[shark]

11.8-11

M. Shed / Foundry. Strength stuff. Felt jaded. Decided to take two rest days
T.
W.Eve. UKB table quiz crushage. Won a month's entry to Works which I'll take advantage of in January. Cheers Brian 
T. Shed / Foundry. Much better. Pleased to get close to weighted deadhang pb, do pullups with 45kg (reps of one !) and improve at double dynos.
F.
S. eatswood with Seb and Derek. Concentrated on first half and did some good links into kneebar  so kind of at doing it in 2 halves stage now. Bonjoy briefly rocked up sans pad avec Spike and barbecued the Reverse 
S.

Another OK week. Still getting stronger and heavier.
 

[Muenchener]

STG (this year looking questionable: not much of it left): Steep pumpy 6b onsight, 7a redpoint.
MTG (2013):Continue to build alpine rock experience by ticking one or more long (> 20 pitches) routes and one or more big classic VI's.
   (2013):Nostalgic trip back home - Welsh trad E2
   (????): Place in top half of the field in a local boulder comp.
LTG (<= 5 years): Big alpine rock routes: Totenkirchl west face (Dülfer), Marmolada south face (Vinatzer-Messner)

M. First session of 100 pressups project
T. Wall, Thalkirchen. Short late evening bouldering session as pre-comp warm up / confidence builder. Felt strong: ticked a couple of projects that I was really struggling on a few weeks ago. Looks like the boulder comp training programme may have worked. We'll see on Saturday.
W. Wall, Thalkirchen. Routes. Fairly relaxed mileage / "don't forget what a rope is" session. Ten routes: 5b 5c 6a+ 6a+ 6a 6b 6a 6a+ 6b 6a
T. 2nd session of 100 pressups project
F.
S. Bouldering competition, Boulderwelt Regensburg. In absolute terms my best performance in one of these by a considerable margin: three more tops than in the previous round. Remains to be seen whether this suffices for a Top 50% placing in relative terms, unlikely though.
S. 3rd session of 100 pressups project

[cheque]

STG- 7a and E2 on grit this season. Maintain/ improve sport fitness over winter.
MTG- Hard crimpy redpoints on pennine lime in the summer

M- Rest
T- Notts Depot. Endurance session. Flashed half of the blue problems without rests to warm up, then cruised yellow circuit on circuit board. Started working on doing it with grey small feet only- got close to full lap. Surprised myself by making progress on blue circuit and being close to front lever (seems hard to tell how close you are yourself though!). Did remaining blue probs without rests to finish.
W- Rest
T- Notts Depot. Hard bouldering session. Climbed well but tweaked finger. 
F- Rest. Finger still swollen.
S- Walk along Stanage. Some very easy soloing in rain.
S- Rest. Finger approaching normal again. Doesn't seem to have been tweaked too bad.

[duncan]

M - Biscuit: bouldering - Most of Blue (V3/4) circuit.
T - Biscuit: anaerobic capacity (4x4s on V2/3s)
W -
T - Biscuit: bouldering - worked new Red circuit (V3/4?)
F -
S -
S - Brean Down.  Retro. flashed Kraken and Coral Sea and onsighted Chepito, all damp in varying degrees. 
[also took a look at Cheddar - there was a river running down the gorge and considerable rockfall onto the road from the left side of High Rock]

A good week: feeling a little stronger on the plastic and getting a rare 7a onsight despite not ideal conditions.  Plan to start mixing in more anaerobic capacity prior to sport trip this Christmas.

[rich d]

Mon finger board session pressups and core
Tuesday late work nothing
Wednesday nothing apart from pressups and core
Thursday Nottingham depot bouldering league - first competition - flashed first 12 problems and then knocked a few off second go - good fun
Friday trashed after Thursday
Saturday notts depot with my daughter
Sunday hangover nothing yet
Not a bad week, hopefully get out onto grit next weekend weather depending

[iain]

STG: Volume until new year, start sorting shoulder and elbows
MTG: 3 7c+/8a by March
LTG: Infinite Gravity next Sept

2 weeks since post, although nothing happened in 1st week anyway.

M: Short FB session. 6x5 pull-ups.
T: Routes to 7b. ok volume
W: Short FB session. 6x6 pull-ups.
T: Reading bouldering to 7A maybe. Moving well and ok volume.
F: rest
S: Bouldering at Calshot, nothing set harder than V5, did what was there and then hangs and 8x6 pull-ups on the campus rungs.
S: 1x4min and 2x3min repeater sets.

