[Duma]

Starting us off early since I'm at work while you're all out climbing...

M - 12 hr shift.
T - Dad duty.
W - Dad duty.
T - Dad duty. Dropped daughter off at 4 then straight to Cheddar for quick evening hit. Hadn't eaten lunch, and feeling knackered but wanted to work out the third clip so figured I could at least do that. Dogged up Everyday Lives of Ordinary People to warm up and get the clips in Empire, had a look on the way down at the clipping position. Next go went from the ground and got through the crux but was too blown to clip at the third. Spent a while trying different options but in the end decided I just had to bone the RH crimp harder. Second attempt aborted when I fumbled the third move (start of crux). Took a minute then went again, got through the crux, managed the clip, carried on but dropped the move to the tufa (end of the hard climbing) Tasty fall from here but safe enough, even if you do say hi to your belayer. Chuffed with that, although shame not to have got through to the easyish upper section. Reworked the move to the tufa and found a different foot that makes the move a little more secure. Last go it all went well, energy and skin failing but enough to get me through the crux, past the clip, and stick the tufa. Pretty boxed, but got through the next few metres in control, then between the last clip and the belay I got a pocket back three instead of front, thought I was off but managed to improvise enough balance to adjust, then so pumped I could reach the finishing pocket but not hold it - you are literally staring at the belay in front of your face here... Tried to change hands but fumbled it and was off!
Less gutted than I might have been tbh, not only did I do loads better than expected on it, but it's so ridiculous dropping it there it was pretty funny.(for context the top half of the route is no harder than 6c).
F - 12 hr shift.
S - 12 hr shift.
S - 12 hr shift. 2 x 2 min plank

71.5 kg

Done very little this week, but chuffed to get so high on the project. Schools back next week, and much easier rota for the next few weeks, so looking forward to getting a bit more done

[shark]

Thanks Duma. Sorry you were robbed but sounds fun.

11.7-10 average 162.8 no change

M. AM A bit hungover. Weighed in at 11.10! PM/Eve.  Home warm up - added a couple of exercises. Tor. Warm. Jordan there. Stacked Sam showed up later. THFML x 2. Experimented with left toe lock some more for cross thru move. Still hard but think it’s going to be the most reliable way. Did throw move after a few attempts and then struggled getting purchase on toe hook for next move which sapped me too much in set up for kick. Then one go from start getting to set  up for throw. Moved on to X. Much better connies. Worked top section of JR off the ladder and linked holding rail with RH to end lacking beans for final share. Pleased with that as often get shut down on the moves across. Had a go from start but too boxed by this stage to even do first pop for edge. Couldn’t face going to Rubicon for easy traversing. Nice day and happy with performance especially factoring in my current weight.

T

W

T Home warmup. Strained my back a bit.  Then tor for 9.30 to meet Karl S. Lovely day. Cool but could have benefited from a breeze. Dogged up to the AM headwall for the first time this year. Perplexed to find an empty nest on the Prow hole. Worked on the moves which went well. Further discussion on the ground suggested it could be jackdaws and could see that there was some type of crows building a nest further left along the break by Indecent. C’est la vie. Went up again to work on the moves again close to doing it in two halves then bolt to bolted my way to the Crucifixion belay and stripped it . Definitely stronger on it than last autumn despite being heavier. Went on Tin Of to strip it for Karl but had to dog my way up as had no finger strength or stamina left. Was hoping to practice the cross thru move on Bens again but no chance.

F Eve Mobility/Stretching/Core routine

S

S AM Home warm up. Nice day again. Tor. Experimented with cross thru and found a better located but still shit foothold (though unpolished!!) for my right foot. Felt steady doing the move when I did it. Tried from throw and almost got through the cross thru on first attempt - felt really good on this go - almost sublime. Less good after that -second go got LF to niche and third go fell setting up for kick. Pleased that on each of the three links I did throw move at first attempt. Tried from very start but destroyed and couldn’t even do second move. Had planned to go to X after but no point. Swung by Rubicon and spotted John Godding from a distance by his trademark shorts. Couple of laps on the easy traverse for a mild pump then home. Wiped out - went to bed for a nap

A few positives this week but shocked how little it took to wipe me out today - basically 6.5 moves. Won’t skip breakfast next time. Committed to go on a trip to Mingulay at the start of June with a group I scarcely know. Had to look up where it is. Not placed any gear for a couple of years and my rack belongs in a museum. What could possibly go wrong? Finger has healed well. Back to LPT on weds. Hope it goes better than last time.

