[fried]

Start of Sasquatch's training program.

Mon - Nothing
Tues - Indoor hard session, warmed up, selected a couple of 6B+/C problems and just worked them for 3h, taking decent breaks between attempts. This was a revelation, I would normally have moved onto something else after a few goes. Didn't finish anything, but worked through a lot of different sequenced, left very happy, even though I didn't top anything, I love to finish them next week now I have my sequences worked, we'll see.

Wed/ Thu - Rest

Fri - 40 mins BM - 3 sets of repeaters 6/3 x 4
Sat - Eating
Sun - The weather jumped a few degrees, with a bit of sun forecast for the afternoon, a very heavy dew though. Opted for perennial safe choice and went to Gorge aux chats. A bit damp to start with, and a bit difficult to get warmed up, dried out really well in the end, with just about perfect conditions.

The plan was to just pick a couple of 6Bs and sit and work them. Chose 2 good ones, Travaux forcés and Gigi. First I picked off a benchmark red problem which only has one difficult move; leaving the ground, first time I've done it. Then spent a couple of hours falling off the above problems. Not too much progress, but I feel it wouldn't take much improvement to polish them off. I certainly felt much better on them than when I'd had couple of hopefull punts before. Walked back down the hill and would have topped another benchmark red problem but the top out was damp. I ache.

A thoroughly enjoyable week and completely different from my usual aimless wandering about.

[Muenchener]

STG: (March) indoor 7a ROUTE
MTG (2015): 7b redpoint
            Beastmaker 5A routine
            Muscle-Up
            Sautanz
LTG (<= 5 years): Big alpine rock routes: Totenkirchl West Face (Dülfer), Marmolada south face (Vinatzer-Messner)

M: Beastmaker 14 sets. In the light of recent discussions about "pinkies", crimping etc. I threw a couple of new things into the mix: full crimps, and back two with a massive amount of pulley assistance (-20kg). Hammer curls, pec minor stretching.
T: manflu
W: manflu
T: manflu
F:
S: Wall, Thalkirchen. Attempt at a limit bouldering session, in which my designated "desperate" project went on the sixth go. Clearly I have a bit to learn about actually trying hard at bouldering. Finished off with dips & explosive pull-ups
   Wall squats, pec minor stretches
S: Wall, Boulderwelt. An hour of moderate bouldering to warm up then started work on a 7a+/b circuit project. Did all the moves, but some of them are really hard as single moves in isolation. Including the last one, which may prove to be a redpoint killer.

[webbo]

Mon. Off work planned to go for a ride, too icey. So 2 hours on the turbo desperate.
Tue. Board worked a project but seemed to run out of power, so finished off with some dead hanging.
Wed. Starting with the sniffles.
Thu. Same.
Fri. And again.
Sat. Decided to man up a bit. Board did my project and got close on another. Turbo 1 hour.
Sun. Board split a tip half way through the session. So dead hanging again. Bike 3 hours hilly, creeping up some of them though.

[jfdm]

Realised last couple of power club that my "+"x kg's on the finger board should actually be "- kg's!"
As I am adding weight to pulley - sorry for mix up!

Work mental doing backdrop for school play and going to Madrid with art group for half-term - so doing lots of planning!

Mon - nothing
Tuesday - fb 5a bm 2 rounds 1st at "-"3.75kg 2nd "-" 2.5kg + week 3 swissball core routine!
Wed - parents evening - nothing
Thurs - worked late on backdrop - nothing
Fri - away football fixture  at school- late finish - knackered - nothing
Sat - work green circuit at arch 6b+, best attempt yet - 2 moves from completing circuit!
Sun - new arch - did lots of bits and pieces - including balancy blue v2or3, that couldn't do last time and catches everybody out.
Happy with climbing this weekend!
Shame got to go to Madrid! But rest will do me some good !

[nai]

M: Beastmaker 14 sets. In the light of recent discussions about "pinkies", crimping etc. I threw a couple of new things into the mix: full crimps, and back two with a massive amount of pulley assistance (-20kg).

I wouldn't dismiss 20Kg as a "massive" amount of assistance. I am not expert on mechanics, but I would guess that in a large range of normal foot-on climbing situations the fingers are only handling loads in the 0-50% bodyweight range. In that sense, your -20Kg is already loading back2 beyond a level that they would normally encounter, so it is a useful training stimulus.

I did back 2 for the first time this week and -20kg was also my aid (have been doing a I,R,L/p split but reckon Index was helping too much to be targeting the R&L properly).  Suspect I weigh a bit less than you too, around 60kg, so effectively I'm removing 1/3rd bodyweight.

