[nai]

goals:
summer - train - maintain fitness, get stronger
Autumn - Powerplant & Raindogs (and Body Machine/Proud Whore if dry) + WIPs
LTG - might be passing phase but OS 7C and do an/some E6s. Tequila top of the list

Mon -
AM - awake before everyone else - repeaters on portable board, feel a bit daft with Mont Blanc looming above me

Spend the day walking up an easy summit, watch mountain bikers floating down trails, around berms and over jumps and experience a pang I haven't felt in a while.

PM quick session at Col des Montets, get into the French vibe and do some traversing.

T rest

Wed
7am at Col des Montets Suisse side, do a nails 6a+ that I might have got wrong, a so-so 6c+ SS then go home and do Repeaters.

PM - Servoz with family - lead a couple of 3s to put TRs up and a surprisingly ok 5+

Th drop in at Les Gailland in the evening, do a couple of 4s for wife and kids to TR

Fri -
Les Gaillands earlyish- 3x3s for TRs. Got crazy hot but didn't stop the mad Brit punter scene, 30 degrees but still folk plodding on in full sun.  Went to Lac de Passy to swim instead

Eve - Les Bossons - quick hour, a few good 6s then quickly worked Black 1, a 7A traverse.  Got one attempt at it before I was dragged home, failed -3 moves.  Only saw 3 of 20 blocks but a nice place, very Font.  The RH red problem on block 2 would be a classic in a bouldering spot, the unfortunate drilled pocket to get you going is long forgotten by the slopey compression move to gain a nervy mantle finish.

Sat -
7am CdM French side.  Total shit connies despite it only being 11 degrees, very humid with the sun burning off heavy dew.  Tried some proper locals problems needing a very blinkered approach to make the grade, like an alpine Minus Ten using guesswork.

5pm CdM Suisse - tried a 7B roof I'd seen on youtube, good problem, about 6B other than one massive slap which I didn't quite manage. Gave up on that as it was chewing my hands up and tried a techy vert thing which I gave up on as it involved deadpointing to, then holding a barndoor, on a flakey razor-like slot.

S - planned as a rest day due to the forecast but turned out overcast and coolish rather than stormy, got restless and headed out....

Les Bossons was wet, Orthaz too but did Voie Normal, just because.

Ended up at CdM again, quite a lot of wetness here too so had to change plan. 
Traversed back and forth  for 10 minutes feeling like a local. 

Found the Surplomb block, did the up problems then the traverse several times trying to make it something like the given grade.  Peak rules - no heels, no matching was ballpark.  Really felt the absurdity on this one, as well as being eliminate it also both starts and finishes sitting. Got pretty pumped doing it over and over, which was nice.
Sun came out and it  got very hot and even more humid, tips suddenly felt too sore. Gave up, went for ice cream.

[Coops_13]

STG: Get fit/strong again!
MTG: Get solid on 7B/+ boulder and 7b/+ sport and find/do a project
LTG: 8A & 8a

M - Rest
T - Indoors, good session playing around on hardish boulders
W -
T - Indoors, after warming up spent all session on the 50 board. Fingers and core hurting by the end
F - Drove up to Lake District for long weekend with family, walked up some fells in the afternoon
S - Managed a couple of hours of padless and spotterless bouldering in Honister Pass. Did the V5 lip traverse on the upper boulder, didn't have a clue how to do the V6. Then did all the climbs on the lower, bigger boulder incl. 2 V5s. Very nice problems, kept falling off the top of one of the V5s into a puddle. Good to see what you can do even without pads.
S - Fell-walking in the morning. Stopped off at Langdale boulders for half an hour before going home. Tried the Overhang (6C+?) but couldn't get the top slap, very sweaty. Fell off and cracked my phone screen  Was using my rucksack as a pad. Went round the corner and did some 7A dyno eliminate, very soft.

Good week and weekend, staying psyched!

