[Will Hunt]

T - Depot. Meh.

Sa - toddler gymnastics in the AM which was fun. Then off to Ilkley. It was a bit drizzly and shit when I arrived. Jumped on the in situ top rope on Desperate Dan. Fell off the crux and pulled on again from there and went to top. Major hot aches. Had felt numb, clunky and terrible on it so told myself not to do it. Pads were assembled and mine were in the stack so didn't have a choice about what to climb. Went up "for a look" and ended up in the slots and thought it would be dumb not to top out. Exquisite climbing. Font 6C. 18 pads.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7vqO9QJI1H/?igshid=175n6ccbaj0cw

In retrospect, it was a shame to have got on the rope at the start as I think I could have flashed it above pads if I'd waited.
 
The main thing was that the climbing was brilliant and it was great to cruise through the crux and find myself on the slots thinking to myself "I'm not supposed to be up here, I could just jump off" then pushing through the steady ground to the top.

[Will Hunt]

Forgot to mention. Went for a look at First Arete afterwards. Conditions weren't the best but I did get further on it than I've got before. I still don't see how this is 7A+. Feels like full on 7B at least to me 

[remus]

Forgot to mention. Went for a look at First Arete afterwards. Conditions weren't the best but I did get further on it than I've got before. I still don't see how this is 7A+. Feels like full on 7B at least to me 

Hope you didn't just slip that in there to try and dispel the serial downgrader myth 

Good effort on Desperate Dan, looks like a great line and a fun one to try above a pile of pads.

[shark]

11.4-5 Average 159.8 down 0.3lbs

M.AM Beautiful day. Thought I was tied up but then found I wasn’t. Met Ben S at short notice at Tor. Cold. Routes a bit wet. Felt busted, especially shoulders. First go warming up on Tin Of felt awful. Managed to do it clean twice then fell off high on third attempt. Good to be there to see Charlotte T doing Bens.

T.

W.

T.

F. Noon. Tor. 2pm. Left it late to avoid condensation - too late with hindsight. Bit dank and gloomy but holds ok. Wil and Xav there again. Short productive session with sequence improvements that solve being too stretched out and a superb way of initiating the ninja kick which I’m christening the ‘tap and stab’. Best link was from pinch and pocket to failing / flailing on ninja kick. Psyched to be making improvements on each session. Wil got Bens after punting the top move.

S. PM Systems Board. Benchmarks then 20/10s timing 2 secs per move. First set ok. Ground to a halt at move 80 on second set

S.


Deliberately easier week. Was feeling worn down with cranky shoulders. Did plenty of stretching. In general 3/4 progressively harder weeks followed by an easier week seems to be a good model though taking 3 days off seems forever when unemployed.

Recommence fingerboarding and Foundry sessions next week. Psyched to keep at Bens until improvements stop. This week’s aim is to link move 5 to 10 which is starting from pocket and pinch and incorporates all the moves that eliminate the two kneebars.

Lack of weight loss disappointing but my climbing going well so not as agitated about it as I otherwise would be.

Looking forward to a glass (or three) of red wine next Saturday.

[nai]

Simon, re the weight loss. Have you been cutting carbs as you stated you intended to in your opening sharkathon post

[tomtom]

Thanks for starting Will - (Thread number has a Y in it for some reason?)

Mon: Fantastic conditions (Yay!) A day out West with Nai - who had a great day.... Me, I failed on S&M at Baldstones (that move off the high flake/sidepull is really hard for me...) and also failed on the Fin at Gibb. THOUGH.. with the last (no more skin honest guv) attempt managed to get my toe up high and have a half hearted throw for the pocket. So progress. Also eyed up Stall SS - and the moves didnt feel impossible... just sayin...

Tues; Beasted after monday.. a full on all body grit pounding...

We: CLAG CLAG CLAG CLAG. Looked better east so headed out to Curbizzle edge.. found some dry rock - but it was too warm (T shirts) and humid to do anything other than lose skin

Thu: Gifted an hour in the afternoon by MrsTT so went to the Depot... Bumped into Fiend and Mr Scapegoat and had a good time arsing about on the comp problems. Which - were really good...

Fri: CLAG WATCH. Bah.. went to the Depot again (after being disappointed with the East side connies on Weds). Had a quick hour on the 50 - made progress on a couple of things..

