[JackAus]

STG: Another V7.
MTG: V8
LTG: V11

M: Sissy Crag. Bunch of stuff up to V4. Got on Rebel Scum V7. Wasn't far off doing it. Shouldery as all fuck.
T: Indoors. Warmed up bouldering the quickly moved to weighted campussing and fingerboarding. Did 1-5-7 for the first time ever.
W: Indoors. More campussing and fingerboarding. No weighted stuff but did 1-5-7 3 timesin a row.
T: Night work.
F: Indoors. Campussing and fingerboarding mainly.
S: Train back home to Nowra.
S: Drive back to Syd. Indoors in the arvo. Worked some harder stuff. More campussing and fingerboarding. Dinner with a beautiful girl afterwards.

[gme]

Another good week spoiled by the evil drink on Saturday night meaning Sunday was a right off.

Mon- Fb session. 5/10  workout.
Tues- Alnwick wall and Moonboard 25 probs 6B to 7A. Good improvement
Wed- Climbing works red and greens aerocap thingy. 75 problems 750+ moves 45 mins.
Thursday- lunch FB session at works as per monday. PM school bouldering for 90 mins then nasty rings workout for 45 mins with Ben Davison. proper session.
Fri- pretty beat up but not as bad as i thought- rest day.
Sat- vinyasa yoga- Alnwick wall good session as Tuesday. 7A project done and close to two others. Improvement each session. No FB as feel worked.
Sunday- feeling sorry for myself with hangover. Right off day climbing wise but managed to run around coaching the kids rugby for two hours and give the dog a long walk.

Only one aerocap session again this week, missed 1 FB session but dont think that was a bad thing, and only one session of Yoga which is shit and i need to pull my finger out.

[jstrongman]

wt 92.6Kg  still going in right direction

STG - Lose some weight, build a new base
MTG - Repeat Evening Song and Crack pot
LTG - Psyhcokiller & Strongbow. Finish two long term boulder projects & get to 85kg

M- BM session - much better 7-3 most grips on 1st set, 2nd set better
T - Wall session ok with some progress working  problems on 45 board
W- stretch and some kettlebell swings
TH am-  BM session - much better 6-4 most grips on 1st, 2nd set much better just failed on the deep locks
TH pm- Wall sessionnot much progress quite tired
F- Kettlebell presses
S- Kids activities + DIY
S - Kids activities + DIY + car

OK week still a long way to go, looking forward to getting back on the rock, just need some more freetime!!

[Will Hunt]

Short term goals:
- Figure out what my weaknesses really are (if anybody out there climbs/has climbed with me then please tell me what they are. My feelings won't be hurt!)
- Build a coherent training plan around these that will create long term improvement
- Put it in action and arrive in Font injury free (early April)
- 3 sessions of climbing related training per week

Medium term goals:
- 7C+ in my style (Curious Yellow/Heaven in your Hands?)
- Consistent 7B+ in the anti-style (I suspect steep and strenuous stuff)
- 7C in the anti-style

Long term goals:
- 8A


M -
T - Fingerboard. Trying out different grips for about an hour (including WU). Trying to find what works and how I can get into Dave Mac's 5-8 second zone. Worked front and back 3 in open hand only.
W - Gym. Assisted one armers (-10Kg) 3 sets of one rep on each arm. Weighted pull ups (+15kg) 3x3. Toes-to-bar - 3x3 - could not fully complete the last set.
T -
F - Beer and a late night
S - Did one route at Horseshit - horribly cold. Bailed to Curbar and did Trackside and a few easy problems.
S - 2 games of Munchkin and 2 games of Settlers of Catan. YYFY.


Not a great week in terms of training. Didn't get on a board, which having read 9 out of 10 Climbers, I think is a big issue. Technique on properly steep stuff is obviously crap.

[webbo]

Mon. Board 15 problem warm up, the 6 problems 4 times each.
Tue. Nothing.
Wed. Turbo 1 hour.
Thu. Nothing.
Fri. Board. Worked out some new problems, managed 2 of the easier ones.
Sat. Spent morning putting up beast maker. Bike 1 hour, I had planned to go out for longer but roads were icy.
Sun. Board did 2 problems from Friday one of which I couldn't do the moves on on Friday . Bike 51.78 miles 3 hrs 7 mins felt battered when I finished.

[LB1782]

Gme, is this:

Wed- Climbing works red and greens aerocap thingy. 75 problems 750+ moves 45 mins.

something you came up with?

I've been reading the Andersons' RCTM and they recommend traditional (>30 mins on) ARC for bouldering base fitness.

