Ha ha, good question! I got into it for a while because my shoulder was injured. But now I quite like it as a way of seeing lots of mountains and I can also push quite hard compared to climbing where I just seem to get injured. It could be the route cause of my fatigue though!
Power Club 528 20th April - 26th April 2020
- Thread starter tomtom
- Start date
Help Support UKBouldering.com:
Ha ha, good question! I got into it for a while because my shoulder was injured. But now I quite like it as a way of seeing lots of mountains and I can also push quite hard compared to climbing where I just seem to get injured. It could be the route cause of my fatigue though!
Fuck, sorry about that... cheers for fixing Shark.
Cheers Murph, I think I said the other week that The back pain I experience day-to-day has decreased since I’ve been deadlifting again this year. It’s a good exercise for me as it works the bits most fucked-up in my accident. Squats is the other (possibly even better) but without a rack in my flat I can’t do them on lockdown.
Cheers for the advice Nibs. I’ve always been aware of correct form and since my accident I’m super careful (physio said not to aim for 1RM and I only attempt new weights in 5kg increments these days. :ang: Really good advice to focus on having a constant angle- I need to get a video of me lifting light with perfect form to compare as my back is just too crooked to make a meaningful comparison to online resources.
Cheers Murph, I think I said the other week that The back pain I experience day-to-day has decreased since I’ve been deadlifting again this year. It’s a good exercise for me as it works the bits most fucked-up in my accident. Squats is the other (possibly even better) but without a rack in my flat I can’t do them on lockdown.
Cheers for the advice Nibs. I’ve always been aware of correct form and since my accident I’m super careful (physio said not to aim for 1RM and I only attempt new weights in 5kg increments these days. :ang: Really good advice to focus on having a constant angle- I need to get a video of me lifting light with perfect form to compare as my back is just too crooked to make a meaningful comparison to online resources.
Murph
Well-Known Member
That's quite good that though Mike. Effort. Thinking how far you've come that sounds like a good lift to me. You've given me an idea and I just did some kettlebell squats entirely inspired by your efforts.
Nibs - love the rip got his book where he says "A strong man is more useful than a weak man. And harder to kill."
Nibs - love the rip got his book where he says "A strong man is more useful than a weak man. And harder to kill."
spidermonkey09
Well-Known Member
Good work all, particularly TT and Cheque! Sounds like a particularly involved week Harry, have a drink!
M- Anderson hangs. Added 5kg as a base weight on the edges. Successful on all apart from the slopers which remain nails. Just about got to the end of the set with some nestling. Some assisted one armers and TRX afterwards.
T- Core on the bar. Still hard but not as bad as last time. Started experimenting with a front lever.
W - Max hangs. 31.25kg. Completed the set again with same issues on half crimp form. Could definitely do with a vest to distribute the weight a bit better. Some TRX after.
T - Anderson hangs. Added 6.5kg on the edges, 1.1 kg on the 10mm micro and a depressing nothing on the slopers. Seem to have hit the ceiling here now as was failing on the last few reps. Later that evening checked to see if fingerboard was plumb. It was not, 5 degrees overhanging when you actually pull onto it. At least it explains why the slopers remain so difficult. TRX and one armers.
F - rest.
S - Max Hangs. A bizarre session; new PB at 32.5kg with great form and plenty left in the tank. No reason why so will just have to try and add a bit more now.
S - Repeaters. Consistently difficult again. Felt wasted afterwards but hopefully it is doing something...
Another riveting week. Laying off the cycling as it seems to aggravate something in my groin so walking instead. Will change things up at the end of the month, probably go back to 1 arm hangs.
M- Anderson hangs. Added 5kg as a base weight on the edges. Successful on all apart from the slopers which remain nails. Just about got to the end of the set with some nestling. Some assisted one armers and TRX afterwards.
T- Core on the bar. Still hard but not as bad as last time. Started experimenting with a front lever.
W - Max hangs. 31.25kg. Completed the set again with same issues on half crimp form. Could definitely do with a vest to distribute the weight a bit better. Some TRX after.
T - Anderson hangs. Added 6.5kg on the edges, 1.1 kg on the 10mm micro and a depressing nothing on the slopers. Seem to have hit the ceiling here now as was failing on the last few reps. Later that evening checked to see if fingerboard was plumb. It was not, 5 degrees overhanging when you actually pull onto it. At least it explains why the slopers remain so difficult. TRX and one armers.
