[tomtom]

2013 totals:
Outdoor: 75   
Indoor: 4 
Training: 6
New Grade 7's 19

Crimp and Cliff

That sounds like a hipsters haircut... but seems to be the theme for my week! The weather has been playing games with me this week - I've projects to finish on the Sandstone and at the S.Lakes lime, but the Sandstone needs a couple of decent dry days to dry and showers seem to be peppering the S.Lakes whenever I have the chance to get out..

This week I was over in Hull on Monday/Tuesday and heading back to Manchester on tuesday afternoon/evening. Its been a while since I visited Almscliff - and - well - why not, no where else seemed likely to be in condition. Almscliff in the summer months is an interesting place. You get alot more chuffers and less serious boulderers in action - then come the colder winter time the chuffers hide away somewhere warmer and the more hardcore boulderers make up the numbers. Anyway, there was a decent but not offputting wind, some light cloud so conditions were actually quite good. One of those odd days when the rock feels a little warm but is actually quite grippy. I had a decent warm up around the lower slab and three swings areas - didnt rest enough and gave myself a little flutter getting pumped at the top of flying arete. I've got an eye on Underhand extension as a soft touch 7C - and having Underhand fairly wired I need to get the extension to be a slick performance so its cruisable when fresh, thus do-able when pumped after Underhand. But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter. Still, I pulled on and worked each of the moves in isolation as well as the top out before giving up for a better matted day... Wandering up to DWR area I started the usual circuit, but ended up puntering my way up DWR on the third of fourth attempt. It felt like my core wasnt really switched on ~ which I suspect is due to a summer of largely climbing crimpy walls rather than slopey overhangs... I redeemed myself by nearly retro-flashing the keel, feeling incredibly solid all the way to missing the pocket.. and then was nowhere near on the next couple of trys. I'd forgotten just how quickly that problem saps my core.. Anyway, warmed down on a couple of nice moves near Eds Dyno and left...

I ached for two days - my body clearly had become de-conditioned to its usual training ground - especially the outside of my shoulders. Thursday. Rain. Nowhere in striking distance looked dry - so Logport wall, for 90 min over lunchtime... I am so uninspired by climbing walls... I dont mind warming up and cruising through the easier problems - but  I start trying the harder problems and just give up. Some I get into - work all the moves - work the links overlapping - then can't be bothered to finish the problem, get bored and move on. I dunno - maybe the permanence of real problems increases their importance in my head and the transient nature of plastic routes/problems makes me - meh - for want of a better description... Though I've started to get into the board at the wall.. working specific moves make me think about body position and pulling into the face...

I ached again for two days! so it can not be all bad! Saturday. A poor forecast was on the table - and I knew sunday was going to be a write off as I was due to be out on the lash Saturday night. Again, sandstone wet, limestone had red blobs over it on the rain radar.. It was really windy as well - so finding somewhere quick drying but not too exposed was the conundrum.. I ended up pottering over to Holmfirth and despite starting in a very half arsed way had a pretty good session. So the crimp. Having had a couple of pulley injuries in the last 3-4 years I've trained myself to open hand most things. Only this summer have I really started to re-teach myself to crimp when its needed - sandstone and limestone faces have forced me to do this and its a weapon thats good to have back in my climbing arsenal.. So on a couple of problems that in previous years have felt really marginal I was able to wind my crimp on and really crank through - which to be honest feels really good sometimes! So Holmfirth - yes - I managed to get the second to last 7 I've not done there ticked - the un-named problem left of Silent Running, nice moves and a testy fairly high rock over to get established before the final slab. Only one 7 left there now - the (frankly ridiculous) lie down start to Pit Viper. I am just too tall to squeeze into the gap for this lie down start.. 

But it made me ache again!

[Eddies]

Monday: Room Routine (3 sets of: 30x pushups, 10x pullups, 10x18kg bicep curls on each arm. 3min rests between sets)
Tuesday: Chapel – 4x4’s and full circuits, finished with campus ladders with feet on, 2 sets until failure.
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: 4x4’s and Core test (one round free and one round with 2kg ankle and wrist weights)
Friday: REST
Saturday: Churnet circuit
Sunday: REST

Booked flights for 5-days of DWS in Majorca September last night 

[T_B]

STG - Get in bouldering shape for trips to N'umberland in September and Font in October
LTG - ?

