[SA Chris]

Sacking it off for the year? Come on shark, show some commitment to the route

[shark]

Sacking it off for the year? Come on shark, show some commitment to the route

 

Tally so far is 9 sessions Feb-April 2 random sessions in June and then 7 sessions since middle of August.

[Will Hunt]

It's worth bearing in mind that the second bolt (which Shark has done the route from as a "training link") is at about shoulder height...

[Yossarian]

yoss, have you tried Seven Months Later on the wave at Cheddar? seems like the sort of thing you'd do ok at.

No - i’ve been studying the guide quite closely, looking at the various suggestions you / Monk / Guy made earlier in the year. I have a clipstick finally, so am tempted to head down midweek sometime and try TRing a load of things on the Wave.

[nai]

M - Kids INSET day, away mini breaking

T - Still Kids F***ing INSET FFS.  Hadn't slept well for a few nights (and had been drinking too much), could have trained but was so tired that I couldn't face it.

W - Anston with Dolly and tomtom, still felt tired so arrived early to give myself plenty of time warming up. Got going surprisingly quickly and repeated four of the verty problems on the Wave wall then had a play on the steeper easy stuff just right to get the shoulders going.  Felt surprisingly ok.
Tom was on Reservation so I got back on Tech Nine so I could spot and I was out for a bit of a social as much as anything after six weeks of school holidays. Tech Nine is a 7B that involves one move and a match into a 5+, I've actually done the move four times and dropped the match or 5+ being the twat that I am.  The crux though is crawling underneath the low roof to reach the start holds and wondering why you're bothering. I eventually stuck it and completed the problem then started wondering about the link into Beretta but fortunately ran out of time before I managed to remember the sequence for it.
Core back home

Th -
Slept well!
Tempted to foray out onto the grit by cool breezy weather and Friday's poor forecast, warmed up at home then headed to Burbage Bridge to try Mermaid.  I've done it a couple of times before but for some reason have the urge to do it again and being as close to home and the road as possible it seemed a good option for a superquickhit.  Unfortunately the slot was wet so that was a non-starter, considered other options but in the end decided to gamble on Friday so just jumped back in the car and went home
Core

F -
Slept Well again
Was torn between trying to finish of Kristian's at the Tor and working stuff at Griffs. Chose the latter basically because despite having done 11 7Bs in the previous six months I haven't managed to link more than a single move on anything harder and started getting a bit Oh-woe-is-me about it

Tried Mint Sauce but couldn't do a single move; Low Left which I scraped through move two of the three extra moves, move three probably feasible being merely a fall sideways but move one remains elusive; and Lovine which despite being shown a hold I'd missed I still couldn't make the massive stretch or move any limb once in that position. So just the one move still.

Considered getting on Griffs Traverse with the Bovine finish but wasn't inspired so nipped up to Roadside to try Free Range Abbatoir, the big slap at the start had always eluded me but hasn't go any shorter or any less sharp. Just about had the distance but the thought of latching that hold at full stretch wasn't attractive. Did spy the line of pockets coming into Red or Dead from the right and wondered what they were...
Core

S -
And again....
Rare weekend pass but where to go.  Didn't fancy crowds so headed up Blackwell Dale thinking of Neil's Wall at Beginners, possibly Griffs again or carry onto Lees Bottom if they were busy. There was a single car parked at Beginners so I carried on, dunno why, whoever it was can't have been at both Beginners and Griffs.  Roadside was empty so I opted to warm up there (not a good idea) and have a look at the line of pockets that it turns out is just the right grade at 7B+ (soft). Top Shop Low is a king line on par with Tech Nine but crucially I can do all the moves and even managed to link some of them together.  Ended up staying there and became tired ahead of schedule, did the 6C between FRA and the warm up just to feel like I'd achieved something then went home.  Definite non-quality but it made me feel better to do 3 moves in a row

TRX and core back home

S - Rest day planned, nipper decied she wanted to go "roped climbing" so we went out to Lawrencfield. Soloed easy stuff to rope her up Gingerbread, Meringue, Snail Crack etc then she decided she wanted to lead. Wouldn't let her but preplaced a coupel of wires and stuck in a lower off in at about 5m and let her lace it up to there.  Then spent an age trying to retrieve overcammed, etc Friends.

