[shark]

11.4-5


M. Fingerboard. Did some 4/5 sec hangs on progressively smaller edges to get back into it. Found I can one arm straight hang an incut jug with no discomfort and also half lock it. Means that whatever the longstanding problem was with my left shoulder is now resolved.
T.
W.
T.Systems board. Took a while to warm up on crimp moves but not too shoddy but still way off my best of a few weeks ago. Did 4 reps of 15 moves screw ons only for feet
F.
S.
S. More serious fingerboard session max hangs with long rests 10 sec hangs crimped, half crimp and chisel on decreasing edges ending on 14mm edge. Pretty woeful compared to where I was. Tips are thin too.

Eased back into some training this week but with no great enthusiasm. Down to one bandaged finger now and the gammy bits on that have finally scabbed over. Probably last visit to Burns Unit on Wednesday. Need to take care not to knock scabs off when climbing.   

[kelvin]

Great to see you back training so quickly Shark - strong effort.

[shark]

Great to see you back training so quickly Shark - strong effort.

Thanks Kelvin. It doesn't feel quick. Physically I could have fingerboarded throughout as my tips weren't bandaged - however I was just drained and couldn't face it. Its been a long 3 weeks.

[kelvin]

It takes a lot out of the body when it's focused on healing injuries like you've just had. Try not to be to hard on yourself - three weeks is not that long.

Work's been a bit full on and it caught up this week.

STG - Salbit Sudgrat. (Need to start some cardio)
MTG - Climb some lime in Spain. (Need to climb better)
LTG - Salbit West Ridge.

Mon - Edale Horseshoe. 16 mile chomp with my physio and her friends. Kept a good pace and the knee felt okay but it was tough, not done anything like this since Swizzy last summer.
Tue - 18hr sleep after work.
Wed - Woke up about noon and felt like death. Went climbing as mate I was meeting had had 6 chemo sessions so far. Can't moan about tiredness to him. 6b felt easy, tried to flash 6c and should have got it, just couldn't manage a pullup over the overhang. I was way too knackered. Gutted. It'll go next time tho.
Thu - 12hr sleep after work
Fri - Boulder. Good session, felt strong. Almost flashed an Alex Fry V4 but didn't take the biscuit on the top move due to the dodgy knee. Worked undercut moves with right hand.
Sat - Work
Sun - Reynard's Arch was wet, then Embankment was wet - ended up at Masson Lees. Flashed 6a for warmup, worked a couple of 6c and then finished on 6b. Easy enough. Good day.

[Muenchener]

STG: Go climbing
MTG (2015): 7b redpoint
            Beastmaker 5A routine: 93.0%
            Muscle Up
            Sautanz
LTG (<= 5 years): Big alpine rock routes: Totenkirchl West Face (Dülfer),  Marmolada south face (Vinatzer Messner)

Taking it easy on the fingers this week, they're feeling a bit tweaked from indoor projecting last weekend.

M: Bike to work 25km
T: Wall, Freimann. Took the day off work because I had a couple of other appointments, between which I managed to fit in a proper big boy's two session training day at our shiny new local wall.
   am: bouldering. Not as impressed as I was with the routes.
   pm: bodyweight rows, ring dips, explosive pull-ups. 20 minutes ARC
W:
T: Bike to work 25km
   Elbow & shoulder prehab: press-ups, shoulder press, hammer curls, reverse wrist curls
F:
S: Wall, Boulderwelt. Mostly coaching/spotting M jnr but also started work on a new 7b circuit project. Did all the moves and links to & from the crux, but the crux is heinous. On a steeper wall section than the previous project and with less crimpy holds, so was ok for delicate-feeling fingers.
S: Family boating outing, Staffelsee. M jnr did most of the rowing, but I was on duty for half an hour or so. Very enjoyable active rest.

