[gme]

I always find finger board the safest when injured

See "The old fashioned bit of me likes this exercise as it feels like your doing something."

[SA Chris]

STG - lose a bit of weight, get stronger
LTG - do some harder stuff

Good week, all considered

M - lunchtime yoga, felt fairly worked. After kids in bed went to newly discovered spot with eye on getting a new prob done. As I got there it started drizzling and the rock was gopping. Spent an hour or so platforming landing by hefting a few boulders about (aka the SoC workout) and conceiving some beta for a problem and rationalising the safety of it)
T - core, theraband and weights at home. Very light fingerboard session.
W - wall session. Started off doing a half dozen or so routes, then got onto some bouldering, did a few good new probs and repeated some old ones. Was a bit warm and sweaty. Even had a quick campus to see how elbow reacts. 3 hours in total, skin raw, but elbow feels OK.
T - Nothing
F - Returned to new spot. Was very warm and muggy, and midgies were ruthless. Conditions not great, but got on a new prob the first move had spanked me on, got some better foot beta, did first move, and managed to link to top. Only 2 hard moves - 6A maybe. Did some more platforming then got on highball project. Got to good hold near the top twice and bottled, so climbed up and around to suss out topout. Then MTFU and did it next go 6B maybe? Next got to work on diagonal break and managed to get a bit of beta sussed. Hard sequence of 5 moves, maybe 6B, possibly C. And also did a silly arête. All might feel easier in good conditions. Top evening out, and I think I lost a few pounds in blood!
S - swimming in morning with kids , weather good in afternoon, but too blown to climb, so went out on bike for an hour and a half.
S - not much, stuffed face at wagamamma for tea, did some theraband, weights, and a light fingerboard session.

[Three Nine]

I always find finger board the safest when injured

See "The old fashioned bit of me likes this exercise as it feels like your doing something."

Do ancap on a fingerboard then. Can produce long-lasting gains, and you will certainly feel like you're doing something.

[nai]

Alex,
is the 5s on, 10s off that you mention in the podcast effectively AnCap?
From what I can work out 5x5s hangs x 2 arms = 50s and the 10s rest between reps gives you a 1:2 duty cycle. Or is my logic flawed?

[205Chris]

S - P.M. Team Badger Cove, except that we arrive to warm up at Blackwell Dale and it's gopped out and Badger's is similar aspect. Decide instead to see whether Freda's butt is catching the breeze. She is! Warm ups then get stuck into Infinite Suspense. There's more video beta since I tried this a couple of years ago. Dave tries to deadpoint it, I try and get the drop knee  in, but it's desperately bunched and I can barely get it on, never mind weight it. But wait, can I stick a knee bar in behind the fin? Seems like the natural thuggy thing to do. Have one go sans knee pad and realise it'll work. Stick a knee pad on and hey presto, next go reach statically to the crimps and finish. Others try this method and it's not unanimous, so not sure whether it's knocked a grade/s off this classic?

I'm 6ft and did Infinite Suspense the other week with the Egyptian. Given it was originally graded for the deadpoint method (there's a video out there of Polish Dave on it somewhere), I can see how it would be a lower grade now.

It's certainly not in the same Peak lime 7C+ league of Staminahumps / Pump up the Power / Press low right etc.

[205Chris]

I'd suggest Free Monster maybe, only heel in that is a big left foot one and unless you're short the hard bit is fairly short lived and low down. Pumpy at the top but I never fell there once I got through the crux. I though it was easier than Powerplant or Roof Warrior for example which are similar lengths and styles.
(Disclaimer - I don't really like pure boulder routes)

Horses for courses etc. While the moves on Free Monster are probably easier than Roof Warrior there are at least 2 hands off knee bars on Roof Warrior that make it quite friendly for boulderers.

If it's dry it'd probably be a good option (plus apart from one small crimp just before the roof it's a lot more finger friendly that some of the other routes that are being suggested).

If you want an off the wall suggestion for a pseudo-8a, then how about the eatswood Traverse?

[Dolly]

Another week of working late and getting tired...

