[T_B]

84.2Kg

M - School lunch. Campus session. 1-4-7 on both arms, though struggling a bit on the right. Trying single hard moves on the 50 degree.
T -
W - School lunch. Mainly 50 degree. Repeated Woodology for the first time since December and v close on Mr Blobby. Close on 1-5-8 on the right.
T - Badger Cove. 5th session. Took Eric for his first UK climbing session after 6 months travelling around the States. Warmed up at BMD and did A Lack of Colour. Felt good. Light was fading fast on arrival at BC so lamp on. Conditions became increasingly mint - exactly what had been lacking earlier in the summer. Got fully in the top pocket 5 times but right foot cutting and couldn't hold the swing. Struggling a bit with the light too. Went home somewhat excited as felt very close.
F -
S - 2-year anniversary of breaking my heel falling off the top of County Ethics at Back Bowden.
S - Mother in law visiting, so a rare 4.5 hour afternoon slot. Warmed up at BWD, which was dry as some apprehension about potential gop. Got to BC and abbed in cleaning the top off again and checking the last couple of moves. Decided to take phone footage (not something I routinely do). Got in the pocket quite quickly but then started to go downhill a bit and looking for something, anything to make the difference. Abbed down again and held the top pocket, reaching back to the 3-finger dish I realised if I was going to hold the swing, I needed to get my stronger back 3 in the top pocket. Gave the dish a good clean. A couple more attempts and time was starting to run out. Stopped filming. Started to feel more relaxed in that 'I'm probably not gonna do it' way. Then got the dish and it felt better but fumbled the top pocket. Next go - BOOM! Friction on the dish felt better and back 3 are in the top pocket, right foot stays on and that's it. Make the next couple of moves (glad I'd practiced them on a rope), screamed and jumped off.

Crap phone footage of an earlier attempt when I didn't do it...


Not that it matters (yeah right) but some of the 8B wads who've done Badger x 3 rate it as 'hard' 8A. The only 8As I've done have been soft, traverses or in the Cave (i.e. PE). So this is my hardest bloc to date 

[tomtom]

Effort tb!

[SA Chris]

S - Delicat (6A)  Dance Me to the End of Time (5+). I Elf and Safety (7A+)  Acres of Shakers (6A+)  Ephemeral (7A) Lust is Downward Slope (6B+), Beach Mechanics (7A) Longship (7A)  The Kingdom of Slope (6B+) A is for Aardvark (6A), Flute Note (6B) and Gritworm (6A)

Great problem names too!

[andy_e]

Isn't it Elfin Safe Tea?

Longship is great, 7A seems very steep for a very hard pull off a mono! Did you try Argle Bargle and Bargle Blaster?

[Doylo]

Nice one Tom

[SA Chris]

After the high of getting on some routes, had a crap week


M - Can't remember, I think nothing.
T - Edinburgh for Foos. Only exercise was walking to stadium from city centre
W - Short bike ride in evening (about an hour) but light died.
T - nothing got home and worked all night, got to bed at 3am, price you pay for taking time off and leaving work for people to do in your absence.
F - Knackered but did some weights.Weight 13 st 0.3 STG achieved!
S - Theraband routine. Overdid it a bit, took some skin off the between thumb and finger.
S - Very short bike ride, chain snapped 10 mins in, couldn't be hooped dicking about with chain splitter, so freewheeled home.

[petejh]

Effort TB (again!) and brilliant Simon.

STG: Re-hab bicep tendon, E5 slabs.
MTG: Onsight attempts on The Hurting, Cathedral, Banana Wall, Anubis (this winter)
LTG: 8c (within 2.25 years)


M. Ill/rundown
T. Ill/rundown. 10 bicep curls with 3.5Kg
W. Pass - Solo'd Crackstone Rib. Slate - Solo'd Californian Arete. Hadn't climbed either before, thought a 'severe' trade route would be fine to solo onsight, and it was, but still ended up going too high and off route at the top, had to downclimb back onto line which made it more interesting than it might have been. Eccentric curls 3 x 10 8Kg. V,floss.
T. Course in Fleetwood. Visited Thorn Crag in the evening and did all the easier slabby stuff on Crag Boulders, multiple laps on Burning Heather. Beautiful venue, rock and solitude. Felt like I was the last person alive on the planet. 'My Next Trick' looks brilliant, shame I can't risk bicep on it. Random solitary purple star ballon floated silently past on an air cushion from east to west across the moors as I started to walk down. Sort of summed up the place.
F. Course Fleetwood.
S. Shoulder press 3 x 10. Shoulder raises 3x10. Curls 3x10. All 3.5Kg. Eccentrics 3x10 8Kg. V.floss.
S.  V.floss. Llanfairfechan Quarry to sample two of the new routes including Harold Walmsey's mega-classic arete. Death blocks and good climbing, as I expected. Once cleaned to make them safer they'll be recomendable.