[Sasquatch]

I remember the first time i did back 2 and how pathetic it felt(-15kgs), but gains came quite rapidly.  Stick with it, and you should see solid gains.

[nai]

Goals:
2015 Spring-Autumn - several 8a & E4s
winter 15/16 Brad Pit.

M - Max hangs (or not as it turned out)

T - Repeaters - 7s on, 3s off. sets of 4 reps and 3 reps with extra weight. Weights.

W - Aero on campus board 4x10 minutes.  Too much, arms cramping at end.

Th - rest

F - Repeaters as per Tue plus a max hang. Added 5-10kg extra per max hang vs Monday's effort. Improved efforts on all Repeaters too , either more weight hung or sets completed.  Weights.

S- kids wanted to go to wall so hand was forced - Red & pinkles circuits at mini works plus a few others so 50 mostly grade 4 to 5+ problems in 1:30. Just volume really, not bouldering, not Aerocap, probably not helpful.

S- rest.

Couple of decent BM sessions after deciding on a plan following the advice from last week.  Odd week coming up though as I have the weekend to myself but have made no plans following the injury.  Plan will be interrupted but will be able to get away, just not sure where or for what yet.

[Muenchener]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I need to remember that the objective isn't to be able to campus on pinkie monos, but to increase the contribution all four fingers are able to make on normal holds.

To which end teaching myself to crimp is also relevant, because the grip I instinctively resort to on smaller holds under stress is open hand dragging and de facto three finger, because then my little finger isn't on the hold any more. Probably good for avoiding injury, but not good for effective bearing down.

[nai]

Moreover it is unclear to me how much contribution the pinky makes, even in back2.

When I do 4f 1/2 crimp on the low slots the pinky is straight but engaged, there is a massive difference if I try F3 1/2 crimp.  Think it makes more difference than you realise.

And the act of typing this out has made me realise that instead of adding extra weight to my 1/2 crimp hangs I should just drop the pinky.

[csl]

January Goals
V8 Indoors or 1-4-7 on the Campus Board
Don’t be injured when I go to Spain
down to 70kg for Spain

Mon
Fingerboard
6x6second hangs
Some hard boulders. Felt quite strong by the end of the session. Did some hard moves.
Tue
AnCap + Pullups
2x 6 reps of 15 moves. Bit easier than usual, but was tired after Mondays session.
Pullups + Offset Pullups
Ab Ripper X
Wed
Thu
4x4’s
Good session. Did 20 routes up to 7a+.
Stretching Master class from partner who into Ballet/Pilates. Felt great after.
Fri
rest
Sat
nothing
Sun
Arch Bouldering.
Quite a good session. Tried the Green V6-9 circuit that i’ve never really been on before. Flashed a couple and did a few others.
Ab Ripper X

[kelvin]

Worked away all week and long hours, so on paper - it seems a pretty rubbish week.

Mon - Nothing.
Tue - Pressups 20+15+11+10 = 56. See YYFY thread - it was the first time since '07 I've managed pressups with my hands on the floor. One happy but sore chappy.
Wed - Pressups, 77 in total.
Thu - 30 pressups in one hit, hands on floor. Think I could have made 100 today but the wrist wasn't too happy and I thought it best to quit whilst ahead.
Fri - Long day finishing job.
Sat - Nowt.
Sun - Plantation. Bashed the new van into some one's wing mirror before I'd even gone a mile from home... then climbed badly all day. Came to a head on a 5+ at the end, just couldn't understand what I was doing wrong, neither could my better climbing mate, fifteen/twenty goes or so and then finally worked out what was amiss, ticked it straight away and it may just be a game changer for me all round. Brilliant sunny, snowy and wind free day - was so good to be out. Couple of mates ticked Not To Be Taken Away - it was almost a trade route today.

So after the thread I posted for advice, I had a lot to think about even if I couldn't get much done this week. Booked a couple of afternoons with John Kettle in a couple of weeks time - movement based, I think maybe today on the last problem I realised where I've been going wrong and it is a movement/positioning issue. It'll be interesting to see what he thinks.
Soaked up all the info that came from last week's Power Club and realised that I do need rest days to get strong - that and make sure there is maximal effort every session. Which is why I threw myself into the pressups - jeez, the pain was immense on the last few but a definite YYFY moment. Cheers everyone, Sas maybe for taking the lead but I have no excuses now, everything is in place; no half measures.

