pushing my limits in the style that I’m good at is going to be hardest, due to being further up the diminishing return curve. But I figure I need less effort to get better at things I’m not so good at, which means that they sit better with my limited time to focus on training and I get the satisfaction of seeing improvements happen.

For a wider flavour, places I’m currently really interested in going include Buoux (thin, pockets), Frankenjura (burling, pockets), Verdon (intimidating positions, thin climbing), Bohlusan (cracks), occasionally even La Pedriza (nails slabs, plus the opportunity to see Madrid plays a part here). Since tufa is mainly about knack, on the other side of the coin whilst I love the sort of sequences you get tufa climbing and I really love climbing it well I find it frustrating these days trying to onsight it (I can usually remember how to do it if you let me hang in front of it for long enough), because it’s going to be hard to climb it as well as I did on the road trip in 2014.

Anyway, this week.

Monday/Tuesday - as per last week, taken out by another day of the child playing up on a day when everyone else was climbing, followed by a day when everyone else was resting

Wednesday - good day out, some nice routes (including one of the obvious easy mega classics) including an onsight of an 11c (6c+) which was nice, long and a bit steeper than typical Smith fare.

Thursday - excellent day out. 10b to warm up (cold fingers - the weather had changed from too hot to downies within a few days), then onto a classic 12a (7a+). One go to put clips up, one redpoint foiled by a hanger which I hadn’t realise had spun a bit disconcertingly when loaded to lower off (being pulled to the side), then ticked third to. Really nice route, just shy of vertical, thin crimps and nubbins, tricky feet. Exactly the sort of experience I wanted, at the sector I was most psyched by, and the sort of day too (short miniprojecting). I wish I’d had more days like this.

Friday - childminding so MrsAJM could climb.

Sat/Sun - travelling home

I’m left with a range of feelings about the trip, and about what it means for future roped trips with miniAJM. On the one hand, it was great. The travel was quite involved but he dealt with it really as well as I could have asked, Bend is a great place to spend time, and I enjoyed climbing at Smith a lot. Were it not for the “so many places to see” problem I would happily go back. However, between the half day splits and the inconveniently timed double rest days I did a lot of resting compared with the amount of climbing I did, and the rest days aren’t as easy as they used to be (Kaly last year is the obvious counterpoint for a lot of this musing) because miniAJM has more opinions as to what he wants to do and he doesn’t deal with boredom very well. Although a look back through Fit Club reveals that in terms of achievements Kaly was still hanging slightly in the balance up until a productive last few days, with similar days of low achievement earlier in the trip.

I think the lesson from both trips is that full days are by far the better option compared to split days, partly from the climbing perspective (a lot more productive use of time, but also more input into crag choices than is possible or necessarily reasonable when you’re only going to be there for part of the day) but also because on a whole day off it’s easy to actually do something and enjoy the time with miniAJM rather than it being a slightly clock-watching gap before or after the days “main event”. Day-on-day-off has challenges with everyone else’s rest days (plus we don’t get so much family time all together) so it isn’t a magic bullet, but short of bringing dedicated babysitters (grandparents, one to try for next year perhaps?) I don’t think there is a magic bullet, it’s always going to be more difficult.

The really obvious lesson of course is the one I rather want to ignore, which is that the bang over buck of a bouldering trip, where you can fit an entirely satisfactory day into a handful of hours and therefore a split day doesn’t leave anyone short changed, is far higher. I’m off to the Peak for a few days at Christmas and Font again in March, so do have some time for that, but I don’t really want to entirely become a boulderer (whilst it might be another area where I could reap some chunky improvements, I just prefer roped climbing).

Not really sure what comes next, need to pause and regroup. I guess I need to think about winter training over the next week or two. Up north (derby) this coming weekend for a wedding, might be out briefly Sunday if anyone else is.

Tru dat DD, though weather  put paid to climbing on rock this week unfortunately.

