[shark]

11.7-9 Average 162.3 (up 0.9lbs)

M. FB warm up. PM Tor. Balmy 8.5degress but soggy. Holds not too greasy on Bens. Just the Hart’s and Plantpot at the crag. Felt good warming feeling oddly light even though I weigh heavy. Did cross thru on first attempt. Decided to work on doing the throw from a couple of moves in which I’ve not managed before. Initially found it hard to get fingers aligned going for the pocket. A few attempts off target when throwing for the crimp then got it linking from the low edge and pinch to falling mid cross-through which is the hardest link I’ve done to date. Spent after that though did manage throw to setting up for cross through at the very end.

T. Home FB warm up. Ben keen for Curbar. Low cloud, still and roads wet driving out but good at the crag and mint before sundown. Spent the session on Sean’s Arete. Not been on it before. Class. No tick but made progress. Be good to have another session on it when fresh. Eve. 4 x 5 fast pull-ups with +10lbs.

W.

T. Nice day which revolved around not climbing at Burbage and a car puncture
Eve Vented frustration on Ergo Edge and scored some PB’s. PB on HC (+30kg, 10 secs) and FC (+32.5kg, 10 secs and +35kg x 6 secs). Unsure of strictness of form on the HC PB (as had eyes closed and was hanging on for dear life) and then followed it up with a definitely unstrict HC +35kg x 6sec hang that was somewhere between a half crimp and a drag which I’m christening a Quarter Crimp (QC). Struck me that this a useful angle to train anyway in terms of outdoor application so going to specifically train it going forward. More gains like this please.

F.

S.

S. Had saved myself for a big grit day but forecast changed for the worse. Headed to Anston with Ben and joined by Seb. Went on my nemesis Fine Art and tried different methods but ended up doing best with my original beta though found I was better off using the pocket with stacked back2 rather than mid two. Did better than before in June. Got heel on a couple of times from start so not far off. Seb did similarly whilst Ben did Bullet in a session.
Eve. Few weighted deadhangs then 2 sets of recruitment pulls with first set using a low undercut as an experiment. Set of Speed Pulls.

Decent week but incremental weight gain is relentless and have neglected PE/ Endurance

[dunnyg]

M: Antagonistic weights session and a bit of stretching, ab rolls

T: Shipley glen. Shut down on the 7B I went to try (and attempted to warm up on), did a few 6A-6C. Good lamps.

W: Light repeaters session, failed half way through beastmaker 6C, will re adjust for next session. Felt good to get puped though! Maybe start at the 5A and work out and mix up with some one arm hangs as usual. Ab rolls.

Th: Baildon lamps, Just playing on some 6's, rained before I could get on armageddon (a nemesis of mine)

Fr: Light warm up then stretching out legs

Sa: Bailed out to jokers wall. Ticked the reverse I had figured out last time but the end was wet. Ticked a couple of other problems I hadn't done before up to 7A.

Su: Couldnt work out forecast. Lost psyche. Ate rollos. Seems any of the crags I was keen for would have worked given reports. Can't win them all!


Good: Getting out with people has been really nice. Leg feeling better. Need to keep up stretching
Needs work:
1) Need to get fingerboard more than once a week. Not sure how to fit this around cragging, especially when skin growth is required!
2) Need to try some >= 7B. Need some targets at quick drying crags (other than almscliff). Any yorkshire/lancs suggestions appreciated.
3) Need to keep the psyche up! Winters always grim in this sense though.

[Will Hunt]

Shipley glen. Shut down on the 7B I went to try

Behave.

[RobK]

Had an easy week scheduled so plenty of rest. Good high point on Rock Atrocity and felt like it would go soon but frustratingly looks like it could be a while before I'm back.   

M - Rest.

T - Anderson hangs, F3 open, F3 HC, M2 open.

W - Rest.

T - Cave, back on RA. Really good progress from last time, new high point of getting setup for the last move.

F - Nothing planned but girlfriend was on an evening shift so headed to the Boardroom. Played on the new boulder set and then had a dabble on the campus board. I suck at the campus board so I've got a short block planned. Work your weaknesses and all that. Not sure how much difference it will actually make to my climbing but fun to try new things. Ten minutes easy autobelay stuff to finish.