The sun shone today, the rock was good and I climbed like crap but it didn't matter - I was out there, smiling, trying, learning and my fingers hurt like I did a BM session.

[krymson]

STG: stay in shape for HK trip in a week and get outdoors a bit.
MTG: build strength by bouldering more

M: Yoga
T: Steep lead wall w/feet on fingerboard finish
W: rest
Th: Indoor bouldering
Fr: antagonists/shoulders
Sa: Bouldered
Su: weather was shot. Bouldered indoors and some traversing(~7a)

Good: Got stronger on boulders this week while maintaining base endurance. Fingers feel solid. Shoulder regaining stability and healthy movement patterns.
Improve Get outdoors more before the trip to brush up on the lead head and rock skills. Work aerocap and a little ancap on 10-15 degree overhanging walls.

[tomtom]

Thanks for starting the thread Fried.

M: Early start - work.

T: Work - early start - late eve

W: Went to Healey Nab with R-Man and Tim. First proper outdoor test flight of my back.. was superb to be on the rock, enjoying padding up and down easy slabs/routes/probs.. Managed a knacky 6B+ arete and crimped til my tips nearly went on a 7B/+. All good - and importantly felt OK when I got back home..

Th: Back still felt OK..

Fr: Bit more of an outdoor session - met up with Andy Popp to head over to Cows Mouth. It didnt start too well, when in the car park my feet skated away on some ice and I did a full body slam on the deck - ofrtunately side on rather than back on... anyway - a good session and managed to creak my way up my first 7 of the year (as per the YYFY thread)...

Sa: Sore (as in used rather than bad) back/lats/shoulders - from the first proper work out they've had in ages... train to London, beers in random 70's music themed pub in Shoreditch. No beer in jam jars, and that part of E.London is certainly well past peak beard. Move along lumbersexuals, nothing for you there now... First Uber taxi home (great innit?)...

Su: No hangover, but only a few hours sleep. Back to Manchester, afternoon beastmaker session. Creaky arms - still doms(ing) but felt good at the end of it.

Slowly getting back into the swing of things. My climbing mobility (ability to get legs high, heels, rocking up on things etc..) is still limited by a less than 100% back, but it seems to have been responding positively to the climbing - which is really good. Another couple of hard work days ahead now, but hopefully get out on the grit sometime mid week for another test...

[Sasquatch]

STG: continue training - need to figure one out
MTG: New local routes.  I'd like to find a few genuinely hard 8b-8c routes to bolt
LTG: To bolt or Not to Be

M-Rest
T-Yoga, Boulder
W-rest
T-Boulder-moonboard
F-rest
S-Rest
S-FB - added 10lbs across the board from last week.  good improvement. 

The two boulder sessions were odd.  everything v6 and under felt easy, but couldn't go past v7.

[the_dom]

A good week on my side that didn't end too well, but my current life situation at the moment means that planning is a little impossible..

Mon: 40 minute hilly trail run in the forest.

Tues: 5am hangboard session. For some reason my body clock was weird all week and I kept waking up at 4:30am. Leg rehab exercises in the afternoon.

Wed: 5am weights session - 5 x 5 deadlifts at 130kgs (with some gas left in the tank), 5 x 5 military press, 5 x 3 snatches with 40kgs; 50 minute hilly hike in the forest in the PM

Thurs: 5am hangboard session (one arm work only), bouldering in the afternoon, re-ticked a 7A, 7B and 7B+ that I've done before. Actually a really good session.

Fri: Rest day. First one since the last week of December - was feeling emotionally and physically worked and had a fight with the fiance to top it off. We've both been living with a significant degree of work-related uncertainty (not necessarily in a bad way) and sometimes it takes a toll.

Sat: Bouldering - did a 7A first try and a brick hard 7A+ at the end of the session, but spent the rest of the session falling off 7Bs and 7Cs. A good long session.

Sun: Short, tired hangboard session (one arm work only), followed by bouldering. Felt tired and sore bouldering - should have listened to my body and stopped but carried on a tore a solid flapper in my ring finger. Bugger.  Will need to rest it for a few days.

[T_B]

STG - get under 85Kg for 7 March

86.4Kg ... back on the wagon this week

M - School - lunch. General getting-back-into-it (again) bouldering.
T - P.M. F/board repeaters. 2 x 6 x 7 front 3, 1 x 6 x back 3 then failed on 5. Half crimped on 12 mm edge 1 x 6 x 7. Decent locks. First time I've dared to half-crimp on the F/board since November when my fingers became achey.
W - Foundry - lunch. 10 mins on, 3 mins off x 4.
T - Weird tweaky wrist so didn't climb
F - wrist
S -
S - decided to climb despite wrist still a bit weird, warmed up then Rivelin with a bit of a team. Did Acid Reign, which I'd never done before then set to work on Master Kush 7C+. Dave did it 3rd go? Then I held the swing a few goes later. Class problem.