[jwi]

STG:
Having a good time in Verdon. Don't freak out due to gaz...
Hanging 6mm edge for 10s on my adjustable fingerboard.
Getting back to 20+ pullups.
MTG:
Flashing a few non-vertical white boulderprobs in the gym.
Onsight one 8a or five 7c+'s this year. Preferably both.
Do something fairly challenging on Naranjo in August.
LTG: TBD

Mon. Arrived at l'escales at 18.30. Sorted out the stuff and warmed up on L'ange en decomposition (6c, 7a, 6a, retroflash for both, I did it 2 years ago, Erik 19 years ago). We were quite freaked on the raps and overpowered the pitches. Climbed last pitch in darkness w/o head lamps.
Tue: Belayed on /tried Tom et je ris on top-rope. More like active rest. The moves are not hard at all. Still a bit freaked by exposure
Wed: Rideaux de Gwendal (skipped first pitch, 6b, 7b+++, 6a, 6c, 6b+, 6c++, 6b, 5b). Around 4h. Stupidly enough in the sun. The crux pitch still felt hard. Erik fell. I fell. I've never seen Erik fall on 7b before.
Thur: Rest
Fri: Alix, punk de Vergons (5b, 7a+, 6c+, 7a+, 7b, 6c+, 6c+, 7b/+, 6c, 7a/+). Alternating lead o/s in 5.30h. Both of us did it clean, I had the easier ride doing the odd pitches.
Sat: Plan was to go back to Tom et je ris to belay Erik on an attempt, but due to logistic fuck up we ended up doing Le Schism on l'escales instead. 6c+, 6b, 6b, 6c, 7a. Alt. lead O/S. Got stuck behind team of three + haul bag. Very chill day.
Sun: Rest.

Progression:
Weight: 70-71 kg
No Pullups or FB this week
No gym climbing.
8a's onsighted this year: 0*
7c+'s onsighted this year: 2*
------
* I'm taking guidebook grades for everything.

[mr chaz]

Well this week has been a quality one for me which started with a brilliant day out in Llanberis on Monday, where I managed to climb a long term project and my hardest boulder to date by a long way.

M. YYFY!!! Jerry's Roof! A problem I was first introduced to maybe 5 years ago as a weakling and something I've dreamt about climbing. Having only bouldered 7a+ up til now this felt like a bit of a milestone! Also had a look at Lotus, but to me this feels like a whole different league!

T. Wall session at BBC. Mostly doing circuits.

W. Wall session at Boulder Central. Managed a 'V8+' in a few tries, very rare that I ever climb anything graded >V6 in this place so that felt good. Feeling strong!

T. Rest

F. Wall session at BBC, back on the campus board and a few circuits. Still just short of doing 1 4 7, need another cm.

S. Rest

S. Rest

Looking forward to getting back to N Wales. Would like to have a look at Crafnant boulders, particularly Special K which looks great. Also Baby Buddha, but that might be asking too much right now... we'll see. Psyche levels have sky rocketed this week!

[sdm]

2 week update due to lack of a reliable internet connection.

Mon: Bouldering indoors. Completed one of my projects and made a little bit of progress on another.

Tues: 2 x 15minutes ARC on routes up to 7a with 10 minutes rest in between sets. Flashed a 6b and a 6c, then did the red 7b+ on top rope to remind myself of the moves. Then led the 7b+ first go and it felt fairly easy. Worked the moves on the black 7b. It felt desperate, with two sections that I couldn't work out even going clip to clip. Worked the white 7a+, could do the moves but couldn't do the last big move, even on short links. Then fell off on 3 consecutive routes, all of which I had flashed before, probably a signI should have stopped a bit earlier...

Wed: Working moves on new circuit. It is basically 3 boulder problems with 2 rests in between. Managed the first boulder problem, in to the second boulder problem but I don't think I'll be able to get much back at the second rest and the last boulder problem is nails on its own. It is going to take a lot of work but if I manage to complete it, I imagine it would be my hardest indoor route by some distance.

Thu: Rest before N Wales trip

Fri: Rest before N Wales trip

Sat: Drive to N Wales. Raining so went to Parisella's Cave. Warmed up on some easy stuff then did Rock Bottom (7A). Really good move through the gaston to the crimp.

Sun: Planned to go to Mayfair Wall, didn't realise climbing was banned on the Orme on bank holidays so ended up at Empire Crag instead. Did 2 steep bouldery routes which I think were Bodysnatchers (7a) and A Prize to Arms (7a+) but there was some confusion as to where the lines went. Both routes took one attempt to work out the moves, then went on the first redpoint go. They are my two hardest sport leads so far, but didn't feel close to my limit so I should be able to improve my grade a fair bit more over the Summer.

Mon: Got up too late to park in the Pass so went to Braichmelyn instead. Warmed up on some easy stuff then spent a fair bit of time (and skin) working a sequence for Central Wall, a crimpy, technical 6C but couldn't work out all the moves. Attempted Braichmelyn Arete SDS (7A) but couldn't work out how to move my feet once I had got my hands up. Did a fun compression problem that I think was Braich Dancing (6C).