First proper week of effort for ages, feeling satisfyingly sore this morning. Similar volume with higher intensity this week hopefully.

[Duma]

STG - Go climbing outside this week
MTG - multiple 7C's this winter, 7C+
LTG - 8A, 68kg

M - family visit in cornwall
T - family, then drive back in eve
W - early shift after minimal sleep, had nap in pm, then TCA in eve - circuits session, flashed new 6c+ on 30º board, worked new black 8a, got all but one move, finished off white on 7b+ 15º board. Good to be pumped. Did some press ups after as part of new good habit building regime.
T - work, then sister visiting
F - sister visiting
S - sister visiting
S - sister visiting, but abandoned her in the pm for a quick TCA session - flashed a white on the mothership that's apparently 7A+, so pleased with that, then spent rest of time working the black 8a circuit, got vastly improved beta for move I failed on earlier in week, making it reasonably steady, still feel a long way from whole thing though. Press ups after. Pub after for a quick pint, in hindsight not sure either this or the wall session was a good idea, as mild sore throat turned into definite head cold by eve - arse.

70kg

Forecast for this week looking up, so as soon as this cold eases I'm off to font/peak 

Also, very pleased with my discovery of alt 0186 for degree symbol 

[tommytwotone]

LTG: Font 7b (ha ha ha)

M: Recovery from Abbey Dash 10k I'd done day before.
T: Nowt.
W: Afternoon off work, went to Sheff based on previous day's OK forecast, ended up in The Works. Abject failure at BMC Xmas Quiz afterwards.
T: Nowt.
F: Work crisis at 4.30pm, finished late, went to pub afterwards, drank 5 pints on empty stomach.
S: Not feeling too great.
S: Crap weather, went to Depot, worked one of the comp problems by failing to latch a dyno approx 50 times before eventually doing it.

[andy_e]

STG: Climb outside this weekend, more winter league problems
MTG: more 7Cs, 1-4-7, Lay-By Arete, place well in winter league
LTG: 7C+, Hunter's Roof

M: Nothing.
T: ClimbNE, winter league round 1. Flashed 14/25 and one second go.
W: ClimbNE, two more comp problems (not flashed).
T: ClimbNE. Tired out. No more comp problems.
F: Nothing.
S: Played computer games and then went to a party in the oldest building in Manchester.
S: Nothing.

Winter league points after this week: 184 (out of a possible 275). There's more problems I can do (some I probably can't!) and have the rest of this week to do so. Really want to hit some grit so I hope the weather cheers up this weekend.

[Nibile]

Mon - rest.
Tue - rest and work all day.
Wed - Beast. One arm max. 2+2 sets, not bad at all.
Thu - board. Not bad, quite strong on a couple of projects. Vol 4. Int 7/8.
Fri - campusing. Slow laddering, focus on one arming the rungs, body position and precision. Then 1-4 plus pull. Tiring.
Sat - bouldering. Low volume, good form. Tried a project, not bad.
Sun - board. Not bad, but too hot. Single moves at the limit and long links on projects. Vol 2. Int 7.

Still sticking at it despite having again lots of work, afternoon classes and warm temps again. 18 degrees at the board...

[fried]

Monday - Wednesday - Work
Thursday - indoor, after a restaurant visit with clients. Was feeling far too bloated but went through the motions climbing like a sack of spuds.
Friday - Nowt
Saturday - Another hopeful visit to 91.1/ Sabots. Regret it immediately when I see the damp car park. By the time I've wandered around 91.1 trying to find anything dry some bits of Sabots are O.Kish. The topouts are far too damp for me so the majority of stuff I don't bother topping out but just downclimb. Have a fun afternoon anyway playing around.

Sunday - nothing

[Duncan Disorderly]

Shit! Missed a week....

Goals: 8a, 7A+ Consistently over the winter, 7B and even 7B+ if the mood takes me!

Week 144:
M: Weighted deadhangs - 5 x 10s on BM small holds + 5Kg (Felt tricky but not really enough weight and holds are probably a bit small for this according to the oracle)
T: Bouldering @ The Works - Steady
W: Rest
T: Bouldering @ The Works - Hard
F: 5 Mile Fell Run with dog.
S: Rest
S: Bouldering @ Burbage - Climbed like a sack of spuds!

