[tomtom]

Morning. Double post for me as been away in France at a wedding...

M: (30th July) Work trip to Bangor. Wanted to stop off on the way back somewhere but it was raining - so chanced Tremerchion. Had a good fun hour. This 6C (Flag of Iron) is great value. Lots of different style of moves.. didn't manage anything harder



We: Blackwell dale and Griffs. Worked all the moves (overlapping) on Griffs > Bovine but lacked the stamina to get through it (both session stamina and on the problem). Should go with a bit more practice and climb faster (tm). Started playing on Ovine - got to the reaching up from the two slopey crimps part (which I was quite pleased about).

Th > Fri: Drive down to Portsmouth and ferry to Cherbourg. Rest of the week there for a wedding...

But on Monday and Thursday, I managed to sneak out to a very esoteric bunch of what felt like marble (wrong for the area I think..) boulders in a wood near Sideville - which was only 15 min drive from where we were staying. I found a topo online - but it didnt look like there had been any climbning there for a while judging by the moss on holds/topouts. Nonetheless - the rock was excellent quality - some 8m high boulders, and some great looking harder stuff. But I only had a tiny shoe cleaning pad (thanks to Aunt Sophie taking up the bouldering mat space in the car on the way over (seeth)) so stuck to easIy/lowball stuff.



Sa: Out to Blackwell - and had a play on Beginners Wall psyched by Murphs sucess of advanced training. I was very rusty. It took me an hour (on and off) to get up the 7A I'd done there easily before - and couldn't get my hands right for swing time/man of steel (that I've done 3 years back or so)....

[nai]

M
AM - Repeaters. Ok
PM - HI AeroCap, easily the best session I've ever had doing this circuit, was doing it in 45s rather than 60 so having to add extra moves and still barely got pumped

T - 3x10 mins LI AeroCap

W - AM - AnCap, completed all reps so intensity probably a smidge low

Th rest

Fr
AM Repeaters, starting to see some gains
PM AnCap, brilliant session, made the circuit harder and cut down rest times but still completed 11/12 reps.

S - lovely 8 hour journey to Cornwall
S - Had a family walk around Godrevy headland, realised I was looking at the bouldering area and immedialtely lost interest in checking it out. Went to St Ives later and realised what a faff would be be involved getting to Clodgy, kinda lost interest in going there too.

Good training week, shame I won't get chance to build on it this week.

[shark]

Thanks TT. Up for Griffs/Beginners on Thurs or Fri. Bit of notice required though please...

10.13-11.1 Average 154.7lbs down 0.7lbs (6th consecutive week of small weight losses with a cumulative loss of 2lbs)

M. 5th day on. On way back from Gower stopped at Dinas Rock with Zips. First time for me. Keen to get on the classic Berlin but was full on in the sun. Did a couple of warm ups at the shaded Love of Ivy butrress then rdpeointed an enjoyable short 7a. I was shattered and thought I would leave at that but ended up working a 7b top rope and went for a redpont and got it which I was chuffed with

T.

W. Routine pilgrimage to Anston so Ben could try Soul Crusher but then fuck me he did it! I had a decent session doing the first three hardest moves individually then 3rd move to top at end.

T. Malham with Mina. Arrived 3pm. Only one team there. Sunnier than forecast but fresh and got progressively better though far from primo. Warm up consenting x 3. My main aim was to get the new starting moves dialled but shot through it slickly on first tie on. Kep attempting it from the ground and all told did about 7 goes through it 3 of which were I got to undercut by third bolt. Had some dabbles on the throw move on a couple of the goes and it seemed harder than it should ( maybe down on power after yesterday). Broke out a new pair of whites. When I was burnt out from trying the  start  decided to try and link upper section to finish the session. Took two goes to do the throw then astounded myself by boshing all the way through to the belay. Considered stripping it but then came down. Final tie in pulled back up to throw move again. Took me four goes to do the set up and throw but when I did it I boshed through to the top again. Wow. Focussing on volume of climbing (ie doing more in sessions and reducing number of rest days) over the last 3 months has given me a level of work capacity on the route I’ve not had before coming back to it after a break. Back to car at 9.40pm.

