[Yossarian]

So this is the time of year when those of us who've been either preoccupied or just plain lazy all year decide to pull our fingers out and start training in some vaguely organised fashion.  And i expect that those of you who have been climbing hard things all year will also be winding things up a bit.

So what are your winter training plans?  Will you be sticking to the usual?  Or experimenting with green tea and pilates? Or even lifting big boulders with your bare hands?

Personally, I am planning to lift a lot of weights in the newly decorated training facility at Yossarian Towers.  Despite having a full-functional sawmill at my disposal I have still not yet managed to get all the timber cut for my woodie, but no doubt that will get a lot of attention when it's finally finished.  I have also been experimenting with the Si O'Connor boulder tossing routine, albeit with the nearest equivalent in my garden - a very large pumpkin.  I have not experienced any massive strength or co-ordination gains yet, but I fully confident my dedication will pay off in the end.

[BoulderHog]

Its gonna be the holy trinity - campus board, one armers and weight belts. Plus the other holy trinity - system board, steep board and very steep board.
At the end of it all, I'll be as strong as if I had just been bouldering everyday and enjoyed it, but with less technique  :?

[tommytwotone]

For me, it's gonna be lots of sessions at Mile End which I'm warming to a bit now.

Considering I've been bouldering for about 6 years it's the first time I've done any campus board stuff, which I'm hoping will make me strong for my return to the Peak, and a trip to Font very, very soon I hope.

As ever, I keep thinking that I should really watch the diet, booze, do more cardio stuff to keep fit...will it last? Doubt it!

[Bonjoy]

As ever, I keep thinking that I should really watch the diet, booze, do more cardio stuff to keep fit...will it last? Doubt it!

 I thought you Londoners lived on a strict diet of charlie, champagne and the occasional Lark's tongue sashimi to stave off the cramps :wink: .

[tommytwotone]

as my London wages ain't kicked in, that's a long way off!

more like pancetta and mozerella ciabattas with a skinny frappa-mocha-chino down here...

... and that's southern for a ham and cheese cob wi'a cup o coffee in case y'all were wondering...

[Yossarian]

sounds like you need a dose of pie and mash...

[Jim]

1. get campus board built in garden
2. go on ladder 3 times a week at least
3. ocasional session on woddy once a week at least
4. go climbing outside at every opportunity
5. cut down on pie and mash

[saltbeef]

jim, i reckon the woody will improve your climbing more than ladders, as malc said its all fingers, fingers fingers if you can do one armers you're probably strong enough in the arms. and yeah get that campus board built.

[Jonboy]

Visiting (untill I move...soon  hopefuly) some place where there is bouldering good enough to have a bouldering guide book to the area.  :mrgreen:

[Bonjoy]

jim, i reckon the woody will improve your climbing more than ladders, as malc said its all fingers, fingers fingers if you can do one armers you're probably strong enough in the arms. and yeah get that campus board built.

 The man's has a point jim, you already have arms like boiled hams. Think fingers, body tension and flexibility. Front levers are your friend.

[dave]

yeah ditto - sorry to have to break a few home truths here, but firstly I don't think arm strength is likely to be jim's limiting factor, you've not exactly got heroin arms jim! Secondly isn't any training regime you start now unlikely to give you any tangiable gains until gone winter? They always say it takes months for lasting gains to be made. Might be better off training for next spring/summer right now.

[saltbeef]

front levers good yar! but remeber, active body tension is far more specific, i can do front levers but you need to be able to move your feet around on steep stuff. As for me I'm gonna get me some crimping fingers...

[Yossarian]

yeah ditto - sorry to have to break a few home truths here, but firstly I don't think arm strength is likely to be jim's limiting factor, you've not exactly got heroin arms jim! Secondly isn't any training regime you start now unlikely to give you any tangiable gains until gone winter? They always say it takes months for lasting gains to be made. Might be better off training for next spring/summer right now.

i suppose it depends how fit/crap you are now... even so, i reckon that 2 -3 months of targeted training would make a significant difference to anyone.  i guess it's all about targeting your weak points, sticking to your plans and taking it seriously enough.  and the stronger you are, the harder it is to come up with a plan that'll make a noticable improvment in ability.

i am rapidly tiring of my pumpkin routine.  i think i might exchange it for a big boulder after all...

[Bonjoy]

front levers good yar! but remeber, active body tension is far more specific, i can do front levers but you need to be able to move your feet around on steep stuff. As for me I'm gonna get me some crimping fingers...

 Whenever i've been arsed enough to do a bit of body tension training in the past i've used bicycle kicks as well as straight front lever. With these you are in a front lever position but you alternately kick out each leg as far as you can then bring knee up to chest, as if pedalling a bike. These work active tension and can be held for longer than front levers. Try them, they are proper gut busting.

[Paz]

1)  Cheddar's open.  
2)  Sunset Buttress has been regeared.

[saltbeef]

they sound good. them bicycle kick things. will try and get some abs. my main goals this winter is 1 4 7 on the campus board, did 146.5 at the foundry other day so thts not too far off, and get the ability to hold small holds, ie one arm dead hangs, and  2 finger hangs and shit like that, then give the krankenjura a shock when i go when i qualify... oh and maybe buoux at easter...

[Jim]

I've been on board most of the summer since the woody was built. wanna go on the ladder mainly for lock off strength. main goal really is to get out climbing a lot and (try to) get some big ticks

[saltbeef]

bigger than swiss 7c+?! not possible!!!

[Falling Down]

Mix the endurance with the power y'all - it worked a treat for me over last winter and earlier this year.. 2 weeks power on the fingerboard, weights and bouldering and then 3 weeks endurance doing circuits and routes at the wall.. repeat ad infinitum and climb outside whenever possible.

It gave me loads more stamina for repeated attempts at boulder problems and any niggles and looming injuries cleared up during the endurance phase.

This winter I'll be doing much of the same with maybe a little more fingerboard and weights vs. indoor bouldering and more structure when doing routes and circuits...

[a dense loner]

bigger than swiss 7c+?! not possible!!!

what about rockland's 8a???

1. get campus board built in garden

is my work ever finished :roll:

[a dense loner]

oh forgot. join jim in the never ending pursuit of something we're not going to find. tho i could possibly take over his pie n mash portions

[saltbeef]

bigger than swiss 7c+?! not possible!!!

what about rockland's 8a???

 surely these are the same thing?!
if you wanna see a pic online go to www.flickr.com/photos/dose
I'm on the rocklands bit.
ps I'll come over to manc when you've built the campus board!

[a dense loner]

i see you've still not learnt to breathe on probs :wink:

looks good

you will hate buoux

[saltbeef]

why will i hate buoux? are there shoe thieves? Is it the brummy accent? the impressions of stevo mcrimptizzle falling off brad pit. Or will i get scared climbing above bolts?!

[Bonjoy]

I enjoyed Buoux (the place), but it is true what they say about everything being hard for the grade and most of the routes involving a runout pollished slab on slopers to finish.