[shark]

11.3-6 average 158.2 down 0.8lbs

M. AM FB Warm up. Tor with Nick for 10am 11 degrees and rainy to begin with but somehow shorts weather. Frigged up to AM headwall. Did a couple of sections and felt good then tried from Prow hole. Got to highpoint but only came off because front 2 gaston felt greasy. Went down. Second go same drill but got a move higher by going off a lower less slippy gaston. Progress - new highpoint. After had a leisurely go on Bens Without on my own despite thin skin. Did all 4 moves of crux middle section in isolation then had several goes on the first section but didn’t manage to link it.

T. PM FB warm up. Foot on campusing laddering 6 sets between 35 and 24 secs. Early Eve. Systems board laddering between 94 and 45 secs. Good gains both sessions

W.

T.

F. Tor Early AM with Nick. Strange weather. 13 degrees and blue skies on the tops with an arresting lattice of vapour trails and a cloud inversion over Hope/Derwent Valley with temp dropping to 6.5 going through Stoney. After Monday’s highpoint was expecting an awesome day but pulling off the ground immediately I felt like shit. Did badly on the crux section. Had another tie in but same story. Guess I overdid it on Monday and Tuesday 

S.

S.

Emergency PE training seem to have elicited some marginal progress on the route on Monday but kicking myself for unwittingly sabotaging Friday’s session.

Rather looks like I’m going to end the year empty handed. Whilst I’ve got fit by going on routes it’s apparent that’s not been sufficient and the endurance base I had in the distant past isn’t there any more and will need to take it to another level if I’ve a hope of getting my projects done next year. Therefore going to incorporate regular PE and AnCap training this winter.

Next week back at Tor Monday and Thursday and have time to train Friday morning then having a 5 day break as heading off to Berlin where Sonia is running the marathon

[Wood FT]

Next week back at Tor Monday and Thursday and have time to train Friday morning then having a 5 day break as heading off to Berlin where Sonia is running the marathon

Bit of very interesting climbing on one of the Flak Towers if you can grab an hour.

[duncan]

Simon, good to hear a small number of sessions has produced some benefit. Shouldn't you stick with this, doesn't feel like the season is coming to an end yet does it?

Enjoy Berlin, it's a great city.

M - Fingerboard 18mm edge bodyweight hangs x10 seconds. Shoulder tolerated this. Single leg squats.
T - Shoulder rehab. / conditioning: side planks focusing on end range stability. External rotation end range in elevation. Handstands.
W - Llanymynech Quarry (new crag #12) with Dizz, Karl, Tom, and Jack. Bumped into the JD and DG, a couple of blasts from the past. Warmed-up on Curfew (6b+) then did The Deep (6c+, went smoothly) and Grid Iron (6c, less so: resting between routes and waiting for the shade would have been sensible). Warmed down on The Stringers (6b) and Bah Bah Black Sheep (6a+, with E2 bolting and rock quality).
T - Shoulders. Yosemite climbing presentation to a bunch of Hazel Grove 8 year olds, best audience ever!
F - Westway autobelay: 3-4 laps up and down (6-7 minutes on) with a moderate pump - 6-7 minutes rest x 8 sets. A good session. Shoulder conditioning. The lad’s birthday party, which involved 10km walking.
S - Battered. 10km walking. Some DIY.
S - Shoulders.

Liked the climbing in Llanymynech Quarry. Surprised how big it was - covering two countries! - and enjoyed the Avonesque nature of some of the routes. Looks like it will make a good winter venue, a decent alternative to the south coast in the 6s to mid 7s. Happy to flash a 6c+. Now to do the same on trad.?! En route to N Wales as I compose this, fairly psyched...

[shark]

Bit of very interesting climbing on one of the Flak Towers if you can grab an hour.

Cheers. I’ll need the break and it’d be unfair on Sonia

[shark]

Simon, good to hear a small number of sessions has produced some benefit. Shouldn't you stick with this, doesn't feel like the season is coming to an end yet does it?

