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(Climbing) Goals
8 January 2011, 5:58 pm

I’ve neglected the blog for some time. I got sick in early December, then Christmas was upon us and I’ve been pondering whether to keep it going.  Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been thinking through and evaluating goals for the year ahead.  It’s going to be a busy year at work as usual and there’s a side business venture in which I have invested that’s going to take some attention at weekends and evenings in the early part of the year so I’m going to have to be smart about how I use the time available.

A couple of years back I got results by following the goal setting and ‘pyramid’ approach outlined in The Self Coached Climber with several Fr7B’s under my belt by June and just missing out on a 7c or two through the weather and injury sustained through climbing too much and bad posture/too much computer work.

I’ve spent the last couple of months exploring and applying the learning I picked up at the Gym Jones Fundamentals seminar and via the Salvation site web resource and am starting to figure out how to train Strength, Power and Endurance as well as the mind and apply this learning to rock climbing.

So… this year, I’ve used the Self Coached Climber self assessment and objective setting to define my climbing goals and the Gym Jones learning to describe the supporting strength, PE and fitness goals that I think are relevant to climbing and also for injury proofing and pushing me mentally and physically when I’m not on the rocks or at the climbing wall.

Climbing:

The pyramid concept works well for me and based on last years performance I reckon that the following are both stretching and achievable.

Redpoint: 7c Pyramid (1x7c, 2x7b+, 4x7b, 6x7a+, 7x7a, 12-156c+)

Onsight: 7b Pyramid (1x7b, 3x7a+, 5x7a or E5, 8x6c/6c+ or E4/E5, 10x6b+ or E3)

Boulder: 7b+ Pyramid (1x7b+, 2x7b, 4x7a+, 6x7a, 9x6c+, 12x6c)

Climbing training: Full set of encore/repeaters on the 45 degree slopers on my board + 25 continuous pullups on the large slots.

Strength, Power and Endurance Goals:

2.5 x Bodyweight Deadlift

1.5 x Bodyweight Front Squat

1 x Bodyweight Overhead Squat

1.25 x Bodyweight Clean

1 x Bodyweight Clean and Jerk

1 x Bodyweight Benchpress (already ticked)

<7min 2k Row; <19:30min 5k row; <60min 15k row

So there it is, let’s see how I measure up come December 31st 2011.

Next is planning out the programme for January…..

 



Source: Ben's Simple Blog

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Today’s training
9 January 2011, 10:52 am

45 minute hill/trail run

then:

Approx 30 mins of 10 minutes “foot on” fingerboard/rockrings 3 secs per hold then 3 mins “rest” on rower – two rounds.

then:

SOTS press with light 4kg dumbells – shoulder stabilisation

Up and out early today. It was raw on the tops with a sprinkling of snow and the ground beginning to freeze again.  Eating and drinking later on with family hence the early and relatively short session.



Source: Ben's Simple Blog

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Sunday’s Training
17 January 2011, 12:38 pm

A relatively short climbing session today down to DIY and family commitments.  I was supposed to meet a friend at Stockport but couldn’t make it in time so managed to squeeze in a couple of hours at a friends indoor wall.

Warmed up on some circuits then had an hour on the super steep part, sticking to large or rounded holds to avoid crimping.  Good session overall.

This morning I took the dog for a run just as it was getting light. There are signs of Spring appearing with bulbs starting to show green shoots and the birds were very noisy.

Now I’m on a tube near Hounslow… Some contrast.



Source: Ben's Simple Blog

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Saturday at Curbar and the week from hell
27 January 2011, 8:05 pm

Tom drove South into fog, then drizzle and eventually rain and a deepening murk on the Buxton Leek road.  We didn’t even get out of the car at Ramshaw and just cracked the windows open to sniff the air before heading East into Limestone country.  Raven Tor was soaked, icicles dripping and dirty water running down the walls.  We found Jarvis Cocker lurking under the dripping roof at Rubicon.  Tom swore he was fingering the holds on the traverse.

The sky brightened through Calver and we joined the crowds and clouds of chalk at Trackside.  Kids from Brum Uni scrabbling around and a bloke I recognised from Manchester fell awkwardly hurting his hip.  He was putting a brave face on things but looked very sore.

We had a right good crack at Sean’s Arete up on the edge.  A lovely technical problem needing a repetoire of moves and some power to hold it together.  Tom overshot the finishing hold twice and had to have his arm twisted to have one more try.  Nicely poised, he held it together and we all squealed with delight as the sun disapeared.

Sunday: Pounding the pavements and trails around Chapel and Chinley.

Monday: London first thing then Aberdeen in the afternoon capped off with a really hard bodyweight workout in the gym at the hotel.  One of the trainers was concerned with my grunting and groans.

Last night I left the client office at 4pm and got home after midnight.  A hellish evening of delayed planes and waiting.

Reading Matterhorn by Carl Malantes.  Deep in the jungle…..



Source: Ben's Simple Blog

[Falling Down]

I zapped my blog, Twitter and Flickr accounts - all gone, deleted.  The internet is great but f*ck me it can be a distraction at times and a massive drain on time, my limited brain power and energy.   Both are being chanelled more effectively as of now...