[shark]

If you're not going climbing today, Shark, why not come back to the UK and shit at my desk for me and I'll go out there and carpe diem for you.

Sure - I'd be happy to curl one out on your keyboard

[tomtom]

I was exhausted just reading that Shark. It sounds like you were running around like a headless chicken. On trips away to new venues there are probably two broad strategies: focus, or drop your grade - it sounds like you didn't really do either, with the predictable result that you just got more and more battered. Sounds like there were some poor problem choices too.

You are so right. I wanted to go with the the flow on this trip and just enjoy the climbing and take things as they came but in hindsight that was a mistake as the reality was that it meant I was trying and failing to keep pace with two climbers who proved to be significantly fitter and stronger.

Hopefully I will come away having banked some fitness/capacity/depth which the last few days has shown I'm lacking.   

I wouldn't read to much into it. How much bouldering have you done out side the UK, or even away from Burbage, Anston & Tor? There's more to success on a trip then just being strong and fit. It's a complex mental and tactical game.

I recall a few frustrating trips like yours when I first got into bouldering but after many bouldering trips i tend to do better now.

Exactly and at the very least Shark its all miles and a fun time away from dreary old breixit infested Britain.

I think it takes different people different times to ‘acclimatise’ to different rock types. I know I’m slow - and (for example) it takes me a good few sessions to get my grit feel (whatever that is!) back at the beginning of the season. Or if I go to granite, or sandstone. Each one takes a bit to transition into. I guess if you transition more often than me (!!) then you adjust quicker....

[spidermonkey09]

[quote author=highrepute link=topic=29878.msg578760#msg578760 date=1549878467

I wouldn't read to much into it. How much bouldering have you done out side the UK, or even away from Burbage, Anston & Tor? There's more to success on a trip then just being strong and fit. It's a complex mental and tactical game.

I recall a few frustrating trips like yours when I first got into bouldering but after many bouldering trips i tend to do better now.
[/quote]

I got spanked when I went to font last year having presumed I'd be fine on 7a's having got loads done on the grit that season. I got one done all week, and it felt like the living end. Definitely a lesson to drop the grade in future! Style is so important, and as TT said it might have taken 3 days to get into the swing of it, by which point you're knackered.

[Fiend]

If you're not going climbing today, Shark, why not come back to the UK and shit at my desk for me and I'll go out there and carpe diem for you.

Sure - I'd be happy to curl one out on your keyboard

We wouldn't tell the difference to his normal posting

Well, okay, apart from that very sage advice in the previous page which was lovely.

[Duma]

Goals: Uninjured, 70kg, 8A in UK, Rocklands in June.

M - UCR, working sections on the mint circuit. Just about got it in three by the end but still mostly a bouldering session. 40 PU

T -  TCA, max hangs 6 x 10s +25 kg felt harder than last week but scraped through, think yesterdays session compromised this a bit. Failed on white on front a few times in desultory fashion, then better attempts on the moonboard (Poetry not Training) new high point not quite holding the move to the finish. 60 PU

W - UCR, continuity 3 x 10:10.

T - TCA, campusing then bit of hard bouldering repeating purples. Odd campus session, managed 1-4-6.5 leading RH both reps, but nowhere near leading LH. Then on 1-4.5-6.5 failed RH but did both reps LH. 50 PU

F - UCR, circuits. 5 x Doubles, with the new boards it's nice to have three circuits so can get some variety on this. Didn't get it quite right though, def felt more powered out than pumped. 80 PU

S - am 30 min hilly run, muddy but caught a gap in the rain. pm TCA, more failure on the white on the front, really not sure why I find this so hard, then managed Poetry not Training on the MB which made me feel better again. Still felt like I had a bit of snap so did wee bit of campusing, reverse of Thursday, success leading LH but failure RH. Finished messing around hands free on the slab. 40 PU

S - am TCA, bit of half arsed steep jumpy bouldering then assisted one arm hangs on lattice edge: -12.5 kg on both arms x 6.
pm UCR 5 x 7a or 7a+, good fight on the last one. Little bit of fall practice too. 40 PU.

