[shark]

11.3-7 average 158.7 down 0.5lbs

M. Tor with Ewa for 8am. Cooler but still. Several foot slips on Push Up section on first tie in. Tried linking AM headwall twice. First go matched high point getting to front two gaston, second go mistimed initial long pop to intermediate sidehold. Dogged up rest of route. Crucifixion crux felt very straightforward. Tried to redpoint Push Up section but came off the crux. Worked it which is painful then down. Second go got to holding the gaston and pinch above the overlap. Another redpoint attempt but I was buggered. Dogged up rest of route to finish. No progress. Going stale so time to back off it. Again

T. PM/Eve Max hangs. Scores very similar to last few sessions.

W.

T. PM Home FB warm up then crag X. Nice to be back. Too warm and still though. 7 goes at JR. Struggled to hold the rail and only managed to pull off it once trying to cross through to the slot. Yetis and his even stronger companion turned up then Dave Hess later. Tried Moff a few times but couldn’t get through the initial move - a hard cross through. Dave suggested bumping across for the sloper instead of crossing through which worked a treat so will do that from now on

F. AM Steve Mac popped round to inspect my board and advise about foot on campusing PM started my fingery board endurance campaign. Did 5 reps foot on campusing at home between to failure between 31 secs and 22 secs. On the office board which has bigger edges using crappy screw on footholds managed 64secs for first go but dropped to 46 secs on second go so changed to using all footholds and had 4 more attempts staying on 52secs but dropping to 36secs for last set. Next time will use all footholds and see if I can stay in the prescribed 60-90secs zone

F. Drive to Devon

S. Ate and drank to excess

S. Drove home stopping enroute to inspect and buy a camper van.

Much thought earlier this week on my shortcomings and what I need to do to get through the Anger Management headwall. Will be doing a mix of training and bouldering this week. Hopefully have a session at the Foundry this week with Steve so he can give me some pointers where I am with my PE.

[User deactivated.]

Spent most of the week recovering from covid.

Symptom free for the last few days. Freedom day tomorrow.

[Duma]

Hope the recovery continues to go ok Liam.

M - am last swim in Pembroke, then drive home and work, 12hr night shift.
T - work, 12hr night shift.
W - work, 12hr night shift.
T - work, 12hr night shift.
F - sleep , then pick up daughter for the weekend.
S - childcare, including 2hr walk and picking then cooking a load of blackberries and apples
S - childcare, including an hr swimming in the marine lake at Clevedon.

70.5kg

September aims: couple more sessions on Slix to decide if it's worth projecting, and fitness for Kaly in Oct.

[Coops_13]

Two weeks as was away getting married (elopement due to Covid-delay of main wedding celebrations to next year):

8/23: Density pickups up to +45lb.

8/24: Density pickups up to +40lb. Went to Lifetime Gym with T. Deadlifts, getting tips on form - finally think I've got it, feeling good. Did up to 225lb X3 *3sets. Bench press 165lb X5 *3sets. Some pull-ups and front lever pulls

8/25: DBC. Testing session before a long break off. Max hangs 18mm up to +80lb! Bouldered well. Tried campusing for the first time in 3 years and almost managed 1-4-7 both sides. Weighted pull-ups to finish up to 1RM 115lb

8/26 - 9/5: Drive to Telluride for elopement. Got married on the Saturday. Lots of driving, hiking, off-roading, exploring for our mini-moon through SW Colorado, beautiful part of the world. Did one density hang workout across that time.

Feeling heavy after 10 days off - back at it tomorrow!

[Wellsy]

Monday: Anston Stones. Did Sir Alan 7A+, and then worked out some more efficient beta for Spider Crab Blues 7B. Went on Jack the Nipper and made some moves progress just to see what it was like, seems cool.

Tuesday: rested

Wednesday: Went to Higgar Tor, tried Quintessential Higgarisms with the strict line that UKB Shark put on UKC. Didn't do it but did manage to almost mangle my ankle coming off with it in the heel-toe cam. Potentially a winter proj? Did a couple of 6As as well. Also did a dodgily named problem where you start lying down on two undercuts with your feet on the left block, big move up to a break? Not sure what grade as some said 6A (or is that sat with a hand in the break) and some 6C, felt about 6B to me I dunno. Scuba lesson afterwards, knackered.