[Nibile]

Mon - brilliant session. Standing ab wheel, 3x3, slight pause at full extension, with perfect anterior tilt, as it should be done. Then one usual set, feeling very good. Good progress. Bentover straight arm pulls and lateral raises then 30" overhead carry x10. Beautiful.
Tue - crimp session, good vibes despite being tired and 26 degrees with 54% humidity. Power is there. Then one poor go on the project circuit. Feet weren't there, boiling holds. Useless. Rings, 15" support position, 15" rest, 15" L-sit, 15" rest x6. Brutal.
Wed - rest
Thu - rest
Fri - rest
Sat - bentover straight arm and raises x10, front lever pulls x5, overhead carry x30"; x10. Brilliant. This thing here:

I'm tired, I need to rest but the desire to train is bigger than everything else. It's far stronger than any other thought.

[Muenchener]

STG (August/September): get a couple more decent alpine rock routes done.
MTG (2016): Redpoint 7b
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

M:
T: Wall, Boulderwelt. Short but good bouldering sessions
W: Wall, Thalkirchen. Fiasco. Went with the intention of doing routes, but arrived late from work having forgotten harness. Went on outdoor traverse wall until driven indoors by torrential rain. Bouldered, desultorily.
T: Shoulder rehab exercises
F: Bike to work, shoulder rehab
S: Beastmaker: maintenance max hangs
S: UK family visit: London sightseeing then drive to Norfolk to see my sister & mum.

[duncan]

STG: Don’t get injured. Maintain good shoulder rehab. habits. Rabada-Navarro, Naranjo de Bulnes. Excalibur, Wendenstock.
MTG: Sea-cliff E5 by the end of Summer. Don’t embarrass myself on Caveman. Lose 3 1.5kg 
LTG: Font 7a. Sport 7b+. Something properly long, hard and free (and ideally in condition in August).

335

M - Westway: fridge bouldering to V3/4 (managed one of the steeper blacks).
T - Shoulder strength/stability exercises. Pull-ups.
W - Westway: fridge bouldering to V2/3 (hot, tired, performance waning).
T - Drove to Fontainbleau
F - La Canche aux Merciers: Warm! Blue circuit.
S - Roche aux Sabots: 25C, humid, and the slopers felt like butter. Various blues and reds including attempts at L'angle à Jean-Luc (~6c). This felt some way off but worth a return visit in better conditions. Offspring absolutely loved the White children’s circuit. Is there a better introduction to climbing anywhere?
S - Rest

336

M - Petit Bois: Shaded, cooler, but mosquito ridden. Blues, reds and a black (Remise à l'Heure ~6a). Wasn’t sure where this finished so did it three times with different combinations of slab and arete. All good fun.
T - Apremont: Scorchio! Some of the blue circuit, lots of lazing around, Quixotic attempts at Science Friction. Obviously we waited til late afternoon to make sure the sun came on it. Achieved 5 foot movements and 1.5m of ascent. Ludicrous but great fun.
W - Drove home.
T -
F - Shoulder strength/stability exercises. Pull-ups.
S - Walk around Hampstead Heath. Shoulder strength/stability exercises.
S - Portland Blacknor South with a cast of 1000s. I’ve not done more than 7 pitches in a day this year and aiming to climb 21 next weekend. Managed double figures. Had a brief go at Oldest Profession (7a) as it’s usually wet. Close but fluffed the final move of the crux. 

Great trip to Fontainebleau. Conditions terrible, mosquitoes infernal, but excellent company - in particular our Dutch and German neighbours - and everyone keen to return. Offspring into climbing sandstone more than plastic.
 
Plan: two conflicting aims for the next two months. Maintain or improve fitness for long, techy, vertical routes (Picos, Switzerland, Scotland) and address a long-standing weakness on steeper ground (Berry Head).

[tomtom]

https://youtu.be/WI6KgzFb028?t=39s
(From 39 secs)

2 wall sessions, 2 beastmaker sessions, one Helsby trip

[Nibile]

Sat - bentover straight arm and raises x10, front lever pulls x5, overhead carry x30"; x10. Brilliant. This thing here:

[SA Chris]

STG - get climbing again.

LTG get strong

M - run 6k. Crap route, overgrown and feet got soaked.
T - bike 25 k. Set out in the raining thinking it would dry up. It didn't.
W - SUP 6k. Windy and choppy, didn't exactly set any speed records.
T - nothing
F - Saw thumb specialist - reckoned it's a sticking tendon. Cortisone injection, hmmmm. run 6k
S - nothing
S - clearing out garage to make space for wall and a dreadmill. 42k on bike, nice evening, but got dark too early.