Av 70.6 kg

Good week, lot of volume. Frustrated the weather once again stopped me getting out, but happy to be feeling strong and untweaky apart from hamstring/glute thing which I think is more to do with work and driving.  Hopefully get a fair bit more in this week as rest week coming up from Friday.

[Duma]

Lovely feeling getting the hold and just knowing I was going to do it.

Love that shit.

[Duma]

I'd like to say well done tt, but having watched the footwork I can't bring myself to! Think it might be bad enough to invalidate the ascent. ;-)

[andy popp]

I was exhausted just reading that Shark. It sounds like you were running around like a headless chicken. On trips away to new venues there are probably two broad strategies: focus, or drop your grade - it sounds like you didn't really do either, with the predictable result that you just got more and more battered. Sounds like there were some poor problem choices too.

You are so right. I wanted to go with the the flow on this trip and just enjoy the climbing and take things as they came but in hindsight that was a mistake as the reality was that it meant I was trying and failing to keep pace with two climbers who proved to be significantly fitter and stronger.

Hopefully I will come away having banked some fitness/capacity/depth which the last few days has shown I'm lacking.   

What I should also have said, which others have already kind of said, is that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. This trip probably doesn't really say anything much about the level you're at. And you got to spend a few days away in a beautiful place with some good friends.

[Duma]

Quick go on the campus board; still terrible. Best managed 3-6-7.5 on the large rungs.

Then one arm max hangs up to 5x 10s w/ 10kg assistance (c. 85% of b/w)

This amazed me until I realized 3-6 = 1-4, which doesn't sound nearly as bad.
Out of interest, what size edge are you doing your one arm hangs on?

[Bradders]

This amazed me until I realized 3-6 = 1-4, which doesn't sound nearly as bad.
Out of interest, what size edge are you doing your one arm hangs on?

Ha yeah the "1" rung is so low that my knees are on the floor when hanging from it even with slightly bent arms...so I have to start on 3 for everything.

I'm using the low middle slot on the BM2k for one arm stuff.

[tommytwotone]

From recent activity on this thread it looks like the number one thing Shark needs to change in his training is more sessions on the Leeds Depot woody.

[cheque]

Rehab Diaries Week Twenty-five

STG- Leading HVS/ low 6s & carrying normal loads to the crag by end of September.

M- Walk around Yorkshire Wildlife Park w/ camera. At the end of November I did this around Berlin Zoo with the same gear and my back hurt all day. Today it was nowhere near as bad. 

T- Fingerboard repeaters & pushups. 10th week running of this.

W- Gym. Bike. Levels increased by one as usual.

T- Rest.

F- Foundry autos. Spent most of the session on the red 6b+ at the right of the Furnace. For the grade this feels challenging to me (that’s not saying much though, I still find putting my shoes on without sitting down a little challenging!) as it’s steep and largely on two- and three-finger pockets which I’ve always been weak on. Very pleased to get to four moves from the top. If I can do it next session I’ll be well stoked.

S- Walk around obscure south peak crags. Much to our surprise a squirrel leapt out of a crack right over mine and my mate’s heads!   

S- Gym. Usual selection of weight machine stuff plus first serious attempts at deadlifting and weighted squats. As I did the former in my previous life it was easier- did 60kg (1 kilo below current bodyweight) twice  but my form did not feel good so went down to 50kg. Used the Smith machine for the first time to try the squats. These are not easy!

Moving the weights around at my current strength level is not super-graceful (the bloody bar is 20kg on it’s own on the gym’s pro weights!) so there’s a comical “Mr Muscle” vibe to my presence in the weights area of the gym.  These two exercises really work my main remaining areas of weakness (lower back & legs) in the physio’s prescribed “use the whole organism” way so they’ll be my focus now I have the confidence to do them.

Did “something” 6 out of 7 days this week & 9 out of the last 10 which is ace. Battered today though!

[Bradders]

my previous ascents are void having done it with the alien head instead of the pink crimp at the top.

Yep, according to Innes' original post in the Facebook group from way back in 2015. I hope he's proud of his creation as it's clearly one of the most popular problems on the board! Probably only popular because it's so easy though 

[Coops_13]

83.2kg -> 82.3kg

M: Arch. Average to poor session. Warmed up on problems. Finished warm-up with a bit of campusing - close to 1-6, got fingers all the way over but couldn't hold. Moved onto the 50, flashed some new problems then set to work on the project I started last session, better but still tough and couldn't do it. Also set another project so I now have two to work on - this one involves a v hard and quite flexible foot move. Finished with muscle-ups and tried +16kg again. Failed twice and elbows felt sore so did press-ups to failure, managed 30 in a row which I was quite pleased with as I never do press-ups

T: Wisdom tooth out - impacted and deep so a bit of a complicated one. Lots of twisting and drilling - grim.

W - T: 

F: Drive to N Wales

S: Cromlech boulders. Tried Bus Stop for a while before giving up due to bad beta and trying Jerry's. Did all the moves on Jerry's before my mate made more progress on Bus Stop. Went back to that and figured out perfect beta. Almost sent but then had insane cramp in my hands and forearms I had to stop and retreat to pub for the rugby

S: Cave. Pretty knackered, did a couple of the moves on Rock Atrocity and tried Clever Beaver. Did all CB moves apart from last one - core too shot for it. Moved on and ticked Lipstick 7A and then did RWT into Lipstick RH 7A to finish

Still pretty sore from wisdom tooth removal but knee seems to have survived the weekend which is good!

[AMorris]

Some nice reading today, perfect procrastination fodder.


S - Second day of setting the local wall. Got to throw up some of the new font-esque holds in the shape of a techy vert that I took inspiration from Caseg Groove for, and a the difficult one in the cave which I intend to fall off of for a few months. Reset the 25, including a jenga block problem which looks to be desperate, and the classic black pinch horror show.

M - Everyone and their dog is at the wall trying the new problems. Somehow managed the jenga block problem pretty quickly, wasn't as hard as I had hoped. Thankfully I set an even harder left hand version that spanks me. Did everything I hadn't tested during setting apart from the ones I intended to be projects. Finally stuck the first move of the black, but it felt absolutely living end and I fell off in a heap soon after.

T - Fingerboard. Went through the Hangboard guru elite 1 arm half crimp and open session with strength to spare. Most convincing I have been on that one. Core need a bit of work at the moment though, feeling like I have lost a bit of something. This is less than ideal since Diesel Power is the aim for the next few sessions at the cromlech, and you can't get there sagging.

W - Poorly considered wall session. Should have let my fingers rest in retrospect, cos they felt like they were complaining a bit. Somehow did the black and repeated the jenga blocks. Went and did all the techy ones I could find. Not a bad session.

T - Rest. Thank god.

F - Wall. Busy again. Working on the stand on the hard cave problem but couldn't quite do it. Felt fairly weak.

S - Wall. It's amazing how many people come out of the woodwork when we reset. Did the stand to the cave problem first try. Found beta which makes the sitter easier but still couldn't get anywhere near it. I am going to have to find some strength for that horror show.

All in all good week, but I should have rested more. Off to north wales next weekend for some slate and (hopefully) some tries on DP. I have been visualising success as instructed, though even in my imagination I manage to dab the last move 2 of every 3 times.

[tim palmer]

Whilst I didn’t have any expectations coming to Albarracin I’ve been appalled at my performance here and feel like Ive had a hard kick in the aspirationals. Spending four or five hours each day failing mainly on 7A’s has left me totally battered.

Do you think the reputation of albarracin for being soft slightly jaundiced your expectations?

I expected it to be soft but to be honest I thought the grades in the most recent guide were pretty solid for the most part.   

[Duma]

M - UCR, working sections on the mint circuit. Just about got it in three by the end but still mostly a bouldering session. 40 PU

Looking back at training ss, I actually did reps of the 7a, 7a+, and 7b+ circuits on Mon too, so not entirely a bouldering session - and even less surprising Tues session was a bit flat.