Thursday: Climbing Works for an hour and a bit, bought John Kettle's book so basically doing drills from that. Felt knackered. Did a solid core routine after though.

Friday: rest

Saturday: out to Burbage North to go on the project, made a move's progress. Felt good. Midges came up though so sacked off after 45 mins and went to Depot with mate. Big session getting a solid pump, did plenty of drills. Big night out Saturday night...

Sun: ...got back from the after at 10am ish. Felt extremely dead. Slept for an hour or so, mooched around, went out to Curbar in the evening. Did the first two moves on Bad Lip and third in isolation plus top, actually felt like it was pretty close to going even though my body was dying, connies were dire etc. Just need to link it up now. Will be back when connies are better. Tried Strawberries but the crack was too slippery. Did a load of the low grade problems on the Trackside Boulder barefoot and felt one with nature.

[duncan]

Congratulations Coops, a surprising amount of fit-club activity considering!

Good luck Liam, hope there are no longer term effects.


M - 7km walk / 2km run.
T - Drive back from Manchester. 5km walk. Tristan und Isolde with the editor (promming ie 5 hours of standing), amazing.
W - Legs: deep squats, single-leg squats. Fingerboard pickups: 18mm edge x 40kg. Shoulder rehab.: 
T - Shoulder rehab.
F - 2km run. Fingerboard pickups, as above. Shoulder rehab. Legs, as above.
S - 10km walk. Legs, as above.
S - 10km walk. Shoulder rehab. Westway autobelay: 6 minutes on / 6 minutes rest, mild-moderate pump x 8 sets. Battered after this.

Didn’t get out as I had a bunch of domestic stuff to do, not least supporting the lad on his first days in secondary school. Shoulder is settling; not completely convinced by my new rehab. regime but will stick with it for a few more weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Plan: get the onsight metres in and outdoors over the next few weeks, hopefully boosting confidence and fitness, aiming for a trip or two to Pembroke whilst the season lasts. One session of try-hard a week, bouldering and/or fingerboard, to keep the strength topped-up.

[RobK]

M - Dinbren. A little unsure of what to get on but settled on taking a look at Out of Body Experience. This used to get 7c+ but had heard it had lost holds and may now be 8a. Found a sequence for the bottom boulder but it felt HARD. It then does a traverse off a wild toe hook which is cool but also hard! Kinda psyched by it.

T - Dinbren after work. Just worked on the bottom boulder of OOBE, almost did all the moves. Hard to tell on the rope but felt somewhere in the 7B+/7C range making it way harder than anything on the other 8a’s I’ve done up here.

W - Rest.

T - Dinbren after work again. Found a new hold on the bottom boulder which makes it much easier. Not sure if I was happy about this or not! Worked out the new sequence using this which is probably somewhere around 7A+/B. More in-line with what I was expecting. Ended with a flash go on In Search of Something Silly 7a+. Came close but missed a crucial mono.

F - Rest.

S - Devil’s Gorge. Took a look at Canyonlands 8a. Did all the moves on the top boulder on the first go. All felt OK apart from the top rockover which felt pretty nails. Spent the day working various sections. Just a case of having the fitness. Also flashed Echoes 7a+ which was much better than I was expecting.

S - LPT. Almost didn’t bother as I was feeling pretty wrecked and skin absolutely trashed. Decided it was worth just reminding myself of the Mussel Beach moves if nothing else. Lovely day at the beach. Two RPs, first was a match of my high point before my foot popped. The crux moves still feel hard, but then I was definitely less than fresh. Think I’ve decided to have one more session on this with good skin and energy levels and if there is still no progress I might call it for the year.

Hadn’t realised how much climbing I’d done this week, no wonder I was tired at the weekend! Will make sure I schedule adequate rest this week and see if the stuff I tried this weekend feels any better when fresh. After chatting with mates, the beginnings of some goals for next year are starting to emerge too...

[Will Hunt]

The wheels are well and truly off! I've had a bit of a hiatus from difficult climbing and I seem to have regressed massively!

Tu - evening mooch at a new Unknown Stones venue on Ilkley Moor. Got my arse thoroughly kicked. Took a number of goes and much lost skin doing a "Font 6B+/C". Failed on a "6C" sit start. Tried a "6B++" thing and couldn't even conceive of it as a Font 6. Began to think I might be having a stroke. Rang Paul to complain on the walk back down and he explained that it was a project that had been briefly looked at and assumed to be "at least 6B+", so that made me feel at least a little better.

Th - day off with eldest nipper. Took her to Brimham and had fun scampering around on the rocks, climbing the pinnacles, giving her a go at top-roping a couple of Diffs, crawling through the Smartie Tube etc. Can't wait till her feet grow and she can wear a decent pair of shoes.

Sa - Malham. New Dawn. Another depressing shambles. First go up couldn't link the boulder problem which hasn't happened on my previous two looks at the route. Second go up was spent sorting out the boulder problem. Third go I managed to link through the start to the tufa rest without much incident. Didn't recover at the rest. Couldn't get into the sequence I thought I'd worked out for the traverse.
Hopefully this is just a conditions thing as it felt very warm and still - baking even when shirtless on the route. A bit put out that my goal for the session - to get a good sequence dialled for the traverse - didn't work out. I think I figured something out but couldn't get into it from the rest position. It all feels very hard. If some fair connies materialise I might have another look but tempted also to retreat onto something shorter/more fingery.

[User deactivated.]

Will, you have a board don't you? A few short sessions on it could be a short cut to getting recruited again?

[Bradders]

Long one this week, apologies, it's been good.

M - Kilnsey. Another bon con day. Warm up lap on Allakazam, still don't have a completely satisfactory sequence for the lower bit so a little pumpier than I'd like. Dogged Subculture to put the draws in. First go from the start hands had gone a bit cold but climbed really well and had the undercling in my hand when my foot popped. New high point. Did it next go, felt like I climbed really smoothly and precisely the whole way. Did the third hard move completely static where previously I'd been lurching for it. Hitting the jug at the end of the hard bit up to the fourth bolt was a great feeling, as was the noticeable improvement in my ability to recover on decent but not massive holds, compared to when I did Slab Culture a couple of months ago. Never felt in doubt on the final section which was nice as it meant I could really enjoy the climbing. Very pleased, first 8a.

Tu & W - rest

Th - AM fingerboard pick ups session. 6x 15s of each of false grip, front 2 and middle 2 half crimp, 1 min rests. Upped weights again from last week, now doing more than my 10s max from a few weeks ago.
PM out to Attermire Scar for The Matador. Great connies. Warmed up and "flashed" Bull Wrangler albeit had previously done the finish. Fun. Maybe should be 7B. Spent a while working the finish of Matador deciding on the best sequence. Then did the crux move first go, and the full thing first go from the start. Very pleased with this, second 7C+ of the year. Most importantly felt good on it, moving well. Afterwards worked the moves of the low start and sussed it. Had a false start falling off transitioning into the original, then a go getting through the crux but falling off just after. Next go basically did it, made it all the way to the end, had the finishing sloper with my right hand but was sliding around and couldn't match. Had one more go after that and got through the crux again but was spent.

F - rest

Sa - AM fingerboard, 8x 10s half crimp 26mm edge +35kg, 3 min rests. Third week in a row managing the full session at this weight and feeling fine. Pleased with the consistency. Finish with 2x 5 20mm edge pull ups.
PM board session. Awesome. Warmed up with wrist exercises (pinch pick ups, press ups, etc.) and easy stuff on my 25', then on the 45' after some more warm ups managed 5 medium-hard problems, all first go, all of which I've done before but often struggle with, sometimes for weeks at a time, sometimes not even able to do all the moves in isolation. Psyched. Finished with same 6 easy-medium problems I've been doing the last few weeks with a 4.5kg weight belt, then some conditioning; leg lifts, dumbbell isometric holds, hammer curls, wrist curls and scapula work.

Su - lots of gardening, cleaned the cars and jobs round the house. My wife keeps saying we need to do these things before our baby arrives (4 weeks or so to go), as if we won't be able to do them afterwards, but honestly all lots of people I know who have kids do seems to be this stuff. Also did some weights in the evening, Arnold press and dumbbell isometrics.

[RobK]

Strong week Bradders. Nice one!

[Duma]

Great week bradders!

[SA Chris]

shite week.

M - after great run Sunday, wake up with really sore throat. Go to work, send home as a precautionary measure. LFT negative.
T - feel like utter shite, bed all day. LFT negative.
W - f. l. u. sh. again, in bed all day  Go for PCR test.
T - WFH, 5km walk, feeling half human. Take son to drama class, go for 3 km easy walk
F - WFH - wife in bed all day with same symptom as me.
S - wife in bed all day - take son for PCR test - persistent cough. Daughter to diving, half hour walk.
S - wufe and son still feel crap, go for 25km charity bike ride with daughter. Son's PCR test negative.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Good to see the hard work paying off! Effort on yer first F8a (and another 7C+) Bradders... Psyche!!

Duma, when are you in Kaly? We're out from the 4th til the 22nd.....

Punter Club:

M: Penmaen Head - Fuck me the hangover that just keeps on giving! Did a few 5's and 6's then sacked it off, felt like turd!
T: Planned to take the GF on a multi-pitch adventure (Idwal slabs etc.) but weather dawned shite in the valley so retreated to the slate (she'd not climbed there before)... Went to Australia as I hadn't ventured that way before and it looked friendly, did Orang Utan Overhang (hard @ the lowly grade of F6a+ IMO) and some other easys... Hangover finally easing but still not completely gone!
W: AW - Routes up to F6c+... all felt piss.... Phew!
T: Chill
F: Dad's first visit in a year and a half - drank and ate a lot!
S: AW with GF, daughter and dad (youngest wanted to show off!) - Belayed, chatted and did some steep stuff up to F6c+ - drank and ate a lot!
S: Walk int Peak with dad and both kids (managing to get moody teen out of pit was a result!) - drank and ate a lot!

A week of two halves... Felt shite, almost felt better then added to feeling shite by eating and drinking to excess... Ahh well was nice to see me dad and sure he had a good time - Back on the horse now....

Planned High Tor tomorrow but forecast looks like we'll be climbing in a furnace so might go look for some shady clip ups and postpone til next week... That's if Fiend's assessment is to be believed: "...that is literally the worst forecast for High Tor I've ever seen you fucking dome. It would be better connies in a blizzard FFS." Safe to say I don't think he'll be joining us 

[shark]

Planned High Tor tomorrow but forecast looks like we'll be climbing in a furnace so might go look for some shady clip ups and postpone til next week... That's if Fiend's assessment is to be believed: "...that is literally the worst forecast for High Tor I've ever seen you fucking dome. It would be better connies in a blizzard FFS." Safe to say I don't think he'll be joining us 

Be fine if you’re prepared to get there for 7.30am. Might even come if you are 

[Duncan Disorderly]

Be fine if you’re prepared to get there for 7.30am. Might even come if you are 

 Sounds like the middle of the night there hombre....

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - BM hangs after 6 months, 10" back2 on big and medium slots 5+5. Fine. Weights.
Tue - gym, snatch, clean, weights, pull ups 30" finisher 4x10.
Wed - bar work new routine (pull up into front lever, front lever pull, pull up), snatch DL x2, DL x2 80 kg, all x10. Hard.
Thu - loaded carries session: 1' farmer's 80 kg, 1' snatch, 1' shoulder, 1' overhead 30 kg x6. Fantastico.
Fri - boxing bag 10 rounds.
Sat - lots of weights in the best gym ever.
Sun - Doms, light weights and loaded carries.

[tommytwotone]

Su - lots of gardening, cleaned the cars and jobs round the house. My wife keeps saying we need to do these things before our baby arrives (4 weeks or so to go), as if we won't be able to do them afterwards, but honestly all lots of people I know who have kids do seems to be this stuff.

No Power Club update from me, but I'm just bookmarking this update for approx 6-8 weeks time when you'll be a complete zombie, spending any non-childcare time half asleep, arguing with your other half, or arguing with your other half about being half-asleep!

[Yossarian]

M - Quite good max hangs session then wall. About an hour on the board, then a handful of other things, but started to think it didn't feel 100% recovered from Saturday so wound it down a bit.
T
W - 8km run, then assisted 1 arms / weighted wide pulls, locks and hammer curls
T - Good max hang session. Wall. Identified 4x other people's problems on the board to work on, between 6C and 7B. All good, all not impossible feeling. Will plug away at these. Also did hardest link on my own hardest project which was quite nice. Went downstairs and decided to repeat big sill dyne from last week in the interests of emphasising firing from feet, etc. Succeeded in tearing my LH calf muscle so badly I couldn't put any weight through it until Saturday morning. Oh dear.
F - In bed with leg in the air.
S - Wall. Hopped and hobbled over to the BMs and did a not terribly scientific max hangs session with rubber bands rather than weights and pulleys while kids climbed. Then performed classic limping climber cliche campusing up jugs on the prow.
S

Weight doesn't seem to have dropped much more (c99.5kg), and with running out for at least 4-6 weeks I think I might have to resort to some bike rides. Feeling quite strong though.

[Bradders]

Thanks folks.

Su - lots of gardening, cleaned the cars and jobs round the house. My wife keeps saying we need to do these things before our baby arrives (4 weeks or so to go), as if we won't be able to do them afterwards, but honestly all lots of people I know who have kids do seems to be this stuff.

No Power Club update from me, but I'm just bookmarking this update for approx 6-8 weeks time when you'll be a complete zombie, spending any non-childcare time half asleep, arguing with your other half, or arguing with your other half about being half-asleep!

We'll see. Tbh the more people say things like that the more determined I get to prove them wrong!

[User deactivated.]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

[Wellsy]

Citizen, please remain where you are. Dave Mac will be dispatched to your location for an analysis of your scientific method within 10 standard units of time. Do not deviate from these orders or a Lattice Kill-Team will be released.

[Will Hunt]

Medium and long term, you'll be fine. You just might find that the game changes slightly. Make sure you ensure that your partner has time away from the kids to keep up her things, whatever they may be. The return is that you get time to keep after your climbing.

Short term, go easy on yourself. I went to Brimham when #1 was a week or two old and bouldered at the Niche. I did a few 6s and felt wiped out.

[Wood FT]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

This is the kind of shit I need to see

[205Chris]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

This is the kind of shit I need to see

If it helps, some more data:

PB with no kids not equal to or greater than 8A
PB with first kid equal to or greater than 8A

[tommytwotone]

To be honest I was fine with just one - in fact I still kept ticking over at 7a / 7a+, including closing my account on Demon Wall Roof after a 6 year siege, when eldest was about 10 months.

I meant more the immediate first ~3 months...and then if you're brave / stupid enough to decide to have a second one!

This has been done to death but understanding / also climber other half a massive help, as is home board / facility and proximity to crag / projects. Also if you baby decides to sleep / sleep through early in the game it'll make an immeasurable difference.

First one was not a sleeper in general (up average 3 times a night), didn't sleep through till about 18 months, second one was a better sleeper when he was down, and slept through earlier, but would be up and ready to start the day at 4:30am / 5am every day.

[Wood FT]

 

Went on Jack the Nipper and made some moves progress just to see what it was like, seems cool.

I don’t know how tall you are but Shark gave me some beta which really brings it down the difficulty spectrum for vertically challenged climbers. Let me know if you want it, though I will want proof, lank merchants can lank on. I had to climb with Shark for a day!

[moose]

I'd be interested in that beta, though I'm hardly vertically challenged, as it's a problem on my wish-list and I'm open to any advice.  No problem for me to get to the "sugar cube" LH crimp but the next move is nasty (long legs seemed a hindrance - can't get them above the bulge).  Mind you, I think lack or excess of lank isn't a massive factor with this problem - my issue is probably more a lack of confidence, in the absence of lots of mats and spotters - big move, up high, on damp / dirty looking rock.

[Wellsy]

Went on Jack the Nipper and made some moves progress just to see what it was like, seems cool.

I don’t know how tall you are but Shark gave me some beta which really brings it down the difficulty spectrum for vertically challenged climbers. Let me know if you want it, though I will want proof, lank merchants can lank on. I had to climb with Shark for a day!

Sure that'd be good. Im 5 11 with a +0 ape or thereabouts.

I only gave it a few medium effort goes but I'd like to try it again.

[Bradders]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

This is the kind of shit I need to see

Just off the top of my head I can think of 8 people I know (male and female) who've climbed harder post children, including several members of this forum, and at very respectable levels as well.

[SA Chris]

you clutch that straw bradders!

Seriously, good luck, exciting times, go with the flow and enjoy it.

[JohnM]

Missed a week so will add that one here:

23rd July - 29th July 2021

M - MTBing 25km 570m

T - Think I did some finger boarding.

W - Indoor climbing. Did my first ever mid-level comp style coordination and compression boulder, which actually felt amazing! Took way to many goes though. Routes - tried hard on a load of stuff up to 7c+.

T - Nowt

F - Travelling back to the UK

S  - Drank and ate too much.

S - Hungover run from Haweswater up High Street (legs felt terrible) 20km 900m. Climbing at Chapel Head on the way back. Put the draws up Prime Evil (7c+) which felt vaguely familiar but wasn't sure if I had done it before (it turns out I had done a right hand start that gets 8a) and did it second go. Nice route and good to be back at Chapel Head which is a lovely spot.

30th July - 5th Sept 2021

M - Davo's wedding. Good do but ended up in a round system with a thirsty Andy F and drank way too much!

T - Drove to North Wales. Nice run around the Snowdon Horseshoe despite Snowdon being a circus these days with loads of punters and all their litter everywhere. 16km 1196m.

W - Drove to the Brecon Beacons. Nice run around most of the tops there. 31km 1180m.

T - Climbing at Fox's Hole on Gower. Cool little cave venue in a nice non-tidal spot. Wanted to do Palace of Swords Reversed (8a). Felt good bolt to bolt but the only secure way I found of doing the crux was with the pocket which quickly sliced my finger. Sacked it off and did the classic Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove (7b) twice (once on top rope as it would be such a pain to clean), a 7a+ and a classic 7a. 

F - Climbing at The Gap a sandstone venue near Merthyr Tydfil. Put the draws up Mad at the Sun (7c). This has a minging start on sharp crimps but then the climbing is quite nice. Unfortunately, at the chain above the top roof the right hand edge I had hold off exploded off and I fired into the air backwards. The rope also caught behind my leg and flipped me upside down. I was in the air long enough to think about how the outcome was not going to be pleasant. I smashed into the wall below with the top of my back and elbow and the back of head hit the wall quickly afterwards. I thought I had got away with it but back on the ground my head was quickly becoming soaked in blood which was worrying. My girlfriend bandaged me up and had her first experience driving on the left in the UK as she ferried me to A&E! Waiting in A&E was a real eye opener. It was packed in there even at midday on a Friday. Most people's first problem seemed to be they were clinically obese and had somehow fallen. No wonder the NHS struggles to cope sometimes. After a long wait surrounded by people coughing their guts up I got to see the nurse and luckily found out that I didn't need stitches and had more of a chuck of skin missing and a puncture wound in the head and a big golf ball sized hematoma on my elbow. I declined the offer of seeing the doctor due to the four and half hour wait. I think I might get one of those lightweight helmets now and wear it even for sport climbing as the outcome could have been much worse.

S - All day wedding in Bristol with way too much cider.

S - Drove back up north.

Too much booze and food in the last couple of weeks but also some nice activities and good to do a mini tour of Wales. Will try and get back on it this week and get back into shape to take advantage of the autumn. It feels like I have some kind of whiplash from my fall though so I will wait a couple of days for things to settle down.   

[Wellsy]

Crikey, glad the head injury wasn't too bad

[cheque]

 

[Bradders]

get back on it this week and get back into shape to take advantage of the autumn

Consistently inspired by your "need to get back on it" week being a pretty big week for basically everyone else!

Glad the head is okay.

you clutch that straw bradders!

Seriously, good luck, exciting times, go with the flow and enjoy it.

Thanks. That's it isn't it, my point is that it's nice to get some positivity about the whole thing, instead of the seemingly never ending prophesies of doom I generally seem to get. It's hard to be excited about it all when there's so much cynicism around from people who seem determined to bring you down to their level of apparent misery / dissatisfaction. Sorry if that's a bit harsh but that's how it comes across.

[spidermonkey09]

F -  puncture wound in the head and a big golf ball sized hematoma on my elbow.

S -  way too much cider.

Were you hungover or concussed?! Glad you're ok.