Bicep tendon making very slow progress. Doubt I'll be able to train hard for winter.

[ashtond6]

M - Rest / Antag
T - Rest / Antag
W - Indoor bouldering, flash V5
T - Burbage bouldering, managed two V0's before midgey darkness hell
F - Sport @ Stoney West, consolidation day, lots of F6c onsight & they felt steady
S - Rest
S - Indoor, basic circuits just to keep ticking over. V5 onsight

Will have an easy week now, then hopefully good weather for a successful weekend

[petejh]

Simon that's a great breakthrough, good to see! If my experience of progress on the route is anything to go by then you'll probably get a move or a half move further along the traverse each time over the next x sessions and then nail it first time you breakthrough to the jug at the end of the traverse.
For the next foot move after the move you fall on in the vid, where you have to pop your right foot into the vague scoop/dish next to the left foot, I found on redpoint that I really had to force my body to go against what it wanted to do (sag out/down) and force myself to sag out a tiny bit then flick my hips inward/upward to generate the momentum to release the right foot and bring it across and into the hold net to the left foot.. Always felt like I was going to fall off that move, but it always stuck.

[cheque]

Have a great trip Cheque!

Thanks Tom! 

this is my hardest bloc to date 

 

[rodma]

Sorry, three weeks' worth here

Mon: post work drop van off at garage in Fife due to mystery oil leak
Tues: campus, oil leak not yet resolved
Weds: wall session,  van still not ready
Thur: van still not ready, despite best efforts of mechanic to resolve. Due to drive to France Friday lunchtime.
Fri: get call from garage just as I finish work that the leak is fixed. Repair bill is somehow tiny. The mechanic is a true hero. Blast down the road a couple of hours later than planned.
Sat: ferry easily accessible using a2/m2. Get to grez just about on time, only delay being on the (French) A1. It's roasting.
Sun: franchard isatis for warm up session. Roasting. Anna managed composition des forces direct for the first time. Have to give the wee boy two cold bucket baths in a row to try and cool him down in the afternoon and pre-bedtime.


Mon: Rocher canon too tired to climb at all. Still roasting but at least the rain finally arrived shortly after returning back to camp. Get a sare coupon spotting anna on  les calins de Kim.
Wtf is going on with French supermarkets? Fruit and veg are almost prohibitively expensive and the snacks etc the opposite. At the carrefour there must be about 7 aisles of toxic snackage, which is about 7 times what they even have in a British asda. Maybe the French live on this crap because the real food is too dear.
Tues: raining overnight, so lazy start. Wee man back to normal temperature. Have an easy shopping /getting stuff sorted day
Weds: Sabot for salle gosse attempts. Wee bit damp so leave it alone. Anna manages l'oblique (how many years later ) for her first post Sam font font 7a and also a red problem and blue problem at the warm up area which previously had eluded her.
Thurs: apremont envers. Trying welcome to tj. Far from primo conditions. Both anna and I manage clandestino (7b) which exits slightly left of tj. It's angry French driver day. Is this the end of their holidays or something?
Fri: anna broken from previous day siege. We head to isatis so I can try de vita beata. It takes an age (6hours) before I sort the beta out and am too broken to succeed, but manage it in wee (tiny) overlaps. Hopefully head back after a rest day.
Sat: rest day. a drizzly start clears up and we had to 95.2 to look at symbiose. Anna works it well but thinks it may have to be for another trip. Anna then does retour aux sources double quick.
Sun: we had to isatis so I can resume my siege. I get really nervous trying it for the camera and rapidly go downhill. After a rest and some food I try again but am no better. I decide to just practice the start since it isn't going to happen today. Well, I stick the sloper, paste my feet up, high right foot, left toe hook and before you can say pfft I top out with no footage, but am stoked to have done my first 8a in the forest for 8 years. i try to reapeat it for video, but again am not getting the sloper well. i climb it a dew times in a row from one hand on the undercut, one hand on the sloper, so Anna can get a photo sequence, but all we got are photos of some grey haired geezer who looks a lot older than i imagine i do.