I wondered if doing lots of relatively easy problems was better as it seems more specific to bouldering.

[shark]

Hello JFDM - welcome to UKB and Power Club

Tom - my fingers are similar to yours and I find that my best grip is a chisel on an edge with my hand slightly angled outwards. I wouldn't write off the crimp as evil. I have had no problems prioritising training a full crimp for the last 6 months due to it being significantly weaker (by 5-10kg) than a chisel even though you get no help from the thumb. Glad to hear you are almost mended.

M. Early flight to Alicante from Manchester. Bugger all sleep and pissing down we got there. Drove to Gandia and eventually found Bovedon car park spot. Still pissing down. Recce of the crag - still dry. Back to car for gear. Trousers and shoes soaking by time got back to crag, Hard to work out where routes went from topos Id downloaded. Paul led a 6c with a traverse then a 7b also with a trav so made sense for me to follow both. came off the 7b. We both then had a play on Arcadia - me just on bottom tufa section - Paul on whole route. Left as it was getting dark and drove to Chulilla

T. AM. Cold night and morning.(5degrees) Parked at reservoir and walked up gorge to Cañaberal to climb in sun. Did a 6c+ and 7a with a desperate perplexing start. Moved to Nanopark around the corner. Led up a slabby 7a+ but had a silly unexpected foot slip post crux and came off. Paul did it then I redpointed. I felt really tired even on top easy section. Decided to call it a day. Went over to Oasis in shade – had a nap and got really cold belaying Paul on three other routes.

W. AM. 7degrees Back at Nanopark / Ca Germa to warm up in sun. Climbed a scrappy 6b+ route with some interesting sections. Crossed river into shade of Oasis. Wind blowing which increased chill factor. Surprised how many parties were enduring the conditions. Led up Miguel Gomez a 7a. Gnarly crimps in cold weather above a bolt was all too much. Came down thinking I would stick to 6's for rest of trip. Paul did it and encouraged me to have another go. Decided that grim determination was required and clawed my way up it. Desperate. Paul then O/Sed a 7a+ and again against my better judgement I had a go, Fell on first bolt and lowered but then flashed to the top to my surprise. Paul onsighted a stunning 7b+. He suggested I leave it for later in the trip but I was more psyched despite the weather. Got through start on third attempt then plodded up joyful tufa stuff with arms cramping up to the hard finish. Was too pumped by time I got there to pull through crux so had a rest then pulled through. Hardcore day. Paul decided that it would be a 7c day for him tomorrow

T. AM. Even Paul had enough of the cold so started at the village end of the gorge at Muro. Nice and sunny. Led a long 6c then a long classic Verdonesque 7a. Moved around the corner after being pointed at a new 7b up a towering groove. It was a still a bit scrappy and dirty. Ended up pulling on a bolt to get through a blank crux section though Paul led it OK.  Moved on to Sector Sex Shop and did a gratifyingly high quality /low stress 7b then its neighbouring 7a+ which was almost as hard. Paul did all of the above but no 7c's complaining of headaches from the two beers on the previous night

F. Noon. Tactical later start. Paul still poorly. Went to Setor Sex Shop. Misread guide and ended up on a 7b+ thinking it was a 6b+. Retreated quickly then pulled on a bolt on the 6b+. Paul did the amazing looking 7b+ Los Franceses. I did an old skool 7a+ up a steep flake line then a brilliant 7b called Cantalobos which I thought had hard top moves but Paul pissed it. A final boulder 7a+ didn’t suit me so I came down and left it to Paul to finish off. 

S.Decided I was keen for Los Franceses but nervous about it as my fitness was well below par. After warm ups went around to have a look. Crag was deserted (why on a Saturday?) so no excuses. Climbed tentatively up the intimidating first half which follows a corner with three roofs, Top section is a tufa wall climbing on rounded sidepulls and pinches. I climbed quickly to try and beat the pump. Paul had described the crux and said it was best to go for the move rather than clip the bolt. It was academic by the time I got to that point as I was almost too pumped to hold on let alone clip. I was a fair way above the bolt and lunged for the obvious jug Paul described and hit it but was unable to hold it and so was off. I looked down and had a sickening snapshot of a load of slack rope looping away. Fortunately Paul was paying attention for once and took in some rope but I still went 30 feet. Body in one piece but ego in bits. I hauled up and climbed through finding a nice static way to do the crux and lowered off stripping the gear. Paul then onsighted the 7c to the left. A solitary Slav came up. I was shattered having thrown everything at the onsight and left Paul with his new belay slav to try an 8a while I went back for a nap.