86Kg

M - Weymouth beach - donkey rides, fish and chips, ice cream, sand etc
T - The planets align and I get my Lulworth slot. Perfect conditions. Good tide. No-one there though. Dad reading paper on the headland. Warmed up on Horny etc and Animal Mag, then got on Mark of the beast (no chalk). Got about a third of the way up and was unsure where it went FFS?! Got worried about hitting the ledge so jumped off : ( Decided to try Andrenochrome, as it was chalked and tick marked. Did the dyno 1st go, then faffed a couple of moves higher up and did some desperate traverse off to the left as couldn't face the plunge. Head not into it and tide on way out so settled with the low 7b trav which I'd not done before. Hey ho, DWS on your own is hard.
W -
T - back in the Foundry @ lunch. Deadhanging and some bouldering on the board.
F - As above. Right ring finger felt a bit weird.
S -
S - Stanage Plantation en famille. Bit of a mission with all the bracken. Amazing windy conditions. Like amazing. Repeated some stuff and tried the usual - The Joker - crimps felt good, but I'm unsure of the knack. Slapped about an inch from the lip going with the right. Brad Pit. Got the sidepull static, which is probably my best effort on this. Tips through.

Good to get out on real rock and cover some ground at Lulworth. Also felt smug at Stanage with very few people around but better conditions than you often get in winter. Back is sore though and I've eaten loads on holiday, so need to get back on the prog. 3 weeks until N'umberland hols, so focussing on bouldering now - maybe just the odd short circuit..

[shark]

Hey ho, DWS on your own is hard.

Word. Should be called Deep Water Solo Soloing or something.

You must be pleased generally though as it sounds like you have got back to where you were over last few weeks.

[Grubes]

So Holmfirth - yes - I managed to get the second to last 7 I've not done there ticked - the un-named problem left of Silent Running, nice moves and a testy fairly high rock over to get established before the final slab. Only one 7 left there now - the (frankly ridiculous) lie down start to Pit Viper. I am just too tall to squeeze into the gap for this lie down start.. 

good effort tom. Viper pit is a bit stupid I think james may have done this but never been able to repeat it.
Not sure if you saw but someone felled the tree right of old lace making the traverse doable. I looked at this without trying it last monday as fingers were knackered probably 6B ish maybe harder.
I might be heading up there tonight if you are bored.

[Luke Owens]

Off to Dorset for some DWS and sport over bank holiday weekend. Need to concentrate on some fitness this week!

Monday - Rest

Tuesday - Dinbren - 3 laps on a 6b for a warm up. Got on "When Saturday Comes" 7c. First 7c I've ever been on. Didn't feel as hard as I thought it would. Got most of the moves sorted. The crux is a big throw which i'm sure there is better beta for. Route doesn't feel sustained just one really hard move. Psyched for it! Dogged a 6c as a warm down to get the moves wired to use it as a warm up next week.

Wednesday - Deadhangs - 35's, Front 3 open with 15kg added, 4 finger crimp 20mm edge, Middle 2 25mm edge with 7.5kg added, front 2 & back 3.

Highlights: Can now can the 35 degree slopers on the BM2000 for 5 secs without "cheating". Back 3 open for 9 secs 30mm edge.

Thursday - Rest

Friday - Deadhangs - Same as Tuesday but new PB's. Highlights: Front 2 for 10 secs on 30mm pocket! (This was 3 secs 4 weeks ago). Front 3 open 30mm edge 10 sec hang with 17.5kg added. Middle 2 25mm pocket 9 sec hang with 8kg added.

Saturday - Rest

Sunday - Had planned to go to the Diamond but my girlfriend was ill, took the little one out to Hope Mountain in the evening for an hour. Did Lower Arete in a few goes, never used to be close at all but smashed it, think the deadhangs are paying off! Used to get V6/7A but the start hold has evolved. Felt harder than other V5/6C's I've done.

Did 10 sets of 5 reps of offset pull ups, alternating arms every set. Finished off with some core and wrist curls.

[iain]

STG: Infinite Gravity before Sept>mid-October or the weather crapping out, whichever is first.
Get down to 62kg by 7th Sept, 63.0 this morning.


No time to get outside this week so making do with short indoor sessions.

Mon: Rest

Tues: Works bouldering. For the first time felt like I was making a dent in the white/murples (6B-7A+?) getting several fairly quickly with the odd flash at the easier end. Feeling stronger.

