[tomtom]

Monday: Meeting in Notts then Church Crag on my way to Hull. Warm - windless - rock wasn’t too bad but sweaty and uncomfortable. It was my second day on - and I felt it but none the less tried a few things. At Platts’s suggestion I tried ‘Link ups and hook ups’ which starts up the shield then traverses up and right to finish up Gullivers Travels. Did all the moves eventually from the rail on the shield RH but for some reason couldn’t do the first move on the Shield... one for another day and I really need two large pads... Tried Gullivers travels and stopped fairly fast after the starting crimp started to eat my hand.

Tu: Long work day

We: Anston on my way home. Started working on Alpha again. Decent session - found a sensible way to do the start (to break) but the part above that still vexes me... With fingers taped up those pockets only allow me a few attempts then my fingers start to really kill.

Th: Stressful potty training day with the lad - who had the shits. Unfortunately his poo was the same colour as the floorboards so I kept finding little eggs around the house - and trod in a couple.

Fri: Was gifted a pass by MrsTT and with the A6 closed due to the Whaley bridge dam thing I headed to Trowbarrow. Was really hot - and sticky - but found some shade by red wall and got up to the final move on Shallow Grave a few times (previous high point). Had a play on Vit Man (useless was too warm) and did alright with a couple of go’s on Pit Problem. Really a cooler day would help with both (and Shallow grave! Which felt slick..)

Sa: Sister in law and 2.5yo son visited - Thomas the Tank Engine day on the East Lancs Railway. The boys had a good day but it felt like a parental stamina training exercise. Managed not to google divorce lawyers by the end of the day

Su: Allowed out for good behaviour. Went to Helsby. Possibly the wrong call - north facing so in the shade, but no wind whatsoever. Really hot, humid and unpleasant. Lasted about 90 min (with pottering to pick up some litter) and consolidated beta on Rob B’s Moustache.

[Bradders]

I headed to Trowbarrow.

Crikey, in this heat! Trowbarrow, particularly the shelter stone, is not a summer venue 

[tomtom]

I headed to Trowbarrow.

Crikey, in this heat! Trowbarrow, particularly the shelter stone, is not a summer venue 

Needs must etc.. Needed somewhere quick drying... Cheshire sandstone still drying... couldn’t get to the peak lime...

Clouds were coming and going but it wasn’t the best!

[Wood FT]

M - drive to Annecy, long day, had to stop early due to quasi-drink driving levels of tiredness.
T - lake swimming. Wiped out from an anniversary party on the weekend.
W - Ablon, 45min walk-in to a picturesque alpine meadow, climbed 4 routes 6b-7a. Unusual prickly rock which felt like an acquired taste, onsighting was hard with all the clues washed off. Backed off the two 7bs I tried. Disappointed the sector I was looking forward to most (Viking) was wet, so will return another time.
T - walk up Tournette, suprisingly fun at the top with chains and a clear view of the Mont Blanc massif. Stacked it running down from the hut after a strong thirst quencher. Hurt knee.
F - Balme De Yenne, very impressive roadside tufa and huge cave that makes me shiver. Not many people about, was told by a Brit that 10 years ago they got asked to leave.... locals crag.
S - Annecy DWS, not as good as memory suggested from 7 years ago.
S - Drive to Lyon to pick up landlord/guide for next week of climbing. Boiling. Absolutely boiling. Free parking though.....

[tommytwotone]

Goal - knock off another new (to me) Font 7a to make it 3 for the year

Good week for me - still off the booze (3 weeks and counting), and:

Thurs: HIIT class on lunch - really pushed myself (to point of feeling a bit faint in the warm down!)
Sun: Iffy forecast / decision-making inertia led me to take easy option of a very sweaty Depot session having a quick blast at the summer league problems. Didn't too too well but was a decent workout.

[spidermonkey09]

M - max hangs. Started internally complaining when I entered the attic due to humidity and heat but was pleasantly surprised to complete set of 25kg with relative comfort, which is a new PB. More weight to be added next time.

