[tomtom]

Nutters.

I do push ups from the knees at the moment.. my logic being that the only reason I do press ups is to stop my elbows from exploding - so its probably more use to do 20 gentle press ups (from the knee upwards) than 10 stressful ones (from the toes)... reps vs strength etc...

[joel182]

Mon: Rest
Tue: Bouldering on new set, trying problems up to around V6, trying to keep goes limited and getting a lot of variety. ~2.5 hours
Weds: Lead session. Warm up on a couple of easier routes, then 4x4s on 6b/+s.
Thu: Rest. Tried a 20 min yoga for climbers video on YouTube and really enjoyed it.
Fri: Lead session. Warm up on a couple of easier routes, then flash/RP attempts on 6 routes from 6c-7a+. Got really pumped (flash pumped?) on the first route and it never really went away, but felt like a productive session. Mostly fell off the routes around the last bolt.
Sat: Short aero cap traversing, really lacking motivation. Did 2 sets of 15 minutes.
Sun: Rest.

[shark]

11.7 – 9

M. Eve. Afternoon. Shed messed on home board in eve
T. Noon. Tor. Icicles. Dom from Leek and mate there. Unfortunately Perverse Reverse wet. Only dry thing was Ben's so worked on start of that for first time in ages. Felt close linking first section but didnt quite do it
W. 
T.  Early afternoon. Shed. Did oak circuit 4 times with 2 mins rest just failing on last rep at end PB. Late afternoon did two sets of 20/10s = 240moves (AeroCap). Good training day.
F. Drove South to Brean Down and met up with a guy called Eric who responded to my UKC Lifts and Partners request. Was cold at the crag and a struggle to stay warm. Warmed up on a 6c then got utterly spanked on Chulilla 7b+. An onsight attempt failed after three moves. Then I struggled to dog the moves. Redpoint was out of the question. Drove on to Torquay.
S. Ansteys. Got a good mornings climbing in with Dave Turnbull doing Cocytus (6c?), How the Mighty Fall (soft 7a+) and Might and Main 6c (6c+ IMO) all repeat ascents. BMC Meeting in the afternoon.
S. Headed down with Dave again to Ansteys and traversed in to Sanctuary Wall getting soaked as tide was up. Went straight on Call to Arms E4 – a route I had followed 29 years ago !. This is steep and intimidating and given my lack of tradding was a big deal. Unfortunately I got pumped and didn’t have quite enough gear or confidence to run it out up the last 15 feet so had a rest. Pleased to have not bottled trying the lead as it would have been easy to cop out and pass the lead to Dave. After traversing back we killed an hour on the Lynch (7b+) something I’d redpointed 22 years ago. At the time I really struggled on the bottom moves but this time I flashed that bit which was gratifying. Tried a redpoint but fell off on the crux going past the third bolt.

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..       

[Schnell]

STG: get and stay fit for Font at easter, 7B in the forest is the objective
MTG: I'm a short term thinker, get a van maybe

M. shoulder stability work, weighted reverse flies etc. eve Indoor sesh, have a set FB routine going involving 4x5sec hangs with 10 sec rest between, ie strength oriented repeaters. did this for half crimp, 3-finger crimp (minus middle finger), back two and BM 45's. also did a bit of campusing and bouldering
T. shoulders, tired enduro session, did an hour on the circuit board. this is basically trying to build training capacity and a bit of aerobic fitness
W. shoulders
T. indoors similar to M. got through FB and campusing and felt fit. shoulder session
F. home late but got a bit of shoulder stuff done.
S, S. first Fair head bouldering weekend of the new year, great trip given variable weather. did three new 7As, one techy, one board-style (and soft) and one long thrutchy traverse. satisfying to be getting to the point of a 7A(s) being achievable in a session.

good week. I did some hard crimping at the head and the finger held up ok though it's feeling a bit tender now. Good to put the fitness to the test and get some stuff done outdoors. Back to the get fit for Font campaign for the next few weeks.

[Sasquatch]

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..     

Good Luck!

[Sasquatch]

Tues - Indoor hard session, warmed up, selected a couple of 6B+/C problems and just worked them for 3h, taking decent breaks between attempts. This was a revelation, I would normally have moved onto something else after a few goes. Didn't finish anything, but worked through a lot of different sequenced, left very happy, even though I didn't top anything, I love to finish them next week now I have my sequences worked, we'll see.

 
I find this to be one of the most important and underrated aspects of hard bouldering.  There's a tendency amongst some people to get stuck into a sequence, but if you hit a stopper move, try anything you can think of, then try anything your partner can think of.  You may have been right the first time, but you'll spend a fair bit of time learning new movement options and motor patterns.  And if you were right, you can make that move with the confidence that there is not an easier way and you just have to give it your all.  Plus you train your body to respond effectively to hard moves. 

