[Fiend]

Another one for ya, just getting my post out of the way.

POWER. Think POWERFUL thoughts. You ARE Gaskins. You have THE POWER. Etc.

Goals:
See how suntanned I can get in a Scottish "summer".
Persuade the councils to make the A82 a full dual carriageway.

This week:
Mon - n/a tired
Tue - n/a tired
Wed - 2 good trad leads, well one solo, felt good / 30 mins uphill walking, hard.
Thu - 2 great trad leads, felt great / 40 mins uphill walking, hard.
Fri - n/a
Sat - n/a / gentle weights
Sun - 14 mins running (5/1/5/1/4), just bloody hard / gentle weights and stretching.

Comments:
Not a lot climbing this week as busy and tired from other week, but still 2 great days and feeling on good trad form. Keen to mix it up with bouldering and sport now. Finger and shoulder both doing well, warmer weather and deeper sleep have helped. Walking uphill still desperate but feel it is doing me some good. Also seem to be eating less which is good. Might do more running soon but I've realised there's not much point trying to progress significantly with it - the f**king blood can't flow back up through the main veins and no amount of f**king around around is going to get me noticably fitter in that way.

[chris05]

Goals: font 7a, 7b etc....

M: 5 mile run
T: 85 min beastmaker (3 sets of repeaters)
W: 5 mile run & 20 mins core
T: 80 mins beastmaker & 20 mins core
F: rest (working until late so missed run)
S: bouldering at gardoms north and south; I got crushed (didn't do any crushing but great venue!)
S: bouldering at churnet (short session due to niggle in elbow) & short offroad run

An ok week, have to avoid expecting too much from bouldering sessions at the weekend, I am improving but not as quickly as I would like! Elbows seem to be improving but they don't like climbing on successive days (unfortunately I do).

[tommytwotone]

Been a bit of a weird week - broke up with the girl last weekend, work's been a bit crazy...hey ho.

LTG - Font 7b, GNR in sub 2 hour time.

M - Kicked off GNR training proper, had been advised to run 10 miles "to see how far it is". Turns out it's a big 1hr 37min circle.
T - Post work session at Guisecliff - got even closer to Trust (7b)
W - Lunchtime run, 5k
T - Gym session on lunch, tri / shoulders and heavy core blast
F - Nowt - to Sheff for big night out
S - Nowt - well rough, sat about in the sun on Devonshire Green and read the paper
S - Millstone for a few routes but couldn't get psyched so sacked it after a couple of hours

[Andy F]

Mon - Light fingerboard session, 30 mins
Tues - Volume bouldering up to V6/7
Wed - rest
Thurs - more volume bouldering plus longer links. Some work on the 45 then a few routes to finish
Fri/Sat - rest
Sun - Kilnsey. Warm up on 6c. Get on GA, go through low crux first go, work bolt to bolt. Second go come off going for the last pinch before the jug, get straight back on and go to the belay. 3rd/4th goes get to a similar place but feel tired. Considering it's my first session on it this year I'm really pleased to do it in overlapping halves. Cool down by doing Comedy putting the clips in. Go it again 10 minutes later and come off at the top when a foot pings. Great to be feeling this fit at Kilnsey - bodes well...

[Richie Crouch]

Goals for 2010: In Hell, Clyde, Halfway House (Parisellas), NES part 1, Octopussy, Cote du Seshuan (Magic Wood)

Mon: Apremont, got some good ticks inc onde de choc & crazy horse
Tues: Rest
Wed: Trois Pignons, finally got sale gosse, flashed le toit and got arabesque done, heartbreakingly failed on last move of Eclipse about 5 times in the greasy afternoon heat after icing the move in isolation a couple times
Thu: Rest
Fri: Greased off the match on Berezina about 15 times before it got too hot. Went to Cuv Est and tried Michel Ange, felt like my shoulder would tear so sacked it for volume! Back to the UK after.