T -  Depot. Did the 7b circuit followed a bit of campusing, working towards 1-4-7 but hit a brick wall; even 4-6.5 felt desperate. Session on the 30 followed where I came up with a pretty good 'replica' of the headwall crux on Bat Route. Managed to do it in two so its much harder than the reality which is good.

W - rest.

T - Kilnsey after work. Got up Frankie Comes to Kilnsey in a session which was good, although perhaps not quite as good as billed. Another one of those strange Kilnsey routes where all the handholds are positive and as a result they are key footholds as well. This means they get really polished, rubbered and really hard to hold!

F - impromptu max hangs session in Price's shed. 26.25 kg; did 3 sets but the last 2 were a dead loss. Should hopefully improve on this next week. Failed to eat dinner; not good recovery!

S - afternoon at Staden in the Peak. Was very surprised at the quality of climbing here; the HVS Joint Effort was absolutely superb. Did a good E1 too and would have done more but it started drizzling so bailed to Stoney for fish and chips.

S - Malham. Arranged to go based on southerly breeze forecast but arrived to find it simultaneously raining and in full sun with absolutely no breeze whatsoever. Conditions were accordingly abymsal so resigned myself to a day doing some fitness training. Put the clips in Taking the Space and Space Invaders to warm up and found it extremely greasy. However, while belaying the breeze picked up and conditions became mint on the shaded left wall. Fired off Space Invaders with no fuss making the most of good conditions (low 7c I think and very good) which was a nice surprise and allowed me to contemplate a bonus session on Bat Route. Stuck the clips in and waited for the shade to arrive with a strong breeze and an increasing feeling that things were aligning nicely. From the deck everything went smoothly and the boulder felt easier than it ever has; hit the crimp and made it to the kneebars for the first time since early June. Section to the bird hole felt challenging but recovered well in next jug before climbing to the awkward undercut rest. Unfortunately I was definitely tired by this stage and it had started raining about 3 foot behind me. Knew I was running on fumes as I left the rest and slipped off the hard heel move; just couldn't hold the sidepull when tired, combined with increasing humidity. Slightly irate but also very pleased to smash through the boulder again. Came down and had a rest before dogging back up (too tired for another redpoint) and easily doing the boulder off the rope and the 8a link from bird hole to top; definitely fitter than a few weeks ago. A great session which puts me right back in the mix if conditions are good.

One of the best volume sessions I've ever had yesterday: 7c, then probably 8b+ to where I dropped it, followed by the 8a link at the end of the day. The difference good conditions made was unbelievable. The irony that I may have got even higher on Bat Route without doing the 7c first is not lost on me but I have never experienced such a dramatic turnaround in conditions! Planning to crack on with training this week and will look to go Malham Thursday if there is a suitable wind, but not if there isn't. Not around at the weekend so will have to wait until next week if not.

[cheque]

S - afternoon at Staden in the Peak. Was very surprised at the quality of climbing here; the HVS Joint Effort was absolutely superb. Did a good E1 too

It’s amazing how good that one section is compared to the rest of the quarry isn’t it? I should go back to Staden- I’ve been once years ago and dropped JE on what turned out to be the last hard move!

Rehab Diaries Week Fifty

STG- Sub-HVS *** Peak Trad list (12 11/27 remain), onsighting HVS/ low 6s by end of September.

M- Hen Cloud with Erm, Sam. Seconded Solid Geometry, the hardest trad pitch I’ve seconded post-disaster, then led Bachelor’s Climb, one of the best VSs I’ve done on grit. I tried this back in April but bailed as I was taking too long and my legs were failing me but this time, while not the fastest and boldest ascent the route’s ever seen, I had few* problems. We did finish in the dark and fall over loads going down the hill though. 

T- Rest.

W- Rest.

T- Gym. Bike. Normally I do the same template of five-minute intervals that my physio recommended but increase them all by one level from the last session. This time I got distracted and went up after the third interval instead of going down which meant it was a more intense session with the hardest being at level 30 which, it turns out, is the hardest the machine can be set to.

F- Rest. Drove up to the Lakes straight from work which was a bit of a long ting due to where I was working.