Sa: Took the boy to his Grandparents in Kendal.

Su: Got up early and out before the rain. Found some dry grit. Moved badly....

A funny week - feel like I'm strong - but not climbing well. I think this is mainly due to a lack of time on rock - and more time on plastic/wood.. need to get my feel back, which comes from climbing more outside. Weather excuses etc.. etc..

[shark]

Simon, re the weight loss. Have you been cutting carbs as you stated you intended to in your opening sharkathon post

Yes. Cut down on pasta, potatoes, bread, rice and sugary things notably alcohol. Probably should cut out muesli to take to next level. Also should cut out carby crag snacks such as malt loaf and pre-burn jelly babies. Occasionally don’t eat till midday. Scales suggest there might be some body comp changes ie fat loss and muscle gain but they are not accurate.

[nai]

I was just think that replacing carbs with keto style high fat food means high calorie food so you probably need to eat less and combined with rest days when you might find yourself snacking even if not hungry, it could explain the lack of weight loss.

[nai]

STG: Moonboard 7A, Depot 50 6B, Font 7C
Spring 2020 Lime Font 7C.

M - Day at Staffs....
started at Newstones, good place to warm up and Tom wanted to try S&M.  Found it harder then I remembered.  Scary too.  I  did suggest a downgrade ahead of the second edition of Peak Bouldering, luckily I was ignored.  Eventually worked it out and managed from the sit (which isn't really hard enough to add a grade, is it?). Good start.

We moved to Gib, this is what I was most keen for over here. I'd done The Fin a couple of months back then returned and worked out the sit but bottled it on the stand section without a spotter.  Bottled it again today before having a word with myself: decent nick, five pads and a spotter, you ain't getting a better chance anytime soon.

Played on stall sit for a while before Tom left. Yep, hard

Headed off to look at Tetris/Hard Arête but passing Ramshaw could see the lines of Lust, a perfect Inverted V, well chalked and in shade so decided to go look at those. Did Left-Hand fourth or fifth go, it's pretty basi and suits me, but felt a gift. Then repeated Night of Lust which has a harder move but just the one really. Grades...

Battered, two rest days coming up. Definitely...

T weather much better than expected and forecast for the rest of the week a bit meh. Got on with morning chores but kept looking at the weather and looking at the forecast. By lunchtime I'd cracked and popped out "for an hour". Straight to Jamie and His Magic Torch (well not straight but via a bit of wandering about above the crag) confident that it was "only 7A+ " as Dolly had managed it in a short visit and that it'd go down ok once worked out.  Arrived just as another chap got there, two of us on the whole crag and we end up at the same tiny bit of rock.  Think we were both grateful of the extra pads.  Did the lovely corner and arete then spent a while trying different combinations of the arete to pull on, nearly held the sloper a few times but before I knew it it was 2:40 and I really needed to be home for school hometime.  Hoofed it home for a serving of humble pie.

W  bit of a stretch PM

Th - started a bit of a BW circuit thing and warmed up to do some legs, out of nowhere managed a Pistol Squat on right leg then after a few comedy fails did one on the left leg too.  Sacked off the weights and just worked on more Pistols and devised a BW strength & mobility flow to use instead of/to complement static stretching
Bit of core
Eve - works with nipper, haven't been to a wall so chalky for ages, if ever, bit grim.  Didn't try anything hard.

Fri - tricky connies again, Far East looked like it had promise, Anston closer but nothing on the go there so did the old fit-conditions-to-the crag-you-most-want-to-visit and set the Sat Nav for Church. Bit spoogey when I arrived but nothing to do but give it a good brush and get on with it. Had a few chucks at Shield RH to warm up, touching the hold equals progress.
On to Gulliver's Travels and into Groundhog territory: up to the gaston, slap then spin off having either: not held the hold, a foot blowing or skidding off the gaston.
And then none of those things happened, I slapped and spun out as usual but held on and finished it.  Very, very happy, this is already on the Best of 2020 draft, if i do three better maglime problems I'll be amazed but there's always the problems that climb like they're on the wrong rock type category.

Flashed Pockets then briefly tried the sit starts to both which felt grim. Checking beta later it appears I'd missed holds on both so might be worth another look but equally there are probably more worthy things to get involved in

Core then cookies



S - 11km mtb with nipper then bit of a leg stretch.