F - rest.
S - Max Hangs. A bizarre session; new PB at 32.5kg with great form and plenty left in the tank. No reason why so will just have to try and add a bit more now.
S - Repeaters. Consistently difficult again. Felt wasted afterwards but hopefully it is doing something...
Another riveting week. Laying off the cycling as it seems to aggravate something in my groin so walking instead. Will change things up at the end of the month, probably go back to 1 arm hangs.
M - board session. Was meant to fingerboard but had too much fun making up new problems. Tried project again but couldn't match high point. Made half a dozen new ones on edges from warm up to advanced warm up sort of level. Tried pinch project and dropped last move. Then made up two harder ones on edges, did all moves on one but couldn't link, then couldn't do 2 moves on other. Did 30 mins of yoga in the evening.
T - warm up on board repeating easier stuff from day before. Then hangboard, on 19mm edge half crimp did 6r 7/3 repeaters 1x +10kg, 1x +19.5kg & 3x +24.5kg (failed last hang of last set). Easily a new PB for this. Superset all of these with circuits of 5 strict pull ups +4.5kg, 5 leg raises +4.5kg, 10 press ups and 30s planks. Next did 1x 7/3 on the medium slopers +10kg and superset with 10 pull ups on the 19mm edge. Tried another set on the slopers but failed the 2nd hang and just completed with bodyweight, then another 10 edge pull ups. Finished with a bodyweight set on the slopers and then just about squeezed out 8 pull ups on the large outside slots.
W - honestly can't remember what I did. Might have done some yoga but not sure.
T - bit of yoga first thing then warm up on board. Took a few goes to do some things from Monday, but managed my pinch project first go. Tough one. Then one arm hangs, outside large slots on 2k, 6 sets of 6/4 repeaters alternating between half crimp and open w/ 12kg assist (10kg plates). Also a couple of 10s hangs on 19mm edge w/ 18kg assist (15kg plates) - pulley system seems to give 2-3kg extra. Went back on the board and made up a new one doing all moves, plus failed on some others and made a nice 20 move circuit which I managed.
F - board again. Did my 20 move circuit. Struggled on basic warm ups. But then did one of the slopey edge advanced warm up things first go which was satisfying, before I failed several times on a crimpier one. Managed one I'd set the day before. Tried a move I've not done before and did it in a few goes, but couldn't do full problem in a few tries. Finished with 5 sets of 10 pull ups, 20 push ups superset (desperate), then some stretching.
S - 10km walk
S - board. Managed 3 of my advanced warm ups all first go, where previously they'd taken a few each. Tried longstanding project. 4 goes from start and dropped last move twice. Did the last 3 move link at least. Tried another project with a move I've only done once; couldn't repeat it. Finished making a new one on gastons and dropped the last move from start.
Easier week next week, same intensity but less volume / more rest, having had 5 weeks of training now.
T - warm up on board repeating easier stuff from day before. Then hangboard, on 19mm edge half crimp did 6r 7/3 repeaters 1x +10kg, 1x +19.5kg & 3x +24.5kg (failed last hang of last set). Easily a new PB for this. Superset all of these with circuits of 5 strict pull ups +4.5kg, 5 leg raises +4.5kg, 10 press ups and 30s planks. Next did 1x 7/3 on the medium slopers +10kg and superset with 10 pull ups on the 19mm edge. Tried another set on the slopers but failed the 2nd hang and just completed with bodyweight, then another 10 edge pull ups. Finished with a bodyweight set on the slopers and then just about squeezed out 8 pull ups on the large outside slots.
W - honestly can't remember what I did. Might have done some yoga but not sure.
T - bit of yoga first thing then warm up on board. Took a few goes to do some things from Monday, but managed my pinch project first go. Tough one. Then one arm hangs, outside large slots on 2k, 6 sets of 6/4 repeaters alternating between half crimp and open w/ 12kg assist (10kg plates). Also a couple of 10s hangs on 19mm edge w/ 18kg assist (15kg plates) - pulley system seems to give 2-3kg extra. Went back on the board and made up a new one doing all moves, plus failed on some others and made a nice 20 move circuit which I managed.