M Foundry Wave at lunchtime. Pilates in the evening
T Iin the gym at 6:30. Kettlebells and a bit of bagging
W
T. Foundry Wave - lunchtime. Finally "do" the level 3 I've been trying for ages only to fall off the last easy move. Neil said I can have it so that's that.
F. Knackered but force myself to go to the gym to toprope 10 easy routes
S
S Kettlebells and Bulgarian bagging up the garden

[abarro81]

Alex,
is the 5s on, 10s off that you mention in the podcast effectively AnCap?
From what I can work out 5x5s hangs x 2 arms = 50s and the 10s rest between reps gives you a 1:2 duty cycle. Or is my logic flawed?

Long strength and short ancap are pretty similar, so my view is that either will have cross-over to the other. Personally though, I don't think of 5-on-10-off being that ancapy. I'd have said the duty cycle is the main reason why it's not - there's so much rest (climbing something hard like an ancap problem has got to be more like 5:0.5 than 1:2 surely?*). Also I basically rested for full recovery between exercises when I tried that, though obviously that can be changed easy enough. Recently I've been using the Anderson Bros' session (just the session, not the whole plan), which feels pretty ancapy to me. I've done 7-on-3-off x4, then 1.20 rest, repeat etc before too for ancap style hangs, but I think I prefer the Anderson's method.

Right now if I were designing a fingerboard routine it would be a mix of sessions with max 1 arm hangs with a pulley (5s or 10s hangs) plus Anderson Bros sessions (I just made a summer plan, and it has a 6 week block of that planned at the mo).

(*Don't forget, duty cycle within the exercise and the work:rest ratio between exercises aren't the same thing)

[the_dom]

Mon: 40 min trail run & core
Tues: Hangboard - CWP and repeaters on the BM 35 degree slopers; mobility & core
Wed: Hangboard - One arm max hangs and repeaters
Thurs: 30 mins of treadmill intervals. Quite hard.
Fri: Rest
Sat: Bouldering - hoped to finish up my 7C+ mini-project, but it was too warm and I ended up trying an 8A that I'd done years ago when I was strong. Surprised myself by managing to do all the moves quickly and make some decent links. A new winter project, methinks. Did some one arm max hangs when I got home.
Sun: More bouldering - went to my local training boulder and surprised myself, again, by doing 2 7Bs, a 7B+ and 2 7Cs (albeit with shared cruxes) first go. A good day. Finished up with some repeaters on the BM 35 sloper and small edge.

All in all, my climbing seems to be starting to see the benefit of regular training - and I have new motivation in the form of 5 days in

Cresc..Christ..anyway, it's granite..

in December #psyche

[nai]

(*Don't forget, duty cycle within the exercise and the work:rest ratio between exercises aren't the same thing)

Thanks for replying, this is what I was confusing myself with.

[nik at work]

STG - Trad projects, silly link up Batcave projects
MTG - 8c (and 8A)
LTG - 9a
BHAG - Bruderliebe

M - nothing
T - BM session, not bad but not amazing
W - BM session, much better
T - nothing
F - Evening in the Batcave doing housekeeping type bolting stuff, horrible conditions so no climbing.
S - Frustrating session at the Batcave, arrived just as the sun came round on to the crag to start de-clagging it, then cloud moved in. Tried some climbing but it was bolt to bolt wet sliding nonsense, the worst conditions I've climbed in there, awful. Managed to sort of piece together a sequence for a link up project but conditions meant no chance of actually climbing it. Then Doug had to go early so I did a bit more hanging around housekeeping stuff, and five minutes after he'd gone the conditions were minty, gahhh. Had a play on another link up, started bolting a new line and then headed home tired...
S - was going to have a BM session but instead got a motorbike. Mid life crisis in full effect yields a 125 rice pudding skin puller...

Frustrating sort of week but not awful, no real injuries and still getting a reasonable amount of activity in. All academic as surely a couple of days after my CBT i'll be in a full body cast but tiddley-pom.

[shurt]

STG: more 7b's if poss
MTG: finish Bullworker at Brean Down after falling off top move 3 times in December
LTG: E6, 8a route, surpass previous best of V7/7a+ bouldering

m: work
t: more work
w:even more work
t: rested as was tired from work
f: partners bday
s: can't remember
s: couple of sets on fingerboard, ran to shop for beer

pretty low key week. been very tired mainly due to three day flooring job working till late every night. knees hurt etc. not going to beat myself up about it. heading out climbing this Sunday so looking forwards to that. still surfing the good vibes from last week to be honest!!

[cha1n]

Thanks everyone for the comments regarding suitable 8a's. I'll definintely take the comments on board. Haven't managed to get a partner for tonight so might check out the boulder starts to rattle & hump (I've tried this before whilst a bit tired) and hot fun closing.

