[Duma]

M - eve run, 6k hilly trail 32 min.
T -
W - eve TCA, 90 min bouldering. Felt very sluggish after not climbing indoors for a couple of weeks, but managed to repeat a few of the easier whites blacks and blues. Brief circuit as token fitness work.
T -
F -
S -
S - aft, UCR, circuits. Just 40 min to do something. Sluggish and poorly set routes so psyche low. All routes only 25 ish moves too. 6a+, 7a, 7b (all flash) then 6a+ into 7a, tried carrying on into 7b but only managed a couple of moves. Then 7b into 6a+ into 7a, failed near end of 7a. That was more like it, felt like useful to try and recover on the easy ground.

71.5kg

Feeling a bit low energy/psyche this week, probably just comedown after amazing start to September. Greece in 2 weeks so need to get on it if I'm not to be burned off too badly by DWS hero Remus!

[shark]

Thanks Duma

M. Foron. Climbed with Andy Perkins for the first time in over 25 years. Did a good 6b+. I failed on the 7b again but ended up adopting Andy’s beta on the crux. He got it first redpoint. Plus ca change

T. Went to a crag with Andy I’ve forgotten the name of. Bit humid. Good view. We both took a hang on a good 6b+. Tried a vert 7b. Had to pull past a desperate low crux then enjoyed the next section till got shut down by the top crux

W. Walked around Geneva in the rain

T. With Sonia to Foron. Put the clips in the 7b and fluffed the first redpoint on the crux reverting to the previous sequence by mistake. Fell at the same place on the two subsequent goes.

F. Drove to a lovely Airbnb outside Troyes. Nice evening in Troyes. Amazing wonky Medieval timber framed buildings and OTT gothic cathedral.

S. To Faversham. Terrible nights sleep

S To Sheffield. Eve Pre warm up warm up

Nice trip but a bleak start to the Autumn season in terms of performance but I’ll keep plugging away. Possibly deluded but looking forward to getting stuck in at the Tor again.

[Aussiegav]

Thanks for starting the week Duma.
Another great week.

Monday -
95% hangs. BW + 20kg. 3x10sec half crimp
95% hangs BW + 20kg. 3x10sec. 3finger open

Tuesday
The Depot after work
Tried 5 of the new purples. Did 1. Fingers were a bit fatigued from last night’s session.


Wednesday
Rest


Thursday

Fingerboard session at home. New 12mm maple edges arrived. Felt lovely but desperate to hold. Will need to introduce counter weight to improve hanging from them.

Friday
Rest day

Saturday

Went back to Deep Rake in the afternoon.
Warmed up on the 6a and then Lead Vein Thrombosis, by putting the draws in for Phil. Then got on Rake’s Progress 7a+. Worked the first 3 bolts, got the sequences sorted. Second tie in,  I linked to the 3rd bolt unexpectedly.  Luckily I had enough quickdraws and went through to the belay. Want to go back and repeat it on film. Great moves, and a great route. Very happy

Sunday
 strength training at the Depot
5x3 jumping pull up
5x3 pull ups +16kg
4x4 each leg. assisted pistol squats off footstool


1x10 8kg dumbbell chest flyes
3x8. 9kg dumbbell chest flyes
1x8. 5kg. Front & lateral raises.
3x12. 7kg. Front & lateral raises.

[Fiend]

Last week's STG: Make some plans for the autumn - no. Re-introduce myself positively to some local climbing online groups to try to have more options to be involved with local climbers - no. Try to take advantage of the better weather: Do something challenging on a rope outside - barely, and ideally do something inspiring on a rope or above a pad outside - a little bit, try to get away from Peak/Lancs/Yorks - no. Stay focused whilst climbing and avoid silly errors - dunno. Look after my elbows - ish, still niggly.
The usual: Elbow rehab x 2 - once, Shoulder rehab x 2 - yes, stretching x 3 - twice, falling practise if I do routes indoors or out - no, deadhangs (unless I'm trying anything hard the next day) - n/a.
MTG - keep incrementally regaining capability, do regular increasingly large falling practise, try to stretch bi-weekly, keep rehabbing (and moderating training if needed) to avoid injury, try to rally support and inclusion amongst climbing partners.
LTG - regain physical capability for F7a o/s, F7b+-ish r/p, to be able to take into trad, try to regain some confidence in going further afield.