F - board again. Did my 20 move circuit. Struggled on basic warm ups. But then did one of the slopey edge advanced warm up things first go which was satisfying, before I failed several times on a crimpier one. Managed one I'd set the day before. Tried a move I've not done before and did it in a few goes, but couldn't do full problem in a few tries. Finished with 5 sets of 10 pull ups, 20 push ups superset (desperate), then some stretching.
S - 10km walk
S - board. Managed 3 of my advanced warm ups all first go, where previously they'd taken a few each. Tried longstanding project. 4 goes from start and dropped last move twice. Did the last 3 move link at least. Tried another project with a move I've only done once; couldn't repeat it. Finished making a new one on gastons and dropped the last move from start.
Easier week next week, same intensity but less volume / more rest, having had 5 weeks of training now.
measles23
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2009
- Messages
- 264
67.4kg
M- BM2k smalls, open crimp max hangs: 15 sets up to +45kg x 5s. 6 working sets pulley assists -12kg x 5s on right, -17kg x 5s on left. Left always used to be my strong side but not since my index MCP joint has crumbled and fused over last few years.. Five sets finishers on BM micros up to +30kg x5s on 10mm. Rower 1hr
T- DL block lifts, 15 sets up to 220 off 9cm blocks. Skin hurt so resorted to straps for working sets.
W- rest
T- campus board 5 sets per side 4 to 1 drop downs
F- ring muscle-ups, only 5 sets but PB’d with 4 reps twice
S- BM2k smalls, open crimp pulley assists max hangs: 11 sets up -11kg x 5s on right, -15kg x 5s on left. 7 working sets BM micros (+20kg x 5s) x 5.
S- DL block lifts. Terrible session. My beloved Sabos kept slipping all over the place; never had that problem before.. then numerous interruptions which is one down side of home gym. Did manage progression with 220 off 7cm blocks, but then session fell apart.
Came back in the evening determined to make good with a 5x5 of whisky deadlifts at 160, but two sets in had to bail as apparently I was “making the house shake and no-one can get to sleep”
First flat week of COVID training club but all grist to the mill. At least have the wood to make the long planned 40 deg and campus board now, so plenty to look forward to..
M- BM2k smalls, open crimp max hangs: 15 sets up to +45kg x 5s. 6 working sets pulley assists -12kg x 5s on right, -17kg x 5s on left. Left always used to be my strong side but not since my index MCP joint has crumbled and fused over last few years.. Five sets finishers on BM micros up to +30kg x5s on 10mm. Rower 1hr
T- DL block lifts, 15 sets up to 220 off 9cm blocks. Skin hurt so resorted to straps for working sets.
W- rest
T- campus board 5 sets per side 4 to 1 drop downs
F- ring muscle-ups, only 5 sets but PB’d with 4 reps twice
S- BM2k smalls, open crimp pulley assists max hangs: 11 sets up -11kg x 5s on right, -15kg x 5s on left. 7 working sets BM micros (+20kg x 5s) x 5.
S- DL block lifts. Terrible session. My beloved Sabos kept slipping all over the place; never had that problem before.. then numerous interruptions which is one down side of home gym. Did manage progression with 220 off 7cm blocks, but then session fell apart.
Came back in the evening determined to make good with a 5x5 of whisky deadlifts at 160, but two sets in had to bail as apparently I was “making the house shake and no-one can get to sleep”
First flat week of COVID training club but all grist to the mill. At least have the wood to make the long planned 40 deg and campus board now, so plenty to look forward to..
STG: stay mentally stable, do something active every day, don’t get injured, work finger strength every other day.
MTG-LTG: who knows?
M - One armed fingerboard max. hangs. Experimenting with different ways of doing this: large holds with a little counterbalance help, smaller holds with a lot of counterbalancing help. Decided to focus on the latter.
T - Depressing work stuff. Shoulder strength exercises: IYTs, planks, handstands.
W - Knee strength (high step-ups, single leg squats). One-arm max. hangs: tweaked the left hand middle finger almost immediately. A bit frustrating.
T - Shoulders. Knees.
F - Long walk on the Heath with the lad.
S - Shoulders. A few pull-ups to test the finger, tolerated this.
S - (Light) weighted pull-ups. Knees.
Plus brisk walk on the Health every day.
Kept active every day, got some small jobs done around the house, still have a job unlike many, haven't murdered any of the family so can count that as an overall win. The evening walks have been great: as well as the usual foxes and parakeets, we’ve seen green woodpeckers, song thrushes, common frogs, pipistrelles and lots of rabbits.