S- Dow Crag. Never climbed here before- despite having friends in the Lakes it’s been a mind-bogglingly long time since I visited. Stout walk-in then climbed Eliminate A- rubbish name, classic VS. Led the first two pitches as one (36m) which felt like a bit of a quest, then led P4 which is 4a but very exposed and with no meaningful gear. Although I didn’t lead either of the hardest pitches I don’t think I’d have any trouble with them.

S- Kettle Crag, a single-pitch quick-drying option as it rained in the night and more was forecast mid-afternoon. Apparently it also had the easiest approach of the options but it was still about half an hour with the first 20 minutes steeply uphill. Felt pretty tired and sore (partly from sleeping on my mate’s floor) but led a Severe and seconded a VS before the rain came.

Great week, one off the list, climbed with a new partner  and saw my mates in the Lakes for the first time in ages. The terrain up there seems to mean that the general level of fitness is very high (my mate’s housemate and his girlfriend have both done the bloody Bob Graham round) so it’s a good place for me to be at the moment! Pleased to have kept up on the walk-ins more than anything.

*only got scared once

[nai]

Nice one, cheque. Eliminate A is superb isn't it.  Still remember the exposure on that pitch 20 odd years on.

2 weeks:
Mon1 - Sat2 nowt
Sun2 - very quick garage session after driving home from Pembroke.

[shark]

Thanks TT

11.2-5 Average 157.8

M. AM Foron first visit. Good crag. Did a 6b warm up which Tommy also led (first tie on for a couple of years) then tried to onsight a shortish 7a Le Voleur de Baghdad. Ended up stepping onto a slopey ledge out right 2/3rds of the way up then not being able to get back on route and dogged to top. Took two further attempts and a big effort to redpoint. Ben was unable tp string more than a few moves together.     

T. AM. Foron with Tommy. Moved up to the second sector. Did a 6c to warm up then onsighted the pumpy classic four star 7a L'Ascenseur. Sped up this to beat the pump and Tom flashed too. Then tried the 7a+ to its right. Very good but was outfoxed at the 6th bolt. Dogged to the top then redpointed.   
Eve Strung up a fingerboard and rock rings in the car port of the chalet. Did some weighted deadhangs, locks, assisted onne armers and a few leg raises

W

T AM Foron. Lazy start. Had set my sights on doing a 7b(Voyage). At crag Tom led up a 6b+ to warm up. Looked awkward and he went off route Ben TRed the first 20 feet before coming down. I led it more directly. Found it friable. The 7B was occupied and with time marching on and sun coming round I tried to onsight a 7a+ (Expresso L'ecaille). Totally my style. If I was fit. Which I’m not. Got through the crux but burnt out on pumpy finishing headwall. Tom did similarly. Ben got about 30 feet up it. First redpoint I failed on the crux I'd just onsighted. Second redpoint got as far as onsight attempt. Found an easier way and stripped it. Disappointing.

F AM Foron. Rain! Me and Tom. Drove up through some clag but was clear when we got there. Top of Expresso was wet. I fancied a workout on the other routes there which seemed like better training and easier for grade. Tom keen for first harsher sector. However its in my interest to keep him sweet. Instincts were correct though. Failed to even dog a 6c+ so backed off. Out with the clipstick for the 7a+ to its right. Bouldery and absorbing. Tom found it similarly tough. Next go discovered I was powered out. Tommy had a similar experience so that was that. Despite failure was a nice chilled out session. Getting quite fond of the place

S

S PM Medonnet which is over an hour's drive away with whole tribe. Granite bouldering in a shady wooded setting with views of Mont Blanc on the other side of the valley so good for a picnic. Tom had a sore wrist from mountain biking Ben was in his element. We all did a slightly silly 6C which involved starting awkwardly crouched on a foot block below an almost blank overhanging wall. We then did a nice crimpy sit start problem on one of the first boulders (6B+?). The boys tried a good looking slopey traverse which I discounted quickly. We then went over to try the classic Proue Assis 7A which is an amazing feature. We all got shut down on it. Felt exhausted after. Ben explored another boulder. The rest of us loafed around. Too wiped for fingerboarding when got back.