Alex, whilst you're helping everyone out with theory. You mention in your ebook that you cycle phases of endurance training but you mentioned that you continue strength training throughout all cycles. Does strength training not also need to be cycled to prevent injury? I'm curious because I've just started a Randall training plan and whilst we identified that I'm very weak for the grade, he's not given me any finger strength activities to do. Granted, he's aware that i'm recovering from a pulley niggle but if what you're saying is true then I see no reason why I couldn't be working my open-hand strength. Just curious of your opinion if you wouldn't mind, of course I can ask Tom too. Cheers.

[a dense loner]

If you have two masters you have to lie to one.

Zen shit that

[abarro81]

Alex, whilst you're helping everyone out with theory. You mention in your ebook that you cycle phases of endurance training but you mentioned that you continue strength training throughout all cycles. Does strength training not also need to be cycled to prevent injury? I'm curious because I've just started a Randall training plan and whilst we identified that I'm very weak for the grade, he's not given me any finger strength activities to do. Granted, he's aware that i'm recovering from a pulley niggle but if what you're saying is true then I see no reason why I couldn't be working my open-hand strength. Just curious of your opinion if you wouldn't mind, of course I can ask Tom too. Cheers.

Maybe that's why I spend so much time injured? 
The only time I'm not doing some sort of strength training (bouldering/fingerboarding/whatever) is when I'm on a trip or resting from a trip. Bear in mind that strength is almost invariably the weak link in the chain for me; given that - from what I've read - you're basically a boulderer this is probably not the case for you. Forget about arbitrary strength tests and just think about outdoor stuff - are you better at short hard move things or fitness orientated things (PE/stam routes)? Given the style of 8a you're asking for I presume it's the former, hence why Tom will probably have you doing lots of stuff to level that out somewhat. If it's not the former, then sack off HFC and R&H and just go do crucifixion or something as it's likely to feel about 30 grades easier than the short ones if you're an enduro climber.

Anyway, Tom will no doubt have his reasons for what he's given you, whether it's what I would get you to do or not is another matter; I suspect that if Tom and I both made plans for me to do then mine would err more towards strength work and away from energy systems work compared to what he'd write for me. Just because we agree on a lot of training stuff doesn't mean we'd agree on everything... [Not that I've got him to write me a plan, so I may be presuming wrongly there]

[Three Nine]

Chain - if you're paying a coach then just trust them and get on with what they've told you to do. If you start doing a Simon Lee you're wasting your money.

[abarro81]

  If you don't like something about the plan then probably better to ask Tom why it's like that than to ask me, then he can either set your mind at ease or you can negotiate a change in the plan or something.

[french erick]

STG- O/S F7a, O/S Brit6a
MTG- become a real E4 climber anywhere any rock
LTG- Astroman and Romantic warrior

Not posted for ages.
Continuing to try to become someone that trains, let alone train well.
Despite work really stopping any form of climbing I have O/S my first E4 6a pitch! P4 of Voyage of the Beagle on Creag an dubh loch and I'm 

[cha1n]

Thanks for the reply Alex.

I've been climbing 5.5 years and all my indoor climbing has been bouldering (with the odd bit of PE on the circuit board during route season) and I've route climbed on short vert/slightly off vert limestone for routes (Cheddar gorge, ban-y-gor) during the summer except last year where I skipped routes, hence my endurance is "bad for a boudlerer". I have no idea if I'm naturally good at shorter routes or if that's what I prefer as that's what I've always done. I'm definitely not strong in my fingers. I somehow find bouldering up to 7C ok but I don't know how I put it out of the bag, technique or something?! Tom said my shoulders are strong and I've climbed a lot of compression/sloper problems I suppose.

In all sports I've done over the years I've always been more into more short/powerful roles than endurance (100m sprint, long jump, high jump, striker in football, etc). I used to play football on wing initially (fast runner) and I'd have no endurance until the end of the season!

I'm up for training other energy systems though, perhaps I'll be ok at endurance stuff but I have a goal of climbing 8a before my 30th (mid-August) and I'm just trying to pick one that I'll realistically be able to climb by then, I haven't really got much time to get my endurance on par. Tom's trying to sort that out but looking at the plan I'm not going to be in shape until the start of August and that doesn't give me long to try and RP a more endurancy 8a

[cha1n]

Chain - if you're paying a coach then just trust them and get on with what they've told you to do. If you start doing a Simon Lee you're wasting your money.