I’m going on my slow progress which suggests I’m unlikely to tick. I’ll still keep at it trying hard till it starts to seep but my expectations are lower. Also keen to go back on Statement now temps are dropping but if anything I felt further away from ticking that than Cross N’Angry. Just being realistic but maybe a breakthrough will happen 🤞

[Coops_13]

M: DBC. Training phase 1, week 1, session 1. Warmups involving contrast warm-ups (E+), one touch (M-), hovers (M), Three try repeat (M+ failed). Max hangs 7/53 *6hangs 18mm +30lb, felt like I could have done maybe 35lb. Boulder mini-project H- / M+, spent 23 mins trying boulders. Limit bouldering (35 mins) on the 30 degree board - re-sent a couple of boulders and made some more. Supplemental Strength Training. Three supersets - lock-offs with -20lb felt OK

T: Density pickups up to 40lb

W: DBC. Training phase 1, week 1 , session 2. Warmups involving contrast warm-ups (E+), one touch (M-), hovers (M), Three try repeat (M+ failed). Max hangs 7/53 *6hangs 18mm +35lb, again felt like I could have done more. Boulder mini-project H-, made progress on one I was trying before. Limit bouldering (30 mins) on the 30 degreeboard - don't think I'm quite doing limit bouldering right yet... Short session as needed to get to a Brewery for drinks with old colleagues

T: Density pickups up to 40lb

S: DBC. Training phase 1, week 1 , session 3. Warmups involving contrast warm-ups (E+), one touch (M-), hovers (M), Three try repeat (M+ flash). Max hangs 7/53 *6hangs 18mm +40lb, felt like good intensity - 7 sets on Monday are going to be hard. Boulder mini-project H-, made progress on a new one. Limit bouldering (45 mins) on the 30 degreeboard. SST to finish

[Duma]

M - work, 12hr shift.
T - flicked through Ned's new book.
W - TCA, bouldering, more whites. Managed 3 I think, but no steep ones, which is what I should really work on.
T - TCA, circuits, 30° board. Did laps of a 7a+, 2ish mins on, 8 mins off. Got round 3 times, almost round 3 times, twice got 2/3rds and then got straight on the 6c, last lap did the 6c and then reversed it. Skin really painful.
F - UCR, recovery/aerocap, 10 min on/off x3
S - home board, 40mins fingery boulders while watching WC
S - Dinas, haven't been here for years, and never with a rope. A mate had done Skin Ed recently and recommended it so was keen for a look at that. Is a good crag for easies, did a couple of really nice 5c's, then OS Rob Roy (7a) which felt pretty steady, and got Skin Ed (7c) second go after a decent OS attempt ended just before the 5th bolt. Warmed down on Charlie's Rusks (6c) and Inflated Roundhead (7a+), pleased to OS them both, not sure how relavent techy vert 10m routes will be to Kalymnos though..

71kg

[Wellsy]

Monday: decided to pull hard on plastic this week and did a big Works session on the harder circuits. Felt good. Benched after.

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: big Works session see above.

Thursday: smaller session with a bit of minor generic strength stuff

Friday: rested

Saturday: went to try Ultimate Gritstone Experience. Connies were dire but had a good go and did the stand to the top and the sit to the last move below the top. Skin was fucked entirely. Had a nice first date in the evening. Not going to go anywhere (though we did have a nice time) but I mention it because she asked me why I boulder, which has made me consider that its just what I do now, its baked in. I never miss training, I always go outdoors when I can, even when my psyche is truly shit I just keep going, which is an interesting thought for me? Introspective week anyway.

Sunday: Deadlifts, 2 sets of 6 reps at each weight (70, 90, 100, 110, 120) and barbell rows (8 at 50, 3 sets of 6 at 60) and 3 sets of 5 ring dips. Some very minor climbing some messing with campusing and some fingerboarding, all on wood to preserve skin.

Headgame: acceptable. Goals remain same and feel achievable.

[User deactivated.]

Busy work week.

M - max hangs in half crimp and 3 finger drag, 4 x limit board problems (didn't finish any), assisted iron cross, one arm chins, dragon flags.

T - finished work late and squeezed in a few moderate board problems, pistol squats and planche progressions.

W - nothing

T - nothing

F - Caley. It was a mistake. Tried pulling on to vicious streak, waite, and crystal method, but connies were shite and my skin was feeling fragile so called it a day, thankfully before splitting. Should have stuck to lime. 

S - Turned 32. Still getting stronger for now, but the physical prime is likely nearing its end. When I'm decrepit there will always be plenty of slabs to go at (as I do a good job avoiding them now).

