[benj_d]

Has anyone got/had metolius simulator and bought a beastmaker?

How much better is it really? Are the slopers that delicious?

(Sorry if its been brought up already but search didn't flag it, and I can't be arsed to read 8 pages)

I had a metolius simulator, or should i say have. Anyone want one? 

Yeah, the beastmaker is far better. Too many unnecessary holds on the simulator. As said before the beast is much more skin friendly. I found the slopers on the simulator a bit silly, some really big rounded ones which half of my friends who dont climb can hang and then some pretty hard slopers which i had to brush like mad so i could hold them. The slopers on the beast are 20 deg, 35 deg and 45 deg i think so if your sloper strength is quite poor you can move up a level after mastering one set of slopers.

Yeah man, just found this pic. I'm ordering one!

Andrew Porter of Climb Newcastle... What made you want it from that picture... 

[Falling Down]

I'm at the 7a/7a+ end of the 7a-7c climbers that the board is aimed at and can only do hangs and repeaters on the big slots, 20 deg slopers, big pockets and a combination of the little edges/bigger edge on the bottom row.

My board is mounted in an arch at home and there's a step 2ft back that I can use to take off a little weight with my toes on both or one foot so I'm using this assistance to do hangs and repeaters on the 35 degree slopers, back 2 fingers in pockets and small edges and have noticed gains in a week on these holds.

I'm finding a stopwatch, detailed notes and sticking to the same regime really useful to gauge progress.   The board itself is brilliant and very easy on the fingers if you use it right.

I also reckon a major step forward is in the experimenting that Dan and Ned have done on different grip types and how to train.  It sounds a bit daft but based on what I've done so far I just know that I'm going to get better at climbing over the next year because of the way the board and the training is structured and that is a big motivator.

Simon - I've done a couple of hour long sessions early morning before work and then gone climbing in the evening feeling recovered.

[Krank]

Re one arm hangs talking again to Serpico it may be a weakness in the shoulder rather than the fingers that requires work. He went from struggling to one arm a first joint edge to comfortably doing it for 7 seconds following various dumbell exercises.

I have the same problem with hanging 1 armed, but i feel i should be able to do it. Do you know what shoulder exercises Serpico was doin to sort his shoulders out. Cheers

[shark]

Simon - I've done a couple of hour long sessions early morning before work and then gone climbing in the evening feeling recovered.

Effort. I can scarcely hold a cup of coffee in the morning. Double sessions are the way forward but lunch and evening for me.

[Adam Lincoln]

With regard to one armed hangs I can scarcely do them on on second joint edges

Me either, and i doubt you will find many people that would say i have weak fingers!

[a dense loner]

but when alls said and done you do have weak fingers

[Adam Lincoln]

but when alls said and done you do have weak fingers

So it seems. But least they can only get stronger with the beastmaker.

[Doylo]

i've got a big cock

[travs]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

[SA Chris]

i'm a big cock

[Serpico]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

I thought I was the only one who'd stumbled across that trick, it was a revelation for me when I first did it.

[Serpico]

i've got a big cock

Still? I'd heard it'd escaped and been run over.
Is it still popular with the hens?

[John Gillott]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

I find hanging two handed on a slightly lower hold then dynamically moving one hand into the desired hold before releasing the other hand works a treat as well at engaging the muscles. This might be a bit easier on the Metolius board mind - wider slots to jump into.

Adam: I didn't realise you'd let your shoulders wither away ;-)

[Adam Lincoln]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

Adam: I didn't realise you'd let your shoulders wither away ;-)

I thought they were pretty strong too.  ??? Still gives me something to work towards!

[mctrials23]

I'm at the 7a/7a+ end of the 7a-7c climbers that the board is aimed at and can only do hangs and repeaters on the big slots, 20 deg slopers, big pockets and a combination of the little edges/bigger edge on the bottom row.