[Jack Andrew]

Hi all,

Nice work on the project Duma!

Hope LPT goes well in the week Sharky.

First power club post 

I'm pretty new around these parts.

To fill in a bit of background info I started bouldering (indoors in June 2019) in an attempt to find a new sport after stopping playing football, got pretty obsessed with climbing around summer 2020.
Training has dipped a bit since I got married in December so keen to get back into some routine and hopefully posting here consistently will help.

Weight 23/04/2022: 84.7kg

Met with Ed at the Sheffield climbing clinic in December 2021 and found out I was around
81kg / 11.5% body fat

Going to go on a small cut for the next 4(?) weeks, just until I’m back around these stats, don’t think it’ll take too long as probably just carrying a bit of water weight.


Short term goals:

I set myself a goal at the start of the year to do 30 problems 6c or harder before my 30th birthday in July. Done 10 so far, having had a bit of life / weather / covid getting in the way I’m happy with it, may not get to 30 but the main aim was to build a stable base for next winter to push towards 7a+\b

+40% body weight pull up.

Bowderstone trip planned for July, aiming to tick Statstick 7a and the Crack (or some variations) 6c / 6c+

Long term goals:

Get a 7b ticked by the start of next spring.

Didn’t do much last week as was on holiday but did squeeze out 50 pull-ups a few days and some finger board lifts on my portable board. First session back today after an 8 hour flight on Friday, went to the school and did 5 6as to warm up, then a 6c flash and 7a second go. Then started working some projects and felt pretty strong but also too tired so called it a day.

Going out to Anston or Pleasley in the week hoping to get up a 6c of some sort and may also do some FA scouting around Burbage North in the week.

[James Malloch]

Had a really fun start of the trip but now resting up with sore wrists. Need to remember that having only done two sessions a week for a long time, I need to make sure I’m having rest days…

M. Franchard Hautes-Plains. Did some easy circuit problems. And then a 6C called La Surplombe de la Coquille. Tried this years ago and didn’t manage it so happy to get it done. Did another 6B and flashed Bouddah Assis 6B.

Came super close on two 7As next to the Bouddah Block and another at Haute Plains. One I just got scared of the top out, and the others I did the hard bits but didn’t manage to finish.

This was the day I should have learned to stop throwing myself at things…

T. Apremont. Did a 6B (hardest 6B in the world!!!) and not sure what else. Definitely some easier circuits but didn’t log them.

W. La Canche aux Merciers
Did the first 12 yellows to warm up and then flashed La Nez 6C.

Managed the following 7As in 3/4 goes:

Radio Crochet
Keo
Parabellum.

Dropped the end of a traverse extension of Radio Crochet which got 7A+. Took me a bit to work out the moves.

Everything here felt soft.

T. Rest day sorting bits on the van and eating pastries.

F. Rocher aux Sabots
Did some easy things to warm up but was soon in pain with both wrists. Stopped for the day.

S. Super lazy day.

S. Lazy day and now en-route to Margalef.



Did the stupid thing of climbing 6 days in the first 7. My wrists are calming down but I think that I just did way too much having not climbed anything like that volume for ages.

Time to take it easy, but kept bumping into old friends and going to climb with them. Booked a precautionary physio session on Tuesday just in case.

Really enjoyed Font - first time I’ve every liked it. I think having done my first 7C recently I’m just way more confident on the easier problems, to the point I’ve not been getting scared on the top outs which is very very unlike me! Can’t wait to come back.

The strength also means that I’m just throwing myself at things which isn’t ideal. It means climbing with worst form/beta which can’t be doing me good. Some things to work on for the next part of the trip….

[dunnyg]

Sorry we didn't manage to get to the same place on the end James, cheers for the soft 7A tip off too! I also climbed for many days on, though lots were mooching round orange circuits (heaven) and munching pastries.

[duncan]

Welcome Jack.

Happy birthday Simon and congratulations on finding an unpolished foothold at the Tor.

Next go Duma!