S - leg and shoulder stretch. Brief core circuit

[Wood FT]

Nice one Nai, good tick.

[Bradders]

Well done Nai, steady away!

M - up to Low Rider with lamps. My down jacket fell out of my pad halfway up the hill, and I didn't realise until I got to the boulder. A mad dash back down ensued. Luckily it hadn't blown away. At the end of my warm up had a go from the start and got a new high point, my heel popping as I got my right hand into the first break. Next go almost exactly the same. Go after that I dry fired off whilst going for that move. Spent 20 mins running laps on the finish then called it as it was so cold I couldn't feel my hands and pads were in danger of being blown away!

T - rest, work trip to London

W - rest, late night for family reasons

T - Almscliff afternoon. Poor connies, warm and humid. Spent most of the session trying alternative beta on the start of Exorcist, which I later found to be harder than the normal way. Few half decent links from the start regardless but realised I needed to get the transition into the finish of DWR LH sorted as didn't have a reliable method. Found some excellent beta but spent by that point.

F - lunchtime stretching & yoga

S - Almscliff. Warmed up doing Pebble Wall Sit which I'd never done before. Quickly realised the Exorcist start beta from Thursday was no good. Lots of goes from the start, reverting back to normal way. Best go was last, wherein I made it through to DWR LH but copped out by going to the big break as I was powered out. Did also link from doing the big rollover move into the last two moves of LH, with my sequence feeling very reliable, but had to drop off as hands numbing out. Basically it's on just need to keep showing up. Unfortunately last go left me with an almost split on my LH index which might slow things down. Warmed down doing Dreamland in a handful of goes (had never done before) and Crucifix Low trav into Pebble Wall which was again a new problem for me if not new moves. Nice to get some new ticks. Finished dropping the last move on Crucifix Arete Sit sans breaks which again I've never done before (superb climbing though).

S - afternoon walk

Pretty good week, out three times despite average cons and a 46 hour work week and feel like I'm closing in on a couple of good ticks!

[nai]

Nice one Nai, good tick.

Cheers, whether this is useful micro beta or just coincidence I don't know but I'd been bumping my toe as far up the diagonal start hold as I could for the final slap but noticed maybe 1/3rd of the way up it there's a really positive notch.  you can actually see where I tick marked it if you look closely.  Put my toe in that and maybe I was getting more tension, maybe I was imagining it but I did it second attempt using that part of the foothold.

[tomtom]

Bradders - cruc arête sans break ss is well hard - and needs good connies. Those ripples can be really scrittly too. Moose pointed me to the excellent combo of reverse cruc traverse and finish up cruc arête sans breaks. Brilliant mix of climbing.

[Bradders]

Bradders - cruc arête sans break ss is well hard - and needs good connies. Those ripples can be really scrittly too. Moose pointed me to the excellent combo of reverse cruc traverse and finish up cruc arête sans breaks. Brilliant mix of climbing.

Yeah was great conditions on Sat, can imagine it being hard in the warm. I was just tired, only had two goes. Shall have to try the link next time!

[teestub]

Bradders - cruc arête sans break ss is well hard - and needs good connies. Those ripples can be really scrittly too. Moose pointed me to the excellent combo of reverse cruc traverse and finish up cruc arête sans breaks. Brilliant mix of climbing.

We should just fill in that break, it’s probably chipped anyway.

[tomtom]

[yetix]

M rest
T 1 arm hang work
W BUK 55 board. Productive session. Weighted pull ups, rings IYT
T rest
F BUK 45 and 55 board, productive on the 45, less so on the 55.
S rest
S BUK 45 and 55, not productive. Went downstairs and did alot of the problems from the youth comp and 3 more v6 and ups. Weighted pull ups, rings IYT

Not motivated to chance marginal weather atm, hoping it clears up soon, until then a little more training for me I guess.

[Nibile]

Occasionally don’t eat till midday.

Jesus fucking Christ. 

[shark]

Occasionally don’t eat till midday.

Jesus fucking Christ. 

Are you recommending that I should be doing it frequently 

[duncan]

Well done nai!