Wed: Works circuits. Warmed up getting a good pump going and then did 2 reps of the 6c+ 3 times with 5-10 mins rest, finished with some aerocap.

Thurs: Rest

Fri: Works bouldering. Threw myself at the new set on the comp wall. Felt good but some of the jumps were causing me problems, although to be fair not something needed for training at the mo.

Sat: Works circuits. Had been intending to do more aerocap work but needed to do something more interesting so got on the harder ones with 10 minute rests. Did the 7b/+ I'd failed on last time first go, and then 2x attempts on the 7b+ managing overlapping halves both times. A vast improvement on a few weeks ago.
Just out of curiosity finished by trying party tricks on the bar. Managed front lever, right one arm clean, and left with a little assistance. Nice to see they haven't gone away despite not training them for months. Just climbing works.

Sun: Rest


I'm making progress, more of the same this week.

[T_B]

You must be pleased generally though as it sounds like you have got back to where you were over last few weeks.

Definitely. I've had 10 pretty solid weeks with my back under control and fingers getting stronger. It would be nice to cash in on something, but I'm quite enjoying training given lack of time at the mo.

[Muenchener]

STG: Welsh trad E2 in September.
MTG (2013): Frankenjura VII onsight
LTG (<= 5 years): Big alpine rock routes: Totenkirchl west face (Dülfer), Marmolada south face (Vinatzer-Messner)

Three weeks to big Wales outing and I have a sore finger, so time to lay off the dangerous tweaky sport climbing malarkey. What I can do instead is give myself an aerobic beasting in the hope of shedding a kilo or two.

M: Alpine Cloggy approach training: 30 minutes step-ups w/15kg rucksack. Mobility & stabiliser exercises as warm-up.
T: Bike to & from work 27km
W: 
T: Partenkirchener Dreitorspitze: rest day for the A2 pulleys. 1,600 metres height gain for the approach, a kilometre of Grade III ridge traverse with around another 4 to 500 metres of up and then the hard part: back down the whole 2,000 metres again. Total distance yomped 30km.
F:
S: Mobility, knee physio & stabilizer exercises
S: Drive to Switzerland for family holiday

[tommytwotone]

STG: Offwidth "Dirty Dozen"
LTG: Font 7b

M: Depot evening, good session working a few of the comp problems
T: Out after work on geek symposium, couple of beers after
W: Dunno - did a bit of skipping before eating a Mars Ice Cream, guess that counts
T: Depot again, knocked off a few of my outstanding list and tried some of the harder problems
F: Out after work for beer and food
S: Antagonist workout spending all day doing housework, plus 5 mile bike ride taking it to the bike shop to get pedals fixed
S: Almscliff for about 5 mins before it tipped down. Should have stayed and waited, instead went to Depot and had what turned out to be a good session puntering about

[shark]

11.5-7

M.
T. AM. Indecent start dry and had 3 redpoints falling off crux of my straightened version (Balls Out). 
W.
T. AM Tor. Had a redpoint on Balls Out and got frustrated with greasing off the minging pinch. Worked out a much easier version which made it a full grade easier  and redpointed it next go but got very pumped on Indecent and generally felt burnt out and in need of a few days rest. Set up ropes to rebolt top of Tin of but  found that I didn't have right size drill bit - another 
F.and S. Driving to Ailefroide with family 
S. First intermittent deadhang session and did a little bouldering at Ailefroide in my sandals

4/5 weeks to Oak season. Things seem to be going in the right direction. Hoping to build a some finger endurance on top of the finger strength gains and of course be the right weight.
 

[cheque]

Red River Gorge wish list for October -

1-Endurance ‘for days’ on steep, juggy/ open-handed rock. Going well.
2-Ability to recover on a jug on steep ground. Going well.
3-Ability to do a steep 6A/ 6A+ when pumped silly. Going OK. Needs doing more on a rope.
4-Psyche and ability to go “a muerte” even when pumped and facing massive whipper. Needs work.
5-Stoic tolerance of caffeinated soft drink and pizza
Likely to go backwards as now living with healthy vegan girlfriend.

Mon- "Rest". In reality, heaving boxes and furniture about preparing for girlfriend moving into flat.

