Managed 3 sessions on consecutive days in the end. Sent the crack with hands and feet in the crack only at the Berghaus wall in Newcastle - supposedly English 6b but there's not a chance it's that hard. With a bit of beta from Russ from work I managed to get into the final crack first go and sent it the same session, strenous but the moves are a lot more fun that way.
Both shoulders are a bit sore, left especially, but I should be ready to climb again tomorrow.
Halfdome is calling. Regular Northwest face route, 5.9 c1, 24 pitches. Looks too sick - really cool chimneys and cracks and easily aided hammerless; ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found our route.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Guess who's shit at blogging!
My hands are in the air - I'm crap at updating this and I know but I'll bring this up to speed with what I've been doing. I've had an exhibition on at Cobalt Studios in the Ouseburn Valley in Newcastle so I've been pretty busy with that and other art related things too. Nuff excuses.
Training fell off somewhat for a week or so, managed a few more weights sessions but I've sacked up and come to terms with the real issue - I should just go climbing more. Its a common and pathetic truth, I'm always really excited about all these new fangled training methods and regimes but my real problem is that I never see them through. So I'm back up against the wall or more accurately I'm back to going to the wall (namely Eldon Square Leisure in Newcastle) and just trying to keep it regular - hopefully 4-5 times a week [too ambitious? probably]. Just had my second session of the week there tonight and felt ok, managed the crack when I went for the first time this week and spent tonight working on the crimps and finishing with some finger board work. I've also started hitting the fingerboard while at work, deadhangs and many chins just to keep everything from getting too flabby - managed 100 chins in the last half hour of work the other week and I instantly regretted it when I woke up the next day!
Now I've got the boring training ramble out of the way I can get down to what little actual climbing I've been doing. On Sunday I went out with Joe, a semi regular climbing partner and safe as houses bloke, to Berryhill. It was probably the best day of cragging I've had in the last 6 or so months. We didn't climb many routes but the weather was perfect even though it looked like it was going to be shite the whole way on the drive there and we had the whole crag to ourselves.
Berryhill crag
Joe lead Western Arete VS 4c ** to start with, a good climb but a bit of a one move wonder with the only real excitement happening when trying to get established onto the arete, still worth its stars though.
Bob Bennett soloing Western Arete VS 4c
I then lead Marcher Load VS 5a ***. It turned out to be the best VS I've ever done in the County! The Line is perfect, the holds are great, there's plenty of gear where you need it but it still has a nice little runout when traversing to the cave at the top where you can sit for a breather before topping out. Its a bit goey but there's loads of rests and it's simply a superb route; climbing it on a perfect day, with the crag to yourself comes hard to beat in terms of good days out!
Ed Williams leading Marcher Lord VS 5a
Joe then had a go at Border Ballad HVS 5b *. He took a while figuring out the crux but go up it without falling, I didn't have so much success on second - opting to down climb and get past the tricky bit by climbing up a chimney and then reaching over onto the route. I should be ashamed I know.
I finished up by running up Hi Diddle Diddle HS 4b *. I only bothered to place a single wire but it felt pretty easy and I was baffled to see that most people reckon it's a VS?! I guess it's one of those routes that are a lot easier if you don't hang about on them - it does have a couple of moves on an ever so slightly overhanging bit but the holds are massive and plentiful. Horses for courses though.
Joe then did a bit of bouldering, I sat and smoked/ate. Then we pissed off and I fell asleep in the car only to be woken up by Joe as we arrived back at my flat to drop me off. A very good day out.
Training fell off somewhat for a week or so, managed a few more weights sessions but I've sacked up and come to terms with the real issue - I should just go climbing more. Its a common and pathetic truth, I'm always really excited about all these new fangled training methods and regimes but my real problem is that I never see them through. So I'm back up against the wall or more accurately I'm back to going to the wall (namely Eldon Square Leisure in Newcastle) and just trying to keep it regular - hopefully 4-5 times a week [too ambitious? probably]. Just had my second session of the week there tonight and felt ok, managed the crack when I went for the first time this week and spent tonight working on the crimps and finishing with some finger board work. I've also started hitting the fingerboard while at work, deadhangs and many chins just to keep everything from getting too flabby - managed 100 chins in the last half hour of work the other week and I instantly regretted it when I woke up the next day!