M - Rest. Necessary but tedious. Felt my body seizing up as usual. Finally forced myself to do elbow and shoulder rehab at 9:30pm with the help of some old skool industrial gabber.

T - Indoor bouldering @ RockOver Shartson. 6 x V1-3 (flash), 6 x V2-4 (flash), 7 x V3-5 (5 flash, 2 2nd go), 5 x V4-6 (1 flash, 3 2nd go, 1 worked). Attempted a few more V4-6 and a few V5-7 (which is obviously a bit silly because I can't climb V5-7 without a multi-hour seige). Decent session, but wall dog LingLing the highight as usual, also could have been a bit more tactical (me, not the dog - she's very tactical). Tried to focus on reducing silly errors which worked a bit. Elbows okay. Shoulders okay but stiffness / pain in neck after. Knees felt pretty creaky after inactive Monday and took ages to warm into dropping off. Stretching session.

W - Active rest - Easy route & easy bloc @ Hobson Moor. Of no real consequence. Neck sore and weird pains into shoulders. Tired after the day before. Shoulder rehab and some stretching.

T - Active rest / shoulder fatigue / idiocy - 2 hours excavating at Lester Mill. Hard-ish but not too sustained. Right shoulder a bit sore after. Generally achey but probably due to sharing bed with a small, but bed-hogging, labrador the night before.

F - Active rest / pessimism training - a bit of Easy Trad. A couple of pleasant routes and failed on a low extreme route because I was too scared to commit to blind moves. Demoralising.

S - Easy Trad @ Deeply Vale & Wilton 2. Actually counts as climbing because as well as some easy routes I actually tried hard on one route and got up it. Also tried hard on another route and came off because it was actually hard. Decent day out that felt a bit more like climbing. Early steps... Climbing partner also liked having jungle on in the car which helped.

S - Easy Trad @ Wilton 1. A few easy things and one slightly daunting low-extreme that went fine and was good fun. Another decent day out that felt a bit more like climbing, even though I didn't do very much. Should have done rehab and stretching but a bit tired and lazy. Most niggles okay.


Okay week. Got back on the wagon with actually climbing and mixed results but the weekend showed a bit of (distant) potential. Lack of getting away is rotting my soul from the inside out.


Next week's STG: 1. Make some plans for the autumn. 2. See 1. 3. See 1. Etc etc. Re-introduce myself positively to some local climbing online groups to try to have more options to be involved with local climbers. Get away from Peak/Lancs/Yorks if weather allows. Try to rally support amongst the few partners who might be keen to get away. Do something challenging on a rope outside, and ideally do something inspiring on a rope or above a pad outside. Do one bouldering training session and one routes training session indoors.
The usual: Elbow rehab x 2 , Shoulder rehab x 2, stretching x 3, falling practise if I do routes indoors or out, deadhangs if appropriate.

[SA Chris]

M - garage board session. First in ages.
T - evening run, 7km
W - not much.
T - Fingerboard evening
F - 5km run at lunch.
S - Wall session. Climbed OK, some new stuff to do.
S - not a load. Hoped to climb in evening, but weather crapped out as I was walking out the door, so did some gardening.

did some kettlebells most evenings, but not a very productive week. Pinkie a bit swollen, but no specific pain points. 

[Wellsy]

Monday - Fingerboarded up to 40kgs for 10 seconds on the 20mm edge, a post injury PB. Got on the board. Felt incredibly strong, got plenty done and then got on the ultimate mega proj, which I got closer to than ever before. Aggressive and hungry for it. Bench Press up to 75 for 5, 80 for 3 and 85 for 1

Tuesday - Rested

Wednesday - Fingerboarded up to 35kgs for 10 secs for sets.Volume board session, felt brilliant. Got loads done and kept it all below proj level but try hard.

Thursday - Squatted up to 100 for 5, and a heavy single at 110.

Friday - rested. Went out. Mental status good.

Saturday - very relaxed session. Mental status good.

Sunday - went out for a hike. Mental status wavey in the evening. I miss my ex. I felt lonely. I think that's natural though and I can keep processing through things.