Tues- Depot. Get pumped on circuit board (match PB twice) then decide to try 4x4s - a technique I've never done before- on red problems ("V3-V5"). In trying problems before the first set I find I'm struggling to do them consistently (in my defense they've been up for a week and are trashed with chalk and rubber...) so decide to do the entire blue circuit ("V1-V3") without rests. Do this three times with 5 minute breaks. Feels like a surprisingly good workout although the first one is pumpier as the busier it gets the more hesitation is required between problems.

Weds- Rest. Sore. More moving stuff.

Thurs- Edge routes. Feeling so tired in day that I probably wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for the continued Red traning psyche and desire to benchmark for what will be a crucial series of Thursday night Edge sessions. Feel weird on warm-up "6a+" and dog what seems to be an incredibly difficult crux. I'd missed a hold and it's in fact as easy as you'd expect.  Onsight two "6b"s then lose it on another- hand slips and I grab another route's jug by instinct. Two (even) easier routes taking four deliberate big unannounced falls to test belayer and get head straight. Go from overgripping and feeling pressed by everything to skipping clips without realising...

Fri- Rest. Needed it!

Sat- Serious furniture/ box moving business.   

Sun- More box- and possession-heaving with added Ikea. Intense 1.5 hour Depot sesh in evening- new circuit board PB, a total of 5.5 laps alternating the "6b+" and "7a" circuits with the crowning glory being almost as far round the "7b+" as I can climb from fresh at the end- progress on goals 1 and 2 are going very well! Intense nausea following this leads to trying the new red boulder problem circuit. Flash most of them, do all but 4 of the rest second go. The Depot now have wooden ball holds next to the campus rungs- devise a new sloper-endurance technique on these: 1-3-1 one hand at a time with feet on until failure. Did 3 sets of ~30 moves until nausea and dizziness take hold then do blue problems 'til kicked out. 

Thursday was rubbish- realised it was 3 weeks since I'd been on a rope and 6 weeks since I'd taken a leader fall when I got back. Hopefully the confidence I gained at the end will form a foundation for getting the fitness I'm gaining translated into something that will actually deliver results in the Red. Got actual rock climbing planned for September now, too, which is exciting as I'm bored to tears of the current house-moving/ plastic-yanking dichotomy.

[Duma]

S/MTG - keep niggles in check, run regularly, get out more. If I do any hard stuff that'll be nice too.
LTG - 8A, 68kg

M - First night shift, so no sleep at all.
T - Sleep poor. Run 6m 49min - pleased to get under 50min, but really this circuit should be low 40's if I was actually fit. Physio re finger issue - Nina says massage and rest, easy sloper deadhangs, some extensor work. 2-3 weeks no climbing. boo. then nights.
W - Sleep ok. TCA in eve before work - pick up new shoes - poor timing now I'm not supposed to use them for a while! chat, easy sloper hangs etc. Watch Tom repeatedly hit 1-6.5 but not hold it (on "official" spacings this is the same distance as Hojers "1-9"). Nights.
T - Sleep v. poor, then pack and drive to Cornwall. Drink. Sleep poor. Total sleep good I suppose, didn't feel it though.
F - Wedding - drink. Sleep ok (if by ok you mean "pass out").
S - All day in pub. Sleep ok.
S - Bit of Canoeing on the lake before drive back to Bristol. Sleep loads.

69-70kg.

Sleep key: poor < 6.5hrs; ok 6.5hrs - 7.5hrs; good 7.5hrs - 8.5hrs; loads > 8.5hrs

[nai]

goal - 8a, E4 in autumn, undecided trip end of October, grit crushage over winter

M - AM 1 hour weights
      PM - hour garage bouldering
T - garage Ancap
w ouch
T garage bouldering then body tension stuff, locking off and holding positions.
F AM 10 easy problems x4 with 5, 5 & 10 mins rest. Core.
S - gentle 25km MTB pootle
S - slightly less gentle 15km MTB pootle

Turned into a half decent week given how bad I felt post holiday.  Two more similar until school starts again.

[nai]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Did this by myself. Just saying. (mtfu)

[tomtom]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Did this by myself. Just saying. (mtfu)

How many mats?...  Just askin..

[nai]

Three. Just in case....

[iain]

Intense nausea

nausea and dizziness take hold then do blue problems 'til kicked out.

I first read that as 'til blacked out!