My board is mounted in an arch at home and there's a step 2ft back that I can use to take off a little weight with my toes on both or one foot so I'm using this assistance to do hangs and repeaters on the 35 degree slopers, back 2 fingers in pockets and small edges and have noticed gains in a week on these holds.

I'm finding a stopwatch, detailed notes and sticking to the same regime really useful to gauge progress.   The board itself is brilliant and very easy on the fingers if you use it right.

I also reckon a major step forward is in the experimenting that Dan and Ned have done on different grip types and how to train.  It sounds a bit daft but based on what I've done so far I just know that I'm going to get better at climbing over the next year because of the way the board and the training is structured and that is a big motivator.

Simon - I've done a couple of hour long sessions early morning before work and then gone climbing in the evening feeling recovered.

Does this just mean that I have really really shite technique. My limit outdoors is 7a at the moment and I can do repeaters on most holds bar the 45 slopers, monos and the slopey 2 finger pockets. I can hang the 45s for a few seconds and the 35 are good for most things. I can deadhang the mono, both the deep ones and the shallower ones. What does it all mean?

[shark]

What does it all mean?

It means that fingerboarding isn't the be all and end all in climbing.

[John Gillott]

What does it all mean?

It means that fingerboarding isn't the be all and end all in climbing.

There must be loads of super slopey gritstone 7a+s to 7b+s with mctrial23's name on them. When my my crimping cousin tells me of the latest limestone horror show he's done I always ask him how he's getting on with Zippatrocity (not that I've done it) or something a bit easier but equally impossible for him. Gotta let them know which problems are the true measure measure of all things.

[Serpico]

[quote author=Krank link=topic=10876.msg200415#msg200415 date=1242287

I have the same problem with hanging 1 armed, but i feel i should be able to do it. Do you know what shoulder exercises Serpico was doin to sort his shoulders out. Cheers
[/quote]

Pullups
DB Bent over rows (arms out to side - squeezing shoulder blades together) or Hanging rows
DB Upright Rows
DB Chest press on Swiss ball or push ups on Swiss ball
DB Military press

DB = DumbBells.

[Paul B]

Do you rate Swissballs serpico?
They've always seemed like a bit of a gimmick to me in the way they're generally used. If you're doing Chest press then that should be the focus, not secondary core work?

[Krank]

Cheers Serpico, will get onto some of these tonight.

[Fultonius]

Do you rate Swissballs serpico?
They've always seemed like a bit of a gimmick to me in the way they're generally used. If you're doing Chest press then that should be the focus, not secondary core work?

I would've thought using a swissball for pushups will help to build all the shoulder stabilisation muscles? 

[Serpico]

Do you rate Swissballs serpico?
They've always seemed like a bit of a gimmick to me in the way they're generally used. If you're doing Chest press then that should be the focus, not secondary core work?

Definitely not a gimmick, just go into any hospital physio therapy dept.
If you just want to work the prime movers and get big then a Swiss ball will definitely hold you back in terms of the weight you can push, but in terms of functionality, and in particular the stabilisers, Swiss balls are excellent.
Push ups on a Swiss are excellent for the rotator cuff.
They're also really cheap and convenient.

[tobym]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

Are you able to explain this any differently, as I am having trouble trying to picture this, mind you, would struggle to hang 16.3 stone on anything

[Serpico]

There is a little trick to making one arm hangs a lot easier. If you engage the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to pull the opposite free shoulder up into a horizontal position prior to hanging the egde you should find the hang much easier. I would try this slowly though by easing the feet off the floor as it may well depend on your shoulder strength.

Are you able to explain this any differently, as I am having trouble trying to picture this, mind you, would struggle to hang 16.3 stone on anything

If me and Travs are talking about the same thing then it's like trying to reach up to a hold with your free hand. If you deadhang on your left arm your right shoulder would normally be lower than your left, reach up so that your right shoulder is at the same level as your left.

[Stubbs]

Feet or hands on the swiss ball for the pressups Serpico?  Or feet on one and hands on another