The one arm hangs didn’t go well. I need unwieldy amounts of assistance if I use a counterbalance. Need to rethink this: scales or perhaps a larger edge as tt is doing? Work continues... classic email from the VC this week: three paragraphs on what a wonderful job we were doing in troubled times blah blah blah, fourth paragraph telling us our pay rise will be frozen this year. It’s the little things you remember. This is probably a sign of things to come: most UK Universities will be bracing themselves for redundancies in the next 3-4 months. We have few overseas students and the “optics” of cutting a health professions course wouldn’t be good so I imagine we’re safer than most.
Plan: resume one arm hangs.
MTG-LTG: who knows?
M - One armed fingerboard max. hangs. Experimenting with different ways of doing this: large holds with a little counterbalance help, smaller holds with a lot of counterbalancing help. Decided to focus on the latter.
T - Depressing work stuff. Shoulder strength exercises: IYTs, planks, handstands.
W - Knee strength (high step-ups, single leg squats). One-arm max. hangs: tweaked the left hand middle finger almost immediately. A bit frustrating.
T - Shoulders. Knees.
F - Long walk on the Heath with the lad.
S - Shoulders. A few pull-ups to test the finger, tolerated this.
S - (Light) weighted pull-ups. Knees.
Plus brisk walk on the Health every day.
Kept active every day, got some small jobs done around the house, still have a job unlike many, haven't murdered any of the family so can count that as an overall win. The evening walks have been great: as well as the usual foxes and parakeets, we’ve seen green woodpeckers, song thrushes, common frogs, pipistrelles and lots of rabbits.
The one arm hangs didn’t go well. I need unwieldy amounts of assistance if I use a counterbalance. Need to rethink this: scales or perhaps a larger edge as tt is doing? Work continues... classic email from the VC this week: three paragraphs on what a wonderful job we were doing in troubled times blah blah blah, fourth paragraph telling us our pay rise will be frozen this year. It’s the little things you remember. This is probably a sign of things to come: most UK Universities will be bracing themselves for redundancies in the next 3-4 months. We have few overseas students and the “optics” of cutting a health professions course wouldn’t be good so I imagine we’re safer than most.
Plan: resume one arm hangs.
Nibile
Part Animal Part Machine
Cheers!JohnM said:
That's for sure!
duncan said:
Stick with it Duncan (on both issues...) for the 1 arm hangs - I deliberately used the larger hold to get my shoulder and arm used to the position. I'm due another set today and may start later this week moving to a smaller hold and seeing how shit I actually am! Though - I loved being able to keep an arm bent but one of the moments I enjoyed alot was (with assist) after a couple of weeks being able to gently twist around with bent arm etc.. a completely new body movement that felt rather like learning to walk etc.. Body - turn around so I can see the timer - and it did!!
Anyway - I've had pulley systems before etc.. and always found the pull/pushing down with one arm really weird. The foot loop assistance was much easier for me to use (for me with therabands - though could be with a pulley). I 'calibrated' my therabands using a digital equiv of a spring balance (handheld - used for airport baggage weight) lying on the floor pulling the loop down
The downside of therabands is that they work for 1 arm hangs (like I'm doing) but for one arm pullup training the assist suddenly drops off as you get towards 90 degrees!!Work wise - I'm kind of in denial. I'm effectively working 1.5 days a week at the moment and its total firefighting with editing roles, student supervision and the dregs of teaching (oh - and the marking I'm ignoring for now). Fuck knows what will happen in Sept - its clear from our missives on high no-one really knows. We too have very few OS students so those losses will be minimal - but we already had bad admissions figures domestically and I can't see these getting better. I also fail to see how we can have new students arriving in September. Social distancing in lecture theatres, for teaching, labs etc.. is hard - but workable. However - getting 10k students all together in one place from all over the country would seem to be epidemiologically dumb. Freshers flu etc... but with CV19 attached... Unless something changes dramatically in the next 4.5 months - its going to be virtual semester 1. I'm mercifully being seconded into a research role for 2-3 years - but that counts for nothing if the whole instutution goes to the wall - which is certainly a possibility. We already had a £20m deficit and were just starting the compulsory redundancy rounds after two voluntary.
tomtom said:duncan said:
Stick with it Duncan (on both issues...) for the 1 arm hangs - I deliberately used the larger hold to get my shoulder and arm used to the position. I'm due another set today and may start later this week moving to a smaller hold and seeing how shit I actually am! Though - I loved being able to keep an arm bent but one of the moments I enjoyed alot was (with assist) after a couple of weeks being able to gently twist around with bent arm etc.. a completely new body movement that felt rather like learning to walk etc.. Body - turn around so I can see the timer - and it did!!