[Wellsy]

get back on it this week and get back into shape to take advantage of the autumn

Consistently inspired by your "need to get back on it" week being a pretty big week for basically everyone else!

Glad the head is okay.

you clutch that straw bradders!

Seriously, good luck, exciting times, go with the flow and enjoy it.

Thanks. That's it isn't it, my point is that it's nice to get some positivity about the whole thing, instead of the seemingly never ending prophesies of doom I generally seem to get. It's hard to be excited about it all when there's so much cynicism around from people who seem determined to bring you down to their level of apparent misery / dissatisfaction. Sorry if that's a bit harsh but that's how it comes across.

It's always good to see some proper psyche

[tommytwotone]

Thanks. That's it isn't it, my point is that it's nice to get some positivity about the whole thing, instead of the seemingly never ending prophesies of doom I generally seem to get. It's hard to be excited about it all when there's so much cynicism around from people who seem determined to bring you down to their level of apparent misery / dissatisfaction. Sorry if that's a bit harsh but that's how it comes across.

 

[SA Chris]

get back on it this week and get back into shape to take advantage of the autumn

Consistently inspired by your "need to get back on it" week being a pretty big week for basically everyone else!

Glad the head is okay.

you clutch that straw bradders!

Seriously, good luck, exciting times, go with the flow and enjoy it.

Thanks. That's it isn't it, my point is that it's nice to get some positivity about the whole thing, instead of the seemingly never ending prophesies of doom I generally seem to get. It's hard to be excited about it all when there's so much cynicism around from people who seem determined to bring you down to their level of apparent misery / dissatisfaction. Sorry if that's a bit harsh but that's how it comes across.

It's all down to 3 unknown variables. 1) How child is 2) how you deal with changes 3) how wife deals with changes.

Be excited, enjoy the new, and embrace the changes. One thing it won't be is the same as it was.

[Bonjoy]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

This is the kind of shit I need to see

Just off the top of my head I can think of 8 people I know (male and female) who've climbed harder post children, including several members of this forum, and at very respectable levels as well.

I've seen that a lot too. I think it's got a lot to do with people trying to do more with less (time). Which translates as achieving bigger numbers by trying harder on fewer things. Not necessarily compatible with the adage that "the best climber is the one having the most fun", but it's a useful second best.

[Doylo]

Personal best with 0 kids: 5+
Personal best with 1 kid: 7A
Personal best with 2 kids: 7C+

Hoping a third child can get an 8 over the line!

This is the kind of shit I need to see

Just off the top of my head I can think of 8 people I know (male and female) who've climbed harder post children, including several members of this forum, and at very respectable levels as well.

I had 3 years of hell but still got loads stronger (shame about the injuries). Having a board at home was the key.

[Will Hunt]

Good job that Bradders has two boards!

[Andy F]

M - Davo's wedding. Good do but ended up in a round system with a thirsty Andy F and drank way too much!

Thirsty? I was taking it easy 😂

Hope your head and elbow recover quickly.

[Fiend]

There's never been any mystery about people with tendencies to focus on logistically simple, physically intense redpoint/bloc projects supported by logistically simple, physically intense training doing quite well when the limits/horrors of childcare naturally force them further into.....logistically simple, physically intense projecting / training.

I suspect the number of new-ish parents who start doing noticeably better with epic multi-pitch on high mountain crags and remote sea-cliffs, or increase their weekends away exploring a wide array of distant new locations is significantly smaller (unless you're as pathologically ruthless as Heike and Brian whom Chris may or may not know).

[Murph]

Yes to all that, same thing happened to me.
0 kids: 1 solitary 7A, other than that 6B
1 kid: 7B
2 kids: 7C+

Procrastination is the thief of gains.

[Wellsy]

There's never been any mystery about people with tendencies to focus on logistically simple, physically intense redpoint/bloc projects supported by logistically simple, physically intense training doing quite well when the limits/horrors of childcare naturally force them further into.....logistically simple, physically intense projecting / training.

I suspect the number of new-ish parents who start doing noticeably better with epic multi-pitch on high mountain crags and remote sea-cliffs, or increase their weekends away exploring a wide array of distant new locations is significantly smaller (unless you're as pathologically ruthless as Heike and Brian whom Chris may or may not know).