S - Rest.

S - Plan was for the cave but that was scuppered by the last minute Kim Jong-Drakeford lockdown. In hindsight I should have just gone. Didn't fancy the drive to the Peak with a changeable forecast so ended up inside at Boulder Hut. Back on the campus board for a little bit which feels a bit harder than the Boardroom's, the rungs aren't quite as positive. I can do all the 1-5 variations but both 1-4-6 and 1-3-6 are beyond me at the minute. Then a play on some board problems (the board there is great) and 20 minutes of 1on/off to finish on the circuit board 6c.

[csl]

W: Light repeaters session, failed half way through beastmaker 6C

Yep, thats not "light" repeaters by anyone's book.

[dunnyg]

Sorry Will, meant "7B".
Light as in I gave up soon after failiure! The 2 finger hangs hurt my skin (as well as making me too boxed to hold on).
Cheers for the list bradders, theres a few I havent tried 

[tomtom]

Summary: Somehow managed to climb some things despite the shit weather

Mon: Upper Chelburn. Drying when I got there - but dodging showers. Spent about an hour working out how to do a really cool lowball called Limber Skin 7A. Looks a bit shit, climbs really well. Dried up the 7C Chilli Burn, had one attempt then it rained hard. Went home.



Tues: rest

Weds: Board. Good session - finally repeated a two (mirrored) problems I’d not done since changing the footholds. Progress.

Thurs: Lovely weather! Met Dolly and Nai at Buckstones before a wander along Stanage North. Usual failure on Spring Voyage - not tried if for 3-4 years and after seeming to work out what I needed to do ran out of skin on the RH crimp... moved on before I split a tip. Marvelled at Dolly and Nai’s navigation skills (reminded me of being in a child in the car watching my parents trying to read a map). Flashed Youngsters Wall 7A (Never 7A if you are tall - or even normal size as Dolly showed later) failed on Jamies Roof 7A (hard sloper fest) and last gasp ascended Jamies Other Roof 7A with a right battle to get stood up on the slab after the lip. Great fun problem! Ran down the hill - to make it back to pick up the little one from School with ten min to spare....

Fri; Rest

Sat: I was allowed either sat or sun to get out for a few hours - and given the forecast looked the same, but colder on Sunday - chose Sunday. Maybe the wrong choice... had 50 min on the board (decent session) whilst there was blue skies and sunshine outside...

Sun: Weather was shit. Watched showers on the radar all morning and opted to head up to Knowle Heights above Darwen... odd crag - graffiti covered quarry in quite a nice location (not urban) and fairly clean though overgrown... anyway, managed to get about 45 min of climbing done on a roof problems, getting “The Monk of Crunk” 7A done before more persistent showers and impending gloom (dark at 3:45 ugh...) saw me off. Robin popped up to say hello - good to chat and catch up.

Did 4 new 7’s - and somehow managed to get some decent time on rock - but it felt like I had to work for it with the weather... Golfers and Tennis elbow behaving themselves now I’ve stopped the one arm stuff...

[csl]

Sorry Will, meant "7B".
Light as in I gave up soon after failiure! The 2 finger hangs hurt my skin (as well as making me too boxed to hold on).
Cheers for the list bradders, theres a few I havent tried 

Yeh I seem to remember the last hangs of each set are on front 2, it's savage

[Will Hunt]

M: ab ripper X. Got through the all the fifer scissors then the wheels started to come off.

T: lamp connies improved having not been forecast. And here am I with ripped abs DOMS. Damn. Board session instead. Completed Horse Latitudes which was great. Played on some new projects.

T: Baildon since that was where the psyche was going. Warmed up and it then rained. Bailed to the hub where there wasn't many people and had a nice session doing some of the pinks.

Su: had really wanted to go to Crookrise but forecast wasn't great and there wasn't anyone else going. It became apparent I was going to have to traipse back to the Fonze. I dutifully did so. Got my hand to the arete but fell off the cut loose again. Split tape but not skin. Want getting any pleasure from it and it felt incredibly tedious so bailed to the Cliff and had a nice hour gabbing to Depot board John while fidgeting with Stu's Left. It was heaven compared to trudging along the Fonze on my own.

