[Will Hunt]

Tu - Depot. Intended to climb on the board but had too much fun in the main room.

Su - Almscliff. Windy as frig, but dry. Warmed up and did Sloper Patrol. Hadn't done this before but had been aware that it was an omission from my Cliff ticklist for a while. Worked out the end and did. I think people mostly go around the corner to finish but I've never figured out how to do this and the guide is ambiguous - just saying to get to the arete and top out. Got my hand on the arete, foot blind on/around the corner and mantelled it on the lhs. Felt legit.

Bojan's pad ripped loose from its moorings under Keelhaul and ended up caught in the wooden gate in the wall between South wall and Black Wall. He says he lost a sit start pad in the same manner last week. MIA.
Had wanted to try the end of the bulb and just see if I could do it but way too windy.

For want of anything else to do I tried Stu's Left again. Was really really pleased to get through to the stand. I've felt out of form so it feels nice to do a few moves that I find hard. Split a tip so stopped.

[tomtom]

Windy cliff times. I’ve been at the Cliff and had a large alp kit pad acting like a kite whilst holding one of the extended straps (just to make a bouldering mat kite) - until it whipped around in the wind and thwacked me on the face knocking me over 😂 #karma

[tomtom]

Mon: Down to Mad Voulume straight after work. Good to bump into SteveR there - had a fun evening on the board. Didnt have much flow but managed to do a couple of things I'd not done before. Still not broken into Board 7A yet  Strangely got a second wind instead of powering out after 45 min to an hour and didn't get home until gone 9.

Tu: Long day in the office...

We: Popped into Church Crag on the way home. Decent conditions. Got frustrated on Gullivers travels - but then started to break it down move my move - and using the 'ladder' there saved some skin by climbing into each move I couldnt do and spending time getting my body position right - and micro beta/adjustments. Found some different foot beta to get my LH up into the gaston - that felt very secure - and didnt quite manage to bump my RF up into the best hold (starting hand hold). Feels like a powerful press move for me - which may not be helped by coming into it lower - but may well feel easier next time now I'm more familiar with it etc.. When tired spent a while working my other very low percentage move - the flick out to the left hand pinch. Again - spent time working out that I needed to go low and come across on my left foot. Look - this all sounds really really dull - but was actually very very gratifying, like I was systematically breaking down elements of the puzzle.

Th/Fri: Half term week, so parental duties took over..

Sa: Took a chance on Trowbarrow: It was dry from when I arrived (11:30) until about 12:45 when a couple of hefty showers came in. This was really frustrating - as I had just started to fire properly and was in my attempt, ten min rest, attempt etc.. redpoint cycle.. my last go is shown in the Pit Problem thread  - I wont bother repeating myself here. https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30464.msg599315.html#msg599315 It dried up a bit after the shower - but I couldnt get firing again properly and went home just as a big hail storm moved in. There were some chuffers on one of the easier looking problems down the other end who got caught out in the big storm (mmmm.... wet limestone trad...) one of whom was trudging back to the car (still in her rock shoes) as I departed - I asked if it was a bit grim and she was beaming from ear to ear... second time seconding someone....

Su: Parental duties looking at the niceish weather outside....

[nai]

STG:  Jerry's Roof on Wales (weather dependent) trip first week March.
2020 Lime, Grit and AN Other Font 7Cs.

Been half term so limited opportunities

M nowt

T - Fingerboard benchmarking, probably best not done at 8am.  Felt low but my scores spreadsheet has corrupted so I've lost all my PB data.
HI core

W nowt

Th - Fingerboard. half hour of board power. 60% HI core
Squash and badminton PM

Fri - family indecisive so just kept doing this and that throughout the morning - TRX low row and archer row. Pressups and dips, scap shrugs and power pulls.

Wife and eldest decided they didn't fancy any whole family options but nipper decided she fancied leading some routes at the Foundry. She has never led before, complete whim.

Warm up boulder up to L3 then between belay stints did a bit of core, bit of board, bit of campus depending where we were in the building. Managed 1-3-5 on both arms which is about the best I've ever managed.

S - Unexpected pass - Bit done in but headed to test out my dreamed up Ben's beta. Didn't work and couldn't work out a better way of doing THFML either so as-you-were. Felt weary, kept it short, must be fresh when I return.

Core

S rest

[Bradders]

I had just started to fire properly and was in my attempt, ten min rest, attempt etc.. redpoint cycle..

Just a thought, as this is a trap I feel I've often fallen into myself; ten minutes between attempts on a single move is probably too long in my experience. Often I'll have my best goes having two in quick (1-2 mins between max) succession. Ten mins is more like the sort of rest you might have if, for example, you fell off the top of Pit Problem having done 4/5 powerful moves.