Week didn't go to plan due to weird wrist tweak, but main thing is that I'm back to eating well and my fingers withstood an intensive F/board sess. Need to keep it up. Yet another Peak grit problem that I've wanted to get on for ages dispatched 

[T_B]

Slowly getting back into the swing of things. My climbing mobility (ability to get legs high, heels, rocking up on things etc..) is still limited by a less than 100% back, but it seems to have been responding positively to the climbing - which is really good. Another couple of hard work days ahead now, but hopefully get out on the grit sometime mid week for another test...

Good stuff, as a fellow long term back sufferer, good to hear you're back on the rock.

[mindfull]

Anterior deltoid inflammation + feeling weak this week. Might be the flu.

MO-THU: Rest
FRI: Full body (5x8).
SAT: Chest & Back
SUN: Rest

[ummagumma]

STG Climb 4 times per Week
MTG Clean & Climb New project

Mon Yoga
Tues Rest
Wed Indoors Bouldering. Concentrating on small - smallish handholds on shit footholds. Good Session
Thurs Indoor Bouldering. Dynamic movement and Power. Big holds. Felt pain in my fore arm so stopped the session. Pain was below the elbow joint so doesnt look like tendon damage 
Fri Rest
Sat Planned Climbing abandoned. Nursing forearm.
Sun Planned Climbing abandoned. Nursing forearm. 5km run.

After finishing a 6 week intensive cycle  I should of took a low intensity week. Instead I beat on and hurt my forearm. Fuck. Was feeling tired earlier in the week which was a red flag. Fuck. Totally avoidable.

On the plus side I needed a down week and hopefully the forearm is ok this week. Will try a easy session on Tuesday to suss it out. ON the plus side I feel rested and have lost a little weight -0.6kg. 72.7kg

[galpinos]

STG
•   Don’t let life get in the way too much
•   Stick to the plan
•   Back up to previous highpoint, 7A in short order - Not quite there but feels like it happening, 7B with effort

M – BM: Half Crimp Repeaters followed by JWI Week 2 Ab session
T – Short run, 4 miles @ 7:15min/mile ish (warm up mile, 3 miles @7min/mile – still too short and too slow)
W – BM: Half Crimp Repeaters followed by JWI Week 2 Ab session
T – Attempted BM: 35 Deg Repeaters – Faled to get to the wall so thought I’d go in the loft. After warm up I couldn’t get near any decent efforts so sacked it off. Must have tried hard on Wednesday!
F – Nothing (wife on call)
S – Nothing (family day)
S – Stanage with erm,sam. One of my best days out on grit in a long time, first people at the crag, glorious sunshine, snow on the ground – magic. Nothing new but ticked a couple of 7As again and made progress on a couple of harder bits. Makes the fingerboard/wall sessions worthwhile.

[JackAus]

STG: Another V7.
MTG: V8
LTG: V11

M: Indoors
T: Indoors
W:
T: Sissy. Bunch of stuff up to V4. Got back on Rebel Scum V7. Only 4 moves but I can't link the 2nd into the 3rd. Only ever stuck the 2nd move twice. Bunch of pads and spotters tonight so got on a big dyno that I've had my eye on for a few years; Not For Sissies V9. Big steep and high dyno with not a great landing... I have to jump to the start hold then its a big jump (close to 7ft haven't measured it) out the 35-40 degree wall to a sloper with a small lip.  Very, very close. Took a bunch of good falls including kicking a spotter in the face and face planting into the pads, fucking my face, neck, back and lungs.... So fucking close though! Got back on it a bunch after the bad fall. Should go next time there's enough pads. Didn't feel V9 though. Maybe V7/8.
F: Indoors. Dyno session.
S: Indoors.
S: Indoors.

Every indoor session finishes with finger boarding for about half hour. Middle finger on right hand is feeling off at the moment. For some reason, its stopping me half crimping properly with my right index. During dead hangs, it won't stay in half crimp and goes into chisel. Really annoying.
Left wrist is still playing up, so still no push ups.

[JohnM]

STG: Stay injury free, Fisheye (Oliana).
MTG: Indian Summer, Kilnsey.
LTG: Big wall/hard multipitch, 8A/+ boulder problem (bloc style < 10 moves), UK 8b+/c, live in Spain.