F.

S.

S. Met Davo atJ36 @ 12.30. Muggy. Hoped that Southerly breeze would yield good connies. It didn’t. Warm up on Cons x 2 then set to work on Oak. Got to undercut by third bolt 3 or 4 times but no improvement on Thurs. Did throw to mid way across traverse then stripped it. Disappointing. At least it wasn't midgy. Did Cons x 6 to finish. Sacked off planned return visit on Tues with Zips and arranged to go to the Cornice instead.


Unlikely to be suitable conditions at Malham for foreseeable but will keep an eye on the forecasts. In meantime will keep building (epic) capacity and start doing fingerboarding and undercut training and doing other Oak like moves on my board.

[Will Hunt]

T. Malham with Mina. Arrived 3pm. Only one team there. Sunnier than forecast but fresh and got progressively better though far from primo. Warm up consenting x 3. My main aim was to get the new starting moves dialled but shot through it slickly on first tie on. Kep attempting it from the ground and all told did about 7 goes through it 3 of which were I got to undercut by third bolt. Had some dabbles on the throw move on a couple of the goes and it seemed harder than it should ( maybe down on power after yesterday). Broke out a new pair of whites. When I was burnt out from trying the  start  decided to try and link upper section to finish the session. Took two goes to do the throw then astounded myself by boshing all the way through to the belay. Considered stripping it but then came down. Final tie in pulled back up to throw move again. Took me four goes to do the set up and throw but when I did it I boshed through to the top again. Wow. Focussing on volume of climbing (ie doing more in sessions and reducing number of rest days) over the last 3 months has given me a level of work capacity on the route I’ve not had before coming back to it after a break. Back to car at 9.40pm.

We've waited long enough. It is happening. We shall have deliverance.

[Duma]

Took two goes to do the throw then astounded myself by boshing all the way through to the belay. Considered stripping it but then came down. Final tie in pulled back up to throw move again. Took me four goes to do the set up and throw but when I did it I boshed through to the top again. Wow.

Nice!

[Coops_13]

M: Tag Rugby - came off after 5 mins with a pulled hamstring after putting in a great diving tackle (tag)
T: Arch. Pulled hamstring meant I couldn't climb. Tried to campus but the act of my legs swinging free hurt the ham further. Tried out Randall's Crimpd app for the first time and thought it was pretty good. Did the 10 mins "small holds" fingerboard workout on the BM2K small crimps. Then did the "compression" conditioning workout on rings - Prone Ts, Prone Ys, Low Row. Then did "small holds" again. Then did the "tension" conditioning workout on rings - Reverse Fly, Superman, Archer rows. Shoulders felt knackered so went home. Good session considering
W:
T: Arch. Took it easy on the hammy again. Crimpd Small Holds 10 mins workout. Campusing on the midget rungs (never used these before as they're so small). Did 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 then did sets of 1-3-5-7  which was good. When I got to 7, I'd campus across to big rungs and down-campus those. Finished off with 1-3-5 a few times as my skin was getting knackered from being on the board for so long. Did Crimpd Small Holds 10 min workout again then did some theraband work on my elbows and some shoulder mobility stretching
F:
S: Oakwood. Twinged my hamstring warming up. Board session with the lads before a mate's wedding, really good session. Using the digital training boards we each set a problem and had a little comp, Sportiva Legends style. Fortunately I won, prize was a pint off each of them 
S: Walk round a NT property in Richmond

[tommytwotone]

Not a great week for me...


M: Woke up in Peterborough hospital having been taken in on the drive back north from Cambridge the day before. Continuation of gastroenteritis that put me there the previous day, but thankfully not the anxiety / panic attack that had accompanied it
T: discharged, after c. 4hr wait for medication. Completed journey home.
W: Nowt much, pottered about at home.
T: Nowt much, back to work.
F: Nowt.
S: Terrible night's sleep (thanks to the kids), had to go back to bed at 7am and then slept for a further 3 hrs.
S: At VW Festival at Harewood all day - great day, but came over nauseous and tired at 5pm and had to go to bed for a sleep.


Still definitely not 100% at the moment. Can barely function at the moment so everything else on hold.