I'm clearly not working hard enough 

[tommytwotone]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Did this by myself. Just saying. (mtfu)

How many mats?...  Just askin..

Keen to start an Underhand seige soon so let's hook up when you go up there for a crack at the extension...

[tomtom]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Did this by myself. Just saying. (mtfu)

How many mats?...  Just askin..

Keen to start an Underhand seige soon so let's hook up when you go up there for a crack at the extension...

Cool - will do.

I may= remember some vertically challenged beta from when RobL was doing it..

[Grubes]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Keen to start an Underhand seige soon so let's hook up when you go up there for a crack at the extension...

Cool - will do.
I may= remember some vertically challenged beta from when RobL was doing it..

James is keen for underhand/keel so he will be up for the seige as well

[webbo]

Mon. Board repeating problems quite a good session.
Tue. Board again due to daughter visiting. Easy mirror session, struggling a bit.
Wed. Bike 20 secs on 40 secs off x 5 4 sets.
Thu. nothing.
Fri. Bike 1 min on 2 mins off x 7.
Sat. Working. Evening board did one of my projects and got very close on a long term one, did it several times but kept dabbing the mat.
Sunday. Working planned to ride afterwards but couldn't be arsed. 

[Stubbs]

Watch Tom repeatedly hit 1-6.5 but not hold it (on "official" spacings this is the same distance as Hojers "1-9").

Did someone go to Germany and measure the board Hojer uses?

[Duma]

Someone asked him in the comments on vimeo- he said it was 122cm, so on 22cm spacing (school room) that's 6.5

[fried]

Monday/ Tuesday - needed a rest.
Wednesday - Still can't face getting back in the car and driving back to the forest, so have a indoor session. Lots of new stuff done quickly.
Thursday - nothing
Friday - Saw friends last night, feeling a bit fragile, so wait until Saturday to go back outside.
Saturday - ditto, wait til Sunday..
Sunday - Rain, back indoors. Short session, back playing up, so do some stretching.

I needed a week of rest anyway.

[nai]

But having only one mat I didnt really commit to any of the moves with a high heel (i.e. most of the moves) - that pointy rock below the end of the traverse that slopes down into the gulley really needs a spotter.

Did this by myself. Just saying. (mtfu)

How many mats?...  Just askin..

Keen to start an Underhand seige soon so let's hook up when you go up there for a crack at the extension...

Cool - will do.

I may= remember some vertically challenged beta from when RobL was doing it..

VC key beta for me was not to try hitting the more positive RH slot (at 22s), just behind it there's a bigger one that's easier to hit and plenty good enough.  Then it's just a matter of timing the lunge.

[Boredboy]

 

Sounds right to me, when I saw the 1-9 video it didn't look like the school's 1-9, based on the old 1-5-9 footage.

[tomtom]

VC key beta for me was not to try hitting the more positive RH slot (at 22s), just behind it there's a bigger one that's easier to hit and plenty good enough.  Then it's just a matter of timing the lunge.

For me I went up to an average edge/crimp in the break immediately after the RH on the boss (go up after the slap to the boss) them move LH along the break to the good slot. Saved having to go up and left to the slot - up then left if that makes sense.. For shorties the trickier bit to work out (apart from that crux move) was getting established with some slightly different foot/crimp beta..

[kelvin]

Managed three sessions in the boulder room that finished with a freshly pulled muscle in the back of the knee somewhere. Heel hooking on the 45deg has been banned by my physio but sometimes... anyways. Managed another V2, got two left and the top moves just need me to man up for. Finally go the starting moves done on the crimpy 30deg V4! Well happy with that - seems it was just finger strength and core. My technique had been right from the off, which is nice to know.

Sat - Finally off work! Stanage, teaching Mel to build belays and seconding her up easy stuff. Led Green Wall VS at Popular but ended up aiding the wet and green gloppy ledge! Ha.
Sun - Led Scorpion Slab HS at Strangler clean, then did Slab and Crack VS Direct but knew I'd have to sit at the undercut to work how out to use the dodgy wrist properly. Made that move first attempt, so chuffed. Wanted to try the E1 5c on the slab but time was running out and a combination of other factors meant it just didn't feel the moment to be pushing grades. It'll go at some point.

Grit is still a mystery. I just can't work it out and don't have the jamming skills or the psyche for it to be honest. I think the fact that slate is my favourite rock may just tell a story...