Disclaimer: this may sound like a personal attack, but i promise you it isnt. I haven't seen you once explicitly analyse or critically asses your goals or why you (really) want to start training.Plus having been an art teacher for 14 years, you must closer to your mid 30s than most would like I.e. may take longer for you to adapt into a training pattern. I can only assume you havent been climbing (properly) as long as you have been teaching art. It may just be you need to take a step back and re-assess what you think you need, and what you actually need. Also, all coaches I know will always try and book a number of sessions, with session one being an assessment. As I think someone pointed to earlier, I don't think you understand what training is and why you really want to do it. That may be the best place to start.
4. My goal although ambiguous is to move up the V scale and just continue to make progress - at the moment I can regularly climb v3/4 having got back into climbing about 18 months ago - I'm pleased with the progress I have made. Want to now push on to v4/5 if I can.
Interesting thread.Petejh wrote "what factors are stopping you climbing v5."It seems to me that is THE question a coach should be helping you answer. For most it'll be an unpleasant answer, since it's probably something we shy away from, dislike, and rarely practise.I guess all I'm trying to say is that a good coach should have uncomfortable messages. Of course they need the people skills to manage that! Your guy obviously didn't.
For me coaching is something I would consider if I plateau'd - reached a point where I didnt seem to be progressing... But as long as I climb enough times a week - I have seen steady improvement. Both in technique and strength.. (odd set backs for injury/working away not withstanding..)I guess a coach can point out certain things - but if you climb with a group of people they'll often point things out as well... Especially if you are working a problem with a group of similar grade climbers you learn from different ways of approaching a problem, trying things, micro beta stuff like that... Of course for some things you do just need to get stronger - or have better finger strength if your aims contain gnarly small holds - and there isn't a short cut for that.. just time, training and effort. All this (I suppose) comes down to your (by your I mean ones etc..) motivation. For me it is seeing some form of progression over time - and I'm happy trotting up through the grades - and consolidating on grades that used to be at my limit. If your aim is to get to 8A in 5 years (etc...) then some form of more structured training - maybe coaching - is part of a solution to that, to try and speed things up. Just my musings...
I'd take on board what posters are saying about having specific goals.Quote4. My goal although ambiguous is to move up the V scale and just continue to make progress - at the moment I can regularly climb v3/4 having got back into climbing about 18 months ago - I'm pleased with the progress I have made. Want to now push on to v4/5 if I can.A desire to climb and a bit of time spent climbing, especially with better climbers (just watching them works) and you'll progress. A bit of simple fingerboarding if you think your finger strength is going to hold you back, a bit of campussing when you feel you've not enough power.You say you've progressed to v4. What factors are stopping you climb v5 at the moment?(meter's running)
As I have said throughout the thread, I climb on my own.So thought having a coaching session, would help me identify weakness and give me some drills and exercises to do. I knew my dynamic movement wasn't up to scratch, I'd emailed the coach before hand about this.
Quote from: jfdm on October 30, 2014, 01:57:49 pmAs I have said throughout the thread, I climb on my own.So thought having a coaching session, would help me identify weakness and give me some drills and exercises to do. I knew my dynamic movement wasn't up to scratch, I'd emailed the coach before hand about this.I thought your chief criticism through most of the thread was that you wanted to spend the time talking about training and not technique? If you'd already talked to them about being bad at dynamic movement why would you be surprised if they spent a bunch of time on that? I don't know you, but I'd guess that time with a coach would be better spent on technique rather than training for 90% of people in your position - I'd be tempted to go for a movement orientated coach if you have another session..
JDFM - Do you mind me asking how much you paid for your session (I may have missed this)? It's hard to asses whether or not you're justifiably underwhelmed without this information. Remember, not all coaches are equal, I've heard some truly awful advice coming from a number of coaches. I'd look for someone specifically good at training others, rather than good at training themselves.You mention private trainers and programmes written at the Gym. Having been a member at various establishments of this type I'd say they're likely very unspecific and barely worth the paper they're written on. As part of joining one gym I had to take an induction and the trainer wouldn't listen when I said leg press wasn't too relevant to my goals. Obviously some PTs are great and massively informed, a lot are not.
With regards trainers at the gym, yes they give out generic programmes but at least they give you something to work with. I outlined in my emails to the coach that I wanted from him some kind of programme to follow at home and down the wall. I didn't get even a generic programme, the advice boiled down to climb as often as possible particularly on steep problems.
If you're looking for more of a physical training plan, may I suggest:Team of 2 training - http://teamof2climbing.com/They're not local but they are well respected coaches, and generally know thier stuff.
The Andersons latest book is cheaper and if followed to the letter even with little understanding of why, will still yeild steady and continious improvements in the physical aspects of climbing.
At the wall the other day a few people were gawping at videos of Pooch
I always wonder when I read posts like this, I can't remember writing a damn book! Is the Alzheimer's kicking in?