[shark]

Do you think the reputation of albarracin for being soft slightly jaundiced your expectations?

I expected it to be soft but to be honest I thought the grades in the most recent guide were pretty solid for the most part.

Wasn’t aware of the soft grade rep though looking at vids I did think the rock would suit me.

[jamesturnbull97]

my previous ascents are void having done it with the alien head instead of the pink crimp at the top.

Yep, according to Innes' original post in the Facebook group from way back in 2015. I hope he's proud of his creation as it's clearly one of the most popular problems on the board! Probably only popular because it's so easy though 

It always been a bit of a nemesis problem for me on that board even when I've been going well!

[36chambers]

my previous ascents are void having done it with the alien head instead of the pink crimp at the top.

Yep, according to Innes' original post in the Facebook group from way back in 2015. I hope he's proud of his creation as it's clearly one of the most popular problems on the board! Probably only popular because it's so easy though 

It always been a bit of a nemesis problem for me on that board even when I've been going well!

must be at least 8A if you're not breezing it

[jamesturnbull97]

my previous ascents are void having done it with the alien head instead of the pink crimp at the top.

Yep, according to Innes' original post in the Facebook group from way back in 2015. I hope he's proud of his creation as it's clearly one of the most popular problems on the board! Probably only popular because it's so easy though 

It always been a bit of a nemesis problem for me on that board even when I've been going well!

must be at least 8A if you're not breezing it

I'm certainly finding it tough in my current form. Just like with Crystal Method everyone seems to find it steady but I can't do it   

[Murph]

Good tick that TT. First time I did it I used the fling yerself round the corner method too.

And highrepute - good to see the WIP footage. Rooting for ya.

Not much to report here myself - I’ve been having a few weeks of “psychus minimus” but am pre-announcing here and now my return to the fold and will have a blow by blow account this coming weekend.

Stay visualised folks!

[Yossarian]

M - Wall. Tired, tweaky shoulder. Got roped in to trying to repeat problem that (analysed retrospectively) was probably the one that caused the shoulder damage. Oh dear.
T - 11km trail run
W - Attempts at shoulder stretching and rehab
T
F
S - Wall. Cautious. Concentrated on the new slab set, which was fun and didn’t cause too much pain. Then tried the circuit board, following a few months off. Ticked all up to 7a. Might focus on this for a bit, despite not having any route trips planned.
S - 7km seafront run.

Weight hovering around 92kg, though I look skinnier so I think I’m going to ditch the creatine. Shoulder injury v annoying. Enjoying running still, despite some lingering pain in peroneal tendon. Hopefully making concrete plans for Easter - either Fontainebleau or Torridon. Yay...

[Nibile]

Mon - Core work, hill sprints.
Tue - rest.
Wed - quick PE low session, 1/1 x5. Not bad after a lot of time. Weights.
Thu - light boxing bag. Tired.
Fri - snatch pulls, clean and press with static pause, static/dynamic pull ups.
Sat - dumbbell complex x2.
Sun - lots of spare time, big session. Board climbing, tried two problems, just the singles and short sequences. Not bad, apart from terrible skin and 17° already. Dammit. Then picked the easier one of the two PE problems (12 moves at probably 6c+) and did it 5 times with one minute rests in between. Forearms exploded.
Then did a DL test: 60%, 5 x12 EMOM sets. Brutal.

Quite happy about the climbing and the little PE that I have somehow kept. Probably endless farmer's, EMOM sets and loaded carries have kept my forearms awake even with straps on. Quite unhappy about the terrible climbing skin that I have, and the already torrid temps at the board: 17° in mid February, are you fucking kidding me?
In any case, with my broken meniscus I couldn't do much more anyway. I want to keep hammering the PE on the problems, not on the system, because it's a lot more intense.

[andy_e]

I hope he's proud of his creation as it's clearly one of the most popular problems in the world!

Fixed