Week 145:
M: Weighted Deadhangs - 3 x 10s on good slots + 25Kg - More like it! All over body shakes at 9s! But no sore skin or owt.
T: Bouldering @ The Works - Steady volume session. Finished by working 8a Traverse, felt hard but kinda psyched.
W: Rest
T: Bouldering @ The Works - Harder session finishing off murples and yellows. Worked 8a traverse some more, did hard moves at start that had caused me issues last session and linked into the crux.. Almost did crux.. It's on! Fininshed with 10 mins AeroCap.
F&S: Walks with me dad int peak.
S: Weighted Deadhangs - 3 x 10s on good slots + 29Kg - Good.. Running out of weights now...

Progress! Not been watching weight so feel like I'm carrying training balast... Weighted hangs are feeling good, new circuit is a real step up but feels at least theoretically possible... Bouldering's ok.. Thinking about starting Yoga to help with flexibility and core shizz.. Psyche up to about 7.

:D

[nai]

Apologies for last weeks random post, gentlemen, I've been a bit fed up repeating posts every week about days out in shit weather, partner problems and fingerboarding.  One day aside that's been pretty much this week with the addition of the emergence of a few tweaks.  Taking tomtom's lead, I have written words in sentences to alleviate the boredom:

Friday I wake to a blue sky. Well I don't, I wake as always to the sound of my daughter announcing she needs a weewee and the darkness of November pre 7am, but blue sky appears as morning breaks and optimism floods my soul for the first time in weeks.  I text my mate to check our plans and for once am not too disappointed he's crying off from the Tor with work.  Have a few things to do so it's 11 before I make it out, roads and walls are still wet so need to get exposed to any sun and wind going I reckon and consider Birchen but need a partner for the stuff I really want to do there so settle on Plantation.

Get warm really quickly and am flowing well, decide to have a n^th look at Help The Young, an old nemesis that has frustrated for far too long. Surprisingly the undercut is dry so it's game on, things go well, I start getting the first move quickly and am up to the last move a few times but struggling to even try it, scared of the potential fall.  Eventually I do try it but even at less than full commitment I spin off almost missing the mats.  Not good.  Then seemingly without reason the first move suddenly stops working, about 10 goes without success so I go for a quick run over the top to get warm again.

Returning I have a few more unsuccessful attempts and am becoming resigned to not doing it again, even if I manage the first move will I have the cajones for the last? Three lads walk by, at least one's obviously done it before but the shorter fella is eyeing it up, they look like they're about to walk on but I can't let that happen, I need their pads and a spot would be nice too.  I measure up to the short fella and tell him I have the numbers if he wants to give it a try (and put all those lovely pads down of course).  He falls for it...

Rejuvenated, the move soon starts working again and time and again I'm up to the last move, I try right on, left hooking; left on, right flagging; right on, left toe in pocket; right on, left heel in pocket. Each time coming up agonisingly close. Hell, I was so comfortable up there I could even try two methods on one go.  The other guys (retroflash man aside) aren't faring too well on the first move though and look like they're going.  Fuck. No.  More beta is proffered, one last go is announced. I barge in but my heel skids as I rock for the dish. Karma.  He sticks the move and battles upwards making mistakes but holding in there, coming up just short, not bad for a first go.  If that'd been me I'd have stuck at it for at least another go but he announces they're off, more encouragement falls on deaf ears and they start to pack.

I jump on quickly, fingers skidding straight back off, pause briefly for a fingertip and composure check then I'm back on and soon looking at the last move for at least the 10th time that day.  Which method? I hadn't really thought before setting off, toe is getting closest and is most solid so I stick my toe in the pocket and udge.  Stretching I just get finger tips over the lip to congratulations from below. But it's not quite over, a nervy sort of feet and a snatchy-sketchy match remains before the scary mantle.

Good to know the last four weeks of crap weather, letdowns and biard session haven't been wasted, last time on this problem I could only just about hold the sloper open hand while popping into the pocket then had to get fingers curled up and pinky on, but numerous FB sessions later I was comfortable dragging it throughout.  Faith restored, now on with the season....

[Wood FT]

nice one Nai

[tomtom]

nice one Nai

Hey - good effort I remember that top out being sketchy too - and (was it you Guy?) shouting at me where the really obvious break to reach up to was! Nemesis nailed.

[tomtom]

Which reminds me (thanks Nai) time for my update...

Three slices of the Keel would be my summary for the week...

Revision, editing and typing has been my main occupation for the last 10 days... grant proposals, papers, two PhD students about to complete all means I have been spending most of my time in front of a screen de-splitting infinitives and inserting ., after et al.....(,) But last Wednesday the clouds cleared in both diary and accross the countryside just North of Leeds so I set out to the cliff to have another session on the Keel.. got there about 2pm, warmed up usual fare and transferred over to the Keel... got the (new) phone out of my coat pocket to check the time and there was a split right accross the screen. Ach... new toy busted - and the touch screen would not work below the crack - so effectively borked as a phone or anything else.... Putting frustrations aside I pulled on the Keel, feet pinged off the slot, I fell off the edge of the mat, scraped my shin raw on something  and took this as a sign to go... my head was not there. Back home, tea, more work and get on....