Mon: we head to tj and get good beta from an older keen climber, who makes light work of the 7c traverse. I manage it (tj) after several attempts and Anna gets some links on it but is way too tired to feel good on it. We had to l'apparemont but I feel sore just looking at it. We're both wrecked and decide to take a rest day the following day.
Tue: rest day, go into font and hunt out a crepe nutella
Wed: envers for tj again. Anna close on early attempts then downhill from then on. we're both getting too tired without needing more than one rest day. i try el paso, but it's both nails and log, so stop trying. both of us do the other 7a and 7a+ on the same block to finish off.
Anna then persuades me to go back to extra balle, which i haven't tried since chickening out on it (maybe 10) years ago. i psyche myself out trying to downclimb the dirty slab to get to the slopers to clean them, but decide to try it anyway, only a little nervously. It's a proper desert island climb for me, given the jump-catch start etc. anyway, it takes several attempts to catch the edges and the first time i do i chicken out because the slopers above are well greasy. i brush them for a bit and have another go, catching the edges terribly, but well enough to campus on and with much encouragement from Anna, commit to the high feet and top out for glory :D
I know it's not the hardest problem of the trip, but it's the one I'm proudest of. have footage, will upload soon.
Thurs: Rocher Canon: Anna does a final 7 for the holiday and so do i. then we head for tasty carrefour ice cream to celebrate and get the stuff ready to head home.
Fri: drive to englandshire
Sat: attend wedding in englandshire
Sun: drive home (with minor (van) breakdown at Scotch corner)

It's been a good font trip all in all, was lovely (sunny) weather for the most part and whilst not achieving all we had hoped, we still managed to get up some good stuff without getting too mired down in siege mode.

[nai]

Good stuff rodma, T_B, andy & shark.

STG - I just want to go climbing, partners, weather & workload not aligning atm
MTG - bit of bouldering and start to develop killer endurance over winter
LTG Put killer endurance to good use next Spring


M - rest

T - Eva Lopez stylee (but not quite) max hangs, weighted pullups, rowing sprints finisher

W - Woke up with a sore achilles, no doubt from the rowing, still sore now.  FoC @ 40s rest , failed move 18 of 20 final rep. Target achieved, finished with FoC for this block.  Aerocap in PM, not sure why (might have been rereading Stu's blog)

Th rest

F - Quick boulder then Max hangs, new PB of  90kg.  Weighted pullups, Deadlifts.

S New 4x4 circuit.

S rest

[mr chaz]

STG Get a job and move out of the midlands
LTG 8A 8b

M. Interview in Harrogate. 2 hours, quite intense with a 30 min test. Still awaiting a reply (have chased it up, decision not been reached...). Dropped in at the Tor on my way home. Did A Little Extra Start and Weedkiller Traverse:



T. Wall, BBC. One arm hangs routine. All hangs except straight arm were unassisted, BM 2000 central incut edge.
W. Wall, BBC. 30 mins campus board, couldn't quite do 147, but its been months since I did any campussing.
T. Wall, BBC. New red circuit 6C/7A.
F.
S.
S. Press ups and shoulder exercises at home

[fried]

Lot of good stuff going on. Good luck and well done Simon. Have a good holiday Cheque. Nice reports, too numerous to mention.

STG - Get from 75.0kg down to 74.5kg by the end of September.
MTG - A 6A+/6B this autumn/ winter would be nice, but I'll happily settle for a sackfull of 5+/6A stuff in a variety of styles.
LTG - 7A by 50 ( 6 years to go)

M-T - Sore and resting. Did some shoulder stuff.
W - Indoors, Arkose, lots of volume. lots of easy stuff. Shoulders seem O.K.
Th - more bamboo twirling
F - BM session repeaters jugsx2, 4-finger deep, 3-finger deep, 4-finger deep, jugs. Failed on last set due to greasy fingers.
S - Walked to St michel to buy some liquid chalk and a brush.