[dunnyg]

What's the beta for tech 9, it should be my bag but can't touch it! Last time it was from connies though

[nai]

What's the beta for tech 9, it should be my bag but can't touch it! Last time it was from connies though

Hands on obvious crimp and pinch, RF on plinth, LF king od flagging. Squueze your butt hard, engage core, pull arse off floor and slap at the speed of light.  A fan or a hurricane helps for the crimps

[shark]

It's worth bearing in mind that the second bolt (which Shark has done the route from as a "training link") is at about shoulder height...

Not quite but you can touch the left foothold I use from the ground

[Doylo]

Olly Grounsell did Liquid Ambar from the first bolt a few years ago and never finished it.

[Wood FT]

Olly Grounsell did Liquid Ambar from the first bolt a few years ago and never finished it.

He’s not arsed now either, which is a shame, said it was making him weaker for other things as it’s so specific.

[tomtom]

What's the beta for tech 9, it should be my bag but can't touch it! Last time it was from connies though

Pulling with all my might managed to raise my buttocks 1 cm off the mat for about a second....

[dunnyg]

Cheers! Next time I'll sit under it. Not got a fan yet so will have to be a windy day

[36chambers]

Cheers! Next time I'll sit under it. Not got a fan yet so will have to be a windy day

I'll be your fan

edit: actually f**k anstons, no time for that place atm

[monkoffunk]

It's worth bearing in mind that the second bolt (which Shark has done the route from as a "training link") is at about shoulder height...

Not quite but you can touch the left foothold I use from the ground

What’s your high point?

[shark]

What’s your high point?

One reach from easier climbing.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tc0rBjvYknQ&feature=youtu.be

[Will Hunt]

Is it legit to have the third bolt preclipped? 

[shark]

Is it legit to have the third bolt preclipped? 

Depends who you ask. Probably half of the ascents have it pre-clipped.

[highrepute]

Sacking it off for the year? Come on shark, show some commitment to the route

 

Tally so far is 9 sessions Feb-April 2 random sessions in June and then 7 sessions since middle of August.

Surprised you're talking about sacking it off, have conditions even got good yet this autumn?

Try to enjoy the process and keep trying, would be my advice that you didn't ask for and don't want!

[highrepute]

S - Malham in the afternoon for a redpoint. Through bulge and high on headwall with relative ease. Felt good in undercut rest so went for it but gassed on crimps almost immediately and came off at the same old place. So annoying as the rest of it is fine. Not sure how much more I can do this season; will try again next weekend but that might be it if no luck. Felt like bad conditions again; not a breath of wind. That said, Jerome pissed it so maybe I need to stop moaning!

Pissed off with lack of tick for all the effort put in. Looking forward to going to Spain!

Not read properly for a while...did you do any tapering for a peak?

In my (limited) experience, if I keep falling off at the same place then that bit needs a little rethink. Could be a beta change, or perhaps on the sharp-end you're failing to execute your beta properly, is there a clip you could skip, is the rest before this section being used effectively (I've founding counting breaths useful for when mental stress is sending me off rather than climbing ability...have a think maybe.

Your last comment makes it sound like the effort you've put should make you entitled to the tick. Is that a fair assessment?

Other than that keep trying!

[monkoffunk]

What’s your high point?

One reach from easier climbing.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tc0rBjvYknQ&feature=youtu.be

Wow, that really did look heartbreaking.

Again advice you didn’t ask for and don’t need, and I’m sure you know the effects of conditions etc better than anyone, but......

With such a dialled route and nothing more to learn about it, and doing it in two massively overlapping halves, why do anything other than try to redpoint it, regardless of how likely it feels on the day? I’m sure it’s been said before, but even if you think you have 1% chance of getting up it a given go that’s still more than 0%.

[spidermonkey09]

Not read properly for a while...did you do any tapering for a peak?

In my (limited) experience, if I keep falling off at the same place then that bit needs a little rethink. Could be a beta change, or perhaps on the sharp-end you're failing to execute your beta properly, is there a clip you could skip, is the rest before this section being used effectively (I've founding counting breaths useful for when mental stress is sending me off rather than climbing ability...have a think maybe.

Your last comment makes it sound like the effort you've put should make you entitled to the tick. Is that a fair assessment?