[duncan]

STG: enjoy climbing (when I get the chance); try hard three times a week.
MTG: embrace sport-climbing, RP 7b+; classic sea-cliff (or similar) E5 before 7.06.2020.
LTG: Something Long, Hard and Free tbc

M - Brief session in Alien bloc. Offspring not psyched, fingers tweaky, knee sore, didn’t stay long. Shoulder strength: tick-tocks, handstands, side planks, asymmetric press-ups.
T - Shoulder strength; 10km brisk walking.
W - Shoulder strength. Train home. Started doing pull-us but felt frazzled and tired and binned this after a couple of sets.
T - Fingerboard ‘max.’ hangs (7 seconds at +7.5kg). Knee strength: high step-ups and single-leg mini-squats.
F - Pull-ups (up to 4 reps, +10g), 9km brisk walking.
S - Shoulder strength. Knee strength.
S - Fingerboard ‘max.’ hangs (7 seconds at +10kg). Knee strength.

A week of mainly attempting to occupy a 10 year-old whilst struck-down with a cold and a gum infection. One bonus of staying at my sister’s Scottish mansion is the rooms are big enough to practice our gymnastics. Offspring’s cartwheels and my handstands are progressing well. Knee still isn’t too happy with actual climbing but I don’t feel like I’m missing much. I’ve belatedly started to rehab. it rather than rest and hope. Alongside all this, the fingerboarding is going quite well.

With the probability of no climbing outdoors for another month I did the only rational thing and booked a Gîte below Céüse for the start of June (big birthday) and the hut in Pembroke for Easter.  Better start the endurance work fairly soon!  Also bought The White Cliff which I’ll try to do a proper review of at some point. Executive summary: up there with Peak Rock and Crusher’s Desert Spires as the best climbing coffee table books of recent years.

[yetix]

M: snowboarding, bench in evening
T: snowboarding
W: snowboarding, bench in evening
T: snowboarding
F: max hangs
S: rest
S: max hangs in am, alsmcliffe in the afternoon. Too windy for most stuff but managed to strap 5 pads together so they wouldn't blow away and get on underhand, could consistently get to the move to the last slot with both heels on, but didn't quit hit it right, could do from 3 moves in to the end consistently too. Hard to keep warm so probably didn't rest well at all. Will need to go back soon. Hopefully do quick and get on the keel

[tomtom]

I had just started to fire properly and was in my attempt, ten min rest, attempt etc.. redpoint cycle..

Just a thought, as this is a trap I feel I've often fallen into myself; ten minutes between attempts on a single move is probably too long in my experience. Often I'll have my best goes having two in quick (1-2 mins between max) succession. Ten mins is more like the sort of rest you might have if, for example, you fell off the top of Pit Problem having done 4/5 powerful moves.

Yes - absolutely (and thanks - I'd glossed over the details). I tend to have 2-3 attempts within a 'set' if the problem/move is short - with 1-2 min rest between attempts (depending on how much effort it involved). Then the ten min break. I was (frustratingly) on attempt 7 or 8 when it started raining. So right on peak form...

Its quite a hard problem to warm up for - using
(a) left arm deepish lock
(b) a fair bit of right crimp on that sidepull
(c) core (to keep it all together)
(d) pulling hard on that right heel (hamstring stuff).
So takes me a while to get into... some of that stuff only gets warmed up by trying the problem.

I was doing some pull ups on the iron bar sticking out of the shelterstone whilst it was raining to try and keep warm :D

[Yossarian]

Crusher’s Desert Spires as the best climbing coffee table books of recent years.

Is that related to this https://issuu.com/johnharlin/docs/gallwas_deserttowerscollection? I’m in serious need of some future inspiration - training / climbing has taken a complete nosedive since I started commuting...

[gollum]

M- Travelling back from Scotland.

T - Rehab weights session. Band pulls, rows, reverse flys, kettlebell concentration shoulder press, all building up to bench press which went pretty well with five reps at a weight greater than my pre injury warm up. Very chuffed with progress.
Physio session soon afterwards and am discharged, which feels liberating.
Go to Sheffield Depot and do a few reds and purples, get shut down by a few more. Once I got tired, could barely string three moves together regardless of grade.
It’s been six weeks since I tore something in my pec and was bruised from my wrist all the way to just above my waist and all the swelling and pain that went with it. In that time I’ve not been able to do very much at all, slowly building to do a bit more and I’ve eaten and drink way too much and had a skirmish with the black dog. I’m much heavier than I was and very unfit, but hopefully I can start to build again from here. Missed a trip and way behind on goals for the year, but onwards and upwards.