•Mo: 7.8m General walking.

•Tu: 7.8m General walking.10 problems, 6 lead routes.

•We: 8.2m General walking.

•Th: 7.2m Commuting walking.

•Fr: 6.9m General walking. 1 sport route, 9 lead routes.

•Sa: 7.1m General walking. 9 problems, h/board, (4*4*10:10/1m 30s).

•Su: 8.1m General walking.

Good to have a lead indoor. Planned to train Wednesday, but tired after Tuesday. Aborted day out Friday, (way too cold), turned into a good indoor session. Got another session in on Saturday, prior to an excellent Gaz Coombes gig and too much gin. Tired and emotional rest day today. :-/

Cheers Dan. I’m just looking at structure atm so instead of aimless climbing I’m actually having a bit of a focus. 

Climbed 3 times ish. BUK went well with some V5’s done and V6’s tried. I was saving myself for the next night at The Depot trying the BOB problems. Got there and some of the problems had gone, some had volumes missing and all the numbers were off. So I picked 3 problems that were my anti style (steep pinches, steep slopers and slabby slopers) and worked those. Got them all. It felt good and was a good workout. 

Went to the Big Depot yesterday with the squad. Had a Boulder with them prior to routes. Half a Session really but some hard moves done. Flashed a V7 that’s not a V7. 

I’ve been doing aero work after sessions as well. As I’ve no climbing goals/aims my plan is to predominantly boulder and keep on top of aero to match any strength gains. 

Only managed one bike commute as I had to be at two sites on my other day so needed to drive. 

Diet, sleep and Physio is all still going well. Need to move on to my next leg exercises now. Unsurprisingly I am feeling good from sleeping and eating well.

This week:

possibly only one climb as it’s half term week. BUK. Try and get the soft V7 and another V6 or two. 

6 hour ski lesson. Should be interesting/painful/frustrating. 

Bike commute x1. Scheduled commute is after the ski lesson. Legs will probably be in bits the next morning. 

Leg physio x5

DQS over 20 every day 

sleep - 7 hrs plus each night 

i need to think of a  666 goal but am feeling a bit aimless at present. 

I should be out bouldering on Sunday if the weather is good,  let me know if you want to get out/meet up? 

I feel your pain a bit albeit in my case just for local days out rather than trips  - I would like to get back in to routes but it's so much harder to find/justify enough time than it is for a half day bouldering.

Ok .I don't know exactly where the wedding is in Derby, nor yet where we're staying, but I'll get in touch once our plans come together a bit more. 

Thanks Dan. Its properly cold in Sheffield this morning too, first time I've had to really scrape the car. 

Mon. Rest and work

Tues. Circuit board session at the works. Think I've done some of these circuits before but I've not been for over 6 months though so all felt new. Feet on wood for everything. Managed the first 5 first go which included the 7c which was a bit of a shock. Had a few goes at the 7c+ then worked my way back down to the easiest one which is probably about 6cish so 10 complete laps in all.

Wed. 45mins out on the bike, not sure how far. 

Thurs. Campus board session. 8xladdering then 6xbounces all with 2.5mins rest in between. 

Fri. 8km flat but fast trail run

Sat and Sun. Had hoped to get out but the mini swede bashers were unwell so ended up looking after them instead. 

Just in addition to my post yesterday: one of my short-term goals was to boulder V5 and mid-term as to boulder V6 - well last night I worked and completed a V5/V6 circuit climb, a V5 and then a slabby V6, so I am pretty chuffed!! I also tried a V7 but have a way to go with that one!!

Thanks Dan. 8c+ is by no means a formality!?! Lots and lots of training needed to address some specific weaknesses for the objective route (front3, front3, front3, core, core, core, and not least doing the final 7B bit whilst powered out)

Saying that, this week was a wash out for training and climbing owing to work travel, but thankfully the troublesome pinky seems to have responded well and is merely achy instead of full-on painful to touch.