[spidermonkey09]

M - rest.

T - rest.

W - rest.

T - Gordale. Back on Supercool. Same high point as before on first redpoint, fell bringing left hand level with undercut tooth below pocket. Second go was a bit shit. Running out of light a little in evening sessions. Not hungry when I got home so didn't eat much for dinner. Massive error.

F - rest. Felt utterly wasted from the day before.

S - Gordale. Good conditions and felt psyched. Sadly the stars didn't align; fell off three times below the pocket, only matching my previous high point on my last go. Really disappointed, thought I would do it today after a rest day. New bit of a beta for moves up to the good holds after the crux sequence which was about the only positive to take. Felt a bit down on the whole thing but determined to keep plugging away. On the plus side, Martin did both Cave Routes; nice!

S - Malham. Too humid for Predator so went bolt to bolt up Mescalito. Next go I found myself at the ledge above the New Dawn run out having nearly fallen off every single move from the Mescalito rest upwards. Felt relaxed and confident of doing it after a long shake but completely blew the sequence moving up left from the ledge and fell off. Fairly disgusted with myself as I hadn't practised it properly but I suppose I never thought I'd get that far. Utterly wasted after fighting so hard on the lower half so stripped it. Shame as 7c+ in a day would have been nice! Saw Shark there; didn't realise you'd gone so well on Thursday, nice one.

Hard week mentally. Supercool has become a bit of a siege but I don't want to give up on it with it feeling close. Away this weekend and the weekend after though so will be restricted to midweek sessions. Back on Thursday so maybe then. Fingers crossed...

[tomtom]

Not a great week for me...


M: Woke up in Peterborough hospital having been taken in on the drive back north from Cambridge the day before. Continuation of gastroenteritis that put me there the previous day, but thankfully not the anxiety / panic attack that had accompanied it
T: discharged, after c. 4hr wait for medication. Completed journey home.
W: Nowt much, pottered about at home.
T: Nowt much, back to work.
F: Nowt.
S: Terrible night's sleep (thanks to the kids), had to go back to bed at 7am and then slept for a further 3 hrs.
S: At VW Festival at Harewood all day - great day, but came over nauseous and tired at 5pm and had to go to bed for a sleep.


Still definitely not 100% at the moment. Can barely function at the moment so everything else on hold.

That doesn’t sound good 3T. Speaking as someone who’s only just managed to stretch visits to the loo beyond 4 hours... 💩

[Nibile]

Power Club
6-12 ago

Mon - power cleans, deadlifts, ab work. Terrible session, tweaky, idiot.
Tue - dumbbell complex, static: (lateral raises), bicep curls, overhead press, high pulls x6 with 10" pause mid move, x3. Brutal. Postural work. Abs.
Wed - light boxing bag, barbell complex, postural work.
Thu - system, dynamic and static. Then: board climbing! Pushed by a friend who asked me about some holds on the board, I felt the urge to try one of the hardest problems there, one that I climbed a few years ago after years of failing on it, and never tried again. I obviously didn't do it, but I did all the moves - bar the first one, that I didn't even try, that revolvs around a nasty double undercling that is perfect to fuck my elbow(s) again - and felt quite solid. Did the same with the crux of another problem I climbed a couple of years ago. This was utterly brilliant, also given the 29 degrees and 50% humidity at the board. I definitely felt the desire again. Weights, power snatch 5x4.
Fri - rest.
Sat - deadlift, 60% (80 kg) 5 x 10. Light boxing bag, 2' fast boxing bag. Brutal.
Sun - boxing bag. Torrid.

[Fiend]

TTT sorry to hear about the gastroenteritis, if you have any concerns or persistence feel free to PM because I've been dealing with the after effects of ge (norovirus-derived or similar) for 9 months now, I probably have some tactics to avoid that.

[Murph]

Good one shark. Stick with it TT!

M-

T-kettlebells, fingerboard. Was trying to work on half crimp on the medium hold rather than more open. Normal small open hangs still nowhere near back to full strength.