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: AM - Boulder 4x4s (8-16 moves).  V6 (failed on second one again but completed set with longer rests), V5, V4 and V3.  PM - Westway board - V6, V7, V7, V8, V7, V7, V5.  Systems board x 10 (3 min rests between sets).
Wednesday: Rest.
Thursday: AM - Long endurance circuits (60 - 80 moves, 7c - 8a+).  PM - 2x2s/4x4s on routes - 6c, 7b and then failed on everything.  It became evident that I had finally hit the wall and needed 2 days rest!
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest. 
Sunday: Brean Down redpoint/training day - 7a, 7b+, 8b, 8a, 7c+, 7b+, 7a+.

[gme]

Mon- AM-45 mins vinyasa flow yoga. PM- 5/10 FB workout.
Tues- AM 2 hours surf, pretty hefty session. PM- Alnwick wall did 51 out of 52 new problems set. easy-7A. Only failed on a 6C+ slab, only 3 tries.
Wed-Fri- stupid long hours at work in Holland followed by long evenings eating and drinking. No exercise at all other than my jaw and pen hand.
Sat- travelled back to UK feeling ropey. Alnwick wall PM. Mellow session as tired but did do one of my 7A projects on the moonboard to my surprise.
Sun- Feel ill and getting worse- in bed by 7 fucked. Great.

Well i knew i was going to have a pretty shit week due to work and i was right. the climbing i did was great and can feel big improvements. Ate my own bodyweight in meat, cheese and bread in Holland (they just dont seam to do veg over there) but dont seem to have put on weight. Settled at 80kg now, hopefully will break under 80 this week.

Was all psyched to train hard this week but have got ill. I thought it was just the flight/travel thing but feel like shit today having slept for 16 hours. Just a heavy cold and still at work but cant see me training for a few days. Surfs been pumping for two days as well and i have missed it.

[cheque]

STG- Finish film without becoming crap at climbing.

MTG- New grades this year.

LTG- Hubble

M- Nothing.

T- Nothing.

W- Nothing.

T- Notts Depot. Taped finger and felt fine climbing on it all evening. Didn't try much fingery though- did all the new blue (easy) problems plus a few of the harder red and yellow ones that I hadn't done before. First climbing-related indication that my lower-body stretching regime is paying off as I was (just about) able to do an very wide bridging move.

F- Finger stiff and swollen. 

S- Reluctantly resigned myself to spending a very nice looking weekend not climbing. In evening saw a link on a mate's Facebook to the (the pedant in me feels compelled to mention that the lyrics are actually "Green Sally Up)" his stated best time seemed low and I was sure I'd breeze it as it appeared to just be 4 minutes of plank with 20 pushups thrown in. Turns out it's more difficult than I thought. Managed 'til 1:53, 15 seconds longer than my mate though. Might try it again tonight.

S- Black Rocks scoping out shots and the condition of the north wall- this is looking encouragingly ungreen. Messed about soloing the End Slab by vaious methods in approach shoes- this is actually the first thing I've topped-out all this year and was really satisfying!  Walk along High Peak Trail.

Miserable start and middle of the week. Lost all training psyche due to finger and the feeling that I don't really know what to train- it just seems to lead to injury and have very little impact on my climbing. Re-energised by getting out on Sunday, though.

[andy_e]

. In evening saw a link on a mate's Facebook to the ... Managed 'til 1:53, 15 seconds longer than my mate though. Might try it again tonight.

That's brilliant, definitely trying that tonight! Absolutely no idea how I'll fare...

[tomtom]

Nutters.

I do push ups from the knees at the moment.. my logic being that the only reason I do press ups is to stop my elbows from exploding - so its probably more use to do 20 gentle press ups (from the knee upwards) than 10 stressful ones (from the toes)... reps vs strength etc...

[joel182]

Mon: Rest
Tue: Bouldering on new set, trying problems up to around V6, trying to keep goes limited and getting a lot of variety. ~2.5 hours
Weds: Lead session. Warm up on a couple of easier routes, then 4x4s on 6b/+s.
Thu: Rest. Tried a 20 min yoga for climbers video on YouTube and really enjoyed it.
Fri: Lead session. Warm up on a couple of easier routes, then flash/RP attempts on 6 routes from 6c-7a+. Got really pumped (flash pumped?) on the first route and it never really went away, but felt like a productive session. Mostly fell off the routes around the last bolt.
Sat: Short aero cap traversing, really lacking motivation. Did 2 sets of 15 minutes.
Sun: Rest.