[petejh]

STG: first 8b+ (Mecca), in July October
MTG:
LTG: 8c, by June 2018

'Ticking over phase'
2 weeks.

M.
T.
W. Devil's Gorge to finish off Devil's Haircut. Routes on the inner wall all condensed to fuck  . Did two laps on Coffee & Ice-Cream then had an os attempt at Fairtrade. Fell at the crux then couldn't do the moves on the dog, bit too reachy?   
T.
F. Flew to Nimes early am with girlfriend.
S. Orpierre. Raining to start so went to Le Puy which stays dry. Couple of 5s/6s then os'd La Poisse. Over to Quiquillion and os'd Vivement la Bombe, Impressive 100m vertical walls at quiquiullion, nice crimpy style.
S. Devoluy. Bit late getting going.Couple of easy routes but then the sun came round so we bailed to Orpierre. Os'd Je t'aime moi non plus.

M. Devoluy. Warm up route then os'd the 7a I'd wanted to do on Sunday, La Matire S'excite. Good climbing here, nice vert style. The long routes on Pic Pieroux look brilliant, keen to come back for some adventures here. Orpierre in afternoon. Couple of easier routes then os'd Les Kilos Vent en Enfer, quality route, well impressed with the 7s at Orpierre.
T. Rest day. Spent afternoon at Orpierre Cascade sector teaching girlfriend how to lead and thread the anchors. Nervous! She led a 3, a 4, then a 5, then TR'd a hard 6a/+. Going well.
W. Ceuse. Started on easy stuff at left side (FFME). After lunch did some easy stuff at Demi Lune then os'd La Cour des Hommes, pleased but Ceuse still/will always feels nails as soon as you fluff a sequence on slopey pockets. Moved again to Grande Face, did some easy stuff and a cool 6b Tabernacle.
T. Ceuse. Grande Face. Love this sector. Warmed up then over to Nitshapa and fluffed the os on Les Gros Papiers Messiers Caca, did second go. GF had a great time at Ceuse doing 6as cleanly.
F. Early flight home.
S. Epic 10-hour round trip drive to Swansea and back.
S. The Diamond. Good to be back! Cleaned the soil and cabbages out of Luke's good link-up 6c/+. Then fell off Wall of the Evening Light. Fucked from not enough sleep and too much driving.


France trip was brilliant and can't wait for the next one, didn't try anything harder than 7a+/b but felt ace to cruise around moving over rock after projecting for 5 weeks.

[Luke Owens]

Back from the family Peak Trip, everyone enjoyed it, camping with a 4 month old was not as bad as we thought it was going to be, she adapted like nothing had changed!

2 week update:

M: Job Interview

T: Rest

W: Gorge with PeteJH - Condensed out so couldn't get back on Grand Canyon, tried to flash Bananas & Coffee (7a+), died of flash pump/cramp half way up. Had another go but got so boxed on the headwall. Fitness terrible as ever.

T: Rest

F: Rest

S: Supposed to head to the Peak but had an unbelievable amount of packing and sorting to do for the trip...

S: Drove to the Laneside campsite in the Hope Valley.

M: Burbage Bridge - Did a 5+ arête, Wobble Block (6B+) and the direct (6C) great problem. Spotted eldest on some slabs.

T: Cratcliffe Boulders - Set up a picnic spot in the middle of all the easy boulders outside of the woods. Great spot, ran around doing 30+ easy problems and spotted eldest on loads of great easy slabs, family loved it!

W: Blazing hot all day then went to Burbage North at sunset, did Cleo's Arete under Voyager, well good. Then tried Safe Bet, couldn't commit properly with one pad and no spotter, almost did Bedrock to the right then did some 6A+ with a jump to a pocket. Went and tried the Hanging Rib on Remergence, got shut down on the slap to the ledge, tried Banana Finger in the dark and slipped off and missed the pad so called it a day.

T: Rest

F: Birchen Edge - Ace spot on the top at the three ships when we eventually got there, walk in took way longer than the touted 10 mins in the guide with kids and bags, humid as hell too.