Holiday working out well. Was weighed down by business problems when I came out but more chilled out now. Even reading a book. Beaten Ben 3 times out of 4 at chess. More Foron action this week. Not expecting big numbers

Proue assis

https://imgur.com/gallery/qojSl0v

[gollum]

 M - Busy morning with a need to go in opposite direction from the gym so just do some press ups at home. Nice and steady reps, slow and under control for 5x20. Forgot how much pressure these put on my wrist. An interesting alternative. Also did a few hand stand press ups against the wall. These are just as hard as I remember, but pleased I could still manage to do them. May try with a defecit soon.
Nice steady run at lunch, easy pace steady distance but third day on and still no pain or stiffness, plan seems to be working.
Evening at the Depot. Campus to warm up. Working laps on 1-4-7, some success, some near failures on right. Left is a country mile off and simply isn’t pulling at all. Sticking with it is the way and it will pay dividends in the end.
Move on to working project style problems. On first problem struggle to start with but then get into the groove of it and end up falling off the top move. I will take that for tonight. Second problem, I make progress up until one move just stops me dead. Third problem, two overlapping halves, but no cigar. Go home a bit weary. Been a bit average but some good stuff to reflect on and training is training. All focused on September and beyond.

T - Pull day. Started with rack pulls for two reps and worked up to 160k. Then moved on to single arm dumbbell rows with 40k for 4 sets of six on each side, pausing at the top of each rep momentarily. Prone rows with a five second hold at the top of each rep followed for six reps with 20k, superset with pull ups nice and slow.
Stretching and rehab at lunch.

W - More stretching and rehab at lunch but all seems to be going well. Steady trot in the light rain with Mrs B in the evening.

T - Nice steady 10k on the treadmill. Pace Nic e and steady and can maintain it for a good while. Depot in the evening. Still pretty warm. Just zoom round all the blues. Do them all, concentrating on on being smooth and solid on every move, go up each one and then reverse back ton the ground, although there are two moves I can’t reverse. Felt really nice.

F - A 10k out on the road trying to keep heart rate in the “Easy” band on my watch, which I achieve until the last kilometre when I lose con concentration and end top running a bit faster and harder.

S - Early start and do a 25k run up to Scammonden, round the reservoir and then back home. Feel nice and strong and the downhill section coming home feels better than it normally does.

S - Stretching and stuff for my legs. Achilles a tiny bit niggly but responds well to exercises.

A very light work week, concentrating on making sure I am up to marathon training and beyond. Looking forward to working hard in both climbing and running.

[shark]

One of the best volume sessions I've ever had yesterday: 7c, then probably 8b+ to where I dropped it, followed by the 8a link at the end of the day.

Machine 

[Duma]

Goals: fix elbow, 70kg, Chullila in Oct, 8A in UK.

M - TCA in morning to test out elbow, okish but only did easy stuff and it def didn't like locking off. UCR in eve with gf, routes around 6a just to get into the groove. Some fall practise too. Elbow rehab and some core.

T - elbow rehab, core

W - 5k hilly run. Elbow rehab

T - elbow rehab

F -

S - Pembroke, St Govans East. Did First Blood and Lotus Europa, both E2, both ace. Also Ganymede HS which was excellent too. Ace day, but elbow didn't really like all the locking off to place gear.

S -  peed it down in the morning so wandered down to broadhaven and swam, then drove home. Elbow rehab

Av 70.5kg

Great weekend, but no sign of improvement in elbow yet, going to book in to see someone this week.

[spidermonkey09]

It’s amazing how good that one section is compared to the rest of the quarry isn’t it? I should go back to Staden- I’ve been once years ago and dropped JE on what turned out to be the last hard move!

It's nuts; one of the best HVS' I've done and its in a quarry! Think I know the move you mean; its probably the only section which doesn't climb really elegantly.

[shark]

Goals: fix elbow

Is it golfers? If so have you listened to Dave Mac’s latest?