Shark has paid for a coach and then not followed the plan?

I'm definitely following the plan at the moment, i'm just not very good at following orders without knowing the reason why. I might get in touch with Tom and ask for a summary of what the plan is doing just to put my mind at ease. I think with a history of pulley injuries, he's trying to get me doing high volume of lower intensity stuff I suspect.

[Three Nine]

If you find 7C ok then your fingers are more than strong enough to climb 8as.

[AlistairB]

I'm curious because I've just started a Randall training plan and whilst we identified that I'm very weak for the grade, he's not given me any finger strength activities to do.

If you have anaerobic stuff bear in mind you'll probably get pretty good strength gains for that too, particularly if you've not done much of that kind of thing before. In my first year with Tom I had loads of anaerobic work with fairly minimal fingerboarding and went from 1 sieged 7B+ to having done 7 7Cs plus plenty of 7B/+ including a couple of 7Cs in a session (on grit though!) within a year.

Regarding the 8a thing, unless you're super-strong you are a lot more likely to succeed by focusing on a longer one. There's basically three flavours of route in the peak, short power tests (e.g. Tor RHS), medium power endurance tests (cornices) or a limited number of aerobic stamina routes (Prow etc.). I often fail to do the moves anywhere near my RP grade in cat. 1 despite getting on fine with the other 2 types. I'm not even a plodder! If you're training with Tom you'll be training energy systems pretty hard anyway so a PE or enduro route will be a good way to see your progression.

One last possible 8a that doesn't fit into any of my nice categories, The Spider. Long but with a very distinct bouldery crux. I've not been on it but a mate did it in a session this year having only really bouldered all winter and said it all came down to the crux rather than stamina. Take this with a pinch of salt but it may be an option and is generally dry.

[cha1n]

If you find 7C ok then your fingers are more than strong enough to climb 8as.

That's the weird thing though, my fingers are really weak. I don't know how I get up hard boulders, I've climbed lots since I've started, so technique is decent but that's about it. I find it easy to try hard too, just refuse to give up type of thing.

If you have anaerobic stuff bear in mind you'll probably get pretty good strength gains for that too, particularly if you've not done much of that kind of thing before. In my first year with Tom I had loads of anaerobic work with fairly minimal fingerboarding and went from 1 sieged 7B+ to having done 7 7Cs plus plenty of 7B/+ including a couple of 7Cs in a session (on grit though!) within a year.

Thanks for the reply Alister, it's good to get some good feedback regarding Tom's training as I've heard one story of it not working recently and someone else not sounding overly positive.

There's not an awful lot of anaerobic stuff in my 12 week plan, only 3 weeks of it prior to my birthday and only 1 training unit per week. Lots of AeroCap and AeroPow though.

I've sent Tom and email with lots of questions though, so hopefully he can clear things up. I'm struggling a bit at the moment as I'm used to trying hard all the time and at the moment most of the week is high volume but mid-low intensity. Don't get me wrong, I'm knackered after a week of training but I'm not doing much climbing, lots of dangling from fingers with stop watches!

[shark]

Chain - if you're paying a coach then just trust them and get on with what they've told you to do. If you start doing a Simon Lee you're wasting your money.

Shark has paid for a coach and then not followed the plan?

 

Tom Randall did set me a plan which I followed a few winters ago but it didn't yield the results I was after.

[abarro81]

Do you do hard fingery boulders or just grit thugging? I could do a number of grit 7Cs when I could barely climb 7A+ at places like Rubicon. The latter is what's relevant when it comes to sport climbing.

it's good to get some good feedback regarding Tom's training as I've heard one story of it not working recently and someone else not sounding overly positive.

Without Tom's knowledge & advice I wouldn't have climbed Era Vella. How's that for feedback I'm intrigued now - who said it "didn't work" and how long did they work with him for? Finding out what works for you isn't an overnight thing, it's a never ending process, whether it's you experimenting on and analysing yourself, or a coach doing it on/for you.

If you're dangling and not climbing I suspect that that's to get your finger fixed, though again I'm reverse engineering logic from a position of having about 2% of the info.

Tom Randall did set me a plan which I followed a few winters ago but it didn't yield the results I was after.

Just out of interest, would you say that you followed the plan that we made up over this winter?