M - Trevellan/St Govan’s - Led Enter the Goat and seconded H on Rising Tide. Really enjoyed this.
T - St Govan’s East - led Calisto and seconded Howling Gale. Long drive and train journey home.
W - Battered. Walked 6km, 40 minutes were ‘brisk’ so counts as exercise, just.
T - Westway: Mostly a social visit but did 3x10 mins of easy. Still tired and probably should have taken another rest day.
F - Walked 10km. Fitted kitchen shelves and other DIY.
S - Tired after DIY. Shoulder conditioning (handstands, pull-ups). Walked 9km.
S - Walked 10km. Shoulder conditioning. 4.5 hours stood watching Lohengrin.

Great four days in Pembroke. First trad. in 6 months but felt comfortable jumping straight onto E2s. Interesting to repeat Rising Tide: it’s about F6c but the pegs are 40 years old and the other crucial gear is small and fiddly. I wouldn’t fancy it on the sharp end at the moment. On the same weekend I led it in 1997, I also did Punks in the Tea Room, The Fascist and Me, Merchant of Stennis, Intensive Scare and Mysteries. Seemingly, my first trad. of the year. How the hell did that happen?! I didn’t keep a training diary but my Power Club entries would have been 10 minutes traversing the Peggy Day and an hour monkeying around the monkey room at Mile End every Wednesday evening. Anyone got a cure for old age?

Took a a few days to recover from the last trip but time to go climbing again!

[shark]

Happy birthday Simon

Thank you. Didn’t mean for that to slip in. 58 FFS 

Anyone got a cure for old age?

As someone once said - it’s better than the alternative

Space in the boat for Mingulay and the chalet at Briancon..

[Wood FT]

Committed to go on a trip to Mingulay at the start of June with a group I scarcely know. Had to look up where it is. Not placed any gear for a couple of years and my rack belongs in a museum. What could possibly go wrong?

It's a wonderful island with amazing coarse rock and a big feel on the main cliff with your back to the raging Atlantic. Invest in ab rope protectors. Gear was fine on the route and I did, and I'm quite crap at it. The whole journey out there and the stop off on Barra are the highlights of my climbing life.

[shark]

Committed to go on a trip to Mingulay at the start of June with a group I scarcely know. Had to look up where it is. Not placed any gear for a couple of years and my rack belongs in a museum. What could possibly go wrong?

It's a wonderful island with amazing coarse rock and a big feel on the main cliff with your back to the raging Atlantic. Invest in ab rope protectors. Gear was fine on the route and I did, and I'm quite crap at it. The whole journey out there and the stop off on Barra are the highlights of my climbing life.

Thanks. The main reason I signed up was the seething FOMO I had from seeing the daily social media pics posted by you and others in the crew when you went. Didn’t want a repeat of that. Hope we have the same good weather 🤞

[Wellsy]

This past week I took a few days to recover from the festival, then on Wednesday went to try Powerband. Zero chance of doing it but entertaining training. Put a short link together and worked out the first half.

Thursday went to the Works and did hard traverses I set myself on the circuit board, and some fall training on the easier problems.

Friday Rubicon, did some interesting traverses, was a nice session but felt pretty gassed.

Saturday rested

Sunday Powerband again, done all but 3 of the moves now (not tried the last two yet), put together a few decent links. Can feel my session endurance coming back slowly, bit better condition. Bench 5x5 at 70kgs, OHP 3x5 at 40kgs.

Back to solid training this week.

[cheque]

Invest in ab rope protectors.

I can lend you some of these and a long static if you need ‘em Shark.

[shark]

Invest in ab rope protectors.

I can lend you some of these and a long static if you need ‘em Shark.

Brilliant 

[SA Chris]

Suggest you invest in some upgrades to camping kit too, a week with a crap thermarest might get uncomfortable. And get used to seacliffs again.

I'm ashamed to admit I've never been, but everyone I know who has has raved about it.

[remus]

The whole journey out there and the stop off on Barra are the highlights of my climbing life.

We had an amazing night in the pub on Barra on our way back. We must have smelt absolutely rancid but the locals were psyched and we got sloshed with them and danced to some ace live folk music before passing out in front of the co-op. Woke up in the morning, everything was closed and we had no food so raided the bins behind co-op and scored as many free bananas as we could eat (about 2 in my case, wasn't feeling too fresh).

[Fultonius]

I've been off the wagon (in more ways than one) for the last wee while.

