[underground]

Yep, I'm going bouldering again after a 7 year layoff going caving and having kids... I'm a bit chubby and weak as a kitten, so apart from stretching well and warming up lots and doing plenty of easy stuff, has anyone got any obvious or less obvious nuggets of info they can lay on me so I don't wreck myself and hence enjoy the experience?

[Jaspersharpe]

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,9556.msg155761.html#msg155761

Good luck and enjoy.

[meatball]

i'd just climb loads of easy stuff to get a bit of flow back.
If you feel like doing something more specific, i'd work on core strength and some pull ups/push upt etc. guess just enjoying yourself is the real important bit...

[fatboySlimfast]

Fukin 'ell whats prompted this...........!
Top tips Jimmy lad
start small, start slowly and build up. Dont be dis-heartened at the start and dont assume after one session you will be back up to where you were when you left. One thing I notice is how weak your core becomes from not climbing so just build up and its suprising where you can get to if you put some effort in regularly.
Get your sen out wit the woodseats crew as well, I am dropping the biking off a bit now and climbing a bit more.

[Blunk]

Word to the wise, don't get back on stuff you used to be uber-familiar with. It's disheartening to flail on things you used to hike. 

[(woz)]

Dont be a wimp. Start with some weighted plyometrics (10kgs, 10 sets of 90), mix it up a little with burpees and squat thrusts, then top it off with a raw egg washed down with some 'roids.



Also, listen to Blunk. Avoid anything you have climbed before, push through the first couple of (depressing) sessions, and you should find that you get quicker gains than you did the first time round. Which will be nice. Personally I wouldnt consciously stick to easy stuff, just keep trying new problems, and have fun.

[Sloper]

Another vote for avoiding your old 'standard problems',

Ohh and I can recommend a power ball, a diet and some free weights.

[nik at work]

Agree with avoid things previously cruised.

Get comfy boots.

[underground]

Thanks for the advice folks - the bit about not trying old standards I will keep at the forefront, cos I got the old guidebooks out the other day and started looking at Crescent Arete, looked at the little wall at Burbage on Sunday etc etc.

No chance!

Fukin 'ell whats prompted this...........!
Top tips Jimmy lad
start small, start slowly and build up. Dont be dis-heartened at the start and dont assume after one session you will be back up to where you were when you left. One thing I notice is how weak your core becomes from not climbing so just build up and its suprising where you can get to if you put some effort in regularly.
Get your sen out wit the woodseats crew as well, I am dropping the biking off a bit now and climbing a bit more.

Luce, I just realised how much I loved climbing once upon a time! Been taking the little gyal for walks at ludicrously early hours with Archie on me back, and she seemed to like romping up boulders, so we had a Climbing Works sesh on Sunday afternoon, and she's the next Destivelle I tell thee 

Best bit was when she said - 'Daddy, why have those men got no shirts on?' and next minute she's wearing nowt but the shorts and 5.10 PE plimsolls from Sainsburys, crushing on the kid's wall like a scene out of One Summer....

And I was just climbing a few moves behind so she could top out so to speak.... thinking 'yeah!'.... 

Be out with Woodseats crew soon, been too long!

[lagerstarfish]

Best bit was when she said - 'Daddy, why have those men got no shirts on?' and next minute she's wearing nowt but the shorts and 5.10 PE plimsolls from Sainsburys, crushing on the kid's wall like a scene out of One Summer....

And I was just climbing a few moves behind so she could top out so to speak.... thinking 'yeah!'.... 

I know exactly what you mean. Watching my own daughter really enjoying a bit of bouldering produces a whole heap of good feelings. I made a film of Lagers Jr bouldering, catching lizards etc in Font and watch it when I want to make the world feel like a better place.
Inspiring things, kids 

[nik at work]

Kids rock, still makes me smile to think of my son climbing ladders before he could walk. Especially the little victory dance he did when he got to the top, just like his dad.....

Was going to add "have fun" to the top tips, but sounds like you're already doing that.

[cowboyhat]

has anyone got any less obvious nuggets of info they can lay on me so I don't wreck myself and hence enjoy the experience?

Open a bottle of red wine, sit down at the computer, bash out a 'blog' (that is what it is called now), give it a catchy title, something like The Alcoholic Bouldering Diaries, etc.

[underground]

Char, f**k off.

[Falling Down]

Jim... this might seem an odd suggestion but go and do some easy routes. Getting the movement back is much more important than anything else at this stage.  Doing routes gets that flow going, it's very absorbing and you get a real sense of accomplishment and a feel for what climbing can do for your. Just a thought... it works for me after a layoff.

[Jaspersharpe]

Ha ha ha. This depends entirely on fitness and can be rather demoralising if you have none! When I'd got to the stage of being pretty solid on 7A problems, I went to The Foundry and just about struggled my way up a 6a+ in The Furnace before being spanked by a 6c. The moves were piss but I got totally pumped and couldn't recover. Probably didn't help that I found leading terrifying too. 

[webbo]

i too had about a seven year lay off.i only really got back in to climbing because my daughter wanted to go to the wall.i would belay her up 3 or 4 routes then boulder  for 30 mins the repeat till one or both us got knackered.
what i found really useful to get my strength back was a steep board with lots of holds.i would do problems with specific hand holds and any foot holds.then gradually reduce what i used for my feet,this seemed to get me back to a reasonable level of strength fairly quickly.
the only trouble is is i've not got much stronger since.   

[cowboyhat]

Chillax out Jim, welcome back.

[saltbeef]

reckon falling down meant outside. I reckon at this point easy volume is what is called for.

[fatdoc]

Jim


fuckin good effort


I & my boys are at the works 10 a.m sharp every sat.. we leave at 12:30 (other activities mean a strict time table is employed)

we usually go out on sunday afternoon.... I have the first 3 weeks in august off & will spend 2 of them in the peak bouldering en famille


txt me. (i've lost yr number)


BTW, i have a large steep punter board in the garage, though in this weather it's too hot



do it bitch

[tomtom]

I started climbing again about 2 years ago after a 6-7 year lay off (well went about 5 times in those years)...
I quickly realised that I was no where near anything I used to do, so almost started again - working the easy problems and things soon came back. After a year I was better than I ever was. Strength came back fairly fast (most of it!) especially finger strength which is now better than ever. The best part is because I wasnt (& prob still am) not as strong as I was years ago, I started using my feet much much more, and thinking about how I was climbing. The result is my technique is now 10 times better than it was when I was a strength reliant lanky lightweight youth! I now find climbing much more satisfying, as I'm loving the unpicking the puzzle part of it rather than the try and conquer problems by doing a one armer part.. if that makes sense.
I'd just take it as it comes, and avoid training/campus stuff - too much too soon I recon.
Just go out, boulder lots & enjoy!
T

[Falling Down]

reckon falling down meant outside.

That I did.. Severe's and stuff. Lot's of 'em and multi-pitch. It gets that upward momentum thing going.

[fatdoc]

Good advice. Personally I'm stoked to have one of my mates back in the fold. Good times ahead!

[Houdini]

Ha ha to this thread.

I'm nearly one year into my 7 year lay-off:  and feelin' goood.   

[underground]

Thanks for all the decent responses folks... I reckon I'll just go climbing and see what happens.. better buy a harness if I'm going to be tying on though...

[fatdoc]

Works at 10 on saturday dude?