Anyway - I've had pulley systems before etc.. and always found the pull/pushing down with one arm really weird. The foot loop assistance was much easier for me to use (for me with therabands - though could be with a pulley). I 'calibrated' my therabands using a digital equiv of a spring balance (handheld - used for airport baggage weight) lying on the floor pulling the loop down
Work wise - I'm kind of in denial. I'm effectively working 1.5 days a week at the moment and its total firefighting with editing roles, student supervision and the dregs of teaching (oh - and the marking I'm ignoring for now). Fuck knows what will happen in Sept - its clear from our missives on high no-one really knows. We too have very few OS students so those losses will be minimal - but we already had bad admissions figures domestically and I can't see these getting better. I also fail to see how we can have new students arriving in September. Social distancing in lecture theatres, for teaching, labs etc.. is hard - but workable. However - getting 10k students all together in one place from all over the country would seem to be epidemiologically dumb. Freshers flu etc... but with CV19 attached... Unless something changes dramatically in the next 4.5 months - its going to be virtual semester 1. I'm mercifully being seconded into a research role for 2-3 years - but that counts for nothing if the whole instutution goes to the wall - which is certainly a possibility. We already had a £20m deficit and were just starting the compulsory redundancy rounds after two voluntary.
Thanks TT. I’m sticking with one arm hangs. I’m fine pulling down with the other arm but manoeuvring the 30kg counterbalance I need for a 20mm edge felt like a risk to floorboards and toes. I’ll try a bigger hold and perhaps the bathroom scales.
I'm thankful my job in some form seems relatively secure in the short term and this crisis will probably increase interest in health-related degrees in the medium term. Our leadership also appears to be in denial about what will happen in September: we’re being asked to simultaneously plan timetables as if 100 new students will be doing lectures and practicals (ha!) whilst also preparing for everything to go online. The latter seem more likely though If I was 18 I’d be thinking 20/21 would be an excellent time to do a gap year somewhere safer than London (China perhaps?). I wouldn’t be thinking of paying £9000 for an online course, the relative failure of MOOCs proved you couldn’t even give them away. The UK university strategy of the last 20 years - mortgaging themselves for £billions to enhance the ‘student experience’ with luxury real estate whilst casualising the teachers - suggests the leadership don’t believe this either. Someone, somewhere, must be planning what we to do if 50% don't turn up but it's probably seen as too shocking to share with the troops. It feels like the UK University bubble economy is about to burst and if I was exposed, a student landlord for example, I might be examining my portfolio.
duncan said:
Definitely go with a bigger hold, I'm doing mine on a 30mm edge atm which feels much better than loading up massive amounts of assistance on the pulley. Just make sure you're being strict with your grip, I.e. if you're meant to be doing a half crimp hang make sure you really are in half crimp.
I tried making the 50mm (two pad) edge I was using down to 30-35mm yesterday (one pad when half crimped - 1 and a bit when open) and oh.. how much harder that was
Went from zero assist (just) to c.-20kg and I could hold a half crimp for about a second before it slumped into some open hand draggy horror
That put me back in my place!!
@duncan - we’ve just had the missive to expect virtual a Semester 1 with student return in S2. Options to back load the year being mooted.
Went from zero assist (just) to c.-20kg and I could hold a half crimp for about a second before it slumped into some open hand draggy horror
That put me back in my place!!
@duncan - we’ve just had the missive to expect virtual a Semester 1 with student return in S2. Options to back load the year being mooted.