[Duma]

M - work 12hr day shift - felt awful after fucked sleep of previous weekend, but at least slept ok Mon night.
T - TCA, hard bouldering on blacks (6C-7A) and few whites (7A-7C) and woods (7B-8B). Much better session than last weeks, mostly from improved sleep I guess
W - TCA, as above, another good session.
T -
F - quick hour before work on blacks, decent volume on the upstairs problems I'd not tried before. then 12 hr nights
S - 12hr nights
S - 12hr nights

70.5kg

3 good sessions at the wall, but sadly weather scuppered any chance of getting Just Say No done this year.

[36chambers]

Also. Fight on Black. On paper it should be one of my favourite climbs. Beautiful locale. Joe Healey problem. Will Simm on the crag that day too. Arete. Tricksome. Devious. Fingery. Balancey. Etc etc etc. But for some reason I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

a one star experience on a three star climb, it happens.

[Bradders]

Yorkshire's few world class climbs

Also, what on Earth? This is just bait right? 

[Duncan Disorderly]

PE Week...

M: Shoulder stability and strengthning stuff
T: As above... Also tried light fingerboard sesh but seemed well tweaky in the LH shoulder so bailed
W: Routes up to 6c @ AW - Also got on a 7a+, worked all the moves easily but didn't go for a RP as shoulder was feeling fatigued
T: PE sesh @ AW - Warm up routes up to 6a+, Moonboard 5 x probs up to 6A+ (wtf!! how does 6A+ ever feel that hard!!), AW circuit board - 25ish moves - 2 x V1 circuit (aprox 6a+ imo), 2 x V2 circuit (aprox 6b+ imo), worked V4 circuit (wooden holds, nice.. Felt about 7a+?) - Trashed!
F: Physio - Rest
S: AW with kids - Few boulder problems and autobelays up to 6b+ then an uexpected bit of time on the circuit board while they messed about on bars and rings. 4 good goes at wood (V4/7a+ish) circuit falling at last move twice - progress!
S: Rest

PE Week... Wasn't planned like that but pretty pleased with shoulder and feeling like I can actually pull a bit harder if I try....

[gollum]

W/C 14/12/2020

M - Chest, Depot, Abs, Yoga
T - Campus, max hangs, pull-ups, circuits, abs, yoga
W -Triceps, Sheffield Depot (mostly volume), abs, yoga
T - Ilkley, shoulders, abs, yoga
F - Biceps, campus, fingers, circuits, yoga, abs
S - Yoga, abs
S - Chest, Buckstone, abs, yoga


M - Start the day in the gym and working chest. Begin with flat bench for singles working up to solid 100. Move on to decline bench again for singles working to 110, which I’m really pleased with, but daren’t go any further. Move on to 15° incline in the Smith machine for 4x3 working up to 90. Next is machine press for 5x3 working up to 110. Flys on a flat bench and then on an incline bench both with a long pause at the bottom of the rep and both for 3x5. Finish off with 50 Svend presses.
Go to the Depot on the morning. Spend the entire session trying harder things. Manage one new problem and repeat one that I’d done before, but otherwise just working bits of things although did make quite a lot of progress on quite a lot of stuff and go home feeling tired, but happy.
Abs roller is 4x25 paused reps, which feels so much easier than it did in the past.
Tonight’s yoga is based around spinal flexibility again.