Week 42

M – Up early to travel to Hamburg - late night finishing slide deck for the next day.

T – 15min core before brekkie, then long day and late finish.

W – Early morning gym – 15min stationary bike followed by 5x 10s “max-ish” hangs using front3 drag on fingerboard widget at 40kg lift (one set at 44kg felt in-extremis). Dumbell complexes in-between hangs.

T – Mildly hungover, certainly wasn't getting up early to use the hotel gym.

F – Knackered after a delayed flight home from Germany.

S – Boulder with best-man. Ended up at Stoney owing to snizzle. Tom’s roof, bunch of stuff 7A-7B+.

S – Nothing. Sunday roast and wedmin

Count us in for Buoux - might finally motivate me to rehab my finger properly?!?!?! And keep me posted on the weekend - we should be via the Unit on Friday night and then based out of Peak Sat/Sun. Apart from re-stocking firewood we have no firm plans! Happy to join bouldering or provide roped alternatives

Hello fit clubbers.  I've hovered in this thread for a while so I figure no time like the present to get involved.

I've recently broken through a grade plateau (indoors certainly) and have toproped 6b, and led 6a, for the very first time.  Keen to continue to improve (at least to be consistently climbing 6b/6a respectively), I've accepted that I need to lose a fair amount of weight.  5 foot 3 and 12 stone isn't a great combination, and makes overhangs a misery.

I've grabbed the bull by the horns and gone back to circuits.  2 days after my first circuit class in nine months I now can barely stand!  When the pain wears off (it's just DOMS, I haven't hurt myself) I'm hoping to be stronger.  The 500-calorie consumption estimate for the session isn't bad either!

I hope so, I can definitely feel the effect of the hill climbs on Monday mornings...

Last week's goals - 

Tue - Max Strength. Weighted ice axe pullups, DB Shoulder press, Weighted ice axe hangs, Weighted ring dips.

Wed - Trail Run - Burbage/Higger Tor loop. 51mins, 6km/185m

Thu - Max Strength and maintenance session for lower body. Core warmup. Weighted, staggered pullups. Weighted axe hangs. Incline Bench Press, Deadlift, Box step up.

Fri - Rest.

Sat - Cragging at  Shepherd’s Crag, first visit here. Quiet, unsurprisingly given the temperature. Very pleasant in the golden hour, though. Little Chamonix (VD), Ardus (VS 4b) and Kransic Crack Direct (HVS 5a). Attempted Aaros (E1 5b) but went a bit offroute, so traversed into Ardus.

Sun  - Hill climb - hiked into Wasdale from Seathwaite and went up Great Gable via Gable Neese. 800m/2.7km/10kg in the pack. Should have been more direct but wanted to try one of the easy climbs at the top, but couldn't find anything appropriate without a guidebook.

STG

* 7 hours Z1
* 2 Max Strength sessions.
* Hill climb. At least 900m and 12kg. Might necessitate a trip to Scotland.
* Midweek muscular endurance session. Tyre dragging again or maybe a couple of laps up Jacob's Ladder.

MTG

* Ama Dablam Nov 2018
* Manage a single arm axe hang on the left arm (difficult due to shoulder imbalance)
* Scottish Winter 17/18
  * Fallout Corner (Winter) (VI 7)
  * Gargoyle Wall (VI 6)
  * Kami-kaze (Winter) (VI 7)
  * Gully of the Gods (VI 6)

LTG

Islands trip in Summer 19

- The Rasp (E2 5b)
- Regent Street (E2 5c)

BHAG

London Wall (E5 6a)
The 1938 Route (ED2)
American Direct (ED1 6c+)

Thanks Dan. It was a good trip with varied climbing in a stunning location, but the hard grades, exacerbated significantly by the hot sunny conditions, did mean that it wasn't a big numbers fortnight. I think the reason I may have felt this more than AJM is that I'd had the opportunity to work really really hard on my training plan for the previous 16 weeks, being unencumbered by an inquisitive, talkative and demanding toddler!

