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Project 8a (Read 47110 times)

hstmoore

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#75 Re: Project 8a
September 29, 2017, 11:26:01 am
Great thread, lots of good advice in times for winter training. As I start my training this year I'm struggling to find a concrete goal to give myself something to aim towards so I'm going to give myself a fairly arbitrary but fun-looking one: Powerplant at the Cornice.

I've never been on Powerplant, only seen people climb it. There are plenty of UKB threads with beta but what I'd really like to know is how the route climbs and therefore what I should focus on training: Power endurance? Finger strength? Dynamic movement? etc. If anyone has any advice that would be much appreciated. Cheers!

Wood FT

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#76 Re: Project 8a
September 29, 2017, 12:33:19 pm
Great thread, lots of good advice in times for winter training. As I start my training this year I'm struggling to find a concrete goal to give myself something to aim towards so I'm going to give myself a fairly arbitrary but fun-looking one: Powerplant at the Cornice.

I've never been on Powerplant, only seen people climb it. There are plenty of UKB threads with beta but what I'd really like to know is how the route climbs and therefore what I should focus on training: Power endurance? Finger strength? Dynamic movement? etc. If anyone has any advice that would be much appreciated. Cheers!

Re: Powerplant - It climbs really well in my opinion and the top wall, in particular, has a bunch of really interesting holds. It took me ages to get through the knee bar section as for my height you have to keep a shed load of tension to reach the holds and be able to take your knee out. In terms of finger strength, I dunno, I was bouldering around f7a at that point and it didn't require anywhere near that, the smallest holds are a pair of slick one pad crimps you have to hold while moving your feet around for the kneebar. There are a fair few dynamic moves at the start with a big move up left to a sharp sidepull jug and also a butch move up to the aforementioned crimps. I'd train power endurance with big moves on relatively good holds, it's around 20-25 moves, stick a big chunky undercut to match around halfway. The caveat to all this is that I don't know much about training and the route took me ages, I guess I just got fit on it which is the best training there is. Message me for any beta when the time comes, it's etched into my brain.

nai

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#77 Re: Project 8a
September 29, 2017, 05:48:37 pm
I guess I just got fit on it which is the best training there is.

took me ages

 :???:


Wood FT

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#78 Re: Project 8a
September 29, 2017, 05:58:44 pm
smart arse

nash1

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#79 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 10:47:41 am
I was dangling on my chosen 8a the other day on a grigri/traxion. It is soooo possible, all the moves are there. Main problem was skin and shoe pain, but that will improve by doing a bit more all round climbing. Now, how to get the endurance for the route with not enough time on my hands will need discipline...

stone

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#80 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 03:30:29 pm
There is a certain amount of leeway between individuals' ability to climb a given grade quickly and to climb a (harder) grade eventually. Some people are great at being able to summon that decisive "get the job done" attitude needed for quick ascents. I'd love to be better at that. I've long had a half-arsed aspiration to do a 7b+ in a day but have never managed it. But I have done a few 8a+ after extensive sieging. So if you want to climb a route, enjoy dangling on it, but can't do the various precondition feats people suggest and don't envisage getting the training you need, perhaps just siege it out :) . But I would say for myself it helps to mix it up with getting on other stuff too (eg bouldering and easier routes).

monkoffunk

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#81 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 04:45:56 pm
That's quite a decrepancy, I'd admire your seige commitment! I've done a couple of 7c in a day, one second go, but never climbed a harder grade. Definitely feel that is is an underperformance. Hopefully will put this right soon, I've spent a few months bouldering for a Font trip, and now that I'm back plan on getting on Fighting Torque as exclusively as I can over winter. Feel it's a good choice due to the short lived nature of the spicy bit. Should suit a transition from bouldering back to sport.

stone

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#82 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 05:15:58 pm
I just (belately) looked at the start of this thread and saw that Yossarian is based on the South East coast. Might Adrenachrome at Lulworth be a suitable target but with Fighting Torque at The Cuttings (as monkoffunk just mentioned) as a stormy seas bail-to alternative. Years ago I had a great midwinter day climbing with ropes at Lulworth Stairhole cave.   

Wood FT

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#83 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 05:25:35 pm
I just (belately) looked at the start of this thread and saw that Yossarian is based on the South East coast. Might Adrenachrome at Lulworth be a suitable target but with Fighting Torque at The Cuttings (as monkoffunk just mentioned) as a stormy seas bail-to alternative. Years ago I had a great midwinter day climbing with ropes at Lulworth Stairhole cave.

How did you get back in from lowering off Adrenachrome?