There's probably also an element of just time spent doing The Thing. Like if you boulder for 5 years, have a kid, then two years later have another kid, then three years later have another kid... now you've been bouldering for 10 years and almost certainly way better.

That is if having kids didn't result in you prioritising things other than bouldering in your life. But I feel like if you're on UKB then you probably are going to definitely get the home board and so on.

[User deactivated.]

There's never been any mystery about people with tendencies to focus on logistically simple, physically intense redpoint/bloc projects supported by logistically simple, physically intense training doing quite well when the limits/horrors of childcare naturally force them further into.....logistically simple, physically intense projecting / training.

I suspect the number of new-ish parents who start doing noticeably better with epic multi-pitch on high mountain crags and remote sea-cliffs, or increase their weekends away exploring a wide array of distant new locations is significantly smaller (unless you're as pathologically ruthless as Heike and Brian whom Chris may or may not know).

I dunno, it depends on your definition of 'better', but if better means bigger grades then I think I would have improved at mountain multi-pitching too if that was my bag. Why would it be any different from bouldering or sport climbing? It's slightly less accessible (e.g. 2.5 hours to the lakes rather than 45 min to bouldering) unless you live in the mountains, but this just means you do it a bit less frequently, not quitting altogether. If your definition of better means longer trips and at a higher frequency, then of course this will reduce post kids, but the same is true for a boulderer.

If you're hinting at a tendency to reduce risk post kids then I don't really buy into this. Most people don't want to die or cripple themselves with or without kids. Personally, my tolerance for financial risk has reduced, but I still enjoy highballs, motorbikes and doing 50 foot jumps on mountain bikes!

[SA Chris]

I suspect the number of new-ish parents who start doing noticeably better with epic multi-pitch on high mountain crags and remote sea-cliffs, or increase their weekends away exploring a wide array of distant new locations is significantly smaller (unless you're as pathologically ruthless as Heike and Brian whom Chris may or may not know).

Don't think I know them? My bouldering grade may have risen since having kids, but as you say the amount of mountain trad routes, seacliff routes and winter climbing has gone through the floor. 

[Fiend]

I dunno, it depends on your definition of 'better', but if better means bigger grades then I think I would have improved at mountain multi-pitching too if that was my bag. Why would it be any different from bouldering or sport climbing?

I guess it depends how effective the fitted-around-childcare background training is for maintaining form, fitness, endurance, trad nouse, etc etc for those sort of routes.

I mean if you're the sort of person daft enough to start Moonboarding as some vague preparation for climbing at Gogarth or Lakes cra.....oh.....wait 

[cheque]

I think I would have improved at mountain multi-pitching too if that was my bag. Why would it be any different from bouldering or sport climbing?

Partners
Weather windows
Conditions
Faffing with gear
Walk-ins/ outs
Epics

[SA Chris]

Combined with the fact that wife was usual partner for mountain stuff.

And it's a full day out plus usually a day to recover.

Compared to a fair bit of bouldering circa half an hour walk from home.

[abarro81]

I've had various boulder sessions where I've gone out in the morning and been at work by 11am using a bit of flexitime... I've never done that with multipitch mountain trad! It's also a lot less time consuming to train well for strength vs onsighting long routes and/or big days out, since the mantra for the former is "stop strong" and for the latter "do more".

[ali k]

I smashed into the wall below…and the back of head hit the wall quickly afterwards. I think I might get one of those lightweight helmets now and wear it even for sport climbing as the outcome could have been much worse.

After witnessing a few near misses at sport crags this year, with head-cratering sized rocks being knocked down very close to people belaying or stood around at the bottom I started wearing a helmet for sport climbing. A few weeks later I greased off a hold clipping the 2nd bolt and flipped upside down same as you and hit my head on a rock buried in the ground. Helmet was smashed and I had a headache for about 2 weeks afterwards (mild concussion?). Without a helmet who knows what would’ve happened? So I feel comfortable it’s the sensible thing to do even if you often feel like an idiot at Kilnsey.

[Jerry Morefat]

For what it's worth, I went to Pabay for a week when my daughter was 10 months. Obviously I left her at home with her mother and grandmother. Taking her with me would have been totally irresponsible