STG: enjoy climbing, try hard three times a week.
MTG: embrace sport-climbing, RP 7b+; classic sea-cliff (or similar) E5 before 7.06.2020.
LTG: tbc

M - Portland with the retired super Alpinist. Journey not as smooth and weather not as glorious as on Saturday so had a slow start.  Warmed up doing Talk (6a+) a couple of times and got on Through the Barricades (7a+). Still felt tired from Saturday’s redpointing efforts, not mentally warmed-up, and wearing the wrong shoes on the first try for a proper flash effort. Worked the crux thoroughly and got it next time. Didn't feel like doing anything else so basked in the golden glow of sun over Lyme Bay.
T - Shoulder bodyweight strength: various press-ups, various planks, hand-stands. 
W - Shoulder strength. Pull-ups.
T - Westway bouldering: high gravity day so just did lots (10) of the yellow V2/3s. Shoulder strength. Pull-ups.
F - Shoulder strength.
S - Westway bouldering: yellow V2/3s, purple V3/4s and threw myself unsuccessfully at a couple of white V4/5s. Shoulder strength. Pull-ups. Managed to tweak my left knee at some point which became quite sore over the rest of the day and stopped me sleeping properly. 
S - Day trip to Weston-super-Mare for Mum’s 86th birthday. Sore knee meant I was less mobile than she was! Tired and nearly faltered on the daily exercise but managed 30mins of pull-ups (with plenty of rests) before turning in.

Decent week. Good to grab a day on rock before single-parenting curtails this in February and March. Through the Barricades suits me - crimping cornflakes with tricky feet - but it was nice to get another “5.12” under my belt in January. Think I’ve tweaked my lateral collateral knee ligament, which is painful but not, I think, a big deal and won’t greatly change what I’ll be doing over the next two months.

Plan: fingerboarding and pull-ups, careful with those elbows!

[spidermonkey09]

Nice one Nai!

M - rest. Felt battered after both days on at the weekend.

T - Max hangs at 25kg felt ok. Still had hole in finger.

W - Core. I fucking hate doing this but I definitely find it helps sadly!

T - Scraped through a set of max hangs at 26.25kg. Very likely to fail when I try another set at 27.5 this evening. Went to the wall afterwards; unsurprisingly felt a bit tired but pissed around on the set problems and did one that was allegedly in the V6-7 circuit, good going for my indoors. Missing the 50 board in terms of building power on steep ground but the one is Loughborough is a bit uninspirational and there is never anyone on it. There is a tatty pukkapad on the floor with a few pages of problems but definitely needs the app treatment.

F - rest.

S - dodgy forecast but went for it as Sunday looked grim. Drizzled all the way up and I was getting pissed off by the time I arrived at Burbage. Met Scott and decided to have a look despite it being a bit wet everywhere. Went to West and was pleasntly surprised to find enough dry to be getting on with. Meanwhile the rain stopped and things started to dry back. Tried The Nose for a while but couldn't touch it- whats the short persons sequence on this? Moved on to West Side Story which I've been psyched to have a look at it for ages. Eventually sorted sequence up to the bump for the final right hand sidepull but never quite managed to hold it. Scott did a few times but fell moving feet across for the set up to the break. Finished off by traversing in on the break and trying the top out as I don't want to blow it up there. Couldn't sort the move to the sidepull so definitely need to have a look at that next session so I know what I'm doing. Finished at the Bridge and did a few new things. Great session.

S - rest. Pissed it down all day.

Please to finally get on WSS and keen to get that done, think it might take a few more sessions though. Training as normal this week. Predictably its a beautiful day here; wish I was outside...

[shark]

Tried The Nose for a while but couldn't touch it- whats the short persons sequence on this?

I found a kneebar/pad useful at the start. Discussion on short person beta in previous power Club thread here

[spidermonkey09]

I found a kneebar/pad useful at the start. Discussion on short person beta in previous power Club thread here

Perfect thanks. I had experimented with a knee but completely forgot that dish in the roof on the left. Nai's video looks like what I need to do.

[cheque]

Occasionally don’t eat till midday.

Jesus fucking Christ. 

Are you recommending that I should be doing it frequently 

Intermittent fasting is so 2018.

[36chambers]

I found a kneebar/pad useful at the start. Discussion on short person beta in previous power Club thread here

Perfect thanks. I had experimented with a knee but completely forgot that dish in the roof on the left. Nai's video looks like what I need to do.

I used the same beets as Nai. It's a pretty sweet sequence.