T - Campus boarding in the morning. Warm up to start and then continue working on the biggest holds and trying for longer moves. Do a total of 12 sets, most of which are successful. Move on to some finger strength work. Start with 3 reps of pull ups on the 10mm, 8mm and 6mm edges, with the form deteriorating as the edge size decreases. Then on to Max hangs. Start off on the Lattice rung with 15k counterweight and work down to 10k, doing a total of 9 sets. Then start seeing what counterweight I need to hold the centre 23mm mouth on the BM2K and the answer is that I can hold my bodyweight plus 2k for a good 5 seconds and a poor 3 with 4K.
Weights today is deadlifts and pull-ups. Start with deadlifts to bench mark. A comfortable 155 is good enough and I have no desire to push it. Move on to pull-ups with weight, starting at bodyweight and adding 5k each set, maxing out at a good 40 where I do 3 sets. Five sets of single negatives next, which is easier at this stage of the session than later on. Next is offset pull ups for 3 sets, first set on first and second bar, second is first and third and last is one and four. Lock offs for 2 sets of 30 seconds at full, 90 and 120, 30 seconds between holds and 90 seconds between sets. Finish weights with 5x5 close grip pull-ups.
Finish off at wall with 5 circuits with good rests in between, trying to climb as smoothly as I can, which is not my natural style. Do a pyramid up and down 6a/6b/6c6b/6a, taking as much rest as I need going up the pyramid but going with shortened rests coming down the pyramid, subsequently I am shattered by the end of it.
Overall a really enjoyable session.
Evening is 50 reps of the abs roller and then yoga for core.

W - In the gym in the morning and triceps session. Start with close grip presses for doubles, working up to 85. Move on to single arm Tate presses for 3x5 with 15s and then 4x6 dumbbell skull crushers with 20. On to the cables for 3x8 rope press downs with increasing weight on each set. Then 3x4 single arm press downs. Finish with 3x10 bodyweight dips.
Down to Sheffield Depot. Good session. Get a couple of yellows first go, work another and get a couple of purples that had been too hard previously. Main body of session is going the reds. Get them all done in the session and manage to flash all but three of them. Feels like a lot of problems but very satisfying.
In the evening do 60 paused reps with the abs roller and a yoga session for hip and lower back mobility.

T - Nip up to Ilkley early in the morning. Do some of the easy stuff around Lost Boots and a quick play on the easier benchmarks on the back of the Calf, which seem to be the only dry bits of the crag. Good just to get out for an hour.
On the abs roller, keep slowly increasing number of reps with straight legs and today manage 3x8.
In the gym working shoulders today. Start with 5x5 dumbbell presses. I’m definitely struggling getting weight onto shoulder on right side, but doesn’t seem to be injured in anyway. Very odd, move on to alternating dumbbell presses for 3x6. Arnold presses next for three sets with increasing weight and reducing reps on each set. Next is strict single arm presses for 3 sets of 5 on each arm. Run through lateral raises, front raises and reverse flys all with a hold at maximum contraction for 3x6. A round of three sets of dumbbell hollow press for planche. Then do 3x5 of IYWTX for rotator cuff, 3x10 shrugs for traps and 3x8 scap raises to finish.
Do a couple of yoga sessions today, one for flexibility and one for abdominal strength.

F - Biceps in the gym early morning. Start with 3x8 Ez curls on the preacher bench for 30k. On to single arm curls on the steep bench for 3x6 with 16. Next is 3x3 concentration curls up to 20. Follow this with 4x6 incline curls. A superset of seated curls and drag curls for 3x6 each. Hammer curls for 3x8 is next and then Zottman curls for 3x10. Finish bush with 3 isometric holds of 30, 20 and 15 seconds.
Trip to Manchester Depot to campus and fingerboard. Again finger dominant exercises on campus board but do manage a couple of solid 1-3-6 on the biggest holds as well, which is pleasing. Max hangs on Beastmaker mouth edge for 8 sets. Do half with 4k assistance and half at body weight. Go on to do a couple of circuits although get all out of sequence on one and give in half way. Finish off with a couple of the purples which seem pretty good. 
Yoga for flexibility late afternoon and a steady abs roller session.

S - This morning’s yoga is a longer session with lots of flow and a range of twists.
Abs roller for 80 paused reps and side planks for obliques.