As a recap to the winter plan, I decided this year to eat a bit more to help training psyche, recovery etc. It's hard to tell how it's worked as I've not really been on any old benchmarks. I guess I figured out the moves again on Consolidated (7B+ rising traverse) but it's more a of a PE problem, so not been doing links yet. And I've been on the eternally desperate Omerta (f7c  ) with some actual progress on the crux known to be impossible to anyone operating under f8b...)

I had hoped that my trip away to the alps and other bits of europe would have trimmed down some of the winter training weight, but I seem to now just be settled at 80kg. So I'm heavier but still managing some benchmarks?  Hmm....

Also, had a niggly right shoulder since a crampon sketch with big pack on while trying to second a desperate E2 pitch on the tournier integral (humblebrag) wrenched it a bit.

Mon: Dumby boulder. Did some PE laps on black wall, feeling some fitness combing back. (1 lap, rest, double lap, rest (not enough due to time pressure) then 1.5 laps). Want to get up to doing 4 x double laps with about 8 mins rest between sets). Not resting on big jug at all, just on the halfway point on lap2 which is more akin to many mid-route rests. Will start to  eliminate that in early sets too when I get fitter)
Tue:Nowt.
Wed: Cambusbarron, working Production Line (again) and Moving Shadow, both E6s. Got all the moves and linked PL once, but wasn't quite feeling the margin I would like for a lead. John got it, so that's twice I've been on it now and both time my partner lead and I didn't... who's next? It's probably relatively safe - good gear but you're about 2.5m left of the gear at the crux so it would be a proper pendulum and there's some blocky stuff possibly in the way...

Figured out the moves again on MS, but I want to attack it with a decent brush as it's just still quite grotty, so if you misplace a foot it could get sketchy.
 
Thu:TCA general boulder sesh, underperformed, but that's always the case first day on plastic in 6 weeks and day 2 on...
Frid: Quick conditioning / weights sesh at TCA (shoulder press for my slightly grunchy shoulder, bench, romanian deadlifts for the hamstrings (ouch!), planks, face pulls. Totally forgot to try rows.
Sat: Nowt, Wedding
Sun: Gentle walk in the sun to ease through the post-3am party blues...

Been socialising a lot since getting back (bday etc.) so looking forward to a much healthier next few weeks and hopefully getting out a lot while it's dry. I often find this time of year tricky to balance continued training with getting on rock.

[Aussiegav]

Welcome Jack.
Thanks Duma,   It’s always nice to read the posts and put a realistic view on climbing/training & ‘progress’. More on that at the end.

Knee Club.
MRI report = Your MRI does confirm a tear in your outside cartilage. Some of this fragment has flipped anteriorly and may well be causing the issue with gaining full extension back. Likely that this will require further keyhole surgery to remove this chunk of cartilage. However, this doesn't need doing super urgently.


Monday -
Rest day

Tuesday
Went to Awesome Walls after work.
Did the following routes;
4b, 5c, 6b -DNF. Felt a bit too intense on my knee, 6a, 5c, 5b, 5b, 5b, 5c, 5c,

Wednesday - Rest day


Thursday -
7s max hang assessment at home
113.7kg total.  No change from last time 4weeks back.

Friday

Went to the School on the way home after work.
Also rode my motorbike for the first time in a few months and my knee felt fine

Conditioning – 2min rests between reps
Australian pull ups on Rings feet on bench 2 sets of 8 BW

4×3 tucked lever pull ups on the rings

Bench Press
1set of 8 bar + 30kg (50kg)
4 sets of 4 bar + 50kg (70kg) felt comfortable on these

Seated overhead press
1sets of 10 bar only
3 sets of 8 35kg. Need to drop to 30 next session. Wobbly lower back on these.

Pull ups
2sets of 4 BW
4sets of 4 BW plus 8kg

Single Arm Preacher Curls
1set of 5kg plus dumbbell
3sets of 8 10kg plus dumbbell

Single Forearm rotation
3sets of 8  2.5kg.



Saturday - rest day

Sunday -
Dawn session at the School

Splat Board traverses
20mm Campus board pulls 1-4 match 2×5
18mm Campus board pulls 1-4 match 3×5

Boulder Volume Session on 40 degree Moonboards
4mins rest between problems. 3 attempts max

2016set
✓ Can’t crimp won’t crimp
✓ Johanna 1 2nd try
◦ Calla 3 tries.
◦ Max the machine 4 tries. Hate matching G13.
◦ CJ Rocks. 4 tries in 7mins

I was getting frustrated with failure. Things felt harder than they should be.  Definitely easier problems on the 2019 board to do, should of done these first.