Yossarian
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Messages
- 2,373
Lockdown goals:
Try to get weight back down to 80something kg
Build board and get stronger / fitter than I was before all this started (not hard)
Keep up regular training and more running
M - Pressing - KB press, 100 pushups, KB goblet squat / good mornings / 1 arm deadlift, theraband triceps extension,DB flexor / extensor curls - good session. Need some heavier KBs as the heaviest I have is 18kg
T - FB repeaters (maintaining strict HC - less uncomfortable but still needs more time to not grimace), 60 pullups, biceps / hammer curls, ring rows, ring dip holds. Felt much better than previous week
W - Pressing - 3x 10-15sec wall handstand (maybe a bit too fat / heavy for these, which were pretty full-on), KB press, goblet squat / good mornings / 1 arm DL, ring dip holds. Did some tuck front lever practise, but a bit nervous about my pull-up bar ripping and landing on my back on wooden floor. Also did some German hang stretches.
T - World's slowest 3 mile run. Lovely track I've not ventured on before. Some small hills. Managed to overtake some even slower people but pretty fucked by the end.
F - FB and pulls. Repeater session felt better than before. Pullups - now up to sets of 7 (@102kg ish, so feeling optimistic at being strong when my weight drops), biceps / hammer curls, ring rows, wide ring pull-ups (these are evil - should've done them earlier in the session)
S - Took kids for 3 mile walk. Finished 5th book - yay - so bought litre of Tanqueray gin, and spent the evening mixing martinis and generally letting hair down.
S - Gin-head rest day
Weight didn't seem to drop much this week - evening exercise sessions possibly encouraging subsequent overconsumption.
Timber supplier has not followed through on promise of getting wood to us so far - need to sort this out as I think the board will help a lot of motivation and optimism at actually being able to climb some stuff when we can get out again.
Try to get weight back down to 80something kg
Build board and get stronger / fitter than I was before all this started (not hard)
Keep up regular training and more running
M - Pressing - KB press, 100 pushups, KB goblet squat / good mornings / 1 arm deadlift, theraband triceps extension,DB flexor / extensor curls - good session. Need some heavier KBs as the heaviest I have is 18kg
T - FB repeaters (maintaining strict HC - less uncomfortable but still needs more time to not grimace), 60 pullups, biceps / hammer curls, ring rows, ring dip holds. Felt much better than previous week
W - Pressing - 3x 10-15sec wall handstand (maybe a bit too fat / heavy for these, which were pretty full-on), KB press, goblet squat / good mornings / 1 arm DL, ring dip holds. Did some tuck front lever practise, but a bit nervous about my pull-up bar ripping and landing on my back on wooden floor. Also did some German hang stretches.
T - World's slowest 3 mile run. Lovely track I've not ventured on before. Some small hills. Managed to overtake some even slower people but pretty fucked by the end.
F - FB and pulls. Repeater session felt better than before. Pullups - now up to sets of 7 (@102kg ish, so feeling optimistic at being strong when my weight drops), biceps / hammer curls, ring rows, wide ring pull-ups (these are evil - should've done them earlier in the session)
S - Took kids for 3 mile walk. Finished 5th book - yay - so bought litre of Tanqueray gin, and spent the evening mixing martinis and generally letting hair down.
S - Gin-head rest day
Weight didn't seem to drop much this week - evening exercise sessions possibly encouraging subsequent overconsumption.
Timber supplier has not followed through on promise of getting wood to us so far - need to sort this out as I think the board will help a lot of motivation and optimism at actually being able to climb some stuff when we can get out again.
spidermonkey09
Well-Known Member
duncan said:tomtom said:duncan said:
Stick with it Duncan (on both issues...) for the 1 arm hangs - I deliberately used the larger hold to get my shoulder and arm used to the position. I'm due another set today and may start later this week moving to a smaller hold and seeing how shit I actually am! Though - I loved being able to keep an arm bent but one of the moments I enjoyed alot was (with assist) after a couple of weeks being able to gently twist around with bent arm etc.. a completely new body movement that felt rather like learning to walk etc.. Body - turn around so I can see the timer - and it did!!
Anyway - I've had pulley systems before etc.. and always found the pull/pushing down with one arm really weird. The foot loop assistance was much easier for me to use (for me with therabands - though could be with a pulley). I 'calibrated' my therabands using a digital equiv of a spring balance (handheld - used for airport baggage weight) lying on the floor pulling the loop down
Work wise - I'm kind of in denial. I'm effectively working 1.5 days a week at the moment and its total firefighting with editing roles, student supervision and the dregs of teaching (oh - and the marking I'm ignoring for now). Fuck knows what will happen in Sept - its clear from our missives on high no-one really knows. We too have very few OS students so those losses will be minimal - but we already had bad admissions figures domestically and I can't see these getting better. I also fail to see how we can have new students arriving in September. Social distancing in lecture theatres, for teaching, labs etc.. is hard - but workable. However - getting 10k students all together in one place from all over the country would seem to be epidemiologically dumb. Freshers flu etc... but with CV19 attached... Unless something changes dramatically in the next 4.5 months - its going to be virtual semester 1. I'm mercifully being seconded into a research role for 2-3 years - but that counts for nothing if the whole instutution goes to the wall - which is certainly a possibility. We already had a £20m deficit and were just starting the compulsory redundancy rounds after two voluntary.