S. Last day. Looked in at Chorreras. A good looking sector but confusing topo. Did a tufa style 7a as a warm up coming down when I started to get pumped (at 30m !) and then redpointing it. Back to try the 7b+ I had a go at on weds but had the same experience – ie too pumped to try the high crux. Did another 7a on Oasis then went to join Donnie and Greg at Super Zeb – an amazing looking 7c. One for next time. Paul and I did a slightly bizarre 7a to its right as our last route of the trip,

Overall a good trip to break up the winter. Gutted not to have bagged a 7b+ onsight even though I knew I would be lacking stamina.

For those who haven’t been I thoroughly recommend Chulilla. I’m keen to go back but will ensure I’m fitter to make the most of it.The gorge itself is beautiful with cactus, bamboo and bulrushes and other exotic plants along its length with virtually continuous orange walls on either side for about 2 miles. Most routes – even the 40metres ones – don’t even reach the top and the various orientations mean that you can opt for sun and shade. Predominantly the climbing is slightly overhanging and there is a good variety of route types.     

[kelvin]

Nice trip report Shark.

[Schnell]

STG: get back to full finger fitness, get fit for font at easter
MTG: keep working on shoulder stability, 7C in 2015

M. morning shoulders, reverse flies and one arm 'shrugs', eve indoor training session, did a bit of campusing and fingerboarding. new campus rungs gone up at the wall which are spaced further than standard, 1-3-5 back to being difficult.
T. power endurance session, trying to link routes into doubles on the circuit board. shoulder sesh in eve
W. shoulders
T. indoor wall session, did a bit of campusing but mostly just pottered around projecting stuff
F. shoulders
S. outdoors to a dampish venue, did a tricky 6B+ and then went to try a 7B slab but didn't have the shoes for it at all. was cool watching my mate cruise through the start, though no send yet. went back and tried a cool 6C+ traverse and would have done it but ran out of time. two to go back for.

Reasonable week and good to keep getting at least once a week, I want to try to keep up the outdoor climbing before font. Mainly I'm inordinately excited about the wall installing a weights and pulley system for fingerboarding, can't wait for the obsessive dissection of minute strength improvements this will allow. like all of UKB realistically

[nik at work]

STG: trad projects
MTG: various I'm 40 related targets and 8c
LTG: 9a
BHAG: Bruderlieber (sp?)

M - The 400
T - The 400 and a BM session. Had a play at using a pulley to take weight off, and it was desperate. I had the 15kg hanging through the pulley attached to my harness (which I was wearing...) and I was really struggling to even hang holds that I can quite comfortably hang one handed?!? Just felt totally wrong. Is it better to do these holding the other end rather than attaching to harness. Any pointers or is it just a getting used to thing?
W - The 400 and long day at work
T - The 400, 30 min swim, short BM session
F - The 400, very long day at work
S - The 400, and at work...
S - The 400 and attempted outside session turned into a dog  walk due to conditions, no time spent at work yay!

Work obviously a big feature this week so nothing spectacular climbing/training wise. Just keeping my head above water and stick to the 400 was (more) than enough...

TomTom re: fingers. I too have short index and very short tiny almost useless little fingers. My index fingers used to be slightly stronger than my ring fingers but recent middle two focussed training means that they are now way behind the ring finger. Having noted this (coupled with the complete uselessness of my little fingers) I played around with strategies to train these two fingers. I started with the obvious front two and back two type stuff but I always felt like the dominant finger (middle for front two and ring for back two) was the limiting factor and the weak finger was doing nothing/very little and barely getting trained, a combination of (1) being the weaker finger and (2) being shorter so barely getting on the hold. So I messed around with some different combinations and found that if I put my index finger in the BM bottom row mono my little finger goes quite nicely on the shallow crimp pocket/slot thing. So I started hanging two handed like that, which really feels like your working the target fingers (or my target fingers) and not like your strong fingers are doing all the work. It's definitely improved my index fingers and even my little fingers have improved from totally useless to simply practically useless... It's perhaps a tough hang to do two handed but maybe one hand like this and one on a better hold??
I'm just spitballin'

[tomtom]

TomTom re: fingers. I too have short index and very short tiny almost useless little fingers. My index fingers used to be slightly stronger than my ring fingers but recent middle two focussed training means that they are now way behind the ring finger. Having noted this (coupled with the complete uselessness of my little fingers) I played around with strategies to train these two fingers. I started with the obvious front two and back two type stuff but I always felt like the dominant finger (middle for front two and ring for back two) was the limiting factor and the weak finger was doing nothing/very little and barely getting trained, a combination of (1) being the weaker finger and (2) being shorter so barely getting on the hold. So I messed around with some different combinations and found that if I put my index finger in the BM bottom row mono my little finger goes quite nicely on the shallow crimp pocket/slot thing. So I started hanging two handed like that, which really feels like your working the target fingers (or my target fingers) and not like your strong fingers are doing all the work. It's definitely improved my index fingers and even my little fingers have improved from totally useless to simply practically useless... It's perhaps a tough hang to do two handed but maybe one hand like this and one on a better hold??
I'm just spitballin'

Cheers Nik - thats interesting to hear.. sounds like a good way to load the little finger OH, but I wonder when would you use it like that on rock? I guess it strengthens the finger that spreads the load when you can get aall fingers on for some holds...

Tom - my fingers are similar to yours and I find that my best grip is a chisel on an edge with my hand slightly angled outwards. I wouldn't write off the crimp as evil. I have had no problems prioritising training a full crimp for the last 6 months due to it being significantly weaker (by 5-10kg) than a chisel even though you get no help from the thumb. Glad to hear you are almost mended.

Nice write up Shark. Is chisel the same as half crimp? - I do the same angle the inside of my hand outwards so I get an even spread of tips on the hold..

Hmm.. confused.. My half crimp is like a crimp, but without the finger over the index finger and a bit more open fingered...

[shark]

Middle two half crimped. outer two open

[tomtom]

Thank you (doffs cap)...

What I call a half crimp (ha!) is halfway between the half crimp and the chisel... (a half chisel!) or maybe a quarter crimp

Actually, with my finger geomettry its hard to get a half crimp that looks like that - its more like the chisely half crimp. Confused? I am

ANYWAY - it means I'm getting some little finger action :/

[duncan]

STG - Get over this bloody shoulder tweak. Be less than completely crap in Chulilla in 5 weeks time. Start fingerboarding again. Find out what is up with my hip. Lose 2kg.
MTG: 7b RP this winter next autumn. E5 OS, something vertical, classic and not dangerous by June.
LTG: Long hard (for me) rock routes in the Alps, Dolomites, Picos and Scotland. 7c RP.

M - Shoulder stability exercises (and the old skool 400 most days)
T - Westway 2 routes 4+
W - Shoulder stability exercises
T - Westway 5 routes 4+ -5+
F - Shoulder stability exercises
S - Westway 7 routes 4+ - 6a
S - Shoulder stability exercises, micro foot-on fingerboard session,

Back on power club after 4 weeks of shoulder-related frustration. Can now comfortably manage 25 second side-planks - my key shoulder exercise -  so I can start to cautiously push things a bit. Plan: cautiously ramp up the mileage. Bouldering is out at the moment as I can’t jump off anything so focus will be on fingerboarding until this is resolved one way or another.

[Sasquatch]

I'm definitely a believer in training 1/2 crimp, but I wouldn't go full on first thing.  build up to it slowly to make sure you don't hurt yourself

I can regular crimp all the holds on the BM (that 4 fingers go on..) so its feeling fine 1/2 crimping them.. Though I like to mix my repeaters up, ie small edge, med edge, small edge etc... rather than all small, all med... Fingers feeling alot happier than when crimping though... (takes less effort to peel them back to normal shape!)

PS - sorry to hear you;ve had a shite week,...

Glad to hear it.  Hate to see anyone hurt themselves if its avoidable

The week wasn't really shit - just crazy busy and hectic and such.  and a little bit o shit on top

[Sasquatch]

I was goign to start offering up suggestion to those who are posting - if you think they're shit feel free to say so, and obviously they'll be well researched from reading 1-2 threads

If you think I should stop, let me know as well.

STG: Another V7.
MTG: V8
LTG: V11

T: moved to weighted campussing and fingerboarding. Did 1-5-7 for the first time ever.
W: More campussing and fingerboarding. No weighted stuff but did 1-5-7 3 timesin a row.
F: Indoors. Campussing and fingerboarding mainly.
S:More campussing and fingerboarding.

I've not yet done 1-4-7 or 1-5-7 on a moon spaced campus board.  This fall I came close to 1-4-7, touching the rung, but never getting over the rung to be able to stick it.  Your goal is v7, and I was at v12/13.  I think this shows two great points.  I need to work on campusing, and you probably don't need to.  I'd guess your time may be better spent focussing on something else as a weakness. Just a thought. 

[Sasquatch]

Nice trip report Shark.