S - Realised this week had been extremely low volume for climbing, so headed indoors to Last Sun Dance for the first time. Climbed without a plan other than to do lots of volume. Forearms felt worked. Probably need to do this once a week as limit board problems and outdoor projecting doesn't get many moves in. Enjoyed it too.

[Will Hunt]

T - board session. Penny, 36chambers, and Big L in attendance. 36 demolished lots of the established problems with ease (obvs). Did the project from last week. Onwards and upwards.

Su - Malham. Put the clips in New Dawn and it felt a bit warm. Later, a wind blew down the crag and it was time to go. Climbed to the top feeling very cruisy and in control. Was very conscious of how good I felt at the tufa rest and at the undercuts before the ledge. Felt fairly unstoppable. A great feeling after a couple of months in the doldrums.
Later, onsighted the rancid Brooklyn Girls and then flashed Against the Grain.
The day was capped off watching Tom Frost climb Bat Route. As he calmly pulled onto the ledge, Jim went full YYFY on the ground.
Then off to the Listers for a drink. Belter.

[Andy F]

S - Turned 32. Still getting stronger for now, but the physical prime is likely nearing its end. When I'm decrepit there will always be plenty of slabs to go at (as I do a good job avoiding them now).

Utter rubbish. 32 is no age at all. There are lots of climbers getting up their hardest stuff in their late 40's and 50's, even though they've been climbing for decades.

You've got years and years of improvements to come.

[abarro81]

Utter rubbish. 32 is no age at all. There are lots of climbers getting up their hardest stuff in their late 40's and 50's, even though they've been climbing for decades.

You've got years and years of improvements to come.

There are... But I'd wager there are many more who aren't than who are. Especially in 50s - those doing better than ever, having tried to be good for a long time, seem the inspiring exception rather than the rule...

[Andy F]

Utter rubbish. 32 is no age at all. There are lots of climbers getting up their hardest stuff in their late 40's and 50's, even though they've been climbing for decades.

You've got years and years of improvements to come.

There are... But I'd wager there are many more who aren't than who are. Especially in 50s - those doing better than ever, having tried to be good for a long time, seem the inspiring exception rather than the rule...

The decline in strength and fitness isn't as marked as people make out. I climbed my hardest grit bloc last year at the age of 49 and I'm no athlete.

From anecdotal evidence, I'd say climbers peak in the mid 30's to mid 40's.

[Stu Littlefair]

Off topic perhaps - but I wouldn’t confuse people’s best performance, which often comes in the late 30s or 40s, with their physical peak, which is almost certainly earlier.

An outstanding performance in later years often comes as a result of experience - better tactics, better technique - coupled with an increased focus on a single goal.

[Kingy]

Interesting discussion. Here is a quote from Gresh from his recent Keith Sharples interview for climber https://www.climber.co.uk/news/neil-gresham-talks-about-the-first-ascent-of-lexicon-e11-7a/?fbclid=IwAR0NQG-jUC2rk_tcmJ-RwqNfd6GEmSIOhDh0D44CmdPQ50fu5TmIXrXvdZc

"The fact is that in climbing, it isn’t age that makes you weak, it’s stopping strength training! Providing we keep things going and drip-feed the training in small, high-quality doses, not only can we maintain strength but we can improve, and I’ve hit countless PBs in campusing and deadhanging between the ages of 45 and 50. Climbing strength isn’t just about the ability to heave up some massive weight. It’s about coordination and neuromuscular efficiency and I think that with age, you start to understand this better."

[abarro81]

Tell that to my PIPJ, volar plate, lower back, right bicep, and inability to recover from big enduro training sessions 

and I'm no athlete.

That makes it easier to do PBs later.

From anecdotal evidence, I'd say climbers peak in the mid 30's to mid 40's.

32 is no age at all. There are lots of climbers getting up their hardest stuff in their late 40's and 50's,

I'd agree a lot of people do their hardest stuff from mid-30s to mid-40s (though plenty don't), but that strikes me a quite different to a claim of late 40s/50s (broadly a decade different)! Sure some will, but I'd wager it's very much a minority. Plus what Stu said about old people being boring and running out of routes to do quickly (I'm paraphrasing somewhat)

[Fiend]

Topic split time ofc, but that's an interesting interview.

It seems it's perfectly possible to get stronger in your 40s and maybe 50s. Assuming you're an extremely dedicated and disciplined semi-professional climber who has been pushing standards for over 20 years and has been a training guru for at least that long, of course.

[SA Chris]

Sacked off climbing for now, can't keep up any decent level of training with 40 hour working weeks, hectic life and running training. Will pick it up on the taper (2 weeks time!), as just booked 10 days in Fort William in October.

M - 6.5 km with a couple of hill reps.
T - some kettlebells.
W - 6.3 km hill reps
T - 10 km tempo
F - think some kettlebells, but probably nothing.
S - 26.5km run - humid, then just plain hot.  2 hour surf in evening. Thought I'd be knackered, but legs seemed to appreciate the cold water. Fun session in spite of it being mostly shore break close outs.
S - 12.5km run - hot as well. 5 km Scolty hill walk in the evening - kids left me behind.

[SA Chris]

Topic split time ofc, but that's an interesting interview.

It seems it's perfectly possible to get stronger in your 40s and maybe 50s. Assuming you're an extremely dedicated and disciplined semi-professional climber who has been pushing standards for over 20 years and has been a training guru for at least that long, of course.

Bollocks. I'm definitely climbing stronger now than I was pre-kids in my 40s, but as Stu said, that's mainly because of focus; not spending full days out in the mountains just to climb a 4 pitch route, no outcrop VS / HVS / E1 plodding, no hours spent at the wall going up and down 6s / low 7s.

Nowadays more about strength training and getting on local projects within 20 mins of home whenever I have free time.   

[remus]

It seems it's perfectly possible to get stronger in your 40s and maybe 50s. Assuming you're an extremely dedicated and disciplined semi-professional climber who has been pushing standards for over 20 years and has been a training guru for at least that long, of course.

I don't think it's so straightforward, as Barrows has said if you've been training hard for longer you're more likely to have picked up some chronic injuries along the way and milked any quick gains. On the other hand if you've not done much hard training before there could me more quick wins to be had (albeit any strength gainz will be harder won than if you'd started training earlier).

[Duma]

But surely what we care about is climbing level/ability, not strength. Climbing is complex enough that there are lots of other aspects to work on, and, dare I say it, those how spent their 20's milking the campus board may have more to gain in these other aspects?

[shark]

. Just being realistic but maybe a breakthrough will happen 🤞

It happened! Just did the AM headwall in oner. YYFY 

[Fiend]

(albeit any strength gainz will be harder won than if you'd started training earlier).

And you've got the golden opportunity to pick up some acute injuries due to lack of previous training, AND turn them into chronic injuries more effectively as your recovery is more difficult as you get older!

[Duma]

. Just being realistic but maybe a breakthrough will happen 🤞

It happened! Just did the AM headwall in oner. YYFY 

Nice!

[remus]

But surely what we care about is climbing level/ability, not strength. Climbing is complex enough that there are lots of other aspects to work on, and, dare I say it, those how spent their 20's milking the campus board may have more to gain in these other aspects?

  I was just responding to the Liam/Fiend etc. stuff where the question was whether you can still make strength gains as you get older.

[User deactivated.]

It's well established that testosterone declines after 30 in males at around 1% per year (on a population scale).

It's also well established that testosterone drops off a cliff if you sleep less than 7 hours per night, are too fat or too skinny, drink alcohol, smoke, etc.

Therefore it seems reasonable that if you optimise all of the above, then at 60 you could expect to make as many gains as an unhealthy 25 year 

[Stu Littlefair]

Here's some N=1 anecdote to explain what I think. I have been training in some sense since Uni.

Over the years my training has got better and more refined. In some ways, I'm stronger in my 40s than I was in my 20s - e.g my FB hanging scores are better. In other ways I'm physically much weaker - my body is weaker (pull ups, compression, heel hooks etc). Overall I'm climbing better.

But overall, my physical peak was definitely in my 20s. Back then I could manage the training without difficulty and would improve no matter what I did. These days I can't handle a large volume of training; most climbing sessions finish because various tweaks and muscles/joints are sore, not because I'm tired. In my 20s I could climb 4-5 days on without trouble, these days two in a row is hard work! In my 20s I was improving despite going cycling, running, having long drinking binges. Now any drift of focus away from climbing leads to decline.

So I'd say I'm climbing as well as ever in my 40s, but that's despite a decline in my physical ability and because of life choices I'm able to make.