2019set
✓ Alpine Gorls Made Me Hard 6a+ 3rd try
✓ Easy Peasy 2. Flashed probably 6a
◦ Coldplay tried the start 3 times.
◦ Ladders. Did all the moves. Done in overlapping halves. Pleased to finish the session doing the top half twice in a row.

Overall, a disappointing session and left me feeling inept. At one point I said out loud to myself - “Returned to climbing 4 years ago and still fucking shit”.

Put me in a dark mood for a few hours. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets like this.
Managing expectations is an area I need to work on.

[JohnM]

M - Driving back from France

T - Indoor bouldering + weights and core. Hike 6km +208m.

W - Endurance training (dropped the last move of my project traverse on the spray wall), foot on campussing (3 sets...poor - not something I can tag onto the end of a session), weights. Hike 6km +201m.

T - Trail run 8.18km +349m - first run for 2 weeks after straining my MCL in a deep drop knee. The knee felt ok but my heart rate was through the roof.

F - As I suspected might happen in last weeks Power Club entry, Covid finally got me, with my girlfriend's mum's 70th turning into somewhat of a super spreader event. Woke up with intense joint pain, neck pain, lower abdomen pain and even bollock pain! Joints where I already had a niggle (knee and elbow) were on fire. First test was negative so wondered if it could be something else like Lymes (I had found a big tick on me the weekend before) but I also started to get a bit of an irritation in the throat. Took another test and ignored the instructions for the nasal swab and scraped my throat which gave an instantly strong positive result. Felt a bit better in the afternoon so went for a hike 7.87km +403m.

S - Woke up without any joint pain which was a big relief and contrast to the day before! Out on the bike 62.53km +400m.

S - Fly fishing near the Dolomites.

 

[Aussiegav]

W -  foot on campussing (3 sets...poor - not something I can tag onto the end of a session),

There’s a whole thread on FoC. https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,22064.0.html

It’s a session in its own right imo.

[SA Chris]

bollock pain

Bizarrely I had that for a couple days before and after testing +. It was after skiing, I assumed I'd been careless getting a Poma lift.

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - rest, walking.
Tue - loaded carries 24'.
Wed - garage session 3. Added a single at 95% that went like silk.
Thu - tired. Weights and Lattice edge pick ups.
Fri - did current project in two halves. It's way harder than I expected.
Sat - loaded carries.
Sun - weights.

[mr chaz]

Power Club

W. Board sesh in the evening. Deffo worth the effort of modifying the board, that extra 1ft of overhang has made a lot of difference. No more easy finishing moves 

S. Busy weekend but managed a board sesh Sunday evening. Rest of the time spent gardening, tiling, etc etc

[Bradders]

No more easy finishing moves 

So tempting isn't it, when setting a board, to put a row of nice big jugs at the top. Even with a vert section! Definitely an improvement to keep the holds bad and moves hard all the way, makes the most of the space.

[mr chaz]

No more easy finishing moves 

So tempting isn't it, when setting a board, to put a row of nice big jugs at the top. Even with a vert section! Definitely an improvement to keep the holds bad and moves hard all the way, makes the most of the space.

When you’re only doing 3 moves, can’t afford one of them to be trivial
 

[Duncan Disorderly]

Biffing Club...

Nice one Duma, proper snatching defeat from the jaws of victory that  !!

M: Biffed up Tryffan with the boy, got rained on at the pinnacle slab, had to ab off down south gully (he refused to go any higher)... Bit sketchy... Sure he'll remember that when I'm dead 
T: Nowt
W: Nowt
T: Sheaf bloc - weeeeeeaaaaakkkk! My PE traverse (that I thought about F7b when I was going well) felt nails... Did an hour and went for a pint!
F: Nowt
S: Few easies @ Curbar on a walk with me daughter
S: Routes @ AW - Not harder than F6b

Finger still not pulled out.... Must try harder!

[duncan]

Space in the boat for Mingulay and the chalet at Briancon..

Mingulay looks amazing and I’m not quite sure why I’ve not been yet as it’s clearly totally my kind of place.

I shall be in Ceuse first two-ish weeks in June (places available in our gite) and in Edinburgh for a family reunion/penance immediately after.