Now I've got the boring training ramble out of the way I can get down to what little actual climbing I've been doing. On Sunday I went out with Joe, a semi regular climbing partner and safe as houses bloke, to Berryhill. It was probably the best day of cragging I've had in the last 6 or so months. We didn't climb many routes but the weather was perfect even though it looked like it was going to be shite the whole way on the drive there and we had the whole crag to ourselves.
Berryhill crag
Joe lead Western Arete VS 4c ** to start with, a good climb but a bit of a one move wonder with the only real excitement happening when trying to get established onto the arete, still worth its stars though.
Bob Bennett soloing Western Arete VS 4c
I then lead Marcher Load VS 5a ***. It turned out to be the best VS I've ever done in the County! The Line is perfect, the holds are great, there's plenty of gear where you need it but it still has a nice little runout when traversing to the cave at the top where you can sit for a breather before topping out. Its a bit goey but there's loads of rests and it's simply a superb route; climbing it on a perfect day, with the crag to yourself comes hard to beat in terms of good days out!
Ed Williams leading Marcher Lord VS 5a
Joe then had a go at Border Ballad HVS 5b *. He took a while figuring out the crux but go up it without falling, I didn't have so much success on second - opting to down climb and get past the tricky bit by climbing up a chimney and then reaching over onto the route. I should be ashamed I know.
I finished up by running up Hi Diddle Diddle HS 4b *. I only bothered to place a single wire but it felt pretty easy and I was baffled to see that most people reckon it's a VS?! I guess it's one of those routes that are a lot easier if you don't hang about on them - it does have a couple of moves on an ever so slightly overhanging bit but the holds are massive and plentiful. Horses for courses though.
Joe then did a bit of bouldering, I sat and smoked/ate. Then we pissed off and I fell asleep in the car only to be woken up by Joe as we arrived back at my flat to drop me off. A very good day out.
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Tomaz Humar RIP.
I've just read the incredibly sad news that Tomaz Humar has died on a solo attempt of Langtang Lirung's South Face in Nepal. Details of which are in this news link on uk climbing, here. The news is saddened further with the stories of delays due to the Nepalese authorities not clearing the Air-Zermatt rescue pilot to fly a Nepalese Helicopter.
Tomaz Humar - double hard bastard and incredible alpinist, February 18, 1969 c. November 10, 2009.
Tomaz Humar - double hard bastard and incredible alpinist, February 18, 1969 c. November 10, 2009.
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Weights a plenty.
Training has slowed somewhat but I've been getting on the weights thing. Lots of wrist curls, complexes and something called Tabata. Throwing in the odd chinup for good measure as well of course.
Complexes seem to be exactly what I was after, I don't think they'll result in me bulking up but they do seem to be good for strength (this is complete speculation though as I've not been doing them long enough to give detailed feedback).
This is the one I've been doing, the Istvan Javorek Complex, with 10kg each hand. I've no real idea about what weights to use but these feel comfortable and after a few sets they get a good burn going.
The other thing I was pointed towards was Tabata style workouts. These are when you do 20 seconds on, 10 off, 20 on etc for eight rounds and then rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat. The one I tried out was this workout I found on youtube.
nb, you can also find tabata style timers on youtube so you don't have to faff around with a stopwatch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RSWwrx6NqA
The workout felt good on the upper body, especially after doing the complexes but it was a bit lacking on the legs for me so I might try and incorporate some weights into the leg stuff or just make my own 8 round workout aiming at the legs.
Finally I finished up with wrist curls. I've been doing them to varying levels of success but last night it went really well. I found that if I use the maximum weight I can put on the dumbbell (14kg I think) it's more strenuous but it's difficult to get a good pump but if I use 10kg each hand at the same time it works a lot better. I was doing a mixture of slow and controlled curls with some fast and powerful ones, pushing until you can barely hold onto the weight, resting and then doing the same for the reverse curls. While actually doing the exercise it feels like more of a burn rather than a pump but as you work through the sets the pump works its way in for sure! I think it'll be good because you can work past the point when you'd usually have to stop climbing because the pump is too bad and really push it till your fingers give up. Making sure to roll the weights to the very finger tips and holding it there gives a good pump as does holding it at the top of the curl (on both normal and reverse curls). They're also great because you can easily do it in front of the computer or telly and still get a great pump on (although typing with stupidly pumped forearms is somewhat difficult!).
Now all I need to do is actually get back to the climbing wall!