Did all the problems on the ship blocks in about half an hour, eldest did loads of scrambling/climbing around here too. Went and did the 2 arêtes on the cabin block and the Cabin Boy problem using the right hand sidepull (6C). Fell off the last move of Spring Thing 3 times then it rained. Horrible slog of a walk out being a pack horse for everyone's bags!

S: Packed up and headed home

S: Rest

S. The Diamond. Good to be back! Cleaned the soil and cabbages out of Luke's good link-up 6c/+. Then fell off Wall of the Evening Light. Fucked from not enough sleep and too much driving.

Sounds like your France trip was awesome!

Cheers for cleaning the line, thought it might be dirty after winter!

Diamond season - Psyched!

[Duma]

Goals:
Summer - lots of local sport, unfinished business with cider soak from 15 years ago, identify (and if possible do) candidates for:
8A (Hunters Roof?)and 8b by next June

70kg. 

Body Audit: shoulder worse again, hoping this week off climbing will improve things.

M: tca eve, finals problems and last white from comp. New beta meant last white went ok, finals were ok except for hardest, pleased to manage it in the end, about 7B. campusing 1-4-6.5 on both arms x 4, plus a tickle of 7 leasing with left. Really pleased with progress campusing.
T: Llangennith surfing, bit gutless and onshore, but most I've been out in a while, couple of ok turns. 2 sessions.
W: early session at Llangennith, bigger but much shorter period, hard work paddling.
T: TCA morning before work, mothership reset so lots to play on. Did everything up to 7A+ fairly quick, almost managed the 7B, no impression on the harder things. 10 narrow press ups, new PB!
F: TCA eve, not feeling great but  persevered, mothership mostly. Did the pink 7B ok with Jonnys beta, bit further on the hard things.
S: work 12 hours
S: work 12 hours

[tomtom]

Glad the peak trip went well Luke.

[SA Chris]

W: early session at Llangennith, bigger but much shorter period, hard work paddling.

Reputation for being one of the toughest paddle outs on a big day. Somehow never a rip to be seen!

[csl]

STG - End of August
 
Get on an 8a
Try and do Azazel 7A + Goat Rage short 7B

MTG - End of the year

Climb an 8a

Tick a few off this list

Dominatrix, New Dawn, Biological Need, Tennessee, Paradise Lost, Realm of Chaos, Colours, Stay Golden, Frazzled

LTG - 2017

more trad, onsight 7c

Mon

Biscuit Factory - sociable session
Lots of V4-6
Tue

Building One Eve

Ok session, tired from day before so just climbed on juggy roof routes for a bit. Did medium, and nearly did the hard.

Wed + Thu

Rest

Fri

Biscuit Factory

Went for a friendly comp thing, got 21/30 which put me in 2nd place. Clearly people don't take it particularly seriously as that put me a place above the current British Bouldering champ...

But, i was happy in terms of my personal climbing effort at least. And first place got one more boulder than me so it was close.

Weekend

Non-climbing weekend to cornwall, shame since the weather was amazing!

[fried]

Not much.

F- Indoors, did some easy stuff and traversing, took some experimental jumps onto my ankle, which wasn't overly happy, but better than before.

Sa - Canche aux Merciers, some yellows, a couple of oranges, various bits of traverses.

Audit - need to lose 2kg, whatever finger strength I didn't have before has disappeared. I'm off for a lazy couple of weeks in Portugal with no climbing in sight, so hopefully the ankle will be recovered when I get back and I can get back into form for the autumn.

[Duma]

W: early session at Llangennith, bigger but much shorter period, hard work paddling.

Reputation for being one of the toughest paddle outs on a big day. Somehow never a rip to be seen!

Wasn't that big, I'm just very unfit for surfing!

[SA Chris]

OK, anything other than a small day! I've never surfed it on anything bigger than shoulder high, and anything bigger than waist always seems a hard fight.

[tk421a]

STG: Get some form back
MTG: 7C / 7c
LTG: 8A /8b

Been away a while, in France for some football / family holiday and then Wales. Little bits of climbing in Font (awful, didn't get anything done) and in Wales (fun taking gf up some sea-cliffs).

Last couple weeks back indoors feeling strong but climbing terribly. Vauxwall comp on Wednesday so should see how I'm actually feeling then.