Someone who only started serious training in their 40s, or someone who had kids in their late 20s will obviously have different stories...

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - exhausted. Loaded carries.
Tue - rest.
Wed - EMOM weights.
Thu - gym, cleans with 10" hold on each rep 5x5 60 65 70. Weights.
Fri - rest.
Sat - TBDL 5x30 60 kg. Last 10 30" EMOM.
Sun - Doms, who would have thought it. 25' of loaded carries.

[JohnM]

M - Shoulder stability (2 armed scap pulls, one arm hangs scaps engaged). One arm hangs BM2000 slots. I had been doing these at home to try and address my inability to even hold bigger edges one armed which seemed to be the main limiting factor in my one arm hang training. I still suck at it but it turns out I don't suck as much as I thought as the fact my home set up flexes makes a big difference to the difficulty. Campus progressions. I suck at campus boarding too but I am really enjoying it at the moment. I have never broken 1-4-6 on any hold size so I am working on that. Doing 1-4-7 in reverse to try and stimulate the movement using negatives. 8c replica boulders - didn't get anywhere with these this session. Comp style boulders on the spray wall set by a friend. Got shut down on everything and could barely do a single move.

T - Route session indoors. Pretty rubbish session. Did a few things up to 7b and had a good go on a 7c but that was it.

W - Trail run 12.94km 539m

T - Routes at Achleiten with Chris S. Warmed up on a grim 7a,. Failed on a 7b I onsighted a while ago, tried an 8a+ described as a single move (couldn't do the single move), failed on a 7c I had done before and finished by failing on a 7b. The outdoor climbing failure continues. Low energy and lack of confidence at the moment it stalling things.

F - Trail run 12.94km 500m

S - Climbing at Schleier. Got my clips out of Mercy Street (8c) which had been there since the spring. This was still wet and covered in grime again. Amazing route but I have sacked this off for now as you either need to be way stronger than the route to counter act the conditions or put in a siege by going week in week out. Neither of which are likely for me. Tried an 8a+ (Damen Gambit). This was a lot of fun. Big moves between huecos and then a tricky crux at the top. Got into the crux on my first rp but then tore a huge flapper and had no juice in my 3rd try. Still not a successful outdoor session but a lot more positive and enjoyable than recent ones and my energy levels were a bit better. Got a bit of a cranky left shoulder though which I need to rest and sort out.

S - Bike ride 52.77km 992m.   

[SA Chris]

So I'd say I'm climbing as well as ever in my 40s, but that's despite a decline in my physical ability and because of life choices I'm able to make.

Indeed, going out and getting lashed at least one evening a weekend  and being tired and hungover also ate into a lot of my free time.

I'm also less injury prone in my older age, not sure if it's being more sensitive and sensible as soon as a niggle arises, or if I'm basically held together with scar tissue now.

[Nibile]

Climbing performance will never be a valid assessment of long time strength levels, because of the subtleties, intricacies and variables of a successful redpoint attempt, whose mysteries are still largely unsolved.
One could test oneself on the very same route or problem, but conditions will vary, etc. and given it's a strength route or problem.
Not to mention trusting grades... it's like having soup with a fork.
The only way is to test abilities sepatatedly: fingerboard, pull ups, the basics.
In this case then, it will all depend on how close one was to his potential when age was perfect. A badly trained or half arsed trained youth is likely to improve with age, changing mindset, lifestyle, etc.
But if you look at pros, who fulfill their potential when their potential is highest, they are generally done and dusted by their 30s especially in pure strength sports. 
It's just physiology.

[Bonjoy]

But if you look at pros, who fulfill their potential when their potential is highest, they are generally done and dusted by their 30s especially in pure strength sports. 

Succinctly put.
Most UKBers don't fit this profile. Arguably until relatively recently neither did many 'pro' climbers. You'd expect as standards go up across the board it will get increasing rare for climbers considered 'good' by these standards to continue improving in a meaningful way in the later decades of their climbing life.

[Wellsy]

It's well established that testosterone declines after 30 in males at around 1% per year (on a population scale).

There is of course an *ahem* known solution to test drop off, so to speak.

[Wellsy]

Anyway...

Personally I'm 32 next week and probably have years of getting stronger ahead of me because I'm piss weak comparatively.