W- Go to Manchester Depot for a bit of a potter. Brand new reds that hurt my soft skin so bail to the blacks and just enjoying the movements.

T -  Pudsey in the evening with friends. A whole new bunch of wooden problems to play with. Quite a lot of success getting most of them done pretty quickly and a couple that will take a bit more energy although got the moves, then by last four problems was totally gassed and pulling on just felt hard as nails. Sure fitness will return as just do a bit more. It’s been quite a long break.

F - Rest day.

S - Back at Pudsey to see how well I’ve recovered from Thursday. Back on the woods problems. Ticked off all but one of the half dozen I had left and definitely feel like regaining the ability to try hard. A good session.

S - Rest day

A week still working through rehab. No pain whatsoever and some progress with the bouldering. Still restricting all the other exercise to keep strain low but reckon I will start to step it back up in a couple of weeks when I get back from boarding trip to Mayrhofen.

[tomtom]

Glad to hear the recovery process is going well Gollum. Sounds weird/Nasty what ever happened - and a bonus to be pain free now!

I wonder what I would do if I couldn’t climb (re black dog).... good to see you back in PC.

[gollum]

Cheers TT.

It’s good to be back

[JohnM]

Weight 10st2-3lb

M: Rest

T: Bouldering indoors + assisted one arm hangs on lower middle rung of Beastmaker -6kg x 5 and weighted two arm hangs on lower outer edges + 20kg x 5.

W: Long fast tempo run. 24.5km +907m height gain.

T: AM: Routes at KI. Warm-up and then 2 x 7cs. My aim is to do all the 7cs on the main wall as a base. 5 more to go. Hopefully the second 7c I did on Thursday was the hardest! PM: Minute on/off hill sprints. Brutal training that is not really enjoyable in anyway. I ended up further up the hill than previous sessions so think I have improved.

F: 0.5km 20% hill runs x 5. Got a PB for the hill (4'30") and moved up to the 8th best of all time on Strava. Still 50 seconds behind the leader though! Afterwards a run up to a hut in the forest and back down. 13.2km + 1066m height gain.

S: Climbing at Starkenbach. Fell off the 6b+ warm-up then tried to do a 7c i'd tried previously as a second warm-up putting the clips in. Got really pumped as putting the clips in involves lots of hard lock offs and trying to get the draws under the horrendous in-situ clips that need removing. Fell off the crux boulder at the top. Did the route second try and it felt like a path. Tried another 7c with a hard boulder though a roof at half height. The bolt above the crux is placed annoyingly out of reach and the other is a your feet providing a nasty fall. Failed to commit on the onsite and then forgot to extend the draw so wasted my second try doing that. 3rd try climbing easily though the crux and then fired off violently backwards though the air. I assumed a hold had broken but it turns out it was just wet. The seepage seems to come though at this crag later in the day once the sun goes off it.

S: Peak hill climbing training session before my first mountain ultra in 6 weeks. I basically spent 10 hours running/fast hiking up and down to 1500m on the mountain  behind my flat 5 times. This is kind of boring and is mentally as well as physically challenging but it the best way to maximise hill training without running many kilometers of flat between hills and avoiding snow. I also used it as an opportunity to train "time on feet" and nutrition. I tried eating proper food for the first time and stashed a bag with extra isotonic and a tupperware of gnocchi in the forest near the trail which I ate after the 3rd set. The gnocchi tasted great after only having gels/bars and was digested easily. Although I dropped 20 minutes on the 4th set with eating and being slower afterwards, I was pleased to come back strong on the 5th set and manage to go up and down in just over 2 hours, only a few minutes slower than my first. 53.5km + 4697m height gain.

A good week and the first for a while with no debilitating niggles and neck pain. I managed to do all the training sessions I wanted to and they all went as well or better than expected. I am still not as fit as I would like to be in climbing at this time of year but that is due to missing the best part of 2 months of proper climbing training over December and January and prioritizing running volume over climbing. However, I was pleased with how easily the climbs/cruxes I did do this week went down when I actually climbed the routes. I will drop the running volume now so should be able to increase the volume of climbing to increase the fitness as well. It was also good to get the maximum hill training/long day out running out of the way. It went really well and unless I get some kind of injury I am pretty sure I can grind out my first mountain ultra of the year in 6 weeks in a reasonable time.

[HarryBD]

Crap week at work, finished up a couple of projects that have been hanging around forever but didn't really feel good to get them out the way and now feel a bit directionless. Sleep was terrible as a result and motivation low in general.