Will be hitting rock from Aug 16 for 2.5 weeks, looking for partners for anything, boulder, sport, or trad.

[the_dom]

STG/MTG: 8A.

Mon: Moonboard - good session until i split a tip - and 6x max hangs + 33kgs.
Tues: Crossfit - not a good workout - and treadmill.
Wed: Moonboard - another good session, trying to flash as many as possible in the 6C to 7A+ish range - and 6x max hags + 33kgs.
Thurs: Crossfit - this time a good workout - and treadmill.
Fri: Rest day. Drive to Rocklands.
Sat: Rocklands. Went to a new (to me) area, The Section. Managed to fall off the end of The Stimulator (7C/+) first go thanks to mate moving the mat and my dabbing it and thus losing concentration, then couldn't get it done. It'll go. Then wandered up to Roadcrew to try Kings of Convenience (8A) and surprised myself by doing to first crux move first go, the second one within 20 mins and then linking the crux moves in another 10 mins. Tired out before I got it done - it's really physical and savage on the skin.
Sun: Optimistic wander up to Roadcrew. Was worse on KoC but refined some beta at least. It's one of those that will require some rest before I try it again. Debating a tactical strike mission next weekend.

All in all, a good training week and really happy to find an 8A that may be doable.

[shark]

10.11-12 -been in this range for 4 weeks averaging 8% body fat 

M.High Tor on my own. Limited time and started bolting and cleaning a new route. Takes the amazing pocketed rib right of Castellan. Decided that the best way to access it was via Castellan (as suggested by Neil F) Evening. On a whim did a 150kg deadlift. Looked up old records and saw this matched my old PB. Added 2.5kg and lifted this as well. New PB! (2.25 times bodyweight)

T. Back down to High Tor on my own again for more bolting. Tried to use a shunt but didn't work on my thick rope. Don't like shunts anyway. Scary position to be messing around with them. Dogged all of the moves on grigri. Route will be awesome. Overran and ended up picking up Poppy 40minutes late from Drama School.  Bad Dad. Belayed Tommy at Foundry after.

W.High Tor. Met Nick there. Had a narrow window again dropping Poppy off at drama at 9.45am and having to pick her up at 4.00pm. Keen not to be late this time. Plan was for Nick to efficiently lead first pitch of Castellan and me the second it- then for me to despatch my new route in short order. The plan was predicated on a few assumptions which proved ill-founded:
1. That Castellan would be a fun romp given I had (kind of) flashed the main pitch in 1987
2. It would totally suit Nick who is a tall one-arm specialist and tradhead
3. My route would go at 7b+/c. Things didn't start well when I forgot the ab rope. I used my sport rope instead and abbed into the Castellan cave (not straightforward). Nick was below and I attempted to haul up his rucsac. It got jammed. I suggested he start soloing up the first 4b pitch of Skylight and I went across and set up an impromptu belay for him. Nick then had a go at Castellan. It looked awkward as hell. Then he fell off a few times. I went up to do it sport style by using the tail end of the ab rope and pre-clipping the bolts Id placed to the left. Bolts were too far left of the starting moves to offer to protect it properly . I tied into Nicks rope as well. The moves were perplexing. I fell off several times but got a sequence after a fashion. Nicks go. He just tried on the trad gear and got out to the broken large scooped pocket and then struggled with heelhooks before ploipping off about 15 feet. I had another go. Dogged the moves again and managed to climb up into the niche via a wild kneebar and grabbed the peg. Which looked shit. Didnt have any gear to back it up. Grabbed the ab rope and tied in short to protect the next moves. Then struggled to move out right on to the rib - a move I thought would be a doddle. Then the moves above seemed harder than yesterday. Dawned on me that dogging with a grigri was like having a massive power spot. Worked the crux then realised I was running out of time. Started dogging up with a view to getting to the belay but realised that wouldnt work as I was on the tail end of the ab rope and it would run short. Hauled up a belay device with the other rope and dogged up to retrieve QDs placed on way down and abbed down. Gear under the roof was too hard to get to so lowered to ledge. I then went up to retrieve the gear. Felt distinctly unhappy. Ended up leaving a nut in the roof to protect myself and reversed back to Nick. The three ropes were in an unholy mess but Nick sorted them out and abbed to ground and I followed. Packed up quickly then I headed back to the summit to retrieve the ab rope and jog back to the car for 3.15pm. Perfect. Picked up Poppy bang on time. 