S - Working chest today. Start with triples on a flat bench working up to 95k. Move on to decline bench and work up to a good three reps at 100k. Move to the Smith Machine. Start with 15° guillotine presses up to 80k for three and then do the same at 30°, working up to 75k. Move on to fly’s and do 3 sets of 8 on a flat bench, decline bench and inclined bench with a hold under tension on each rep. Finish off with 50 reps of Svend press.
Wander up to Lindley Moor for a quick hit. My calf has felt a bit tweaky since Friday so do some moving about to test that.
Today’s yoga is abs based and do a steady 50 reps with the abs roller to keep ticking over.

Not a bad week, although the weather is not with me at the moment.

[tommytwotone]

Bradders / Will / Dunny - ages ago when I was better / stronger I was touting about for 7bs in Yorkshire. Have to say the main struggle is not so much finding quality, but one that's a) not ludicrously contrived, and b) will be reliably dry, in good connies etc.


Hard pill to swallow, but perhaps The Peak has better quality 7bs than Yorkshire. Hastag justsaying etc. I started a thread ages ago with some good tips.


Anyway, back in the real world.


Goal - scrape up a new (to me) 7a


Tues: Last Sun Dance. Bash around some of the new problems, dispatched 2 of the V6s in short order and made a bit of progress on a slabby V7 before a crowd of punters descended on me and I socially distanced myself when they couldn't take the hint.


Back on the 30 degree / splatterboard thing. Managed a couple of easy problems / warm-ups that will be useful, and then got on the problem I made up week before. Couldn't do it SHAFT before, couldn't do it then. Still felt do-able though so maybe next time.


Sun: Granted a solo pass, but forecast looking fickle. Ummed and err-ed and went to Shipley for a day of pottering / peace. Did all the stuff round YMC wall, and then had a crack at the Lurcher Traverse(s) which I'd never tried before.


Saw off the 6a in a couple of goes, got stuck into the lower one which I did in overlapping halves but didn't link. Watching a video later seems I was doing a harder start but it felt more logical / consistent in terms of difficulty.

[cheque]

The Peak has better quality 7bs than Yorkshire. Hashtag justsaying etc. I started a thread ages ago with some good tips.

Here it is.

[User deactivated.]

Begin with flat bench for singles working up to solid 100. Move on to decline bench again for singles working to 110, which I’m really pleased with, but daren’t go any further.

I learnt to escape from a failed flat bench reliably by pushing the bar down to my waist, sitting up and putting the bar on the floor. Sure, this has the potential to be a bit dangerous on a max effort if not pre-practiced but I never had any issues and it allows you to max out on your own without using bars (which always used to throw off my lift having to think about not hitting them). I probably wouldn't like to do this on decline bench though.

[spidermonkey09]

M - rest.

T - some TRX, pull ups, general conditioning stuff. Felt broken and wanted to have two days off before max hangs.
 
W - max hangs. Another session at 2kg assist. Mostly solid 5 seconds, with one very good effort on left arm in there. Definitely possible. Finished with some three finger drag hangs but I am useless with these on my right hand currently; not sure tweaky ring finger likes them at the moment.

T - wall. Climbed well, finally nailed a dyno I had been struggling with and did a few other blob jumpy things. Have enjoyed it but probably time to get back on the board in the new year.

F - rest.

S - Peak; intended to climb but it was too cold in the wind for me. Ended up at Higgar to try Shit but couldn't repeat Piss so gave it up as a bad job. Did a few easy things near Famous Grouse to finish.

S - Rowtor. Took a punt despite radar showing big rain around 1pm. Worked and did Short Seans Reachy Roof in an hour or so but not without a struggle; floppy core did not help. A few spots of rain in the air as I put the pads under Blood Falls. Nearly flashed it and did it second go; at the risk of sounding like Will this is never 7A+. Have the holds eroded bigger or something? Had lunch while the shower passed and started trying Domes. Sorted the cool Demon Wall Rood-esque heel toe and fell off the last move before a bigger shower came in. Covered the top holds with coat and did it when it stopped. Played on the low start for a while which was very good and felt like a goer before it rained again and I sacked it off. Went for a walk over to Cratcliffe afterwards in the last light and had a little scout around Eagle Tor. I never climbed here even before it was banned but looks like the owner has built a airbnb/scandi style hut thing, complete with hot tub, which has been bolted into the rocks with massive steels. Probably old news to the likes of JB etc but game over for that crag forever now.