Then went on to Caseg to finish off the day. Did a bunch of easy things up to ~6A and a nice sitstart in to undercut crimps that seemed an obvious problem but doesn't seem to be in the guidebooks. Tried Caseg Groove (6C) but gave up while I still had some skin left.

Tue: Went to Benllech for some sport. Fell off my warmup route The Tide is Turning (6b) after I failed to read the moves properly, got pumped and then my foot slipped as I tried to retreat to the rest. Definitely need to work on my route reading when onsighting as the moves were not at all hard. Then the rain came...

Wed: Planned to do some sport on the Orme. Belayed a route on Mayfair Wall that turned out to be more of a trad route on bolts, then the rain came again. Back to the Cave... Did the Left Wall Traverse from the flake (6C) and the shothole (7A).

Thu: Dinas Cromlech. At last, a decent weather forecast! Seconded Cemetery Gates (the Grim Jim Finish E2 5b). Partner set off in glorious sunshine but the wind picked up, the clouds came in and it started to rain almost as soon as I got off the ground. By the time I was halfway up, it was pouring down and there was a small waterfall coming down the route. Ended up resting on the rope near the top, unable to hold on to the jugs any more as my hands were so cold and no longer caring whether I got to the top or not, I just wanted it to be over. Probably my least enjoyable climbing experience ever.

Retreated to the Beacon in the evening to get dry. Did a bunch of problems up to V6 and worked a few V7s.

Fri: Raining. Cave yet again. Repeated the Left Wall traverse from the shothole. Tried to do the full traverse but couldn't work out what to do with my feet once I got to the shothole. Tried to do Parisella's Original (7A) but struggled to commit to the move with that heel.

Sat: Porth Ysgo in blazing sunshine. Spent a while doing Higginson's Scar (6B), a great problem that took ages to work out the sequence, then felt really easy once you had cracked it.

Did a few easy things, then Justice SDS (7A) and Really Cool Toys SDS (7A), neither of which felt any harder than font 5. We started as low as possible and tried eliminating any good holds but nothing felt anywhere near as hard as 7A. Gave Truth SDS (7B) one attempt but moved on as it wasn't in our guidebook and it didn't feel like it would add much so not sure how it gets 7B. Not sure what I'm missing with the grading on the sitstarts here?

Attempted Ugly Women (6B) and Howling Hound (7A+). Did the individual moves but couldn't link the move up from the lip slopers.

Sun: Pantymwyn. Flashed Burnt Ember (6C). Did Firestarter (7A) in two halves but couldn't link it. Attempted Faith Healer Variant (7A) and Pantys Down (7A+) but each had a few wet footholds in crucial positions and they were too hard for me without said holds. Felt as if they would probably go if dry.

2015 Goals:
Bouldering Pyramid:
7B: 1/1
7A+: 0/3
7A: 8/9 (Rock Bottom, Left Wall Traverse from Shothole, Really Cool Toys SDS, Justice SDS)
6C/6C+: 6/27 (Burnt Embers, Braich Dancing) - 0/13 slabs/aretes
More of the pyramid filled in but nearly all of my hardest grades are still on steep stuff. Wanted to spend more time on slabby problems this week but the weather wasn't particularly helpful.

Sport: Do more sport, get in to redpointing properly - Slight progress here, having done a couple of routes that at least required a redpoint attempt but still a lot of improvements to be made.

[T_B]

85.5Kg

M -
T - Rubicon. Met Dave there with aim of re-opening Caviar account, nearly 3 years since I'd last been on it. Despite being dark and raining, conditions were pretty optimal. Re-worked and had a redpoint, falling off at the crux. Next go held the crux and then held on for the finish. A very old ghost laid to rest!
W -
T - School - lunch. Warmed up then fell off onto my back from 2 metres totally out of control whiplashing my neck. Felt OKish so finished session with fingerboarding. Failing on 4 reps front 3 and 3 reps back 3 i.e. crap. 40 press ups.
F - Neck stiff, but not too bad.
S - A.m. 40 minutes F/board. Bit better than Thursday, but still way off the pace.
S - Family stuff all weekend but warmed up at home and headed out 7pm for first Tor session of the year. Lovely breezy cons. Got v close to my 'bogey' problem - Powerhumps hard way. I find this desperate, but managed to hold the crux move and fall off the next one. Looking for a consolation prize, decided to try the reverse of Powerband i.e. Blueband non strict. One move a lot trickier than P/band, but sent after a few goes and skin lossage.