T. Eve. Lengthy fingerboard session

F.

S. High Tor. 9am at crag. Abbed in and put a top rope on route on way down. Brought Nick up to the cave. He had a go at Castellan. Still struggling. I then jumared with difficulty past the Castellan start to work the rib again and came down. Nick then dogged back up Castellan and had a go on the lower crux of my route and used a more direct sequence. I then dogged up and tried his sequence which was better and easier than mine. And then worked the route again till I was knackered. We finished at 2.30pm so Nick could dash off. Went home feeling busted and had a nap. Then went to a BBQ at Seb's. Got into conversation with Castellan First Free Ascentionist Steve Bancroft  and swapped notes about how desperate it was. Had several glasses of very nice wine and bumped into a few people who I hadn't seen for a long time.

S. Not too hungover. Took the boys out to Conies Dale and met Dolly there. Later joinerd by Mark Hundleby and Joe Picalli. Nice place. Much better than expected. Warmed up then flashed Conie Yeboah 7A <cough>. Nice problem whatever the grade and did it twice more. Then nearly flashed Conie Lamprecht 7A (the one with the pinch) but got it second go. Conie Lamiche 7A (the one with ears) felt a tad harder and took a few goes. Then failed on Conie Simpson 7A+ and Conie Island Elephant 7A+. Good craic and of course... good connies. Ben did all 3 of the 7A's too and Tommy showed a little more enthusiasm and narrowly missed doing two of them. We all went to teh Moon on the way back so Dolly could have his birthday pint   


Another enjoyable week though struggling on Castellan doesnt bode well for retroflashing Caveman with Duncan. Back to shunt my new route tomorrow and hopefully to get wired enough for a perfunctory redpoint on Wednesday.   

[Nibile]

Nice one Shark!
Good going!

[filz]

STG: Loose Kgs added recently. More AnCap and AeroCap training
MTG: tick some routes (by end of summer)

Mon - max hangs on portable fb. Planks, headstands. Good workout
Tue - nothing
Wed - nothing
Thu - rings: top position, dips, rows, shrugs. Tired. Felt hard
Fri - nothing
Sat - more fb on the portable board. Tabata (clean and press).
Sun - sport climbing. Did some warm up routes, then my wrist started aching again.. Also on crimps where it had never gave me problems. 

The weight seems to be back to normal. I've been consistently around 72Kg for a couple of weeks now. The wrist is bugging me. I'll make it check this week before leaving for the dolomites.

[monkoffunk]

STG: climb Everyday Lives of Ordinary People. Find 7c+ project.
MTG: 1. French 7c+, before 1/1/17. 2. Get into shape for Spain
3. Tick unfinished business list (5/13).
4. Font 7B before 1/1/17.
LTG: 1. Cider Soak and Academic, before 1/1/18. 2. Font 7B+, before 1/1/18.

M - Nights.

T - Nights.

W - Nights. Went to Red Spider before shift just to boulder for fun really, did some of the comp problems from week before including one of the 7As which was a bit unexpected.

T - Nights.

F - Post nights! Red Spider on a couple of hours sleep. Boulders and a bit on the board. Surprisingly productive despite being mentally out of it. Careful not to push too hard and get injured.

S - No climbing for a while due. Did a bunch of straight leg raises off flat edge.

S - Same as day before, plus some stuff on rings in garage of girlfriends uncle. Maintenance stuff, not really progressive.

More nights next week. Will try and fit in training between shifts. Still in maintenance mode.

[webbo]

Mon. Biked to work 20 miles. Biked home 18 miles.
Tue. Board trying old problems not using footholds on kick board. Managed 3 out of the 4 I was trying.
Wed. Bike out on group ride from Malton 36 miles. Got a bit of a kicking on the hills.
Thu. Board. Managed the problem I couldn't do on Tues. Did a few others not using the kicker. Pretty good session.
Fri. Nothing.
Sat. Board lots of goes on projects. Little success.
Sun. Bike 75.57 miles 4 hrs 34 mins. Windy, pretty battered when. Finished.