One thing that might be relevant (that you may not be able to do anything about) is the importance of quality of sleep

[xelaxela]

I've not posted in Power Club for a while. as I found that even though I was progressively getting all around stronger, this was affecting my PIP and DIP joints on both middle fingers.

After a little more investigation (getting my mate to take pictures of my hands whilst half crimping), I found that my form was failing (the DIP joint, mainly on my right middle finger was flattening, causing the angle of the PIP joint to increase) increasing the stress on the PIP joint.

I have since swapped to reducing the weight, moving from one arm dead hangs with 8kg assistance twice a week to two arm dead hangs with 15 kg assistance 5 days a week (down from 20kg last week).

My aim is to hopefully continue this rate of progression, but I will limit it based on ensuring the form of my fingers.
I'm also now using a Lattice Rung, which seems to be a better angle and friendlier on the skin.

[Duma]

Cheers Shark, yeah golfers - very typical both in symptoms and cause (lots of pull ups in the spring in an attempt to improve my undercutting). Not seen the DM vid and at work now but will have a watch tomorrow morning.

My sleep's pretty good tbh - I did struggle a few years ago when I switched to normal hours but seems to be fairly decent for the last couple of years.

[shark]

After a little more investigation (getting my mate to take pictures of my hands whilst half crimping), I found that my form was failing (the DIP joint, mainly on my right middle finger was flattening, causing the angle of the PIP joint to increase) increasing the stress on the PIP joint

Sorry I’m a bit confused. If you are half crimping then the angle of your DIP joint should be flat.

[shark]

My sleep's pretty good tbh - I did struggle a few years ago when I switched to normal hours but seems to be fairly decent for the last couple of years.

Ah - assumes you were doing shifts still

[xelaxela]

After a little more investigation (getting my mate to take pictures of my hands whilst half crimping), I found that my form was failing (the DIP joint, mainly on my right middle finger was flattening, causing the angle of the PIP joint to increase) increasing the stress on the PIP joint

Sorry I’m a bit confused. If you are half crimping then the angle of your DIP joint should be flat.

Sorry when rereading this again I wasn't very clear.

What was happening is that my overall hand form was failing up from half crimp to somewhere between half and full crimp, then the DIP joint was flattening increasing the angle on my PIP joints.

[monkoffunk]

STG - Sport projects. Do more DWS.
Lose weight back to ~74kg.
MTG - Portland Font 7A+/B from unfinished list, autumn (or summer evenings).
LTG - 7C

M - Portland. Tried Victims again. Flash pumped but steady until a slip and then couldn’t get back up. I lose fitness incredibly fast. DWS after. Underlife only thing with nice sea under it, a sharp 7a I couldn’t commit to with the sharpness and sub par skin. Couple of splash downs.

Nice to be out on rock again.

T - I thought I might train in the evening but late at work and then felt hopeless after a few warm up pulls.

W - Late shift.

T - Red spider. Took ages to get head in the game. Struggled with heat, head fog and this god awful cramp I’ve been getting in my right quad since driving back from France. Worth persevering, wanted to sack, it but ended up helping to clear my head, leg hurt less and pulled some moves. No snap right now though.

F - Rest. Quad seizing up by afternoon. Almost unbearable.

S - Portland. First time at Blacknor that I can recall. Aiming for volume in the heat over difficulty:
Been keen to try Medusa Falls 7a for a while, blew on-sight low down. Needed some effort to get second go.
To Wish The Impossible 7a on-sight. Very different route, probably soft.
Two goes at Psychosomatic Addict 7a+. Blew it just before chains on redpoint before working out a significantly easier sequence for top. Poor tactics? Couldn’t bring myself to try it again.
Sacred Angel 7a, flash. Short lived crimpy pulling.

S - Coastguard/Wallsend. Warm up on 6c+ and 6c next to it. China White is an excellent route and the 6c was just as good. Three goes on The Bad Seeds, 7b, after that. Crux move revolves around ring lock. Fatigue caught up with me and really could not make the groove sequence above crux work. Got technique all wrong even though it seemed obvious what needed to be done. Suspect isn’t that hard, will need to go back.