W-7am, beginners wall session - never ever thought I would get AT but what can I say, the planets and stars aligned. So pleased to get it but bittersweet. Relief more than elation. I so should have got it two years ago when I was stronger and lighter but it is such a relief to finally put to bed. I’ve been boring everyone ever since with how I nearly got it back in the day. As highrepute asked though, what now...? I’m really not sure.

T-Climbing Performance Consultancy we’re collecting data on climbers using a fancy electric impedance machine. Turns out I am officially “strong” and “underfat”. That’s good right? Not sure whether to believe it.

Raven Tor, extended warmups on Pinches, a quick repeat of Little Extra Direct in two goes (that really 7A? it felt easier than Pinches 6 and upwards), then loadsa goes on Saline Drip/sit. Super frustrating. That’s the third session failing to repeat a problem that I don’t even remember doing first time! Then a couple of good goes on Rattle and Hump. I’m not convinced I’m doing it right - keeping the heel toe in and yarding up with the right feels very unlikely.

F-pizza

S-ice cream

S-biscuits and cake

Funny week, crap fingerboard session, weak Tor session, and The Greatest and Most Unlikely Tick of My Life 

Really not sure what to do next. Backfill the easier things at griffs/Tor or dig deep, double down and press on for harder stuff...?

[tomtom]

Mint Sauce. I’ve been eying that one up and recon its got Murph written all over it!!

[abarro81]

T-Climbing Performance Consultancy we’re collecting data on climbers using a fancy electric impedance machine. Turns out I am officially “strong” and “underfat”. That’s good right? Not sure whether to believe it.

Then a couple of good goes on Rattle and Hump. I’m not convinced I’m doing it right - keeping the heel toe in and yarding up with the right feels very unlikely.

Don't trust the machine too much - it told me I had 3% body fat, and whilst I'm lean at the moment I'm not about to be hospitalised so I think we can safely assume it's not very reliable.

R&H - Take the heel out once matched on the 2 crimps out right, before going up to the matchbox hold (various foot options). Or go to higher RH crimp, up L to gaston crimp with LH then take it out and press off LH

[Murph]

Thanks tomtom - you’re not the first person to suggest mint sauce and I will give it a bash!

Alex - thanks for beta. And the 3% - I wondered what sort of numbers it would give someone who is actually in shape. 8% made little sense for me.

[Duma]

Going to try again as off to rodella in a month, need to acquire some recovery skills somehow...

71kg

M - rest (was up in cheedale at weekend)

T - was going to boulder but had double booked, so pizza and beer instead...

W - too knackered from work and poor sleep to climb. sulked and went to bed early.

Th - Cheddar after work, did Minstrel (7a+) a couple of times warming up and while Ro was working it, then up to Tsunami for Sweet Tufa. Much better connies than last week, cooler and nice breeze. Worked out the section clipping the 4th and linked through crux on tr. 30 min rest, then really good rp go, through crux but took LH crimp wrong so flailed dismally at last hard move. Too dark for another go but tbh was prob too knackered from work anyway. Bit frustrated as might have done it if I'd taken the hold right, but mostly pleased to feel close.

F -

S - Cheddar again, trying to beat the rain that was due at lunchtime. Ro still on Minstrel, but this time I used her rest to get the clips in Sweet Tufa. Popped off crimp just as I clipped 4th which was bit unnerving, but then did link from 3rd to top. Had started to drizzle by now. Ro had great go at Minstrel, holding crux but popping off, followed by amusing massive rant. Wasn't looking good by this point, ground soaked, but cliff seemed to be staying dry and I had to get draws back anyway so gave it a go and managed it. Really pleased, felt like first big effort on something since Devon Sent back in Feb. Untypical climbing for Cheddar too (which is a good thing in my book). Ro then had amazing but doomed rp on Minstrel, did crux, but water running off top of the wave meant last move was impossible.

S - TCA, was going to boulder, but Si and Llin were there and guilted me into doing doubles on the circuit board : think the blue is 7a/+ 45 moves, did it twice with minute rest, then ten minutes rest, 6 sets. Failing near end of second rep on 4/5/6th set. Skin and body felt battered. Downloaded that new crimpd app.

[Wood FT]

W. Routine pilgrimage to Anston so Ben could try Soul Crusher but then fuck me he did it!

Nice one Ben!