Complexes seem to be exactly what I was after, I don't think they'll result in me bulking up but they do seem to be good for strength (this is complete speculation though as I've not been doing them long enough to give detailed feedback).
This is the one I've been doing, the Istvan Javorek Complex, with 10kg each hand. I've no real idea about what weights to use but these feel comfortable and after a few sets they get a good burn going.
The other thing I was pointed towards was Tabata style workouts. These are when you do 20 seconds on, 10 off, 20 on etc for eight rounds and then rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat. The one I tried out was this workout I found on youtube.
nb, you can also find tabata style timers on youtube so you don't have to faff around with a stopwatch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RSWwrx6NqA
The workout felt good on the upper body, especially after doing the complexes but it was a bit lacking on the legs for me so I might try and incorporate some weights into the leg stuff or just make my own 8 round workout aiming at the legs.
Finally I finished up with wrist curls. I've been doing them to varying levels of success but last night it went really well. I found that if I use the maximum weight I can put on the dumbbell (14kg I think) it's more strenuous but it's difficult to get a good pump but if I use 10kg each hand at the same time it works a lot better. I was doing a mixture of slow and controlled curls with some fast and powerful ones, pushing until you can barely hold onto the weight, resting and then doing the same for the reverse curls. While actually doing the exercise it feels like more of a burn rather than a pump but as you work through the sets the pump works its way in for sure! I think it'll be good because you can work past the point when you'd usually have to stop climbing because the pump is too bad and really push it till your fingers give up. Making sure to roll the weights to the very finger tips and holding it there gives a good pump as does holding it at the top of the curl (on both normal and reverse curls). They're also great because you can easily do it in front of the computer or telly and still get a great pump on (although typing with stupidly pumped forearms is somewhat difficult!).
Now all I need to do is actually get back to the climbing wall!
Sunday, 25 October 2009
quick post
Managed a quick run before work on Saturday, 6 minutes quicker than last time and no chunder - a great success all round. So that was 4.7 miles in 40 minutes, the aim is to cut 10 minutes off that.
There's a Mixed Martial Arts gym round the corner that I've been told about so I'm thinking of venturing over there sometime next week to see if I can fit it into my training. I also going to start recording my weight just too see if I do manage to actually shift any.
13 stone 8 and a half pounds. Ok, i really do need to think about shifting some of it.
There's a Mixed Martial Arts gym round the corner that I've been told about so I'm thinking of venturing over there sometime next week to see if I can fit it into my training. I also going to start recording my weight just too see if I do manage to actually shift any.
13 stone 8 and a half pounds. Ok, i really do need to think about shifting some of it.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
It has begun.
Today was the true start of my winter training. Setting off at 7.30 in damp drizzly weather I proceeded to demonstrate to myself several things: a)why I need to be in training, b)how much smoking really isn't good for you and c)what the contents of my stomach looks like. I can at least console myself knowing that chundering seems like a good indicator of effort (and terrible fitness i hasten to add). So that's it, running every second day come rain or shine.
I have to admit I'm pretty polar with my training - its all or nothing - and today was very much a demonstration of the effect of the nothing side of the agreement on the everything side. Over the next few months I'm looking to really give training a proper shot - running, climbing, weights and any other other training methods I stumble upon.
The books will be coming out of storage - Mark Twight's Extreme Alpinism, The Rock Warrior's Way, Geoff Lowe's Ice World and any other tome that I will study extensively then ignore in my usual fashion.
This is all pretty incoherant but I hope over the coming weeks that the blog forms some sort of training diary and that I will be able to come up with results. So here are my aims for Scottish winter 09/10 season. Climb a proper grade IV mixed route and a V on ice (point five or the like) - it can't be that hard, can it?
I have to admit I'm pretty polar with my training - its all or nothing - and today was very much a demonstration of the effect of the nothing side of the agreement on the everything side. Over the next few months I'm looking to really give training a proper shot - running, climbing, weights and any other other training methods I stumble upon.
The books will be coming out of storage - Mark Twight's Extreme Alpinism, The Rock Warrior's Way, Geoff Lowe's Ice World and any other tome that I will study extensively then ignore in my usual fashion.
This is all pretty incoherant but I hope over the coming weeks that the blog forms some sort of training diary and that I will be able to come up with results. So here are my aims for Scottish winter 09/10 season. Climb a proper grade IV mixed route and a V on ice (point five or the like) - it can't be that hard, can it?
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