The bolting in places is extremely spicy with a normal length clipstick coming well short even for some first bolts (many of the Americans have unbelievably long clipsticks). Certainly 2 of the big name 12a routes, Dreamin' and Heinous Cling, are run out in the extreme which meant I wasn't going to go near them.  

Anyway, to summarise week 2 fairly succinctly:

• got a couple of 11b onsights, including one on the bassalt on the last day that I was extremely pleased with - amazingly varied climbing with some really tough bits.
• flashed an ultra long and un-Smithily steep 11c with ease. Brilliant route!
• tried hard on an 11d but the razor sharp pockets put me off properly redpointing it as it seemed a recipe for injury. Did the easier 11b variation instead, which in many ways was a more natural line (why use razor pockets when there is a flake the same distance from the bolt line on the other side?!)
• got a 12a after a brief bit of projecting. Not a classic line, indeed the guide book writer is incredibly rude about it (someone suggests that this is because it's one of the few in the sector which he didn't put up!). I thought it was a nice climb with an interesting crux sequence.

Now have just less than a month until a long weekend in the Costa Blanca. Wonder what those Spanish grades are going to feel like.

Thanks me, I had another slightly toned down week to keep the knuckle happy, it's still not right but it's not getting worse at least.

M: Core.

T: Gym - decided to do a chest specific session to try and increase my bench, so did incline flys, flat dumbell press, incline bench and ring T's. My incline bench is significantly worse than my flat bench weight-wise so there could be some gains to be had there. Flat dumbell press was awesome though, did reps of 4 at 32kg per hand which is only 1kg less than I rep on a bar! A nod towards good shoulder stability I guess?
Also did deadlift, 4x4x100/110/120/120kg
Indoor Boulder - 20 mid grade problems in 25 minutes, I really like this session, very different to most sessions.
1 hour of boulder play, making up hard stuff.

W: Rest

T: We were going to do routes a Calshot but Mrs Dandan was paranoid that she had given a dodgy cold-caller too much info about when we our house was going to be empty so we stayed home. This resulted in me throwing someone out of my house for the first time, in the form of a slimy 90's throwback double glazing salesman. Yuck.

F: Portland; The Cuttings. We warmed up on a couple of newly bolted routes, the highlight of which was The Mantelist (6b) a surprisingly good eliminate on a stepped wall between a flake and a crack.
I went for the onsight of Nightmare Scenario (7c) which ended abruptly at the crux, I wasn't even looking in the right direction for the next hold! After some hanging around and a bit of beta it seems there are 2 methods, one with a low percentage snatch which goes a long way left of the line before moving back (which just didn't sit right with me), and a more direct, slightly harder but less throwy version with a wide leftward reach off a bad pinch/sidepull thing. I decided to stick with the more direct version, on the second go I just didn't put quite enough effort behind the wide reach and missed the hold, but on the third go, after the line went into the shade, it was like a different route, it went very comfortably.
That's one of my MTG's ticked, Portland 7c in a day! It's on the soft end of the grade but i'll take it.

S: DIY Club, spent all day doing joinery for my front garden wall/fence, i'm quite pleased with it so far.

S: Fingerboard; 2x2rm weighted pull ups on 18mm edge +35kg, 7/3x6 on 18mm edge +18kg 4 sets.
Indoor Routes; 4 on 4 off at 7a. Felt decent.