[Sasquatch]

S- kids wanted to go to wall so hand was forced - Red & pinkles circuits at mini works plus a few others so 50 mostly grade 4 to 5+ problems in 1:30. Just volume really, not bouldering, not Aerocap, probably not helpful.

As long as it doesn't F&*% up your main trainng goals, there's always something to be said for a volume of climbing, if nothing else to help traing motor patterns and movement. 

[Sasquatch]

So after the thread I posted for advice, I had a lot to think about even if I couldn't get much done this week. Booked a couple of afternoons with John Kettle in a couple of weeks time - movement based, I think maybe today on the last problem I realised where I've been going wrong and it is a movement/positioning issue. It'll be interesting to see what he thinks.
Soaked up all the info that came from last week's Power Club and realised that I do need rest days to get strong - that and make sure there is maximal effort every session. Which is why I threw myself into the pressups - jeez, the pain was immense on the last few but a definite YYFY moment. Cheers everyone, Sas maybe for taking the lead but I have no excuses now, everything is in place; no half measures.

The sun shone today, the rock was good and I climbed like crap but it didn't matter - I was out there, smiling, trying, learning and my fingers hurt like I did a BM session.

Good Luck with the coaching.  Hope it goes well!

And there's nothing quite like a sunny crisp day of bouldering, even if all you do if flail

[kelvin]

Great week even if I got spanked repeatedly. Heading up to Malham tomorrow, Word is the Oak is dry..     

How much is a session with a dominatrix up your way Shark?

*hope it goes well

[Sasquatch]

Sat: slightly better, surprisingly managed a good fingerboard session. Finally notched up a 10 second crimp on the lower bm rungs with 20 Kg added, which matches my personal best. Also 5 secs on back3 open handed in the big slots also with 20 Kg; a new personal best. Finished work on my campus board and did a couple of tentative ladder moves.

Congrats! 

M: Indoors
T: Indoors
W:
T: Sissy. Bunch of stuff up to V4. Got back on Rebel Scum V7. Only 4 moves but I can't link the 2nd into the 3rd. Only ever stuck the 2nd move twice. Bunch of pads and spotters tonight so got on a big dyno that I've had my eye on for a few years; Not For Sissies V9. Big steep and high dyno with not a great landing... I have to jump to the start hold then its a big jump (close to 7ft haven't measured it) out the 35-40 degree wall to a sloper with a small lip.  Very, very close. Took a bunch of good falls including kicking a spotter in the face and face planting into the pads, fucking my face, neck, back and lungs.... So fucking close though! Got back on it a bunch after the bad fall. Should go next time there's enough pads. Didn't feel V9 though. Maybe V7/8.
F: Indoors. Dyno session.
S: Indoors.
S: Indoors.

Every indoor session finishes with finger boarding for about half hour. Middle finger on right hand is feeling off at the moment. For some reason, its stopping me half crimping properly with my right index. During dead hangs, it won't stay in half crimp and goes into chisel. Really annoying.
Left wrist is still playing up, so still no push ups.

So you just did 5 out of 6 days on, including 5 days of FBing and "for some reason" your fingers aren't playing the way you want... 

[kelvin]

Good Luck with the coaching.  Hope it goes well!

And there's nothing quite like a sunny crisp day of bouldering, even if all you do if flail

Cheers Sas, I did a count up of what everyone said and it was 1 vote for core work, 3 votes each for boulder hard, get a bar for pullups, rope sessions, general conditioning, try harder stuff and also stay injury free - coaching had 6 votes. So took the advice.
Really feel like I had a breakthrough yesterday however, my mate watched me like a hawk and couldn't see what was going wrong until after about 15 goes or so. I mentioned my right middle two were getting sore from crimping and he looked puzzled "I don't hold on with my right hand at all, just balance." Quick think, get back on, transferring all my power to my left hand before moving the right - ticked the thing straight away. It just felt way more solid, used less energy and effort and it worked. I think I've been making a basic stupid mistake all along and the reason I do okay on slabs is purely down to getting away with it. Transferring wight to one leg seems natural but for me, I don't think I've been doing that with my hands and that's made everything just way harder than it needs to be, makes me think I'm weak (I am anyway but still...) and basically held me back for yonks. Maybe. We'll see. I'm optimistic.

[Sasquatch]

Give this thread a good read through prior to your session (even though you've read it and were engaged), and again - Good Luck!

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,24894.25.html

[nai]

Just tried the explosive pullups suggestion from last week.

Pullups yes, explosive No.

Couldn't really do it on my bar as it's a bit neat inside the door frame so tried:

jugs on the board but not a chance;
touches on jugs on the campus board which was ok;
foot on using jugs on CB, probably too easy but ok other than missing holds on the recatch;
foot on using jugs on steep board - hard enough to initiate the movement, no chance of making the catch.

So not great but it is October since I was doing any type of hard climbing and August since I did any steep dynamic board problems. I may have mentioned I've been injured recently too, so maybe not surprising I'm a little short on pulling power.