Mixed week in font. It was really enjoyable with nice weather and an awesome gite. Climbed well a couple days but failed due to grease and a personal weakness on sloping holds on some things I should have been able to do. Will hopefully have time to address weaknesses and go back in October to crush them!

Have added goals for the Cave and replaced font goals with Swiss based ones.

[Plattsy]

Boulder 7A+
Weight 13st 6lbs

M: Rest.
T: Lame works session.
W: Rest.
T: Burbage West. Half way up Breakfast (need to work out a foot sequence). Match the sloper on The Nose. Arms tired can't do next move.
F: Rest.
S: Rest.
S: Short session at Back Tor. ET, solo Brogging Wall, Hueco Wall (probably more like 6C+ than 7A), Small but big, Can't quite work out where The B8 starts/goes and Back to Front baffles me.

Lots more time available for getting out on the rock from next week so hoping to visit lots of new places and try lots of problems around my limit. Might start up the running again.

[Monolith]

Goal: Project

Mon - Rest
Tues - Rest
Weds -  Went to awesome walls. Did some general traversing on resin, some new vert probs, went on board and beastmaker. On board felt heavy but good to be back on it. Only way is up... Surprisingly could hang the reasonable two finger pocket on front two for a long period which was odd as they're normally two doigts to suffer after non specific training/pocket pulling etc. Ease myself back in to this....
Thurs - Ran 3.5 miles at Thurstaston Hill cross country with a friend. Did a reasonable time.
Fri - Rest
Sat -  Early start for 3.5 mile circuit again. Felt faster and good scope to build up to 12 mile circuit eventually.
Sun 18th Rest

Three times activity in one week is encouraging. See if this can be repeated this week. Feeling very psyched and just need to keep my eye on the finish line with end of year uni project before a summer of crushing spurts all over the rocks. A good week.

[tomtom]

STG 7B+
LTG well I'd love to do 8a one day.. 

M: rest
Tues: Almscliff after work. Usual warm up, then spotted Rob on Jess' roof about 50 times  decided to have a few tries myself (to keep warm) and made much more progress than I expected.. looks like it could be a go-er. Tried underhand as the sun set - again feels possible - will need to work on my body tension!
Wed: Ached
Thurs: Slipstones after meeting in Scarborough. Struggled for ages on crimpy wall thinking it V2 - find out later its V5! Tried again on Sulky Little boys and failed miserably. Weaker than last time. Though found foot crozzle on face as I was tiring that looks useful. Had good play on layby arete (future 7b+ project)
Fri: Rest
Sat: Lovely weather no enthusiasm. Went for walk with MrsTT and went to the pub 
Sun: Lovely easy session at Wimbery (first visit) Did most on Sugarloaf and Sloping top boulder. Slap Happy - ace - is it 6c for the topout?? 7b+ low start looks like it could go with a bit more shoulder effort...

Overall a week of trying future projects rather than actually getting up problems - I guess there are weeks like that... Was surprised how feasible Jess' roof felt. Last time I tried some of the moves I was miles away.. this time some stuck and close(ish) on others..

[shark]

Thanks for starting thread Fiend

Goal: Oak. 10,000 8a nu points
Weight: Unknown but too high

M. Manoury - got Soupçon direct by skin of teeth
T. Eurodisney day out
W. Mt Aigu - AM and return visit in Evening tried Montée Divine about 50 times
T. AM Walk with boys around an activity circuit at Mt Aigu (misguidedly did some lock-offs and attempted front levers) PM Cycle ride with the boys
F. Buthiers. Tired. F(l)ailed on Les Monos and La Rampe
S.Drove home via tour of Paris and beach stop. Ached pretty much everywhere.
S.AM 40 min jog round Ecclesall Woods whilst kids played rugby. Snuck out for a couple of hours in afternoon to have a go on Hampers Hang. Sunday roast (chicken)

Superb week at Font. Good company, accommodation and weather. Drank and ate too much. Ben, my eldest got the 6c arete to the right of Montée Divine 

[chillax]

STG: get the trad mojo flowing, one armers on each arm
MTG: Onsight Fair Head E3
LLTG: Don't be a weak shit, E7

Mon: Travelled back up north
Tues: Pullups and pushups, then went out and got hideously, hideously drunk. The two are probably related.
Wed: Nowt
Thurs: 1.5hr Beastmaker session followed by a Mcginley set (hard)
Fri: Not a bean
Sat: Took route advice at the Head from an Irishman, should have bloody known better (as I am one)! Got smacked down by an E1. Still early in the season yet and the only way is up. Finished the day with pullups and pushups.
Sun: Intended to deadhang but RH ring finger felt dodgy. 2hrs of core.

[Charles]

Short term goal: Improve Power Endurance (Process goal = 3 PE Sessions a Week) > Complete Powerband (By June)
Mid term goals: Redpoint F8a > Get fit for Mallorca  (All by September)
Long term goals: Onsight F7c > Climb font 8a (All by September 2011)

Monday - Matrix. Good session. Did 3/8 moves on the stupidly hard problem I set which is more than anyone else (that I know). Get in.
Tuesday - Fingerboard. Good, but maybe being a bit foolish as felt like I was on the verge of injury. Got drunk.
Wednesday - Hangover plus travel to Bradford = no training.
Thursday - 21st Birthday + Brace off (YYFY) + big drinking = no training.
Friday - Hangover = no training. (Did go out to Stanage and fondle some holds. Some very greasy holds.)
Saturday - No training.
Sunday - Fingerboard. Definitely pushed it too far. Stopped because I thought both middle fingers were going to explode.

I would have liked to do another fingerboard session in the week but birthday celebrations put paid to that. Definitely pushing the fingerboarding hard. Bizarrely I'm really motivated to do an indoor problem and have neglected to do any power endurance work. 

[duncan]

STG: E3; El Cap.
LTG: E5

M - The Arch: Stamina circuits 3x10 mins.
T - Sore elbow.  Shoulder stability stuff
W - Sore elbow.  Shoulder stability stuff
T - Walked home from work (10km) with big bag.
F - Shoulder stability stuff
S - Trad. at High Neb: 3xE1, 3xHVS, 6xVS
S - Shoulder stability stuff. Pull-ups and lock-offs.

OK week training finished by an excellent day's climbing.  More of the latter required.

[nik at work]

8B, 8b,(E8)

STG: Sport and Font 8 in this month

M - nothing but do have cake, yum.
T - nothing but do have cake, yum.
W - nothing but do have cake, yum.
T- nothing but do have cake, yum.
F- nothing but do have fish and chips and cake, yum.
S - Go on model railway and boating lake, eat cake and curry, not a classic training day but yum!
S - Try a couple of hush hush new route projects, some progress made but they are turning out to be harder than first expected...

Not a great week training wise, needed a post Font rest and then the transition into sport mode. Although given my preference is for very short bouldery routes the change in training isn't exactly going to be noticeable. Pleasingly my ability to clip and unclip seems to have improved on last years "oh look there's someone without opposable thumbs" fumblings...

[andy popp]

STG: heal
MTG (this year): tick Cheshire projects. Score this week: two ticked, one new (and much harder) one cleaned.

Mon: nothing, back feeling a little better
Tue: ditto
Wed: good evening session out locally. Warm up with nice circuit then clean and do two new problems, both good, one a bit of a neo-classic. Back feels OK but there's not much pulling involved so hard to tell.
Thurs: nothing
Fri: another quick session, same warm ups, redo one of new problems, clean and start trying mega new project. Skin hurts.
Sat/Sun: nothing except 100 crunches today (did some push-ups one day in week but can't remember which)

Not much but a massive improvement on last week (i.e. actually managed to do something) and you can't complain about two new lines climbed

[JamesD]

Ok so this week felt pretty damn productive

General goals:

Lose weight, Climb V4 inside 2 months, climb 5c outside before the end of the summer, get better!

