[cha1n]

How much of the year do you spend climbing on the Woody Chris? Do you occasionally mix it up with other styles? Could woody climbing alone be enough to improve finger strength or is it better to combine it with fingerboardind?

Off all the training I've seen, the few things I could see myself sticking to is woody climbing and campusing. Basically activities that are 'hidden training'. I class bouldering as secret training really, it makes you way better for sport climbing, yet I don't see it as training at all. It's just the most fun type of climbing!

[peewee]

I normally do 2 board sessions a week with a session at the wall in-between then outdoors at weekend. I've not done any finger boarding for the last 4/5years, so I'd say if you do enough and the right type of training on a board it can be a substitute for finger boarding to a point although I'm in a similar situation to yourself with Rocklands, I'm planning on slowly increasing the intensity of the board sessions and adding a few hangs in at the end of session and started to use a weight vest for the sessions at the wall.  hopefully get out on the road bike a bit more to drop a kilo or so before the trip. what dates are you out there?

Have you booked an extra suitcase for all your shoes?

[SA Chris]

How much of the year do you spend climbing on the Woody Chris?

I try get on it at least once a week and usually have at least an intense two hours. In the summer time I will boulder outdoors two or three times a week if weather allows (I am lucky enough to have bouldering 15 mins walk from the house so can have a good session after the kids are in bed) but conditions normally preclude this. I'll sometime get on a rope at the wall, maybe once a month, and sometimes do a trad route or sport climbing day.

Could woody climbing alone be enough to improve finger strength or is it better to combine it with fingerboarding?

It all depends how strong your fingers are already? And if weak fingers are really your only weakness? Yes there is always room for improvement, but the returns will probably diminish over time. How long, I have no idea. Fingerboarding and campussing should probably supplement it, not replace it?

Also woody training will stimulate the whole climbing "chain" and, as peewee says, probably your best overall training for the trip.

These are all views of course, and may not all be based on any training or SCIENCE.

[cha1n]

Cheers guys, it's good to know what everyone is doing training wise, especially other Rocklanders. I've always just gone to the wall and climbed whatever I liked the look of. I remember I once got to the top of the works woody, that was a good day. I'm out 24/06 to 15/07 how about you guys? Any spare room in your luggage for my climbing shoes?

I'd say my two main weaknesses in climbing are slab climbing (who cares) and steep climbing in a basic style on crimps. If it involves weird gymnastic moves, power, slopers, I can usually get by OK up to my max grade of 7C (though the 7Cs were a couple of years ago now). Pulling hard on crimps usually gives me the sensation that my fingers are going to snap at the joints, so I usually avoid it. I also used to get loads of A2 pulley injuries on various fingers so I've moved away from crimpy holds over the years. All that being said, I really like the woody style of climbing, I guess I'll just have to build up slowly.

[the_dom]

After my last 2 trips there id say that climbing on a board would be most applicable to the style of climbing out there.

Except that, if you think about a lot of the good mid-sevens in Rocklands, it's less about crimpy, board climbing, and more about steep, full-body climbing. That said, Rocklands often comes down to one or more of the following:

• Pulling hard off a small crimp on a steep wall
• Body tension-y, full body power - think heels, toes and beef
• Big moves between decent holds, often utilising said tension

I would work on the following:

• Session endurance - being able to climb, and try, a lot of powerful climbing in a session. I've always found that good trips to Rocklands involve trying four or five problems in a day until I find one that suits me, and then having the session endurance to put really good tries into the one that suits me
• Full crimp strength - through a combination of fingerboarding and crimping on a steep board
• Body tension and roof tricks through climbing on a very steep board.
• Iron skin - see the point about session endurance
• Losing weight the extra weight gradually

I know it sounds like a lot, but it'll prepare you pretty well for Rocklands.

[the_dom]

Oh, and climb lots. Problems at Rocklands are often a little longer than you think, and you need to be able to move efficiently through the easier climbing..

 

[James Malloch]

After my last 2 trips there id say that climbing on a board would be most applicable to the style of climbing out there.

• Iron skin - see the point about session endurance

This - Rocklands totally trashed my skin. Make sure you take enough rest days and take care when climbing. Needless tries/throws and not resting enough definitely wore through my tips quicker.

[36chambers]

Pulling hard on crimps usually gives me the sensation that my fingers are going to snap at the joints, so I usually avoid it. I also used to get loads of A2 pulley injuries on various fingers so I've moved away from crimpy holds over the years. All that being said, I really like the woody style of climbing, I guess I'll just have to build up slowly.

I've had a handful of finger injuries over the past couple of years and so spent quite a while being reluctant to use any small holds on the board. Eventually I began systematically going through various small holds, first holding them in static positions, then moving off them to jugs, then linking jugs via them and so forth, until I ended up with numerous testing problems that linked various small holds together (without any of the jugs).

I found once I had some experience using a particular hold that it was fine jumping to and off it without agitating my fingers. Furthermore I considered each step through the process to be progress, which was good for psyche as I was improving every session. 

[SA Chris]

Well done.

[peewee]

 I'm out 24/06 to 15/07 how about you guys? Any spare room in your luggage for my climbing shoes?

Ditto the skin comment, learning which bits are in the sun a what times help then you can plan which to try when its cooler.

Might catch you there, we are out 3rd June till 4th July.  Maybe, not decided how many pairs im taking yet heh

[cha1n]

Yeh I'm sure all us UKBers will cross paths.

I've managed to find psyche to train by the way, I just had to watch tomorrow I'll be gone, the rocklands film with Fred Nicole doing the FA s of the classics, etc. Now massively motivated, can't wait.

[SA Chris]

If it involves weird gymnastic moves, power, slopers, I can usually get by OK up to my max grade of 7C (though the 7Cs were a couple of years ago now).

Different league to me then!

[cha1n]

Ha, well the 7C's were so long ago now that they hardly count but I'd be disappointed if it took me to long to do low 7's. There's so much good stuff at that grade though, it's hard to motivate yourself you try harder in my experience!

[cha1n]

Double post.

[Reprobate_Rob]

I'm heading out with a few mates for the first two weeks of July too. Seems we managed to book the last of the available (non-camping) Rocklands accommodation for that period at the weekend. Bagged a couple of the new (yet to be built) cabins at DePakhuys 

I reckon that Rocklands beta thread may have caused a flurry of UK bookings!

[SA Chris]

Ha, well the 7C's were so long ago now that they hardly count but I'd be disappointed if it took me to long to do low 7's. There's so much good stuff at that grade though, it's hard to motivate yourself you try harder in my experience!

I hear you on that. When travelling I love getting through a volume of hard(ish) stuff taking me a few goes per prob rather than spending a longer time working on something harder (but I admit that may well just be me).

[andy_e]

Bagged a couple of the new (yet to be built) cabins at DePakhuys 

I've seen enough episodes of Watchdog for this to ring alarm bells! I hope for your sake they're finished by the time you arrive!

[Coops_13]

Seems we managed to book the last of the available (non-camping) Rocklands accommodation for that period at the weekend.

Balls, planning on heading out round then. Not booking until late Feb...