T - Depot, got up my first yellow (don't think I've ever really had a go tbf) tried hard on some other stuff which is good. Ended up on the circuit board to finish off and could barely string 3 moves together on anything other than the easiest circuit without getting completely pumped.

S - L had vouchers for Betty's so got treated to breakfast in Ilkley and walked home over the moor. Amazing food. Blowy as but felt great to spend a good portion of the day outside and wasn't as far away as I thought.

S - Almscliff, wanted to give Great Western a go but wind had other ideas. Warmed up on some things on the wedge boulder then went to Black Wall as it was sunny and out the wind. Omnishambles on Black Wall, glassy skin meant I was gripping hard on JUGS, put all the wrong gear in all the handholds, got so pumped I can still feel it this morning. Lost all psyche and couldn't find anywhere hospitable so called it a day.

[SA Chris]

Black Wall can still be a grim old place even on the nicest of days.

[duncan]

Crusher’s Desert Spires as the best climbing coffee table books of recent years.

Is that related to this https://issuu.com/johnharlin/docs/gallwas_deserttowerscollection?

This. Doesn't appear to be available in the UK currently and it's north of £50 second hand. If you contacted Crusher directly he might be able to help. A trip to the SW US desert should be on all but the most diehard sport climber's bucket list. There looks to be some great bouldering too, although this would be missing the point to me.

I’m in serious need of some future inspiration - training / climbing has taken a complete nosedive since I started commuting...

At times like this, when aiming for a specific goal seems impossible, it's easy to jack it in completely. I find it helpful to accept that you've not going to improve but tell myself something is infinitely better than nothing. One session of trying hard a week will keep the tendons stiff, remind the muscles of their existence, and maintain the habit of exercise.


Good to have you back gollum. Looking forward to you making me feel like a total slacker again.

[spidermonkey09]

Black Wall has special pump inducing powers even in mint conditions!

M - Max hangs at 30kg. Felt desperate on the first few sets but warmed up into them.

T - SC wall. Decided to stay off the board and do some problems. Definitely better on the indoor style but shut down on some of the more comp-style ones that involved high heels etc.

W - Core. Another tick in the box just for doing it!

T - Max hangs. decided to add another plate and pleasingly completed the set. So much of this is neural adaption. Went to the Tower after and did a few 7a's which was pleasing considering I'd just done the hangs.

F - rest.

S - in the Peak with friends but freezing in the wind. Was keen to climb but couldn't make companions stand in the cold so went to Outside and bought a pulley instead for one armed hangs in the coming weeks.

S - forecast suggested a nice afternoon so hammered it back to the Peak for a session at Gardoms with Matt. Knocked off Marks Roof Original quickly after last sessions failure and started trying the 7B version. Bastard awkward finish; got up on the slopers a few times but didn't have the guns to lock them out. They aren't very sticky which doesn't help; perhaps due to popularity. Moved on to Soft on the G and did this reasonably quickly; what a strange problem. Play on Kidneystone was enjoyable. Did the stand start from the flake which is a good little 6b+ ish. Almost sorted the sequence from the low jug but it involves a bit of trickery and avoiding dabbing seems to be the crux. Good problem though. Finished off down on the edge having a look at Perfect Day Direct. Didn't have the guns to match the initial edge but think it would be ok when fresh.

Pleased to make the most of some sunshine and get out on Sunday. Feel broken today. More of the same this week before a weekend in the Lakes where god willing some dry rock will be found...

Thinking of mixing up the max hangs with one 2 arm and one arm session per week. Something that occurred to me when looking at the documentation that came with the pulley; how effective actually are they ; eg. if I attach 20kg to it does it actually take 20kg off? I tried reading the science but got confused.

[teestub]

Thinking of mixing up the max hangs with one 2 arm and one arm session per week. Something that occurred to me when looking at the documentation that came with the pulley; how effective actually are they ; eg. if I attach 20kg to it does it actually take 20kg off? I tried reading the science but got confused.

I’d recommend picking one to do for a couple of sessions a week for a block at a time, and then changing it up, so you get a decent volume of each max hang type in at once. Can also vary hold size for 2 arm (e.g using Micros rather than adding weight, or just a smaller hold with less weight).

I don’t think the frictional effects of the pulley are worth worrying about, as long as you are always using the same set up you can measure your own personal progress. FWIW the small petzl one I use at home seems to produce a negligible amount of friction.

[nai]

what a strange problem.
Play on Kidneystone was enjoyable. Did the stand start from the flake which is a good little 6b+ ish. Almost sorted the sequence from the low jug but it involves a bit of trickery and avoiding dabbing seems to be the crux.