Monday:
Indoor session, almost completed my first V1 roof problem, quite pleased with myself, got out of the roof but was too knackered after several attempt to get onto the vertical bit, shame but a definite improvement in strength, very pleased

Tuesday:
Training at the gym, did a good upper body workout, threw in some wobble board squats with various weights, had an intense core workout, lots of extreme decline sit ups with additional weight (medicine balls) on my stomach, did some rotator cuff exercises too, felt good.

Wednesday:

Cycled to work and back (10 miles all in)
Rest

Thursday:

Cycled to work and back
Went to the wall, did some fingerboard work, did a load of pull up variations, supinated, pronated, then did some pull ups on the rock rings, some on the pockets, some on the jugs, switching across holds.

Friday:

Rest

Saturday:

Swim, sauna, steam, active recovery day...felt great afterwards

Sunday:

Had a session at the climbing wall, went to Mile End for a change, did a couple of circuits on the traversing wall, wow my endurance sucks!
I made it 80% of the way each time before my fingers giving up, something I have to work on for sure, did a bunch of V1's, did some upper body training by making my way up this V0 without using any footholds; got half way up this V2 that I have done before and decided to bail, my fingers/forearms were really feeling it from the traversing earlier, great cardio but something I have to work on for sure, productive session but I think my body is tired from the wall sessions this week.

Thoughts from this weeks training:

Need to work on my stamina, more cardio is on the cards, rotator cuff exercises feel great!
Need to work on my power endurance, and finger strength endurance, therefore more traversing is in order for sure, looks like I will be spending more time at Mile End

[Davo]

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: LPT: Desperate session, failed on everythinbg. Basically have absolutely no endurance! Fell off warm up 7a, fell off Mussell Beach and then fell off Mean Mother at end.

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Wall, endurance session. Lot of work on trying to shake out and recover. Felt hideous again. Looks like it will be a long road to fitness.

Friday: Fingerboard weighted 5 1/2 kgs.

Saturday: Kilnsey (I must be a sucker for punishment!) Another desperate ass kicking for me! Warmed up on Directissima which nearly killed me. Tried Grooved Arete which felt brilliant but hard. Finished with a 6c which again had me fighting!

Sunday: Returned to Kilnsey after spending night up there in awesome weather. Tried Grooved Arete a couple of times, got some new beta which helped a lot. Finished with a few top ropes on a 6c which totally destroyed me.

Definitely struggling on the routes. Moves feel okay but can't link more than about 15 together and then I am destroyed. So looks like i need to keep plugging away with some endurance work. Also want to keep bouldering as well.

[JohnM]

M: PE circuits on the board.  Forty-five moves with a shake out after 15 moves.
T: Re-climbing some routes at LPT and a bit of traversing in the cave after sand-bagging Davo on the 'warm up'!
W: Finger board session, PE circuits on the board and then the Tommy Caldwell 20 min workout.  Managed 13 sets and felt wrecked afterwards.
T: Poor bouldering session at Stockport wall and traversing for half an hour for stamina.
F: Rest.
S: Went back to Langdale and lead Dawes Rides a Shovelhead and then a good bouldering session on the Langdale boulders.
S: Walk and then tried Hot Fun Closing at Rubicon.  Found reach to crimps at top bulge desperate and skin way too sore for a decent redpoint attempt.

[cmerch]

Goals: 8a and V8
Mon: 4 mile run, then yardwork, then go to work; felt really tired
Tues: Still tired, go to Foster Falls, do a 5c and 6a, then take 2 goes on a 7a+ to finish it, LAME
Wed: Back to Foster Falls, do 2 5c's, then work on a 7B+, one go to figure out the moves, come down rest then go back, could not link the moves
Thurs: 3 mile run and 15 minutes on fingerboard
Fri: 3 mile run
Sat: 15 minutes on campus board
Sun: nothing
Easy week on climbing training, good on runs, need to trust first impressions on harder climbs, not try to find an "EASIER" way

[Nibile]