[shark]

11.7 – 9

M. Eve. Afternoon. Shed messed on home board in eve
T. Noon. Tor. Icicles. Dom from Leek and mate there. Unfortunately Perverse Reverse wet. Only dry thing was Ben's so worked on start of that for first time in ages. Felt close linking first section but didnt quite do it
W. 
T.  Early afternoon. Shed. Did oak circuit 4 times with 2 mins rest just failing on last rep at end PB. Late afternoon did two sets of 20/10s = 240moves (AeroCap). Good training day.
F. Drove South to Brean Down and met up with a guy called Eric who responded to my UKC Lifts and Partners request. Was cold at the crag and a struggle to stay warm. Warmed up on a 6c then got utterly spanked on Chulilla 7b+. An onsight attempt failed after three moves. Then I struggled to dog the moves. Redpoint was out of the question. Drove on to Torquay.
S. Ansteys. Got a good mornings climbing in with Dave Turnbull doing Cocytus (6c?), How the Mighty Fall (soft 7a+) and Might and Main 6c (6c+ IMO) all repeat ascents. BMC Meeting in the afternoon.
S. Headed down with Dave again to Ansteys and traversed in to Sanctuary Wall getting soaked as tide was up. Went straight on Call to Arms E4 – a route I had followed 29 years ago !. This is steep and intimidating and given my lack of tradding was a big deal. Unfortunately I got pumped and didn’t have quite enough gear or confidence to run it out up the last 15 feet so had a rest. Pleased to have not bottled trying the lead as it would have been easy to cop out and pass the lead to Dave. After traversing back we killed an hour on the Lynch (7b+) something I’d redpointed 22 years ago. At the time I really struggled on the bottom moves but this time I flashed that bit which was gratifying. Tried a redpoint but fell off on the crux going past the third bolt.

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..       

[Schnell]

STG: get and stay fit for Font at easter, 7B in the forest is the objective
MTG: I'm a short term thinker, get a van maybe

M. shoulder stability work, weighted reverse flies etc. eve Indoor sesh, have a set FB routine going involving 4x5sec hangs with 10 sec rest between, ie strength oriented repeaters. did this for half crimp, 3-finger crimp (minus middle finger), back two and BM 45's. also did a bit of campusing and bouldering
T. shoulders, tired enduro session, did an hour on the circuit board. this is basically trying to build training capacity and a bit of aerobic fitness
W. shoulders
T. indoors similar to M. got through FB and campusing and felt fit. shoulder session
F. home late but got a bit of shoulder stuff done.
S, S. first Fair head bouldering weekend of the new year, great trip given variable weather. did three new 7As, one techy, one board-style (and soft) and one long thrutchy traverse. satisfying to be getting to the point of a 7A(s) being achievable in a session.

good week. I did some hard crimping at the head and the finger held up ok though it's feeling a bit tender now. Good to put the fitness to the test and get some stuff done outdoors. Back to the get fit for Font campaign for the next few weeks.

[Sasquatch]

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..     

Good Luck!

[Sasquatch]

Tues - Indoor hard session, warmed up, selected a couple of 6B+/C problems and just worked them for 3h, taking decent breaks between attempts. This was a revelation, I would normally have moved onto something else after a few goes. Didn't finish anything, but worked through a lot of different sequenced, left very happy, even though I didn't top anything, I love to finish them next week now I have my sequences worked, we'll see.

 
I find this to be one of the most important and underrated aspects of hard bouldering.  There's a tendency amongst some people to get stuck into a sequence, but if you hit a stopper move, try anything you can think of, then try anything your partner can think of.  You may have been right the first time, but you'll spend a fair bit of time learning new movement options and motor patterns.  And if you were right, you can make that move with the confidence that there is not an easier way and you just have to give it your all.  Plus you train your body to respond effectively to hard moves. 

[Sasquatch]

S- kids wanted to go to wall so hand was forced - Red & pinkles circuits at mini works plus a few others so 50 mostly grade 4 to 5+ problems in 1:30. Just volume really, not bouldering, not Aerocap, probably not helpful.

As long as it doesn't F&*% up your main trainng goals, there's always something to be said for a volume of climbing, if nothing else to help traing motor patterns and movement. 