Second this!!!  So close to the 7b+ flash

[Sasquatch]

Short term goals:
- Figure out what my weaknesses really are (if anybody out there climbs/has climbed with me then please tell me what they are. My feelings won't be hurt!)
- Build a coherent training plan around these that will create long term improvement
- Put it in action and arrive in Font injury free (early April)
- 3 sessions of climbing related training per week

M -
T - Fingerboard. Trying out different grips for about an hour (including WU). Trying to find what works and how I can get into Dave Mac's 5-8 second zone. Worked front and back 3 in open hand only.
W - Gym. Assisted one armers (-10Kg) 3 sets of one rep on each arm. Weighted pull ups (+15kg) 3x3. Toes-to-bar - 3x3 - could not fully complete the last set.
T -
F - Beer and a late night
S - Did one route at Horseshit - horribly cold. Bailed to Curbar and did Trackside and a few easy problems.
S - 2 games of Munchkin and 2 games of Settlers of Catan. YYFY.

Not a great week in terms of training. Didn't get on a board, which having read 9 out of 10 Climbers, I think is a big issue. Technique on properly steep stuff is obviously crap.

There was quite a bit of discussion about starting core training.  Are you going to go down that road as I only see the 3x3 toes-to-bar in this cycle?  It seems like an obvious weakness to address.

[JackAus]

I was goign to start offering up suggestion to those who are posting - if you think they're shit feel free to say so, and obviously they'll be well researched from reading 1-2 threads

If you think I should stop, let me know as well.

STG: Another V7.
MTG: V8
LTG: V11

T: moved to weighted campussing and fingerboarding. Did 1-5-7 for the first time ever.
W: More campussing and fingerboarding. No weighted stuff but did 1-5-7 3 timesin a row.
F: Indoors. Campussing and fingerboarding mainly.
S:More campussing and fingerboarding.

I've not yet done 1-4-7 or 1-5-7 on a moon spaced campus board.  This fall I came close to 1-4-7, touching the rung, but never getting over the rung to be able to stick it.  Your goal is v7, and I was at v12/13.  I think this shows two great points.  I need to work on campusing, and you probably don't need to.  I'd guess your time may be better spent focussing on something else as a weakness. Just a thought.

Definitely welcomed but I completely forgot to mention that that was NOT on small rungs... Those were pretty big.
I'm combining campussing with finger boarding alot lately to train for the crux on my DWS project. Using big moves for the power generation and obviously fingerboard for fingers.
I am still bouldering alot to train but kind of focussed on the boards atm...

Thanks Todd!

[Sasquatch]

Even so, I can't do 1-4-7 on the medium or large rungs.  Like I said it, makes for a good comparison of relative strengths. 

An alternative if you not specifically training for a campus move is to do max moves using a foot on to generate momentum.  This can be done either matched hands, or offset. 

Cheers and good luck w the DWS project.  That's something i'd like to do sometime.   

[tomtom]

I was goign to start offering up suggestion to those who are posting - if you think they're shit feel free to say so, and obviously they'll be well researched from reading 1-2 threads

Great idea - feedback always welcome...

[Muenchener]

I was going to start offering up suggestion to those who are posting - if you think they're shit feel free to say so, and obviously they'll be well researched from reading 1-2 threads

An excellent and generous idea.

I post on here largely as my own training journal but also partly in the hope of advice/critique from better climbers - which, judging by the "How hard have you bouldered in 2014?" thread, means pretty much everybody.

[a dense loner]

The half crimp in the BM terminology is what everybody else I know calls a chisel 
The "chisel" in the terminology is a way of "cheating" to hold the big slopers, mostly employed by light midgets with tiny hands.

[tomtom]

The half crimp in the BM terminology is what everybody else I know calls a chisel 
The "chisel" in the terminology is a way of "cheating" to hold the big slopers, mostly employed by light midgets with tiny hands.

Yes - its a bit of a blurry pair of categories - as if you go strictly by that picture then a chisel is a deflated half crimp! Shirley, depending on the angle/shitness/type of edge you are crimping you are going to halfcrimp/chisel and a different angle anyway....

Chisel terminology on slopers (or I noticed especially on plastic when people bone down on the back edge of a slopey blob) makes alot of sense..

[abarro81]

Like dense, I tend to think of half crimp as my 'natural' grip, with central fingers at 90ndegrees but outer fingers dragging, and chisel and being forcing 90 in the index too. There's also the possibility of forcing fingers into a crimp position but without the thumb, so half crimp is actually a very poorly defined term!

I'm fairly sure that CWP and Lopez both mean forcing 90 degrees (what I call chizel) in their finger boarding...