I found SOTG pretty underwhelming
Be interested to know your trickery on Kidneystone, generally end up stumped

[spidermonkey09]

I’d recommend picking one to do for a couple of sessions a week for a block at a time, and then changing it up, so you get a decent volume of each max hang type in at once. Can also vary hold size for 2 arm (e.g using Micros rather than adding weight, or just a smaller hold with less weight).

I don’t think the frictional effects of the pulley are worth worrying about, as long as you are always using the same set up you can measure your own personal progress. FWIW the small petzl one I use at home seems to produce a negligible amount of friction.

Cheers, makes sense. I think I should hopefully get some reasonably quick gains from one armed hangs as I haven't ever trained them beyond a brief dabble with the CWP programme in my uni days!

Not worrying re pulley, more interested! This has probably been covered elsewhere on the forum but whats your view re one armed hangs front on or side on, with the shoulder either fully open or not?

[sdm]

Something that occurred to me when looking at the documentation that came with the pulley; how effective actually are they ; eg. if I attach 20kg to it does it actually take 20kg off? I tried reading the science but got confused.

It doesn't really matter as long as you are consistent. My home setup  is a single pulley with some retired climbing rope positioned so that you hang quite front on. My home beastmaker is also overhanging by 1°. The setup at the wall has a double pulley on a narrow cord, positioned for a more side on hanging position. The wall setup allows me to take off less weight but as long as you are consistent on each setup, it doesn't really matter unless you travel a lot and train on lots of different setups.

If you really want to know, you could test using some scales but I've never seen the point.

[spidermonkey09]

I found SOTG pretty underwhelming
Be interested to know your trickery on Kidneystone, generally end up stumped

Yeah, not a classic but as one move wonders go its quite a good one because the holds aren't grim and it doesn't trash your skin. Not 7B though!

Re Kidneystone, I think if one is tall enough to get left hand on the crimp before pulling on its way easier as this takes about 4 moves out of the sequence. I had right heel on the good edge, LF on shit edge in middle of roof, RH in jug, LH on obvious sloper. The foot becomes a heel toe once I pull on, then match sloper and do a few bumps of the LH across to crimp rail. Next bit is a work in progres but essentially: LF toe hook next to RF, and then a very tenuous RF heel in the starting jug hollow. Once this is on (only got it to stick once) I was planning on bouncing hands up to the jug flake maybe via a sloper.

Its a weird sequence and definitely easier if taller... 

[nai]

This has probably been covered elsewhere on the forum but whats your view re one armed hangs front on or side on, with the shoulder either fully open or not?

You climb (generally) front on so should really hang front on, while you're mostly trying to work your fingers there's a whole chain involved.
 
I started doing scap shrugs so that I can hang front on with an engaged shoulder, haven't quite reached the point that I can pull up into the engaged position yet but if you can hold it then you know that's not the weak point.

[nai]

I found SOTG pretty underwhelming
Be interested to know your trickery on Kidneystone, generally end up stumped

Yeah, not a classic but as one move wonders go its quite a good one because the holds aren't grim and it doesn't trash your skin. Not 7B though!

Re Kidneystone, I think if one is tall enough to get left hand on the crimp before pulling on its way easier as this takes about 4 moves out of the sequence. I had right heel on the good edge, LF on shit edge in middle of roof, RH in jug, LH on obvious sloper. The foot becomes a heel toe once I pull on, then match sloper and do a few bumps of the LH across to crimp rail. Next bit is a work in progres but essentially: LF toe hook next to RF, and then a very tenuous RF heel in the starting jug hollow. Once this is on (only got it to stick once) I was planning on bouncing hands up to the jug flake maybe via a sloper.

Its a weird sequence and definitely easier if taller... 

Cheers, think I've tried similar previously.  Far far easier if tall but then it's a KC problem isn't it so we can't use that as an excuse.

Careful with that Jug flake btw, bit of flex on it.

[SA Chris]

M - walk in park, travel home
T - 5 k lunch run
W - 8.5 k run. in evening. Minging weather, wish I'd done it at lunchtime. Wall session in evening. Motivation low, no craic, place pretty deserted.
T - Nothing
F - meant to run at lunch, but meeting overran.
S - Long run home. Sunny but howling wind. Took a detour into woods convinced I might find some boulders or crags. Surprisingly I did, need a damned good clean though. Took another detour on a path which disappeared, ended up in bog and clambering over deadfall. 24k
S - walk with kids, then 8km run in afternoon.