Minimum time climbing this week, but maximised productivity. Caviar is a big tick for me, what with having weak fingers and weighing a ton... 

[andy popp]

Goals: Harmers projects, plus whatever else I can haul myself up really, such Alec's Arete SS, roof project in South Cheshire.

M - some press-ups and planks
T - board session. Still woeful but probably better than last week. Session stamina is marginally better. This is clearly going to be a long, slow process.
W - press-ups/planks. I do these in the hope of slightly better all-round conditioning.
T - fingerboard session in the evening. Definitely better than last week, more structured and feel stronger. Stay up till nearly 4am watching results and waiting for daughter to come in from the local count. Much drowning of sorrow
F - feel poleaxed. Drown sorrows again
S - press-ups/planks
S - press/planks then a board session. After warming up I select three problems and do them each three times without rest. The problems are easy and its not many reps but I manage all 3x3 despite being pumped on the last rep of each problem. Must have done something as I ache this morning.

Obviously not an intense week but I have at least managed three sessions. Definitely too much booze but it's not every week an election lie that happens. Hopefully there'll be a chance to get out this week.

[nai]

Some good successes this week, well done guys.


Goals:

Spring - HFC & Short Chimes (+ Why Me?, Let The Tripe Increase, Stone The Loach)
Summer - Body Machine & Ext, Cornices?
Autumn - Raindogs, Full Chimes.

M - tired from Sun but frustrated by pottering in the garden get tempted to join tomtom at Crag X. Tiredness showed, should have rested.
T rest
W rest
Th - HFC - feel good warming up, Kudos feels easier than ever before but I realise that the hold above the match in the flake has broken off. Work out that it's still possible without but what was a relatively benign 5a move has become an awkward, unpleasant 6a move and makes the move off the evil gaston a wee bit harder too.  Have a couple of redpoints but don't get beyond the gaston move. Just about to set off for a final attempt when I realise it's now wet.  Frustrating day, did a lot of shouty swearing and mat kicking.

F - Some form of PE - laddering up a line of identical crimps on the steep board, 8 x 11 moves, 4s per hold, 1:30 rest.
    Foot on Campusing - 17 moves, 1:08 on, 30s rest. Just manged to complete, felt a better workout than doing it for longer

S - 5x10 mins Aero, included one set which was laps of the steep board followed by shakeouts on the campus board. Good to be able to recover and go again, will include this more often.

S - Foot on Campusing 2 sets of 8 x 15 reps, 60s on, 30s off. failed move 13/15, final rep of final set.

Glad to see the back of this week, been poor all round.  Back's nagging again so had to restart mobility exercises, skin's in a state, couple of tips have been really sore since font, skin doesn't seem to be regrowing, and now the HFC gaston is biting into my index finger and causing a split so looks like a break from that despite being close.

[shark]

Well this week has been a quality one for me which started with a brilliant day out in Llanberis on Monday, where I managed to climb a long term project and my hardest boulder to date by a long way.

M. YYFY!!! Jerry's Roof! A problem I was first introduced to maybe 5 years ago as a weakling and something I've dreamt about climbing. Having only bouldered 7a+ up til now this felt like a bit of a milestone!

 

T - Rubicon. Met Dave there with aim of re-opening Caviar account, nearly 3 years since I'd last been on it. Despite being dark and raining, conditions were pretty optimal. Re-worked and had a redpoint, falling off at the crux. Next go held the crux and then held on for the finish. A very old ghost laid to rest!
.....Caviar is a big tick for me, what with having weak fingers and weighing a ton... 

 

[Doylo]

Caviar is a big tick for me, what with having weak fingers and weighing a ton... 

I doubt you have weak fingers, you just weigh a ton  . Effort

[cheque]

A very old ghost laid to rest!

 

STG- Finish film without becoming irretrievably crap at climbing.

MTG- 100 routes at 24HHH and The Show Me State in September, Wall of Horrors in October.

LTG- Become a sponsored hero obviously.

M- Covered this last week. Noisy storm and humidity keeps girlfriend (and hence me) up most of the night. ~4 hours sleep.

T- Up 'til early hours editing trailer and making flyer to deadline. 5 hours sleep.