STG (Last week)
Keep training at a level to allow knuckle to improve - TICK
4 hamstring stretch sessions - 3/4
A couple of 1 arm pull up attempts - 1/2

STG (Next week)
Keep training at a level to allow knuckle to improve - 
4 hamstring stretch sessions - 
A couple of 1 arm pull up attempts -

MTG: (up to Margalef in December)
* Onsight 7c in Margalef
* 8a in a day in Margalef
* 7c in a day on Portland - TICK
* Squat 100kg and Deadlift 130kg - Sq-80kg DL-120kg

LTG: (This Year)
* 150 ticks in logbook - 168/150
* tick 3 x 8a - 0/3 * tick 10 x 7c/7c+ - 7/10
* Squat and deadlift 2x bodyweight
* Go to Kilnsey - Missed the boat
* Get to December without any new injuries - meh
* reasonably static muscle up
* Enter BLCC and don't come dead last - skipped due to it being in Scotland

BHAG:
* Onsight 8a+/Redpoint 8b+ in a day by March 2022 (40th Birthday)

666 Goals:
Horny Lil' Devil/Mark of the Beast/Camino a la Perdicion
+66kg weighted pullup - +60kg
666 one-arm pullups 4/666
666 'good' handstands; 16/666
66 routes at 7a and above including 6 routes at 7c+ and above. 2/66 1/6

Hi Dandan, 

No climbing last week I'm afraid , business trip to Germany at the start of the week meant very little sleep due to traveling to German and returning home all in the space of 2 days! 

I never really got over the sleep deprivation all week and the many jars of German beer didnt help either!!!

The lurgy continues. 

M-S: general illness. 

Goals: Climb out of the Pit of Lurgy and then try to navigate the Plains of Poor Motivation. 

I have similar problems regarding time and climbing with little ones. I've just decided to embrace the bouldering for the time being with a return to roped climbing when they are bigger. If I do get a chance to tie in I go for things I can do in a session as I may not be back for ages. It wasn't too bad with just one but now there's 2 of them I only really get the odd day to get a rope out in the holidays. Try really long boulder problems, the process feels more like climbing a route.

We've got TLC vinyl flooring in the kitchen and it's been spot on!

Thanks Dan. Sacred Angel crux is pretty straight forward- undercling step up to a left sidepull, get your feet high, reach right up through an intermediate crimp to a high rail and match, then just pull through some standard blacknor crozzle to move up and right. Maybe it was just the end of a tough day but I couldnt get the strength on the sidepull at all any more. I'm not reading too much into it, seem to be bouldering OK  (sometimes flashing V5, projecting V6) indoors so strength is probably fine, just a bit rusty on the seashells.

Monday: Run

Tues: boulder session focussing on V5/V6

Weds: run

Thurs: rest

Fri: rest

Sat: lead climbing session

Sun: bouldering, run 

I failed on all my STGs from last week, will try same this week- run 4 times, climb/fingerboard 6 times. Life is a bit annoying at the moment, trying to sort out a new job which is making it hard to commit to any trips or anything in the near to mid future. Despite not really training hard at the moment, doping this post every week is helping quite a bit to keep me anchored to something!

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 - S - Nowt

S - 10 min HIIT session

I had a flu vaccine in the middle of the week which seemed to affect me quite a bit on Thursday and Friday.  Also I was, as per normal, rather tired.  Managed to squeeze in a 'HIIT' session on Sunday.  I had been planning to hit the wall on Wednesday, but they're only open on Mondays and Tuesdays at the moment due to staffing issues.  Which is rather annoying.

After a heavy weekend of partying and a few days recovery I managed to get back to the grind by the Wednesday and have trained or climbed every day since! Completely neglecting endurance while I focus on strength at the moment. 

Finger strength still increasing quite well. In 3 weeks of fingerboarding every other day, my half crimp progression on a rounded 18mm edge has been as follows:

bodyweight: 10, 10, 9, 9

+2.5kg: 10, 9, 8, 8

+2.5kg: 10, 10, 10, 9

+3.75kg: 10, 10, 10, 10 

+5kg: 10, 10, 10, 10

+7.5kg: 10, 10, +8.75kg: 10, 10

+10kg: 10, 10, 10

+11.25kg: 9, 8, 8

+12.5kg: 10, 10, 9

+13.75kg: 6, 6, 7

+13.75kg: 9, 9, 8 / also tried 3 finger drag: +15kg: 10, 10, 10 - interesting to see this was stronger

Really noticing the finger strength improvements while climbing now. I tend to use the full crimp position far too much and now i've been using it less and less as my half crimp gets stronger. Dumbell wrist/reverse/finger curls have seen similar progression and forearms have gained over an inch in circumference, so hopefully the gains will be more solid than purely recruitment gains! On paper I should be over training, but i'll crack on until the results stop.