Rest of weekend was spent in the north of France, eating homemade pate, charcuterie, cake and drinking eau de vie. Family obligation nicely coincided with crap weather.

I bought my liquid chalk to use on my BM 'cos I don't want to use chalk in my flat, but I'm wondering if it might be a bad idea. Anyone have any thoughts?

Weight was down to 74.4kg, but 75.0kg this morning.

[nai]

I bought my liquid chalk to use on my BM 'cos I don't want to use chalk in my flat, but I'm wondering if it might be a bad idea. Anyone have any thoughts?

I use a chalkball kept in a sealed tupperware for my fingers but a cheap stand-fan off ebay has proved the most effective way of chilling the Beast and keeping the smeg factor down.

[shark]

Simon that's a great breakthrough, good to see! If my experience of progress on the route is anything to go by then you'll probably get a move or a half move further along the traverse each time over the next x sessions

Cheers Pete, that seems to be the way it is working out. Managed to come into the side hold with my right hand and hold it just now but too boxed to move my feet. Still new highpoint. Not great conditions again. Midges out in force too

[Nibile]

Mon - Koyamada test, BM three fingers slot. Up to 22 kg RH.
Front levers, ab wheel, 2 mins weight complex x2, brutal. 
Tue - static weight complex, shoulder and overhead babell walk x2.
Wed - bouldering. Hill sprints x6. I was fast and bouncy. Brilliant. Who needs climbing?
Thu - rest. Drove to the Dolomites.
Fri - tried project on soaking rock. Useless. Tired.
Sat - sunny, project even wetter. Tired.
Sun - rainy. Drove home stopping by at King Rock for a three hours long bouldering session. Useless, tired, fucking hot in there, boiling fingers. Resisted the urge to go topless.
Ate the whole weekend as if there were no tomorrow for this planet.

This was the last chance to climb my project up there for this year, probably, and I didn't even get close. Even with dry rock my chances would have been very slim: I completely fucked up the preparation. The week's training was very good but I should have rested one day more.
The Koyamada test was brutal in itself and left me with sore fingers and forearms for days.
Wednesday the bouldering was too intense and too fingery, on Friday my fingers were achey and tired.
Luckily the weather was shit.
Shoulder miraculously ok.
Anyway, I'd like to take the whole week off before starting the winter's training, let's see if I make it. Forecast is for 30+ degrees again.

[tomtom]

Isn't it Elfin Safe Tea?

Longship is great, 7A seems very steep for a very hard pull off a mono! Did you try Argle Bargle and Bargle Blaster?

Can't remember if I did Longship or not - but seem to remember it being hard either way. Elfin went quickly for me too and maybe warrants a drip to 6C+

[tomtom]

Some great reports this week - and sorry no cigar today Sharkio... still progress.. lovely progress...

I've had a physically brutal week.. but good...

M: Harmers in the morning - trying that 7A+ think of Andys (mudlark IIRC)... close close close, but no cigar. I really don't link crossing a foot through on half cigarette butt sized edges whilst crimping a ripple... but I feel I must do it.. anyway - that evening off to t'lakes \o/ to stay at MrsTT's Auntys house NR Dockray (Ullswater).

T: Up early - amazing day. We go for a 'potter' from the cottage - return 8 miles and 4 hours hours later. A couple of hours recovery and I get to hit Carrock for 4:30... Straight up to Mile high to try 'sing a rainbow' 7A. Warm up a bit - then get on it. Hmm.. quickly find its a little knacky - and seems super contingent on me getting my right heel to stick in just the right spot that is a bit unsighted. Waste about an hour until I find a re-adjust of the heel one move before a big reach up makes the difference. Hit the top out (not a path - and high) and spend about a min faffing, running out of steam and have to drop down and drop off. Grrr... feeling shattered and running out of time head back...

W: Warm but overcast - great walk up Glencoyne over the pass and drop down to Grizedale. MrsTT slow, but good day out.. about 8 miles or so again, feel knackered. Cook dinner and bed.. Wishing I had got to Carrock as primo connies (overcast cooler and wind) but just felt trashed..