I think if you're doing one armers then year you might be looking at easing off, but not for a few years. I'm not really close to that. I would have been way stronger if I started climbing at the age of 19 rather than nearly 30, but I didn't, and the gains will go on.

[ali k]

Re: strength and ageing. The moral of the story for me is I wish I'd discovered sport climbing and concentrated on getting strong in my late teens and early twenties instead of pissing around on grit slabs and trad bumbling.

[Fiend]

Re: strength and ageing. The moral of the story for me is I wish I'd discovered sport climbing and concentrated on getting strong in my late twenties and early thirties instead of pissing around on grit slabs and trad bumbling.

[User deactivated.]

Re: strength and ageing. The moral of the story for me is I wish I'd discovered sport climbing and concentrated on getting strong in my late twenties and early thirties instead of pissing around on grit slabs and trad bumbling.

The moral of the story for me is I'd be a lot better if discovered climbing in my late teens and early twenties instead of doing loads of acid in warehouses (but I wouldn't take it back for anything).

[ali k]

The moral of the story for me is I'd be a lot better if discovered climbing in my late teens and early twenties instead of doing loads of acid in warehouses (but I wouldn't take it back for anything).

But imagine if you'd done it the other way round though? You could've already climbed 8C and 9a and now be retired from climbing and off your tits instead...

[Bradders]

Was hoping others would pick Liam up on the decline comments. Being 32 also I am 100% sure that my best climbing is ahead of me.

I recently listened to The Nugget Podcast with Steve Mc and he had some great thoughts around this. Very inspiring.

Anyway...

M - knackered from the weekend and a long day at work.

Tu - AM wrist session; pinch grip pick ups, fist press ups, etc. Then pick ups fingerboard session, 10s x6 of each of false grip, front 2 and middle 2 half crimp. Weight up from last time I was on 10s "hangs" a few weeks ago. Then another long day at work.

W - drove to London and back for my uncle's funeral; 8.5hrs of driving plus stops. Knackering but very glad to be there. Inspired by the bouldering service stations thread stopped in at Forest Rock on the way home. Repeated Sourcier in a few goes and then struggled my way up Sorceress, followed by the sit on a last go best go attempt. I find this style so hard! Brilliant way to break up the journey at least, although I didn't get home until after midnight.

Th - long day at work. Knackered. Bed early.

F - AM wrist session same as Tuesday, then fingerboard 8x 10s half crimp on 26mm edge, 3 min rests. Upped weight added to +37kg and completed all hangs which was satisfying.
PM - got my 2nd vaccine jab at lunchtime, then after work had a 1.5hr board session. Mainly focused on a project where I've previously done all the moves but haven't linked, and made up two new problems with 2/3 very hard moves each. Didn't do many of the individual moves on all three problems, and I don't think I linked two moves together at all! Finished with 6x easy-mediums with +4.5kg weight belt.

Sa - suffering from pretty bad vaccine side effects; everything aching, exhausted, headache, etc. Sat on the sofa all day.

Su - feeling better after a big sleep thankfully. Didn't have much time but squeezed in a quick circuit at Almscliff. Felt like hard work, fell off things I haven't fallen off for a long time, but still did ok eventually. Sunset delivered. Unfortunately had to end early and rush home to take wife to hospital for a baby check, thankfully all ok but meant for a stressful and late night.

Awful week. Not doing well with the stress levels atm what with work being very busy and wife at 38 weeks pregnant now. Nice to still snatch a few sessions though.

[SA Chris]

At least she hasn't left it until the week before to decide that you ned to redecorate the baby's room.

[User deactivated.]

The moral of the story for me is I'd be a lot better if discovered climbing in my late teens and early twenties instead of doing loads of acid in warehouses (but I wouldn't take it back for anything).

But imagine if you'd done it the other way round though? You could've already climbed 8C and 9a and now be retired from climbing and off your tits instead...

living the dream

[steveri]

57 and getting worse at getting better. We're all samples of 1 but training now seems essential rather than optional (durr!). If I just climb outside, which I'd always do if there's weather, I get weaker. I'll generally take that in exchange for the joy of moving over rock. If I want to knock off some (modest) projects, I need to try harder indoors. Two weeks off on hols, work, blah and I can't get up stuff I really should. Running wise there's been definite step change in the last year or so. Embracing the shuffle. N=1, T&Cs apply.