[shark]

W. Routine pilgrimage to Anston so Ben could try Soul Crusher but then fuck me he did it!

Nice one Ben!

Thanks Guy - I’ll pass that on.

The student becomes the master 

[tommytwotone]

Not a great week for me...

That doesn’t sound good 3T. Speaking as someone who’s only just managed to stretch visits to the loo beyond 4 hours... 💩

Cheers - feel like I'm slowly on the mend but surprised how much it's taken out of me (especially as it wasn't a virus / noro or anything).

Got my session with Peak Physio Tim tomorrow afternoon so may experiment with a brief, easy climb afterwards to see how I'm bearing up.

[shark]

Going to try again as off to rodella in a month, need to acquire some recovery skills somehow...

For a quick fix doing two or three lots 20/10's a week I find is a great quick fix just before a euro sport trip (20moves and take 20 secs rest followed by 10 moves with 10secs rest 4 times to make 120 moves for a set. 10 mins rest betwen sets for 3 or 4 sets.) I do it on a systems board on rounded jugs for the 20s and incut edges for the 10s but a steady for you circuit with similarly difficult moves on a bouldering wall or board should work just as well.

For a long term strategic approach to endurance some good insights here: https://www.trainingbeta.com/media/steve-bechtel-endurance/

[Coops_13]

Going to try again as off to rodella in a month, need to acquire some recovery skills somehow...

For a quick fix doing two or three lots 20/10's a week I find is a great quick fix just before a euro sport trip (20moves and take 20 secs rest followed by 10 moves with 10secs rest 4 times to make 120 moves for a set. 10 mins rest betwen sets for 3 or 4 sets.) I do it on a systems board on rounded jugs for the 20s and incut edges for the 10s but a steady for you circuit with similarly difficult moves on a bouldering wall or board should work just as well.

For a long term strategic approach to endurance some good insights here: https://www.trainingbeta.com/media/steve-bechtel-endurance/

I need all the endurance tips I can get so may use this. What sort of difficulty should the moves be? So you're failing at the end of each 20 / 10 or so you're a bit pumped?

[spidermonkey09]

Shark's approach sounds pretty good. FWIW, my endurance training tends to revolve around two sessions a week, of which one is relentless circuit training, working from the easy juggy ones up to about 7a and linking them into each other. I normally hang on a jug for 30 seconds inbetween each circuit. The other session is foot on campusing on the medium rungs, a move a second, minute on minute off, x 8. 10 minutes off, then repeat to failure.

Both these are very boring but they definitely get the job done. FOC in particular is really effective, but circuits help ensure you don't forget how to actually climb.

[shark]

I need all the endurance tips I can get so may use this. What sort of difficulty should the moves be? So you're failing at the end of each 20 / 10 or so you're a bit pumped?

Not quite that hard - maybe almost failing at the end of all the sets but even then I usually feel shut down by the very end rather than pumped out. Usually it’s a mild manageable pump when climbing. I usually have a metronome bleeper (app) so I do a move every 2 secs. Once used to it you should be recovered fairly quickly ie overnight or after several hours. It’s classic AeroCap work.

As a side note my suspicion is that aiming to get pumped isnt very effective endurance training. I’m sure Barrows will be along shortly to refute that.

[abarro81]

Depends on what you're training for innit. It's not how I'd spend my last few weeks before a trip though - more what I'd do a longer time in advance. Realistically, for a boulderer the biggest gains in a short timeframe are likely to be from learning to climb well and try hard when pumped above a bolt, rather than anything physiological - so I'd recommend circuits rather than foot-on-campus, and doing a bit of climbing on a rope...

[jwi]

In bouldering, it usually pays off to stay high in the positions and pull with both arms with all might, even on the easiest of boulders. That's the main reason you pump out on anything, regardless of how easy it is the first weeks of route climbing. I agree with abarro81: learn the movement pattern of rope climbing, that will make an enormous difference.

[Duma]

Thanks gents. I've had 6 sessions outside leading over the last fortnight, one steep indoor bouldering, and one doing doubles one the circuit board. Just back from doing laps on a steep route at my local crag - Sounds like I'm not on completely the wrong track at least.