MON-rest after swizzy
TUE-quick but powerful session in the gym, mainly on the 45° and 60°, trying not to destroy my finger. decent power and good movement.
WED-toproping!!! four routes up to 7b+, good even if useless!!!
TUE-rest, balance board session, yoga and stretching.
FRI-short session in the gym, decent but lasted short.
SAT-rest.
SUN-should have climbed, beastmaker instead. tested the holds, then did 9 sets of repeaters (i shortened them to 7x6) on various holds and also changing hold during the sequence as to simulate a real problem. focused on strength more than pump. then some max deadhangs, one and two armed (asymmetric). YYFY.

comments: the week has been quite good, in the gym i felt good especially on tue, maybe because i went at lunchtime instead late evening. less crowd, fresher and grippy holds made the rest. on the rope i felt good, i could actually recover on some holds but who cares. the beastmaker is amazing.
finger is getting better but my right elbow is aching a bit. have to take care of this, i think it's due to strenuous deadhanging the past weeks. or maybe i'm just old.
 

[iain]

Mon: sat on arse and did nothing, was great
Tues: short and light fingerboard sesh, then sat on arse
Wed: saw clash of the titans, no idea why now, tedious, pointless bollocks
Thurs: Calshot, falling practice, some good routes and a little ARC'ing which felt good
Fri: Fingerboard then curry, mmmm
Sat: Went all the way to Gent for brother-in-law's 40th which felt a little extravagant. Such a beautiful city despite endless construction works. 350+ restaurants for 250000 population, so felt oblidged to eat and drinks loads to justify their existence. So full it hurt
Sun: Hangover, stumbled around being a tourist, came home on ridiculously busy train. Still think Belgian beer is fantastic


Relaxed indulgent week. Loved it and now feeling keen on starting to start training for a while again, and going to start paying attention to weight as my focus switches to routes properly. Currently 66kg, aiming to get it down to 62 over next 6 weeks which I hope will be a maintainable weight. Also need to take care of elbows as they still feel tweaky after 4 weeks away from proper training.


STG:  I was going to but that's not really good enough. So things I have in my head are, State of Play and Total Seizure at the Promenade, Hall of Mirrors at the Cuttings

MTG: Onsight 7b regularly by end of the summer. I have done the (very) occasional one in the past but would really like to feel confident when walking up to one that I can do it. So many good looking routes at that grade on Portland, also need to try other venues for different styles.

LTG: Freaky Ralph and Infinite Gravity. I've had IG in my head for months as something I'd like to do but feels very committing and scary to contemplate because I will find it extremely hard and will require a serious amount of work. However, it's also an amazing line and might suit me

[chris_j_s]

Weight: 62kg

Aims for 2010: rp 7b+ sport, o/s 6c+ sport, 7A+ boulder.

M: Castleberg after work. Warmed up on some stuff I've done before. Was going to try a 7a+ but started to lose light so tried to onsight a 6c+. Got to the last bolt before falling so very close but not quite...
T: Rest Day
W: Bouldering at Craig y Longridge. Disaster! Aiming to do one of a selection of 6C+'s but when I got there I found that I'd packed my right climbing shoe and my wifes (considerably smaller) right climbing shoe.  CyL is well out of my way so I decided to take the pain and had a session wearing 2 right shoes! Thought it was a major achievement to climb a 6B+! Came home and had a session on the rock rings later on. Did my first ever one armer!
T: Rematch at CyL. Decent session, warmed up on a few probs up to 6B, then did one of my target 6C+'s 2nd go and made good progress on a 7A traverse which will go next time.
F: Weighted dead hangs.
S: Robin Procters. Onsighted a few 6b's to warm up then turned attention to Forever Young, 7a+. One go to work out the moves then had 3 more goes during the day. Sadly didn't get it as, despite knowing all the moves, my strength was fading towards the  end and I was struggling to pull on the tiny holds. What a great route though, it was a pleasure to keep trying it! I'm sure I will do it quite quickly next time I'm up there.
S: Easy few hours at Gigg North, doing routes up to 6c. Decide to walk an hour and a bit to a decent pub for lunch and a beer. Felt very sleepy on the walk back!