MrsTT made a rare forray over to Hull for the weekend - so picked her up on Friday from the station and saw Skyfall in the evening.. With half an eye on Saturdays forecast I got an earlyish night...

Stubbs had tweeted me on the friday evening warning that fog was forecast - but the BBC did not seem so convinced - and I was up and about at 8 on Saturday in lovely winter sunshine in East Yorkshire... I left a slumbering MrsTT and escaped Hull - straight into a bank of fog that lasted pretty much all the way there... Heart sinking, the odd patch of blue through the mist gave me hope and as I pulled up the hill past Huby the mist parted and the Cliff rose in all her Glory into patchy sunshine - whilst mist lolled about in the valley. Game on

10am - good conditions on a Saturday, and only me and one other person there... lazy folk in Leeds must have lifted the duvet, glanced out the window, saw fog and rolled back to sleep again... Conditions were great - only a wee bit of seepage on some things - and winter friction was back.. Hands were stinging from the cold after warming up, feet were sticking and with no sketching they were dancing across warm up smears.. I tweeted Stubbs to let him know conditions were mint - Nai messaged to say "save your core for the keel" but it needed some action so some crucifix low traversing led on to DWR... Fingers pinged off on first and second attempts (this never happens! whats going on)... sucked it up for the third time as I reached to match on the rail my foot came out of the toe hook, pulled in on the core, fought the foot back in again, match pop done. Strangely, the moves being a real struggle BUT pulling myself through them and holding it together was better than doing it easily... confidence raised instead of lowered...

I retired down to the Keel.. Tries 1, 2, and 3 were all OK. slapping near the pocket... pretty much the same as the week before...

Its funny - I first met Moose up at the cliff a few years back - when he was working Underhand, and seemed always to be positioned in the underhand cave - hunched over the mats trying to keep his hands warm - commanding a view of all coming and going from the cliff.. On Saturday it was like the situation reversed, I was crouched under the Keel, watching a few folk arrive and over wandered Moose - off to become re-acquainted with grit bouldering again...

Tries 4, 5 - core starting to sag.. 6 - failure 7, 8, 9 not working. I found that slowly releasing the keel with my LH and letting it drag accross the roof - gaining some friction - slowed my transfer out to the lip helping the core heavy move.. But the core was shot. Not wishing to give up completely, I found I could hold on to the chip (LH) and lip (RH) and just get my right toe on to the slot from the ground. Oh yes. This meant I could now work all three sections from the ground... superb.. This last move, the lunge for the pocket is not so core contingent...

first try, tickled the pocket..
second try, found I could flag out left and that gave me some extra leverage/balance... tips in the pocket

Stubbs wandered by - long time since I'd seen him - and he was rocking a strong beard glasses look Had a chat and he wandered up to DWR area.

Third try - wow, I could lever under the roof with my left leg extended and fingers in the pocket - but not held
Fourth try. in and stuck.
Fifth, close but weakening
Sixth - no where near... all shot.

All moves now completed separately. Superb. Very happy - I need to work the percentages - so each sections 50/50 then it will go.... But I'm quite worried by the first part - which I managed to do easily the first time I tried the problem, but now seem to find really hard/impossible! (suspect its just getting my body position right) AND how the feck will I top this out.. getting the pocket is fine, but dangling there from one arm is not finishing and raising a foot up to the chip seems miles away.. probably some horrible squirming and pocket matching (arrrgh) required..

Wandered up to DWR, had a good chat to Stubbs, came close ish to the stand start to Stu's LH (a crimp test I seem to try every time) and wandered back home happy.. bumped into Anna who I'd not seen for ages - so good to catch up - and make some Keep progress..

Saturday night was interesting... MrsTT was meeting some old University friends in town (40th Birthday). Meal. Pub. Club. Club. Home 3.30 Its been a while since I'd done that.. Sunday sofa...

So, I'm looking forward to getting back on the Keel.. progress progress progress. Three parts completed, three parts to be linked. Time to start thinking about the next project! Hmm... Jess roof?

[Wood FT]

nice one Nai

Hey - good effort I remember that top out being sketchy too - and (was it you Guy?) shouting at me where the really obvious break to reach up to was! Nemesis nailed.

ah yes, remember it well, brown town