W- Attend Matlock screening of Best of Banff Film Festival. Play trailer to 325 attendees. Received with applause.  6 hours sleep.

T- Knackered. This does not bode well for climbing for 24 hours. Bad news before bedtime leads to bad night's sleep.

F- Depressed.

S- Still depressed. Stave off doom and gloom by booking flights to US and getting hold of Arkansas ebook guide.

S- Support for girlfriend at Leicestershire half marathon- bit of a walk and some pullups on a kids playground. Read about Arkansas climbing, chat to US friends online, get even more psyched for trip.

Promoting and editing my film took priority this week. For various reasons I was knackered all week (I normally sleep very well and am one of those people who "needs their sleep") so it was all a bit of a blur and training and climbing took even more of a back seat than recently.

It appears that climbing in Arkansas is largely short pitches and the grades are considered soft. As much as I love a challenge this seems like good news! I'm told by my mates who've done 24HHH before that doing 100 routes is easy and the threshhold of punterdom, so that's what I'm aiming for.

Most of the classic routes in AR also seem to be at amenable grades- in fact, the best route in the state seems to be the stunning "Show Me State", a .12b (~7b but I suspect it's more like 7a+) that my mates are currently projecting. Going to make this a trip goal- would be great to tick such a cool route and hit a new grade over there particularly after the last-try-of-the-trip failure that put me off redpointing for more than a year last time I was in the states. Obviously I'll come back in time for a fantastic dry autumn grit trad season and translate my fitness, skills and psyche into ticking WoH. 

[tomtom]

Nice one T_B & MrChaz...

M: Crag X - lots of folk were there/turned up including Stubbs, Nai and Plattsy.. Good session - but no progress..

T: Work

W: Long day out in the field

Th: Work, then Crag X on way back to Manchester.. Progress.. Matching high sloper on Jericho several times - can't go further.. one step at a time..

Fri >> Sunday: Norfolk. Family do... good, but too much food - and with it being Norfolk... no climbing...

[andy_e]

T-  Bad news before bedtime leads to bad night's sleep.

F- Depressed.

I think a lot of people can identify with this!

[lagerstarfish]

Bad news before bedtime

a good description of my lantern sessions

but more seriously - lack of sleep due to worry really sucks

[nai]

Sun - Reynard's Arch was wet, then Embankment was wet -

Did you happen to look across at Two Tier and see what it was like? (as if I need ask)

[Wood FT]

Soaked yesterday Nai, going to need a good few days

[nai]

cheers Guy, thought that'd be the case.

So just the Tor and possibly part of Rubicon then?

[tomtom]

I'll report on PubicRon later...

[gme]

Not been on here since the 12th so weekly update.

week 270 13-19th April - Nursing poorly finger and getting ready for surf trip. 2 x sessions at works doing easy stuff and the odd white that didnt need my finger.
week 271 20th - 26th April Surf, drink, surf, drink, surf, drink. Best trip ever to the islands off Sumatra. Pumping surf 3 x 2 hrs a day, great crew, great mates, great waves. Doesnt really get much better.
week 272 27th April - 3rd May Surf, drink, surf, drink, surf, drink, Dance with Playboy Bunnies on a private yacht in the middle of bumf**k nowhere. Trip actually got better.



week 273 (this one)- Climbed for 1 hour the day after i got back to check out my finger, not great but getting better. Manic week at work followed by weekend of kids footy and rugby. Knackered, jet lagged and suffering from the usual post trip depression so couldn't pull myself round to training.

Back to it this week, hopefully my finger is ready for some work, if not it will be conditioning stuff and areocap for a few weeks.

[fried]

M- Nothing
T - Indoors, I seem to remember a poor, tired session, but I've obviously blocked it out of my memory.
W - Nothing
Th - Nothing
F- Another 4 day weekend. Didn't feel great (wine?), would've prefered to stay at home, but I've been waiting all week for this. Went to Apremonts bute aux dames, did some blues, felt a bit better, went to bizons and failed to get up any thing as usual. Hot and humid.

S - Have to go an all day fancy dress party, why me?
Su - Relax, not working tomorrow.

[andy popp]

Dance with Playboy Bunnies on a private yacht in the middle of bumf**k nowhere. Trip actually got better.

Was Noel dancing with the bunny girls? I'd like to have witnessed that.

[gme]

I would have liked to have seen that too but Noel being Noel he declined their invite and went to bed early.