[erm, sam]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

[Sasquatch]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Indeed, this can work well.  I will also just do deep pullups (think doing a pullup to your chest, preferably down below your nips) as they require more explosiveness.

[tomtom]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Can you slap the wall/doorframe with the hand? Might give you a good indicator of how far you can go etc..?

[Muenchener]

I have a pull up bar in a doorway and my version of explosive pullups is to pull up quickly and high enough to take one hand off briefly and then repeat for the other hand. Feels pretty explosive by my standards but is not quite Jan Hoyer territory..

Indeed, this can work well.  I will also just do deep pullups (think doing a pullup to your chest, preferably down below your nips) as they require more explosiveness.

I'm doing a mix of both at the moment, but I definitely do't go as high on the hands-off-the-bar version

[Sasquatch]

Also, IIIRC, you are currently doing more of a FB cycle, and will be doing campusing soon.  This is more to give you a starting primer for the campusing rather than a major part of your workout. 

[andy_e]

Absolutely no idea how I'll fare...

1:06, just like the first guy in the video to drop out! Absolutely brutal!

[cheque]

Absolutely no idea how I'll fare...

1:06, just like the first guy in the video to drop out! Absolutely brutal!

I read that just when I was about to try it again! Did 2:03 this time. The crux is definitely pushing back up after the longer gaps.

Yet more proof that ability on training feats isn't necessarily related to max. climbing grade!

[andy_e]

Yeah, that's where I failed, held the plank with some powershakes but as soon as the second chorus kicked in I bailed!

[Will Hunt]

STG:
- Arrive in Font injury free (early April)
- 3 sessions of climbing related training per week

Medium term goals:
- 7C+ in my style (Curious Yellow/Heaven in your Hands?)
- Consistent 7B+ in the anti-style (I suspect steep and strenuous stuff)
- 7C in the anti-style

Long term goals:
- 8A


M -
T -
W - 30 mins fingerboard sesh. Didn't really feel as good as the last one. Still trying to figure out where I am with the grips
T -
F - Lantern session at Caley. Quite poor conditions. STILL haven't done Ben's Groove - I'm certain that its just a case of trying this in decent conditions. Basically did all the moves on it but there was nowhere in the top crease that wasn't gunged. Secret Seventh not in good condition either.
S -
S - Brandrith. Did a great 7A+ (Gentlebeards) and had a session on Heaven In Your Hands which is fantastic. It looks pish in all the videos, then you realise that it's slightly overhanging! Might benefit from a new pair of shoes on this, boot rubber was peeling slightly on little toe smears. Also, didn't take too many goes before I felt fucked in the left arm which wasn't helping with the move out right to the crimp. Not sure whether this was cold induced or a PE thing.

[nik at work]

STG - Trad projects
MTG - 8c and age related flim-flam
LTG - 9a
BHAG - Bruderliebe

M - T- can't fully remember what on what day but did a couple of BM sessions.
F - day off work. Supposed to be sea kayaking but wife ill so instead went out "climbing" which was mostly messing on ropes trying to get onto a project line and clean it. Finally managed to rig up a system of tensioned ropes and such like that let me get close-ish to the rock (it's steep and gearless) and had an initial clean up, then time to go home.
S - Cleaning and working project line.
S - Cleaning and working project line.

Not a bad week, have been ill with a nasty cold/chest infection type thing all week so good to do anything and had a couple of lovely days out on the rock at the weekend. Turned 40 on Sunday so time to start working through some of the "I'm 40" targets I guess. New project line has got me pretty inspired. It's about 10m high and over hangs 5m. Small holds, aggressive landing and no gear for the first half (which is also the crux). Feels very similar in difficulty to the 8c's I was trying in Margalef last year. 3-4 slappy moves to start, then a very hard slap to a very poor RH crimp (hit but not held), adjust LH, then bump again with RH (not done), then a sequnce of 5 moves all of which are desperate (have done with assistance, to quote Doug "You've done them if you weigh 7 stone...") then gear then 4 more hard pulls (done), a couple of OK friends then steady to the top. Should be good training for sport aspirations even if I never get it done. SYKED

[Dolly]

M Pilates
T Foundry lunchtime. Good productive fun sess with the legend that is Keith
W Gym core and weights
T Did 10 easy routes top roping at the gym
F Did 12/13 of the FIBO problems at lunchtime. All class. Bit worries that I'd done too much as I was battered
S Walked back from the match really really quickly
S Secret Garden. Left Hand Man was the aim and got close to getting through the hard bit before my skin and body gave up. Will go next time. Smart problem. Surely its better than Dick Wiliams ?

[nai]

S Walked back from the match really really quickly

Was that because of the reputation of the opposition fans or the cold?

S Left Hand Man. Smart problem. Surely its better than Dick Wiliams ?

I thought that when I did it, horses for courses though - DW more strenuous & sustained, LHM more techy and over a bit sooner?