[SA Chris]

Running wise there's been definite step change

Quality punning.

[Wood FT]

The moral of the story for me is I'd be a lot better if discovered climbing in my late teens and early twenties instead of doing loads of acid in warehouses (but I wouldn't take it back for anything).

But imagine if you'd done it the other way round though? You could've already climbed 8C and 9a and now be retired from climbing and off your tits instead...

The hangovers. The horror, the horror....

[RobK]

M - Boardroom. Conditioning: one arm negatives, dips, ice cream makers (one leg assisted), ab roll-outs. Circuit board: 10 x 1 on/off on the 6c (half with good feet, half with bad feet). Warm down on some easy bouldering. Stretching (30 mins).

T - Dinbren after work. Back on Out of Body Experience. First go my aim was to look at the traverse but had forgotten to warm up and was climbing like a sack of potatoes. Think I figured out a sequence for after the traverse to the end of the hard climbing. Second go got stuck into the traverse, all done off a toe hook and made some progress. Also got through the bottom boulder first time minus the lunge to the jug. Third go properly dialled the traverse. Only missing piece of the puzzle now is how to clip 4th. Such a cool route, never done such wild moves on a rope.

W - Rest.

T - Rest.

F - LPT. Had promised myself one more session on Mussel Beach this year with good skin and well rested to see if it was on or not. 1st RP got up to the crux feeling great, matched the flake and got my feet set before I was robbed by a foot pop. Marginal new high point, game on! Or not. Second and third RPs were much like previous sessions, feeling pretty gassed in the crux and not making any progress. Not sure what to think. Twenty minutes of easy bouldering at the Boardroom to warm down.

S - Dinbren. Good conditions and back on OOBE. Worked out a nice sequence for clipping fourth. Started redpointing and surprised myself by fairly consistently getting through the bottom boulder.. Highpoint of getting set up for the last move of the traverse before toe hook popped out. Tweaked my left bicep again slightly.

S - Boardroom. Too tired for a productive session outdoors but was bored so went for a potter. Easy boulder mileage and some auto-belays too. Stretching (30 mins).

[Duncan campbell]

. Just being realistic but maybe a breakthrough will happen 🤞

It happened! Just did the AM headwall in oner. YYFY 

Get it redpointed!!! Massive rest before hand means you can defo do it on the link then the rest under the roof and then a bit into crucifixion headwall mean that it is on for sure now.

[shark]

Thanks Duncan. Was on top rope but the clip is straightforward. Been meaning to swap notes on the sequence you used. Uncomfortable no hands rest is possible in the Prow hole with a kneebar. Font 7A+ for the AM headwall?. Reckon it is probably pumpy 7c after the headwall finishing up Crucifixion. Ive had to stabilise two of the holds on the crux. All possible on paper now. Currently struggling on the Push Up start for some reason even though I’ve done it dozens of times in the past

[Duncan campbell]

Thanks Duncan. Was on top rope but the clip is straightforward. Been meaning to swap notes on the sequence you used. Uncomfortable no hands rest is possible in the Prow hole with a kneebar. Font 7A+ for the AM headwall?. Reckon it is probably pumpy 7c after the headwall finishing up Crucifixion. Ive had to stabilise two of the holds on the crux. All possible on paper now. Currently struggling on the Push Up start for some reason even though I’ve done it dozens of times in the past

I’m notoriously bad at sequence remembering but send me a Facebook message and I can try and remember. Heel on the sloper was key for me and then just being quick on the feet up the Gaston’s! Can’t be 7A+ can it? More like 6C? I haven’t a clue in all honesty.

I just stood on the good footholds and held jugs in the prow hole. Seem to remember a bit of a finger lock in there somewhere. Prefer that sort of rest if it’s good as it doesn’t rinse the core so much.

You only need to do the start once!

[Duncan Disorderly]

Missed a week as was away so playing catch up...

M: Nowt
T: AW - Onsighting up to F6c+
W: Nowt
T: AW with daughter - Autobelays up to F7a, two more moves on F7b+ (only two to go). Foot on campussing - 3 x 50 move sets with 5 mins rest... Pumped!
F: Rest
S: Horseshit with GF and daughter - biffed up to F6a+ and set up TR's
S: Played dancehall to a big crowd at Equinox festival - smashed it!