[Sasquatch]

So after the thread I posted for advice, I had a lot to think about even if I couldn't get much done this week. Booked a couple of afternoons with John Kettle in a couple of weeks time - movement based, I think maybe today on the last problem I realised where I've been going wrong and it is a movement/positioning issue. It'll be interesting to see what he thinks.
Soaked up all the info that came from last week's Power Club and realised that I do need rest days to get strong - that and make sure there is maximal effort every session. Which is why I threw myself into the pressups - jeez, the pain was immense on the last few but a definite YYFY moment. Cheers everyone, Sas maybe for taking the lead but I have no excuses now, everything is in place; no half measures.

The sun shone today, the rock was good and I climbed like crap but it didn't matter - I was out there, smiling, trying, learning and my fingers hurt like I did a BM session.

Good Luck with the coaching.  Hope it goes well!

And there's nothing quite like a sunny crisp day of bouldering, even if all you do if flail

[kelvin]

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..     

How much is a session with a dominatrix up your way Shark?

*hope it goes well

[Sasquatch]

Sat: slightly better, surprisingly managed a good fingerboard session. Finally notched up a 10 second crimp on the lower bm rungs with 20 Kg added, which matches my personal best. Also 5 secs on back3 open handed in the big slots also with 20 Kg; a new personal best. Finished work on my campus board and did a couple of tentative ladder moves.

Congrats! 

M: Indoors
T: Indoors
W:
T: Sissy. Bunch of stuff up to V4. Got back on Rebel Scum V7. Only 4 moves but I can't link the 2nd into the 3rd. Only ever stuck the 2nd move twice. Bunch of pads and spotters tonight so got on a big dyno that I've had my eye on for a few years; Not For Sissies V9. Big steep and high dyno with not a great landing... I have to jump to the start hold then its a big jump (close to 7ft haven't measured it) out the 35-40 degree wall to a sloper with a small lip.  Very, very close. Took a bunch of good falls including kicking a spotter in the face and face planting into the pads, fucking my face, neck, back and lungs.... So fucking close though! Got back on it a bunch after the bad fall. Should go next time there's enough pads. Didn't feel V9 though. Maybe V7/8.
F: Indoors. Dyno session.
S: Indoors.
S: Indoors.

Every indoor session finishes with finger boarding for about half hour. Middle finger on right hand is feeling off at the moment. For some reason, its stopping me half crimping properly with my right index. During dead hangs, it won't stay in half crimp and goes into chisel. Really annoying.
Left wrist is still playing up, so still no push ups.

So you just did 5 out of 6 days on, including 5 days of FBing and "for some reason" your fingers aren't playing the way you want... 

[kelvin]

Good Luck with the coaching.  Hope it goes well!

And there's nothing quite like a sunny crisp day of bouldering, even if all you do if flail

Cheers Sas, I did a count up of what everyone said and it was 1 vote for core work, 3 votes each for boulder hard, get a bar for pullups, rope sessions, general conditioning, try harder stuff and also stay injury free - coaching had 6 votes. So took the advice.
Really feel like I had a breakthrough yesterday however, my mate watched me like a hawk and couldn't see what was going wrong until after about 15 goes or so. I mentioned my right middle two were getting sore from crimping and he looked puzzled "I don't hold on with my right hand at all, just balance." Quick think, get back on, transferring all my power to my left hand before moving the right - ticked the thing straight away. It just felt way more solid, used less energy and effort and it worked. I think I've been making a basic stupid mistake all along and the reason I do okay on slabs is purely down to getting away with it. Transferring wight to one leg seems natural but for me, I don't think I've been doing that with my hands and that's made everything just way harder than it needs to be, makes me think I'm weak (I am anyway but still...) and basically held me back for yonks. Maybe. We'll see. I'm optimistic.

[Sasquatch]

Give this thread a good read through prior to your session (even though you've read it and were engaged), and again - Good Luck!

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,24894.25.html

[nai]

Just tried the explosive pullups suggestion from last week.

Pullups yes, explosive No.

Couldn't really do it on my bar as it's a bit neat inside the door frame so tried:

jugs on the board but not a chance;
touches on jugs on the campus board which was ok;
foot on using jugs on CB, probably too easy but ok other than missing holds on the recatch;
foot on using jugs on steep board - hard enough to initiate the movement, no chance of making the catch.

So not great but it is October since I was doing any type of hard climbing and August since I did any steep dynamic board problems. I may have mentioned I've been injured recently too, so maybe not surprising I'm a little short on pulling power.

[erm, sam]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

[Sasquatch]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Indeed, this can work well.  I will also just do deep pullups (think doing a pullup to your chest, preferably down below your nips) as they require more explosiveness.