Good weekend getting some lots (for me) of new routes. Really enjoyed going somewhere different. Loads of good classics yet to try.

Negative for weekend was that I drank way too much for no really good reason. Wasn’t planning on trying anything really hard so thought couple of glasses wine wouldn’t hurt, but became more than that. Probably affected performance, particularly on Sunday, think I would have done the 7b if thinking clearly.

This week I will only be training before hopefully getting out the week after. Will be off the booze and back to eating healthily, something else that has slipped for no good reason. Today weighed in at 77.8kg so that’s about 4kg gained over June/July. Next week I will have something positive to say about all of that!

[tomtom]

After a little more investigation (getting my mate to take pictures of my hands whilst half crimping), I found that my form was failing (the DIP joint, mainly on my right middle finger was flattening, causing the angle of the PIP joint to increase) increasing the stress on the PIP joint

Sorry I’m a bit confused. If you are half crimping then the angle of your DIP joint should be flat.

Sorry when rereading this again I wasn't very clear.

What was happening is that my overall hand form was failing up from half crimp to somewhere between half and full crimp, then the DIP joint was flattening increasing the angle on my PIP joints.

I've just stopped training using a half crimp as it was hurting my fingers. Full crimp or open hand was fine but not the half. Something to do with finger geomettry on a board perhaps? Anyway, I've not found it a problem in any shape or form (I get the feeling the 'half crimp' strategy is a bit of a trend anyway)

[spidermonkey09]

Sorry when rereading this again I wasn't very clear.

What was happening is that my overall hand form was failing up from half crimp to somewhere between half and full crimp, then the DIP joint was flattening increasing the angle on my PIP joints.

I might be being dim but I don't understand this either. Normally if you start fingerboarding half crimp form starts to fail and you drop into an open hand. As I understand it its this gradual loss of form that can cause injury.

I don't understand how, if you're starting the hang in half crimp, you're ending up failing to somewhere between half and full, since this would imply you're actually so strong on the hold you're starting to close the crimp!

[Coops_13]

T: Tufas Philadelphia. Finger rehab BM 1K lower crimps, 10 secs. -10lb X3, +5lb X3, +10lb X3. Climbing up to V5/6 over an hour and a quarter. Let out a couple of power-squawks on one problem - really good. Psyched that I'm able to try harder indoors and able to climb things I couldn't do previous session here. Feel like a novice again, progressing relatively quickly!

W: Tufas Philadelphia. Deadlift up to 250lb (heaviest in the past few months). Form really improving, though not on the lower, think I'm forgetting to bend my legs. Bench up to 195lb - PB!!! Stretching, cables and ab wheel X15

S: RMNP Hiking. Two more 13ers. Chiquita Peak 13,069ft and Ypsilon Mountain 13,514ft. Great day with good company, approx 8 miles in total

S: Mount Evans Bouldering. First time here, long hike c. 55min to first boulders. Warmed up on an amazing V2 - The Ladder. Went to Dali boulders and did the stand V6 v quickly which I was happy with as it's a relatively crimpy one-mover. Tried a few other things including Pink Fink (grim) and Zorro Arete (tough) before storms came. Sheltered under boulders before walking out - 7 miles total today. Bierstadt looks amazing at V10, def my style could be a good project for me once fit...

Vid of Dali Stand:

[shark]

Quite Spidermonkey

On a related subject I have been doing quite a lot of weighted deadhanging this year and have been developing a hard lump on the top of the dip joint on my left middle finger. Doesn’t hurt so not fretting but wondering whether I should be more concerned?

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - fingers session n. 1. Inverted the order and did open hand before half crimp. Bad choice, the second half was spoilt by fatigue, skin and terrible temps in the garage, while I had air con at home for the first half on the BM. Gym training, bar and weights.
Tue - gym training, front lever pulls, weights.
Wed - fingers session n. 2. Pinches, various edges feet-on, light campusing. Weights, overhead walk. 
Thu - weights circuit, overhead walk.
Fri - light weights, bar work. Very tired.
Sat - weights.
Sun - rest, kind of...