Good to go to a new crag yesterday and do a few good problems. Another 7C that felt plausible but I struggle to single mindedly project boulders in the same way as I do routes. Perhaps thats more because I haven't got out as much recently so currently just want to taste success!

[36chambers]

Hard pill to swallow, but perhaps The Peak has better quality 7bs than Yorkshire. Hastag justsaying etc.

[Will Hunt]

Yorkshire's few world class climbs

Also, what on Earth? This is just bait right? 

The bar was set pretty high in this thread:
https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26950.0.html


I don't agree with the assessment of having to go to the Peak. There's plenty out there that can be found in nick a reasonable amount of the time. The list just contains the favourites. The rest are by no means bad.

[teestub]

The bar was set pretty high in this thread:
https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26950.0.html

In which you defend Underhand as being a world class problem, amazing!

[Fiend]

I learnt to escape from a failed flat bench reliably by pushing the bar down to my waist, sitting up and putting the bar on the floor. Sure, this has the potential to be a bit dangerous on a max effort if not pre-practiced but I never had any issues

I had to do this once. I ended up with scrapes down my torso and nearly squashed my bellend flat. HTH.

[gollum]

Begin with flat bench for singles working up to solid 100. Move on to decline bench again for singles working to 110, which I’m really pleased with, but daren’t go any further.

I learnt to escape from a failed flat bench reliably by pushing the bar down to my waist, sitting up and putting the bar on the floor. Sure, this has the potential to be a bit dangerous on a max effort if not pre-practiced but I never had any issues and it allows you to max out on your own without using bars (which always used to throw off my lift having to think about not hitting them). I probably wouldn't like to do this on decline bench though.

Cheers for the tip.  Tend to stop when it feels like the back arch is doing much of the work, small incremental increases seem to help confidence.

[User deactivated.]

Begin with flat bench for singles working up to solid 100. Move on to decline bench again for singles working to 110, which I’m really pleased with, but daren’t go any further.

I learnt to escape from a failed flat bench reliably by pushing the bar down to my waist, sitting up and putting the bar on the floor. Sure, this has the potential to be a bit dangerous on a max effort if not pre-practiced but I never had any issues and it allows you to max out on your own without using bars (which always used to throw off my lift having to think about not hitting them). I probably wouldn't like to do this on decline bench though.

Cheers for the tip.  Tend to stop when it feels like the back arch is doing much of the work, small incremental increases seem to help confidence.

Sorry if this is teaching you to suck eggs, but a back arch is a major component of the bench press which should generally be utilised to perform the exercise correctly. I note some people recommend not arching to isolate the chest, but the bench press is not intended to be an isolation exercise. I agree, there's a point where this becomes counterproductive, i.e. when your bum leaves the bench, but a strong and connected arch allows for full body tension driven from the legs and subsequently pushing more weight.

[gollum]

Begin with flat bench for singles working up to solid 100. Move on to decline bench again for singles working to 110, which I’m really pleased with, but daren’t go any further.

I learnt to escape from a failed flat bench reliably by pushing the bar down to my waist, sitting up and putting the bar on the floor. Sure, this has the potential to be a bit dangerous on a max effort if not pre-practiced but I never had any issues and it allows you to max out on your own without using bars (which always used to throw off my lift having to think about not hitting them). I probably wouldn't like to do this on decline bench though.

Cheers for the tip.  Tend to stop when it feels like the back arch is doing much of the work, small incremental increases seem to help confidence.

Sorry if this is teaching you to suck eggs, but a back arch is a major component of the bench press which should generally be utilised to perform the exercise correctly. I note some people recommend not arching to isolate the chest, but the bench press is not intended to be an isolation exercise. I agree, there's a point where this becomes counterproductive, i.e. when your bum leaves the bench, but a strong and connected arch allows for full body tension driven from the legs and subsequently pushing more weight.

Cheers. Yep, the point I mean really, where my arse is starting to lifting is the point where I think I’m at my safe limit.

Maintain a good solid arch to engage whole of body and provide a solid platform.

Cheers