[spidermonkey09]

M - repeaters. 6 sets on the bottom outside of the beastmaker. shit conditions, didn't turn the fan on. Felt hard but not too bad.

T - Depot. Awful traffic en route meant it took over an hour to get there. Really busy and really hot. Bad mood ensued. Went on the 30 board but not sure what good it did. Did a few problems but don't like the holds on that board and there's no variety; so undercuts or sidepulls, only slopey hardwood holds pinches and jugs. Definitely need a change from the Depot I think.

W - rest, felt pretty tired.

T - Malham. Good conditions to start bit deteriorated. 2 RP's on linkup, felt absolutely busted second go and stripped it. A lap on Taking The Space to finish.

F - rest.

S - Wilton. Tried Gigantic, linked it pretty quickly on a top rope to the last sequence but got totally shut down on it. Matt had a lanky sequence but I couldn't make the span. Any beta for shorties from the last wire slot welcome! Worth going back to have another look and measure my span against the holds properly. Otherwise may have to try Lincoln's direct finish, which is harder but at least not spanny.

S - Malham. Bit hungover. Rubbish conditions with no wind, should have gone to Kilnsey. No impression on linkup project, not helped by pulling a muscle in my bicep when a foot slipped putting the clips in. Did Yosemite Wall at the end of the day.

Attempted to do some training this week but feel like I'm getting nowhere at Malham which is an unusual feeling for me. Conditions have been so poor this year its unbelievable. Feels like there hasn't been a breeze at the crag since March amid near constant high humidity. Toying with sacking it off for the year but the prospect of a few decent sessions and finishing off the linkup project is tempting. Good to go Wilton and try Gigantic but a bit demoralised by the lanky move, just couldn't see a way round it. Plan for this week is to try to train a bit and go to a different wall as am fed up with the depot.

[Fiend]

T - Depot. Awful traffic en route meant it took over an hour to get there. Really busy and really hot. Bad mood ensued. Went on the 30 board but not sure what good it did. Did a few problems but don't like the holds on that board and there's no variety; so undercuts or sidepulls, only slopey hardwood holds pinches and jugs. Definitely need a change from the Depot I think.

Try the Manc Depot for their 30 board?? Full of edges, rat crimps, duos, sidepulls, underclings etc etc.... Tempted to get back on it myself now it's cooling down.

Was a nice fresh Easterly on Sun. Kilnsey would have been brisk!

[spidermonkey09]

Try the Manc Depot for their 30 board?? Full of edges, rat crimps, duos, sidepulls, underclings etc etc.... Tempted to get back on it myself now it's cooling down.

Was a nice fresh Easterly on Sun. Kilnsey would have been brisk!

Thats the one I'm on about; I don't like it! Each to their own and all that but I just don't like those holds at all. Yeah a poor bit of forecast interpretation really on Sunday.

[mr chaz]

Power Club:

M.
T. Evening session in the shed. Warmed up and did a few easy problems on the board. Tried a slightly harder pull on a right hand crimp and... rrrrip - tearing sensation in shoulder, numbness and pain. Fucked it - clearly been doing too much too soon. Won't be climbing any time soon I think - consider this a lesson learnt.
W.
T.
F.
S.
S. Most the day landscape gardening, whilst trying not to bother RH shoulder - (clutching at straws for PC but given circumstances I'm saying it counts).

Anyone got a MTB they want rid of?

[Fiend]

Try the Manc Depot for their 30 board?? Full of edges, rat crimps, duos, sidepulls, underclings etc etc.... Tempted to get back on it myself now it's cooling down.

Was a nice fresh Easterly on Sun. Kilnsey would have been brisk!

Thats the one I'm on about; I don't like it! Each to their own and all that but I just don't like those holds at all. Yeah a poor bit of forecast interpretation really on Sunday.

Not liking it is valid, but I don't think you're correct about the hold variety! (Having re-checked my punterising videos from last year). Dunno they're in a good configuration to set a Gigantic replica tho.

[Yossarian]

M
T - Wall
W
T
F - Mini fingers session
S - Wall
S

Rejoining this, mainly because today is day 1 of my "why not put all the effort I expend complaining about being too heavy into becoming less heavy" 12 weeks / open ended diet and training extravaganza.

Mainly precipitated by going to Font a few weeks ago and trying various amazing things (but particularly Envie d'Ailes at Elephant) and thinking "you could do this without too much trouble if you pulled your finger out". Anyway, now have sufficient syke to grasp that finger and start tugging it forcefully. Around 100kg and aiming for something in the mid 80s. Fingers feel the strongest they've ever been, feel strong in general, so going to try to avoid losing as little as that as possible. Then hopefully back to France before xmas...

[Duma]

Lead Vein Thrombosis, by putting the draws in for Phil. Then got on Rake’s Progress 7a+. Worked the first 3 bolts, got the sequences sorted. Second tie in,  I linked to the 3rd bolt unexpectedly.  Luckily I had enough quickdraws and went through to the belay. Want to go back and repeat it on film. Great moves, and a great route. Very happy

Nice!

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - GM 5x5 110kg, 5x4 100kg paused. Bentover rows. Static holds.
Tue - board climbing, singles and short links. Still hot. Double volume AM session. Back work.
Wed - AM as usual; PM snatch, high pulls, static holds.
Thu - AM as usual; PM boxing bag.
Fri - AM as usual; PM paused GM 100kg, bentover rows, push press.
Sat - board climbing, links on current project. 4x AM session.
Sun - very light weights.

[duncan]

Gav 👍🏽

M -
T - Eurostar/TGV to Avignon.
W - Rivière d’Argent (6b+). Slabby greyness, unobvious moves, welcome to Verdon! Didn’t entirely trust new shoes, was needing to try a bit harder than optimum on day one, and shoulder went ‘scrunch’ on the final move of pitch three. Very painful, frigged up the final pitch one-armed with a very tight top-rope. Not a great start, not happy at all.
T - Walked the Sentier Martel, great ambience, hot work, not a rest day. Shoulder sore, not happy.
F - Took the via ferrata up to Sector Hulk (fab. views of Le Duc) and belayed H on various things. A cool spot for a hot day.
S - Mixed forecast but wanted to test my shoulder on something not too burly so got on Afin que nul ne Meure. It rained after pitch 2 which made the slabby climbing feel quite a bit harder than 6a but we, and my shoulder, made it to the top damp but in good shape.
S - La Demande (6a+? E2-ish??). I did this in 1980, but cannot remember much about it. It was 27C when we topped-out and the middle pitches were a bit hot for comfort. The chimneys were pleasantly shaded and I’m comfortable with this style so managed them without too much trouble. We ate and drank lots and took a leisurely 8 hours. Still pretty tired and sore after.

Happy to get up La Demande in reasonable style 43.5 years after my previous ascent and after minimal preparation over the summer. The recent de-equipping makes it feel much like it did in 1980. 

Injury analysis:
1. Lack of specific fitness: since the end of June I’ve done one day of roped climbing and a tiny bit of bouldering. Left hand fingerboard pick-ups might be good conditioning but are not much help on grey slabs (or chimneys).
2. 6b+ in South Devon is not the same as 6b+ in Provence.
3. Swimming is not a substitute for shoulder conditioning. 
4. Verdon is not the place to break-in new shoes.
5. Travelling is tiring in your mid 60s even when it’s as civilised as French trains. Feeling tired makes you more injury-prone. 

Plan: a rest day then something shorter than La Demande.

[jwi]

Plan: a rest day then something shorter than La Demande.

La Demande is still great, and apart from the soapiness on the first pitch, I did not find that it had suffered too much from 60 years of service.

If it still hot tomorrow, Série Limitée might be interesting? Climb in the shade until 2pm, and with a much more modern approach to grades. My better half thought the pitches were easier on SL than on the two crux pitches of Riviere d'Argent, and she's a specialist of vertical terrain. The crux pitch on SL is a bit steep though... but if your shoulder could take 3 pitches of chimneying, surely it is fine?

[Paul B]

I'm not sure that pitch would be my first choice with an achey shoulder! Generally agreed re: the grades but there are still a couple of feisty moves in the lower pitches (when you're climbing on the RH wall bit).

