[Three Nine]

Ok so I had a session - here's my opinion. The chaps at the Foundry have made an effort to listen to what people wanted, however I  think they missed the point a bit.

Quite a few (not just me and abarro) wanted to be able to train strength on pockets. They bought about 5 new pockets, these are all jugs - no potential for training strength on them. They also took 5 pockets off the lead wall and stuck them on. These are also jugs and no good for training strength. They also took the only two existing bleaustone pockets (which ARE good holds!) and made them into sidepulls which hugely reduces their usefulness.

All they had to do was to buy two or three packets of bleaustone pockets (which they sell in crag x!) and stick them on willy nilly.

Far too many jugs. This will encourage people who aren't interested in training to piss around on the board in between routes, messing up my intervals.

Rob made some very good wooden edges - but Foundry climbers don't lack edges to train on!

So after the initial excitement I feel a bit deflated; im still going to have to go to the works on a regular basis to visit the motherboard. Hrmph.

[Plattsy]

Don't use all the jug. Just the bit you want.

[Three Nine]

Dont be silly.

[Stubbs]

Two finger drag the edges?  Two finger campussing?  Pull ups on the Beastmaker pockets?

[Dolly]

That's a very specific requirement/basis for criticism IMO.
Surely there are plenty of others (possibly more) who aren't bothered about pockets ?

[Three Nine]

Only gays.

[TobyD]

Only gays.

blimey, i thought you wanted pockets though.

if you are that specifically orientated why not use a beastmaker in combo with the board?

[Three Nine]

I do, I do. But there is no substitute for actually climbing on pockets. Plus, i wont be able to get near the BM as you'll have taken up residence on it!

[abarro81]

I'm with Mark on this. So is Paul Reeve, but apparently owning half the wall doesn't actually give you much power over this stuff - anyone who agrees with wanting more pockets: talk to (or email) Bentley.

Don't use all the jug. Just the bit you want.

That's the most stupid thing I've heard in the training forum on here for a long time.

Two finger campussing?  Pull ups on the Beastmaker pockets?

if you are that specifically orientated why not use a beastmaker in combo with the board?

The point, from my point of view, of wanting the reset of the board was to be able to train open handed on a wall rather than just a fingerboard. If I knew that the reset wouldn't achieve that then I would probably have voted for no change. The deal is still basically that if you want to do a session on pockets you have to go to the works. Dragging edges is not the same IMO.

For those wondering why I would want to be able to spend a session on pockets:
1. Wait until you get a pulley injury, then you'll quickly understand
2. Being able to spend a session on pockets when you have creaky pulleys can help avoid #1
3. Europe
4. Crimping and half crimping gets boring

There's plenty of crimping and half crimping available on the wave, and would still be plenty on the board if 10-15 more pockets went on there replacing some of the new jugs and some of the edges. In fact you don't need to replace any edges if you make wooden pockets with edges/pinches incorporated, a la the motherboard. I don't get any reason not to do that.  Paul Reeve even told me he'd pay for new pockets for the board the other day. No reason not to tweak it whilst it's still new.

[Three Nine]

I hate agreeing with that cock Barrows, but he does know his shit when it comes to training. In fact, as far as Foundry regulars are concerned, I would suggest he is the most on the money with his training. If this sounds like praise, think of it as another way of saying he is almost certainly the least talented 8c+ climber in the country.

[joe cook]

I hate agreeing with that cock Barrows, but he does know his shit when it comes to training

for spanish stamina routes. Not everyone wants to train for these. Short routes with powerful moves and small holds are not well catered for on a board full of pockets and jugs. They are very well catered for on the current board, and there are a fair few routes of that type around here! Not everyone can hop on a plane/ spend half of every year abroad, and not everyone wants to. There might even be a boulderer or two who use the board!

Also, the foundry has to try to cater to a very wide range of abilities and tastes. The fact that they have not put their time and money into designing you your own personal training facility does not make it shit or badly designed.

Far too many jugs. This will encourage people who aren't interested in training to piss around on the board in between routes, messing up my intervals.

 poor you. moron.

For those wondering why I would want to be able to spend a session on pockets:
1. Wait until you get a pulley injury, then you'll quickly understand should have trained your crimps more
2. Being able to spend a session on pockets when you have creaky pulleys can help avoid #1  see above
3. Europe the only place in the world
4. Crimping and half crimping gets boring so do pockets

[shark]

Its only because they are going to Margalef at xmas.

Far too many jugs. This will encourage people who aren't interested in training to piss around on the board in between routes, messing up my intervals.

poor you. moron.