Great to see your progress, and to have some solid numbers to back it up.

Rather than keep going and wait for the inevitable (?) crack/pop, how about having a light week this week (no maximal sessions) and then coming back to the fingerboarding for a further 3 weeks of alternating days? 

I've been working from home for the last month so have had loads of time. I start a new job next week which will mean heading to the office mon-fri and a more sensible training routine!

To be honest I think it's just to track your own progress, but there are benchmarks given in TFTNA. I'm now, remarkably, in at least 'Good' for all the categories! I'm not attaching to much importance to it really, but it's nice to see the numbers improve. 

Last Week (Base Week 1/30):

M: 40 min Z1 treadmill 

T: Max strength w/core routine warmup (2 circuits)

W: 50min Z1 stairmaster.

T: Max strength w/core routine warmup

F: 50 min Z1 stairmaster 

S: Rest.

S: Rest. 

This Week:

2 max strength sessions w/core routine warmup

155min Z1

20min steep Z2

1 day climbing-specific training 

Goals: (will add more/refine as they become clearer)

STG (end 2019)

• 10x Scottish winter routes
• 1RM pull-up w/30kg...? 

MTG (~end of Winter, maybe a little later)

• 2x Scottish VII O/S
• 3x WI6 O/S
• 1x M8 O/S

LTG (~end of 2019)

• New route in the Cordillera Blanca
• Bugaboos trip
• Caucasus trip

666

• 1938 Route
• Versant Satanique

I know you're way ahead of me in terms of climbing ability, but I do know a lot about core strength from years of martial arts and powerlifting and this may be of some use if that's where you're lacking. The best exercise I ever found was strict hanging leg raises holding a dumbel between the feet, trying to be explosive but still controlled on the upwards part, squeeze at the top and slow on the way down, not letting tension off at the bottom between reps. Using the weight makes it easy to achieve and measure progressive overload while staying in the lowish rep ranges for optimal strength gains.

What do you do for these and how long do you spend over it? I've been working on this as a bit injured atm and find it a dispiriting as progress is so slooooooooow. Not sure if I need to change up my routine a bit or just be more patient...

What I do is quite specific to me as I have super tight nerves in my calves so trying to touch my toes with straight legs is agonising.

You can't stretch a nerve, you have to just try and free it up so I do 5 minutes of calf massage with a ball, (at this point I should do some nerve glides too) then I do 2 different bent-knee hamstring stretches using the 5 second contract, 10 second relax and lengthen method. 5-6 reps, 2-3 sets. After that I try to touch my toes with straight knees and despair at the lack of progress/continued nerve pain. Progress is ridiculously slow, could probably be measured in millimetres per session.

Hey Dan, Thanks for the stats.

Another lame week but we had an offer accepted on a house in Cheltenham (Oxford not sold so it's complicated) and had a great weekend visiting my friend and her cute baby in Naples. Snuck in a lovely multi-pitch sea cliff day at ( Gaeta (always fun to add a new crag to UKC) and did the Path of the Gods on the Amalfi coast (found some interesting bolted tufa halfway so need to return) which was a good 12k walk with stunning views and some thigh-busting ascents. Fitness starts here? Pompeii on the last day. 

Onwards and upwards?!

I was also pleasantly surprised by the mantelist last season, it's much better than it looks or sounds on paper!

Lovely left leg rope burn opportunities falling from the crux too