[Marky]

Going to Kalymnos first two weeks in May (7 weeks from now) and trying to develop a training plan to peak for this. My strengths are generally long endurance routes that are not ridiculously steep with some opportunities to rest.

My plan is to hit the Eden Rock circuit board twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and Kendal wall one day at the weekend – generally Sunday. Is this enough volume or would I be better trying to fit a bouldering session in on say a Monday or Friday night? On the circuit board my plan is to do circa 10 circuits 6c+/7a with 7/8 minutes rest between until failure and on the leading wall at the weekend try to complete a minimum of 10 25m routes with at least 5 being 7a or above.

My aim in kalymnos is to onsight as much as possible up to 7c and possibly some quick redpoints of 7c+/8a’s on a 2 day on 1 day off format as I generally find this works well in Kalymnos where the climbing can be quite physical. Also want to nail Aegialis which has been a bit of a nemesis for me as has normally had wet bits on in the past but going slightly later this year so hopefully will be dry.

I am 53 and can normally onsight up to 7b+ but have onsighted a few 7c’s and have redpointed a number of 8a+’s.

Thoughts or suggestions to improve?

[Marky]

No thoughts out there?

[webbo]

Is there a reason you need to change what you normally do as you have both red pointed and on sighted at higher grades than you are hoping to achieve on this trip.

[Marky]

True but never really used circuits on a circuit board and wondered if going round in circles on a 35o board would translate to steep kalymnis routes?

[shark]

Hi Mark - the only stamina and PE training I do preparing for a trip is going up and down a systems board and it works for me. I never tie on indoors any more.

[TobyD]

True but never really used circuits on a circuit board and wondered if going round in circles on a 35o board would translate to steep kalymnis routes?

Personally, for Kalymnos, I'd get on the steepest indoor routes wall you have access to (and longest if possible) and smash out some massive sessions having one flash go each on as many routes as you can possibly stand. 2 or 3 sessions like that, ideally at different walls and not trying the same routes ever. If possible go for things with volumes and odd-ness rather than straightforward front on pulling, in my experience Kalymnos is much more about getting with the 3D than it is about straightforward strength.

[Ged]

On the circuit board, I'd drop the rest time to about 3 minutes, and aim to complete 6-7 reps.  Then maybe rest half an hour and repeat.  As you improve, drop the rest time until you only need a minute off.  Then make a harder circuit.  Make sure the circuit is pretty long.

Probably worth doing a bunch of core training, and buying a knee bar pad, for getting the most out of all the knee bar rests.

A bit of steep bouldering probably wouldn't go amiss either

[SA Chris]

I never tie on indoors any more.

Yo'll never get up anything properly difficult with that attitude. #indoorsiswhereitsat #hardsends #oaksmoke

[AlistairB]

True but never really used circuits on a circuit board and wondered if going round in circles on a 35o board would translate to steep kalymnis routes?

Personally, for Kalymnos, I'd get on the steepest indoor routes wall you have access to (and longest if possible)

I'm with Toby, there's no training like specific training and if you aspire to do things like the long Grotta routes there's not a whole lot of transfer between sideways shuffling and the mega-steep 3D stuff. I wouldn't really comment on the specifics of what sessions you should be doing but I've found you really need the bicep/lat/shoulder endurance on those routes too so make sure you're getting the steep miles.

Most of the longer Kalymnos routes I've done have been more anaerobic bouldering between good rests (jugs/knees) but requiring decent recovery abilities on the rests to not get cooked before the end (which is often easier). Maybe some split intensity work for this (get boxed at around max onsight and either shake on jugs or recover on easy ground)?

Anyway, with your previous best grades you must have done things more or less right in the past!

[Sasquatch]

I'm with Toby, there's no training like specific training and if you aspire to do things like the long Grotta routes there's not a whole lot of transfer between sideways shuffling and the mega-steep 3D stuff. I wouldn't really comment on the specifics of what sessions you should be doing but I've found you really need the bicep/lat/shoulder endurance on those routes too so make sure you're getting the steep miles.

I realized on my trip to kalymnos that my fingers/forearms were in plenty good enough shape. I could climb hard enough and even hang on for a long time, but I needed to basically add 100's of pullups to the routine to get the biceps/lats/shoulders in shape.