Other than that keep trying!

My attempts to engineer a peak in form didn't really work. I basically stopped training in favour of having multiple rest days prior to redpoint attempts. This worked in the sense that I consistently got through the bulge about 4 sessions in a row but didn't quite get over the line. I then had an extended break (one week) over the bank holiday weekend (when it was too hot to be on the route anyway) and did very little training in that time as was doing family stuff/tradding in the Lakes. First session back was too hot but then had 3 sessions in a row where I did not get through the bulge again. Finally got through it again last go of second day on and got high again despite being knackered. This week I didn't go to the crag midweek and trained twice. Had a RP Sunday and through bulge first go. Go figure!

I have reflected on the sequence. I changed the beta a few sessions back which has helped, but the central problem is that I am too pumped/fatigued to close a crimp regardless of the sequence I use to get there. Closing this crimp quickly and feeling strong on the hold is the key; if I do this on a link go I almost always go to the top. Possibly this has a negative implication in that if I don't feel strong on the hold immediately, perhaps subconsciously I start thinking I'm not going to do the next move which contributes to spitting me off. Clearly I either need to be less pumped on arrival or be able to do more moves when pumped, as I don't think there is an alternative to using this crimp.

It isn't unusual to be spat off here which is good to know. From my research, most people who do it as their first 8c (ie without experience of climbing at that level which gives them a better understanding of how to deal with the situation) fall off there quite a lot. At least 3 people I've spoken to have dropped it there around 6 times, which tallies with my experience!

Strangely I am usually quite calm entering this sequence, breathing normally and thinking quite clearly. I find the section immediately preceding this quite steady and have just left a rest which i am normally in for a few minutes. Something I have started considering is that its hard to access that state of 'controlled aggression' sometimes required on a redpoint when you have been climbing smoothly and precisely for quite a while previously, along with having just tried to relax in the rest. On a previous go up there when I was absolutely knackered I really bust a gut on the crimps, screaming like Ondra and generally trying hard, and I did get further than I thought I would. Perhaps trying to access this state of mind again might be a plan next time I get there; this was my girlfriends advice at any rate; 'get angry with it!'

I don't think I'm entitled to the tick, but I am definitely frustrated that the last hurdle is tripping me up so consistently. I think my problem is basically that I'm not fit enough to consistently link the headwall from the kneebar in a oner, even off the rope. If I was able to do this link at the end of every session success would be a formality. I am capable of doing the route with my current fitness levels but I do need the cards to fall my way; climb well, good conditions and a little slice of luck. If it doesn't happen then next year my plan would be to take the luck out of equation and simply get fitter!

Apologies for the long self indulgent ramble!

[cheque]

Apologies for the long self indulgent ramble!

That’s what Power Club’s for.

[James Malloch]

 but the central problem is that I am too pumped/fatigued to close a crimp regardless of the sequence I use to get there. Closing this crimp quickly and feeling strong on the hold is the key; if I do this on a link go I almost always go to the top.

Not that I have any idea what the route is like or any real knowledge of trying something at my limit.... but could it be possible to rest the crimping arm a lot more than your other? I.e. almost sacrifice your other arm in order to up the chances of closing the crimp.

Maybe this wouldn’t be feasible to then go on and finish the rest of the route, but it’s something I’ve done occasionally when trying routes/circuits indoors. I don’t try hard enough outside to need it haha!!

[Will Hunt]

Local mental health charities could have a quick win by just dropping a nuke on Malham. Look at the lives its destroyed.

[shark]

Sacking it off for the year? Come on shark, show some commitment to the route

 

Tally so far is 9 sessions Feb-April 2 random sessions in June and then 7 sessions since middle of August.

Surprised you're talking about sacking it off, have conditions even got good yet this autumn?

Try to enjoy the process and keep trying, would be my advice that you didn't ask for and don't want!

I’m benchmarking against my 2015 season and my links are below par factoring in conditions.

Having analysed it the current show stopper seems to be weakness on a left hand gaston on the top traverse. This may have something to do with the left shoulder / arm joint which has been slightly out of sorts most of the year and at times feels like it is starting to dislocate at odd moments. Physio and stretches don’t seem to have helped except I have a greater range of movement.