Th: AM - up at 7 - at Carrock by 8. Straight up to rainbow - get it second go (first go was q bit of a sighter).. Big fight on the topout - lots of panting and wobbly head SUPERB problem. Right... next on my list (I have quite a few at Carrock I've tried and failed..) was Punks Life (7A+). Thankfully in the shade as it was warming up in the sun.. Pull on and jump - but man - its a looooong way to that jug.. Am I missing something or is it just a big big leap? Try until I realise theres probably non secret beta other than learn to jump better fool. Have a great 1/2 hour playing on Hock Stock and Two Smoking Toothbrushes (7B) before deciding I don't have the kahunas to commit to  the move with only two thin ish pads and no spotter.. Head down to low boulder to try Slopey Arete (7A). Have a great chat with a fella (Andy?) from t'county who was over for the day - then failed at the last gasp to do Slopey Arete. Back to the cottage - and realise I'd been trying a 6C+ instead.. oh well.

The day was not over.

We were invited down to Dockray to sit with the locals on the green where they were having a Tour of Britain party.. Bright sunshine, shorts and T shirt weather and a great laugh - about 30 people, live music, loads of food, BBQ, dancing and a Caleigh (fuck I know I've spelt that wrong..). Oh, and 50 bikes wizzing past in about 3 seconds. Great fun and made so welcome by all in the village. I want to move. Back late(ish)

Fr: Another cracking day. Up fairly early - long walk up Great Dodd from the cottage and back around some other peaks... 5 hours - 11-12 miles. Knackered. Had to pick up some supplies in Penrith - then over to Carrock for 5pm.. Right. Try the PROPER slopey arête this time - its nails :D can't get near it.. give up after about 40 min and go and have a play on the superb 'Fast cars and Campervans' 7A. Brilliant problem - work out all the parts - but run out of skin and strength before being able to link it. Even had a last (wait ten min then try) go and just slid off at the wrong moment. Took me a while to find a way to get my left heel up so high... Oh well, until next time Carrock Fell!

Sa: Shattered. Drive home

Su: Still shattered. Lie on sofa and watch TV...

Superb week - amazing weather in the Lakes - burnt myself out physically doing long walks and bouldering in the same day - but when the weathers good there, you just have to take advantage

[Sasquatch]

M- Unexpected bu fantastic day out side bouldering.  No real goals, but excited to get out with a big group.  Mange to figure out beta for an old sit start project and even send.  Probably 7C+/8Aish. felt good to try hard and pull it out.  A few other strong guys working it, but no other sends.   
T-Climb on routes w wife at the wall.  Managed to do a new 8a+/b route in one hang and felt pretty solid.  Lift - Max bench and Deadlift
W- 16 hrs driving - Day 1 of driving from Anchorage to Spokane with friend and family(5 kids ages 2-12)
T- Day 2 - 12 hrs driving
F- Day 3 - 10hrs driving, had to stop for new tires on trailer
S- Day 4 - 18 hrs driving
S- Day 5 4 hr driving, help friend set up trailer in new home, fly back to anchorage. 


Long, but amazing drive.  When I finally got back into cell reception got fantastic news via email (See YYFY).  Ready to really step into training for the next 4 weeks and get prepped for new job/life changes...

[fried]

I bought my liquid chalk to use on my BM 'cos I don't want to use chalk in my flat, but I'm wondering if it might be a bad idea. Anyone have any thoughts?

I use a chalkball kept in a sealed tupperware for my fingers but a cheap stand-fan off ebay has proved the most effective way of chilling the Beast and keeping the smeg factor down.

I have a fan, I'll try that first before I pof up my BM. Cheers.

[rodma]

here we go

[Sasquatch]

Shark-Way to go with the new highpoints!!

[shark]

Shark-Way to go with the new highpoints!!

Thanks Sas,

Here's a video of my new highpoint from yesterday which is one foot move better than my recent new highpoint. The previous video further up the thread wasn't my recent new highpoint or even matching my recent new highpoint. I think that it is important that I make this clear the granular detail of my failed redpoints. Basically it is another video of me falling of the top traverse. I have other versions getting to this point that involve power screaming when tired that I can post if there is demand for further variety. Joking apart, I am very excited to have got to the top traverse twice on each of my last three visits*.



*Note for tomtom: that is 6 times in total.   

 

[Nibile]

Brilliant new Shark. Now keep your composure and do the job.