Good week overall, lots of climbing done and feeling reasonably fit on routes

[nai]

STGs are currently under review
MTG - tickist of 7B-7C+ problems for next winter

m & t - saved skin for wed, tried to get psyched by going to Morissons and sniffing the almond croissants
w - physio for back took longer than expected.  Couldn't be arsed driving to almscliff for 2 hours climbing so headed to plantation.  Did Deliverance Traverse which (re)taught me a lot about smearing/footwork - excellent problem.  Played on Brad Pit, held the flake which is a high point, nearly matched, felt like it might be possible for the first time.
t - shoulders hurt a lot for just 3 hours climbing.
f - after many changes of plan eventually landed back at the plantation.  First time this year that I've felt conditions were really against me, it was boiling.  Gave up quite soon and explored up on the edge, did a lot of easy stuff.  Better than mowing the lawn at least.
s&s - family stuff / knackered.  Ate & drank too much

A very poor week, Friday destroyed my already waning grit bouldering psyche, although I know there'll be good days to be had here and there.  Time to think about some summer route goals and training for my 7C/+ ambitions next winter, looking forward to font in three weeks now.

[andybfreeman]

Goals - 7B in the forest (this will have to wait till the winter now). 7c route in UK or elsewhere. Finally conformed that I'll be heading to Spain in June so new aims for that trip are to climb 7B at Albarracin and to find a (shortish) 7c to try and redpoint wherever we end up for the sport climbing week of the trip.

M - quick end of the evening session at TCA. felt strong
Tu - Back to TCA for a longer session after work. exploited new found strength and crushed a load more yellows leaving only a handful to do from the whole circuit
W - friend's birthday, bit too much
Th - Quiz hosted by local law society, felt rough from night before so managed to restrict booze intake
F - after work circuits session at TCA felt ropy from previous nights and low on stamina/PE
Sa - early session at TCA. didn't feel as strong as I'd done on Tu I think i need to be a bit cuter with my scheduling maybe day 1 - easy probs to help recruitment, day 2 - hard problems, day 3 - circuits , day 4 rest.  does anyone have any suggestions about this? I'm not sure if it'd work as well as i hope but i just know that circuits / routes seem to leave me a bit low on power for the next day...
Sat night - excellent dinner at Berwick Lodge; plenty of wine and a great match of frozen cognac for the hot and cold foie gras starter   nom nom nom
Su - rest, hungover watched F1 pass out in front on MOTD2


Weight = average = 67.8kg I bought a month;s gym membership and 3 PT sessions for £30 at the quiz on Th so first session tomorrow. 1 month of mixing gym and climbing to get some cardio back with hopefully put me in good shape for mixed climbing in Spain.

[Stubbs]

STG: identify lime project now hard grit climbing is probably out the window
Others: Get in shape for summer trip to Swizzy
Return to the suffolk wall after lots of secret training
Check out Portland bouldering

M: Bit of a cold, felt rubbish on beastmaker so did some weights and core bits instead.
T: Worked 14 hr day, didn't feel like training.
W: Beastmaker and core stuff. Sanded the 35's down as they were getting 'too easy'. Error.
T: Nowt
F: Nowt
S: Cycling on canals and around Regent's Park, getting sunburnt
S: Cycling and Mile End for a couple of hours. Did a few 'V7s', fingers felt good, movement bad.

Really need to start climbing more than once a fortnight before I forget how to move all together!

[k2ted]

STG - crimp without using tape, get finger sorted - tis getting there, but v. slow.
LTG - consistently boulder v6/v7 & 7a sport with ease...

Mon - Brownstones - did loads of problems upto/around english 5c - finger OK...
Tues - rest
Weds - Craig-y-longridge - traversing, odd easier problem. Felt well wasted after 1hr sesh!! top place, but knackerin...
Thurs - rest.
Friday - Beastmaker session - did 1/2 crimp repeaters for 1st time in 14wks - finger Ok  :-)
Sat - rest
Sun - trevor quarry - easy sport routes, bit shocked as not been outside on sport since last summer.