[Coops_13]

M: Bench press 200lb X3 *3, Chest fly, Incline chest press, Shoulder press, Diagonal raise, Svend press. 20 mins peloton

T: Wild Basin. Up to the White Noise boulder to try Campari V10, the prow/arete to R of White Noise. Harder than expected but managed to do all the moves and link first two moves (first crux). Skin letting me down a bit. Finished having a single burn on Future Nature (V8/9) which I fell off the top of in May. Fell off top again but very much too tired. Stacked crowd there with three V14/15 year old college-age crushers there!

W: Bench press 200lb X3 *3, Bulgarian split squats, Chest fly, Incline chest press, Shoulder press, Diagonal raise, Svend press. 20 mins peloton

T: 2.3mile walk. Board session

F: 2.5mile walk.

S: Area B, first snow in the high country. Sufferfest of an approach and navigation round boulders. C. 9miles of hiking, bushwhacking, talus scrambling and 1500ft ascent. Went to try Gorillas in the Mist V10, too hard and crimpy. Should have flashed Curiously Wrong V6 but went second go with a foot pop. Almost sent Curiously Strong V9, ruining skin in the process.


S: Hike to Gray's Lake. 5 miles, 1200ft ascent.

[SA Chris]

Saw photos of first snow on Parry's Peak from WP. It's coming...

[duncan]

If it still hot tomorrow, Série Limitée might be interesting? Climb in the shade until 2pm, and with a much more modern approach to grades. My better half thought the pitches were easier on SL than on the two crux pitches of Riviere d'Argent, and she's a specialist of vertical terrain. The crux pitch on SL is a bit steep though... but if your shoulder could take 3 pitches of chimneying, surely it is fine?

SL looks fab, I’d love to do something on Le Duc, and now is the season but I think it’s the route-after-next. Unfortunately tomorrow is our last day.

Chimneying done properly should be 90% on the legs and 10% pushing down, hardly using your shoulders at all. Though the Norwegian/Swedish team following us who opted to go through the narrows, rather than back-and-footing around the outside, may have a different opinion!

I think we’ll do something in the Frime/Jardin des Suisses or Heure Zéro areas which gives us an afternoon shade option if the forecast warm weather is correct.

[jwi]

I think we’ll do something in the Frime/Jardin des Suisses or Heure Zéro areas which gives us an afternoon shade option if the forecast warm weather is correct.

Heure Zéro itself is pretty amazing, but the last pitch was hard! I was pretty happy to see that my partner struggled as well. (We'd flailed our way up a hard route the day before thought, so might be wrong.)

[Steve R]

M. Rest
T. Crimp block pulls up to 57.5kg 15mm edge. few sets of pull ups
W. crimp block, up to 56.25 15mm edge.  did some board problems
T. crimp block, up to 55kg mainly to warm fingers up.  Felt good on board.  Did a project I'd set last week and had since been done and graded by someone else at 7b+ so pretty good going for me and good to be feeling more consistent on the board.  Did 3rd move of harder project in isolation again, felt a bit easier than last time which was encouraging.  Fell off on 3rd move on link a few times but getting close.
F. Optimistically headed out to Low Water Stones, NYM to check out the fantastic looking Ill Communication.  Great spot but not a very nice approach walk terrain-wise with bracken, bog, heather and hidden ankle snapper holes to contend with.  Got there eventually but unfortunately crag totally out of condition.  slightly wet rock and not drying due to high humidity.  Didn't climb anything.  Felt knackered anyway.  Good stretching session and some kettle bell floor presses and one arm military presses once back from moors.
S. Rest
S. crimp block pulls to 55kg.  Board.  Didn't feel as good as thurs but still pretty good.  Fell off 3rd move of proj on link a few times then went for some milage in the low 7s.  These felt really good.  Beer or 2 after wall and went to see The Orb performing locally!  Good fun 

[Duncan Disorderly]

Not enough sleep club...

M: Rest
T: Fingerboard - Repeaters and Core
W: Routes @ AW - AeroCap - 4 x F6a+ - F6c. Three sets with 10 mins between sets while belaying the daughter...
T: 20 miles on push iron - First ride in a while... Nice!
F: Sheaf bloc - greasy and not feeling it... Did a bit, ate chips...
S: Equinox Festival - 
S: As above - Played a storming 4hr dutty dancehall set alongside some of me best mates  - Sleep is for the weak!