Love it. One PhD calling the other a moron.

 

[Three Nine]

You surprise me Joe! You looks like you didn't even read my post? The Foundry isn't some sacred thing you can't criticize so steady on!

The pockets that have been put on are jugs, that's the problem.

And Simon, I don't have a PhD. I have a D.Phil. That's cos its from a proper university. Not the northern poly that Barrows and Joe  go to/went to.

[abarro81]

Short routes with powerful moves and small holds are not well catered for on a board full of pockets and jugs.

1. I don't want more jugs, I want less. Many of the new pockets are shit because they're jugs - we're agreeing on this one.
2. Pockets can cater for 'short routes with powerful moves' just as well as edges. In fact I'd argue pockets can often produce more powerful moves as they're generally harder to flick to than edges. In addition, just ask Stu why he thinks he could do the Evo crux moves this year but couldn't last year - he attributes it to gains from training front 2 open.

There might even be a boulderer or two who use the board!

I mainly want the pockets to boulder on, not necessarily for circuits. Go figure.

For those wondering why I would want to be able to spend a session on pockets:
1. Wait until you get a pulley injury, then you'll quickly understand should have trained your crimps more
2. Being able to spend a session on pockets when you have creaky pulleys can help avoid #1  see above
3. Europe the only place in the world
4. Crimping and half crimping gets boring so do pockets

1. Endless crimping does not protect you from crimp injuries. It's not just me that thinks that - see Dave Mac etc. See Steve Mac for the first 6 months of the year for a demo of this. (2: Training crimps on aggravated pulleys is good for injury prevention?? Are you on crack? I see no way that that's likely to be the case. Same applies to training pockets when you have open handed tweaks obviously - it's a shit idea.) Yes, you need to crimp a fair bit or you'll be susceptible when you do bone down, but given the predominance of that grip type on British lime, lots of half crimps and crimps on the wave, and plenty on the board, I think there's plenty of room for, say, 10 more pockets on there.

[shark]

I don't have a PhD. I have a D.Phil. That's cos its from a proper university. Not the northern poly that Barrows and Joe  go to/went to.

Pair of thickos - they won't have a clue about how many angels can dance in a two finger pocket.

[Three Nine]

Oh also, neither Barrows nor I said it was shit. I'm critical because I want to see the facility improved. I've emailed Neil with my thoughts. They'll either be taken on board or ignored, simple as that.

Neil asked us what we wanted (and for my part) we didn't really get it. It doesn't mean i've got some beef with anyone!

(edited cos i cant spell)

[Three Nine]

 

I don't have a PhD. I have a D.Phil. That's cos its from a proper university. Not the northern poly that Barrows and Joe  go to/went to.

Pair of thickos - they won't have a clue about how many angels can dance in a two finger pocket.

[Three Nine]

and for fuck's sake Barrows. How many times? FEWER jugs. Less crap English.

[joe cook]

ok ok, sorry if my post was a bit confrontational. There's the inevitable "something happened, who's going to get online first to say its shit" race, and I wanted to point out that you are not the only people who use the facility, and there are a lot of people who are really happy with the new set - unfortunately they don't spray quite as prolifically on the internet.

peace etc!


 
 

[Three Nine]

haha its all good.

I suppose i'm just keen to be vocal now, because - like routes and problems on the wave - there is usually a window of a week or so for a bit of tweaking by Rob before people put time into stuff. I am just keen not to miss this window!

For what its worth, I thought the new wooden edges Rob made are excellent.

[a dense loner]

Train on pockets on the motherboard? God, foundry mustn't ave any.

However good to see supposedly educated men calling each other morons.

No one says fuckin peace any more.

[mrjonathanr]

1. I don't want more jugs, I want less.

No, you want fewer.

[Wood FT]

Re: Lurch and Dr.dre

I for one am happy they listened to my opninion (emailed 7 times under assumed names) for juggy pockets. Though a jamming crack up the middle has been left out of the new design, so, I too feel your pain.

  - I've got a decent board in storage at my dad's place, find a a spot for it and its yours. Same spec as the moon board design.

[webbo]

Guy
 
who built your board. Was it Rambo or Lee.

Foundry Wasn't that a 1980s training venue.
 

[Three Nine]

Re: Lurch and Dr.dre

I for one am happy they listened to my opninion (emailed 7 times under assumed names) for juggy pockets. Though a jamming crack up the middle has been left out of the new design, so, I too feel your pain.

  - I've got a decent board in storage at my dad's place, find a a spot for it and its yours. Same spec as the moon board design.

Can i have the holds for my board at home?