[tomtom]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Can you slap the wall/doorframe with the hand? Might give you a good indicator of how far you can go etc..?

[Muenchener]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Indeed, this can work well.  I will also just do deep pullups (think doing a pullup to your chest, preferably down below your nips) as they require more explosiveness.

I'm doing a mix of both at the moment, but I definitely do't go as high on the hands-off-the-bar version

[Sasquatch]

Also, IIIRC, you are currently doing more of a FB cycle, and will be doing campusing soon.  This is more to give you a starting primer for the campusing rather than a major part of your workout. 

[andy_e]

Absolutely no idea how I'll fare...

1:06, just like the first guy in the video to drop out! Absolutely brutal!

[cheque]

Absolutely no idea how I'll fare...

1:06, just like the first guy in the video to drop out! Absolutely brutal!

I read that just when I was about to try it again! Did 2:03 this time. The crux is definitely pushing back up after the longer gaps.

Yet more proof that ability on training feats isn't necessarily related to max. climbing grade!

[andy_e]

Yeah, that's where I failed, held the plank with some powershakes but as soon as the second chorus kicked in I bailed!

[Will Hunt]

STG:
- 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 -
W - 30 mins fingerboard sesh. Didn't really feel as good as the last one. Still trying to figure out where I am with the grips
T -
F - Lantern session at Caley. Quite poor conditions. STILL haven't done Ben's Groove - I'm certain that its just a case of trying this in decent conditions. Basically did all the moves on it but there was nowhere in the top crease that wasn't gunged. Secret Seventh not in good condition either.
S -
S - Brandrith. Did a great 7A+ (Gentlebeards) and had a session on Heaven In Your Hands which is fantastic. It looks pish in all the videos, then you realise that it's slightly overhanging! Might benefit from a new pair of shoes on this, boot rubber was peeling slightly on little toe smears. Also, didn't take too many goes before I felt fucked in the left arm which wasn't helping with the move out right to the crimp. Not sure whether this was cold induced or a PE thing.

[nik at work]

STG - Trad projects
MTG - 8c and age related flim-flam
LTG - 9a
BHAG - Bruderliebe

M - T- can't fully remember what on what day but did a couple of BM sessions.
F - day off work. Supposed to be sea kayaking but wife ill so instead went out "climbing" which was mostly messing on ropes trying to get onto a project line and clean it. Finally managed to rig up a system of tensioned ropes and such like that let me get close-ish to the rock (it's steep and gearless) and had an initial clean up, then time to go home.
S - Cleaning and working project line.
S - Cleaning and working project line.

Not a bad week, have been ill with a nasty cold/chest infection type thing all week so good to do anything and had a couple of lovely days out on the rock at the weekend. Turned 40 on Sunday so time to start working through some of the "I'm 40" targets I guess. New project line has got me pretty inspired. It's about 10m high and over hangs 5m. Small holds, aggressive landing and no gear for the first half (which is also the crux). Feels very similar in difficulty to the 8c's I was trying in Margalef last year. 3-4 slappy moves to start, then a very hard slap to a very poor RH crimp (hit but not held), adjust LH, then bump again with RH (not done), then a sequnce of 5 moves all of which are desperate (have done with assistance, to quote Doug "You've done them if you weigh 7 stone...") then gear then 4 more hard pulls (done), a couple of OK friends then steady to the top. Should be good training for sport aspirations even if I never get it done. SYKED

[Dolly]

M Pilates
T Foundry lunchtime. Good productive fun sess with the legend that is Keith
W Gym core and weights
T Did 10 easy routes top roping at the gym
F Did 12/13 of the FIBO problems at lunchtime. All class. Bit worries that I'd done too much as I was battered
S Walked back from the match really really quickly
S Secret Garden. Left Hand Man was the aim and got close to getting through the hard bit before my skin and body gave up. Will go next time. Smart problem. Surely its better than Dick Wiliams ?

[nai]

S Walked back from the match really really quickly

Was that because of the reputation of the opposition fans or the cold?

S Left Hand Man. Smart problem. Surely its better than Dick Wiliams ?

I thought that when I did it, horses for courses though - DW more strenuous & sustained, LHM more techy and over a bit sooner? 

[Dolly]

S Walked back from the match really really quickly

Was that because of the reputation of the opposition fans or the cold?


Just trying to keep up with my son

S Left Hand Man. Smart problem. Surely its better than Dick Wiliams ?

I thought that when I did it, horses for courses though - DW more strenuous & sustained, LHM more techy and over a bit sooner?