SA Chris

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#84 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 05:58:26 pm
Swim.

remus

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#85 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 06:13:56 pm
I just (belately) looked at the start of this thread and saw that Yossarian is based on the South East coast. Might Adrenachrome at Lulworth be a suitable target but with Fighting Torque at The Cuttings (as monkoffunk just mentioned) as a stormy seas bail-to alternative. Years ago I had a great midwinter day climbing with ropes at Lulworth Stairhole cave.

Might just be because I've been trying it soup up, but Adrenochrome feels very meaty to me. Potentially tricky to get in condition too (lots of sea smeg). Fighting torqu on the other hand is a much more reasonable proposition!

stone

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#86 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 06:58:49 pm
I just (belately) looked at the start of this thread and saw that Yossarian is based on the South East coast. Might Adrenachrome at Lulworth be a suitable target but with Fighting Torque at The Cuttings (as monkoffunk just mentioned) as a stormy seas bail-to alternative. Years ago I had a great midwinter day climbing with ropes at Lulworth Stairhole cave.

Might just be because I've been trying it soup up, but Adrenochrome feels very meaty to me. Potentially tricky to get in condition too (lots of sea smeg). Fighting torqu on the other hand is a much more reasonable proposition!
I didn't get on Adrenachrome, I just did Lulworth Arms Treaty and 7b was my limit back then. But as a midwinter roped climbing venue, Stairhole Cave seemed great. The winter sun shines straight into the cave (the summer sun is too high in the sky to shine in). Apparently that makes smeg much less of an issue in winter than in summer (I suppose it's the rock-warmer-than-the-air-so-no-condensation phenomenon). On that day I was there, conditions were great and the local (Pete Oxley no less!) I was with gave the impression that that was to be expected in winter.
I also had great tuition about getting the gear out and rope down keeping everything dry. Pete climbed Mark of the Beast that day and also kept his rope dry and he'd climbed Adrenachrome with ropes before the DWS era.  I have to confess that, 15years later, I've forgotten what that stripping method was :) but I remember that it was quick and easy -could it just have been stripping as you would on dry land but then whipping the rope in so momentum takes it to the ledge when you pull it? I've been doing that to cope with quagmire mud in the Peak :)
« Last Edit: November 01, 2017, 07:05:19 pm by stone »

monkoffunk

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#87 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 07:07:07 pm
Adrenochrome roped would be quite a faff for a first 8a and tough as a solo. Bit of a pain driving to Portland too as a bail out.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2017, 07:14:10 pm by monkoffunk »

nai

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#88 Re: Project 8a
November 01, 2017, 07:18:02 pm
I just did Lulworth Arms Treaty and 7b was my limit back then.

In a day?

stone

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#89 Re: Project 8a
November 02, 2017, 11:29:59 am
I just did Lulworth Arms Treaty and 7b was my limit back then.

In a day?
Yes that was before I turned-to-the-dark-side/ saw-the-light with regards to sieging and my best in-a-day red point grade (7b) was also my best overall red point grade. Since then, I've failed to improve on the in-a-day grade. My onsighting "progress" has been even worse -my only ever 7a+ onsight was the first 7a+ I managed by any means. I guess it is partly because Dorset used to be my closest climbing and I used to often have days attempting 6a to 7a onsighting. Since moving near to the Peak I instead dangle from 7b+ to 8a+ routes (because the better sport routes here are mostly trickier). It's all fresh air and exercise though.

AJM

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#90 Re: Project 8a
November 02, 2017, 12:38:45 pm
I just (belately) looked at the start of this thread and saw that Yossarian is based on the South East coast. Might Adrenachrome at Lulworth be a suitable target but with Fighting Torque at The Cuttings (as monkoffunk just mentioned) as a stormy seas bail-to alternative. Years ago I had a great midwinter day climbing with ropes at Lulworth Stairhole cave.

Might just be because I've been trying it soup up, but Adrenochrome feels very meaty to me. Potentially tricky to get in condition too (lots of sea smeg). Fighting torqu on the other hand is a much more reasonable proposition!

I've also been told that October and onwards is best for conditions at Lulworth because of the lower sun angle. Not that it's relevant for this but apparently Blackers can be good over winter as well, I assume partly for similar reasons.

Mark Lloyd

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#91 Re: Project 8a
November 02, 2017, 12:53:13 pm
You would have flashed Marshall Music too if someone had given you enough quick draws, oops

monkoffunk

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#92 Re: Project 8a
November 07, 2017, 09:53:19 am
Had a few goes on Fighting Torque yesterday. All but one of the moves done and a couple of clips to sort out but certainly all felt possible! Don't want to jinx it but should go this winter if get down there enough!
(If anyone else tries it, the massive tick marks aren't mine...)

Yossarian

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#93 Re: Project 8a
December 18, 2017, 05:04:14 pm
Thanks to various complications over the past few months, I’ve not managed to move forwards with all this. I seem to have become my own worst enemy as far as maintaining any consistency. It’s fine when things in general are going well, but as soon as there are deadlines and / or stress / anxiety levels mount, I end up cutting out training. And putting weight back on.

I’m not entirely sure what to do in the short term. Without any obvious opportunities for trips abroad or protracted sieges, I’m thinking perhaps the best thing is to accept that training indoors can be an end in itself until I figure out a better plan.


erm, sam

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#94 Re: Project 8a
December 18, 2017, 05:28:03 pm
Just keep fingerboarding.

You can fit this in even when busy and it makes the most difference over eg a year. Make sure the fingerboard is in the house, get a standarised warmup and keep doing it. 1x week when busy, 2x when you have time.

Over a while of doing nothing else, this will make a definate positive difference..

SA Chris

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#95 Re: Project 8a
December 18, 2017, 06:08:01 pm
This. When the stress stacks up is when i really need a weekly session down the wall, even if it means leaving the office at 8 and only getting an hour and a half in.

Am i alone in actually losing weight when stressed? I usually don't feel hungry and so eat less, often breakfast and have time for a minimal lunch.

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#96 Re: Project 8a
December 18, 2017, 06:16:01 pm
Just keep fingerboarding.

You can fit this in even when busy and it makes the most difference over eg a year. Make sure the fingerboard is in the house, get a standarised warmup and keep doing it. 1x week when busy, 2x when you have time.

Over a while of doing nothing else, this will make a definate positive difference..
Agreed!

and if you're not getting other exercise, a bit of body weight conditioning goes a LONG way to maintaining str so you don't have to start over. 

Yossarian

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#97 Re: Project 8a
December 19, 2017, 08:47:05 am
Just keep fingerboarding.

You can fit this in even when busy and it makes the most difference over eg a year. Make sure the fingerboard is in the house, get a standarised warmup and keep doing it. 1x week when busy, 2x when you have time.

Over a while of doing nothing else, this will make a definate positive difference..

That’s a decent plan. It’s currently in the garage which was earmarked for conversion into training facility but has just been filled with the contents of my unit (a massive pain in the arse in itself), so separating the two would be quite a positive thing.

And daughter wants a pull-up bar, so both could end up in the house upstairs in adjoining doorways.

Yossarian

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#98 Re: Project 8a
December 20, 2017, 02:08:46 pm
This. When the stress stacks up is when i really need a weekly session down the wall, even if it means leaving the office at 8 and only getting an hour and a half in.

Am i alone in actually losing weight when stressed? I usually don't feel hungry and so eat less, often breakfast and have time for a minimal lunch.

Apologies Chris - I didn’t reply.

My wife commutes Mon-Thurs so I deal with the kids midweek evenings. Which is why I was hoping to get a board built to make home training more interesting, but that’s not going to happen for a while now.

Daughter has class at the wall Sat mornings and I usually get 2-3 hours done then. One other wall sesh midweek and some fingerboarding really is achievable so I should stop complaining.

Yossarian

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#99 Re: Project 8a
July 13, 2018, 07:34:03 pm
Resurrecting this because, though I’m still miles off 8a at the moment, the psyche is still there and I’m actually getting out on some sport (albeit mid 6s currently) rather than just looking at pictures of it.

I turned up at a deserted Stair Hole a few weeks back and terrified myself failing to climb Horny Lil Devil, and Adrenocrome looked like a million miles away in terms of doability. I pretty much gave up on that idea, although in retrospect, if there had been people leaping off right left and centre I might have tried a bit harder.

I thought I might be able to set up a toprope / shunt at the Cuttings (based on studying the photos) but after a lot of faff and effort I realised that wasn’t going to be a very sensible idea.

My current thinking is to try to concentrate on getting some sport mileage, rather than trying to introduce anything too hard for the time being. Especially as I’m leading like a very nervous punter at the moment. And then target some harder stuff on specific project days.

Figuring out some locations with shunt-able sport routes in the south / SW is probably going to help, as escaping for midweek days is easier than locating slacker belayers.

Having studied various videos of stuff at Ansteys vs Portland, I think the former suits me quite a lot better.

Has anyone else made progress on their sport ambitions?

 

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