Thanks TT. I’m sticking with one arm hangs. I’m fine pulling down with the other arm but manoeuvring the 30kg counterbalance I need for a 20mm edge felt like a risk to floorboards and toes. I’ll try a bigger hold and perhaps the bathroom scales.
I'm thankful my job in some form seems relatively secure in the short term and this crisis will probably increase interest in health-related degrees in the medium term. Our leadership also appears to be in denial about what will happen in September: we’re being asked to simultaneously plan timetables as if 100 new students will be doing lectures and practicals (ha!) whilst also preparing for everything to go online. The latter seem more likely though If I was 18 I’d be thinking 20/21 would be an excellent time to do a gap year somewhere safer than London (China perhaps?). I wouldn’t be thinking of paying £9000 for an online course, the relative failure of MOOCs proved you couldn’t even give them away. The UK university strategy of the last 20 years - mortgaging themselves for £billions to enhance the ‘student experience’ with luxury real estate whilst casualising the teachers - suggests the leadership don’t believe this either. Someone, somewhere, must be planning what we to do if 50% don't turn up but it's probably seen as too shocking to share with the troops. It feels like the UK University bubble economy is about to burst and if I was exposed, a student landlord for example, I might be examining my portfolio.
This university discussion is interesting. It must be really shit to be a first year student at the moment. University is obviously about getting a degree but its also a really formative life experience for so many students and they will be missing out on so much independence and life learning if the universities don't restart. I also think that many will examine their options as £9000 for an online course does seem a bit steep. wouldnt be surprised to see an explosion in mnasters courses in a few years though as the current cohort may decide they want a bit more of the student life!
I also feel a bit sorry for kids in their final year at a school. When I picked my kids up from school on the day lockdown started the P7s were having a half hearted attempt at a celebration of what was probably their last day of primary school. No last term with their mates, no leaving concert, no prom, no residential trip to the Cairgorms.
Yes - 9k for a half virtual year will seem very steep...
Many will defer I expect.
Masters are interesting - I fully expect graduate recruitment will be largely non existent this summer so yes people with time to do a masters - but again how can we justify 9K - or much higher for some courses.
As Duncan said MOOCs (massively online open courses or something) have all been flops or failures at our place. Usual cycle of excitement - investment - failure. I have no teaching (yet) in S1 so less concerned - and 80-90 percent of what I teach can be delivered online.
A final point - people always talk about the student experience etc. But having done half a dozen zoom workshops or lectures - they are utterly soulless to deliver. You get nothing back from a screen of blank boxes (everyone hides camera and mutes voice) - there is no frisson or excitement before - no feedback that you always get from a room of students. A stats lecture at 9am on a Monday morning gives me delivering it more feedback and satisfaction that a super interesting lecture delivered via zoom etc...
Many will defer I expect.
Masters are interesting - I fully expect graduate recruitment will be largely non existent this summer
so yes people with time to do a masters - but again how can we justify 9K - or much higher for some courses. As Duncan said MOOCs (massively online open courses or something) have all been flops or failures at our place. Usual cycle of excitement - investment - failure. I have no teaching (yet) in S1 so less concerned - and 80-90 percent of what I teach can be delivered online.
A final point - people always talk about the student experience etc. But having done half a dozen zoom workshops or lectures - they are utterly soulless to deliver. You get nothing back from a screen of blank boxes (everyone hides camera and mutes voice) - there is no frisson or excitement before - no feedback that you always get from a room of students. A stats lecture at 9am on a Monday morning gives me delivering it more feedback and satisfaction that a super interesting lecture delivered via zoom etc...
Ross.Cooper
Well-Known Member
Lots of the larger firms are and will keep doing graduate schemes, I think pretty much all internships were canned though...SA Chris said:
