The Climbing Thread

I've got a bit of a circuit routine going which I think will maintain my strength just about (maybe improve, as I've never stuck to a hangboard routine before).

I'm doing the work-provided online yoga classes twice a week as well which i can feel is already loosening me up....

My grand plans of spending this year getting into sport climbing ready for starting trad next year are up the chute though :(

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can get outdoors. My boulder mat and peak bouldering book are ready and waiting...
 
I've not been doing any climbing training during lockdown, I just hate doing mindless reps, not for me. I've done a lot of cycling (with hill climbs) and walking though so my legs are probably stronger than before.

Think I'm going to get out to some local rocks later in the week, there's a few bouldering spots 5 minutes away I've been meaning to check out.
 
Gyms open next month sometime then...I am looking forward to getting back, I've been useless at training at home, lost quite a lot of muscle mass, but at least I should be lighter, ha!

Going to hid the diet and training hard once I can get in a gym, I suspect they'll only be open for a short while before lockdown round 2 arrives.
 
My climbing buddy has just gone back to Germany, and the mountaineering club I'd joined to find some partners here isn't meeting so it's all been a bit of a bust.

Have gone to a local bouldering spot a couple of times which is OK, but only really for training easy stuff.

I was hopeful of getting a trip to Fontainebleau in October but I think we'll be back in lockdown by then alas.
 
First time back in the gym today, it was pretty nice being quieter and having more space tbh!

Given I'm not trained since the first week or two of lockdown, I was pleasantly surprised at my climbing, thought I might have regressed quite a bit. Eased back into it, but was flashing V4-5 still. Didn't try anything beyond that as my skin got rekt in the 90 minute session.
 
Street said:
Nice! The place I go to has opened a new site in the city and I was looking forward to going and checking it out, however I managed to snap my ankle last week and currently can't walk too well so thought it might not be wise.
I'm hoping it sorts itself out for next weekend as I was planning on doing a long mountain multi pitch for my birthday. :(
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Oof, that sucks :(

I've surprised myself how quickly I've come back after being a slob for four months. Did a crimpy moonboard style overhanging route on the V5-7 set and was amazed at every hold I grabbed and held, felt like my finger strength has even improved.

Now just need my skin to toughen up again...
 
fez said:
Either you were injured/super tired before lockdown, you have been training during lockdown or your wall is doing what a lot of walls have done and softened their grades a lot since re-opening. You don't get better finger strength from not climbing for 4 months.
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I know it won't have actually improved :P I had been climbing 3 days a week for 2-3 years without a break though, so a bit of time off isn't going to have done much harm.

Have a session booked later today but think I've gonna bail with this heat. Forgot my antihydral yesterday so I'll spare people the slopping wet handprints on everything...
 
fez said:
You realise how much general fatigue and niggles you climb with when you have a break! Well, unless you are a yoot and can recover in 6 hours.

Do you find antihydral that quick acting? I thought that it was something that you apply over weeks to reduce the sweating in your fingers slowly?
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Antihydral does work straight away to an extent. I'll normally apply it on my finger tips and leave it on overnight. That'll be immediately a bit stronger, drier skin the next day....but it's peak effectiveness is in 3-6 days....depends how much skin you get through though.

You need to climb if you use it, or sandpaper your hands otherwise it'll callus up.

I have particularly sweaty hands (like leaving big wet handprints on volumes)....and it's a godsend. I can climb a good grade or two higher on slopers when I've used it.
 
fez said:
I have used it in the past a bit but I am using the rhino skin solutions stuff which is much milder at the moment. Honestly I have lost a bit of motivation for climbing lately with the hot weather and the walls being closed until recently. Not all my mates are back at it yet, my local wall is generally poorly set and I have been really enjoying mountain biking. Hopefully the psych will return once it cools down a bit and we can plan some trips to Font again.
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I was intending to go to Font in October but it's impossible to plan anything at the moment with the flux in travel restrictions. I'm just happy to be back on the walls.

I only just got settled back into the country before lockdown, joined a mountaineering club in January to try and find some climbing buddies....ha.

Resigned myself to solo bouldering for the forseeable. Maybe I will get to Font, at least you can just drive there easy enough and not have to deal with airports etc.
 
Back to the Climbing Unit in Derby this afternoon, can't wait, hopefully my form has held up reasonably well as it did last time. Will be easing in for a session, then going for it to get back to where I was ASAP.
 
Street said:
I'm booked in for my first session tomorrow! :D

I was back out on the grit on Saturday. After not climbing for three months everything felt nails and I only just about managed to haul myself up a couple f6Bs! I'm definitely not used it anymore and my fingers are so soft again.. I felt like an old man yesterday!
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It's been a really frustrating year for me, I moved back to the UK end of 2019, joined a mountaineering club with plans to get back into ropes and onto trad....but I've basically been stuck bouldering on my own for a year, when the gyms are open. No organised group stuff indoors still.

Hopefully this summer I'll be able to crack on, finally.
 
Session on Monday was surprisingly good for me. Flashed a few V5/6C ish...but my fingers were feeling a bit tweaky so didn't push onto my max which is V6/7A ish on a good day.

Should be going again tonight, but I am stiff as hell from going rugby training last night too! See how I loosen up over the day.
 
Still waiting for my MCL tear to heal....two months off already. It is starting to get there at least. Sucks ass to have lockdown then this injury, I feel really out of shape :(

Think maybe next week I can get to the gym and just campus the roof sections or one-leg easier routes.
 
Guest2 said:
MCL is a ligament in the knee isnt it that connect the shin and thigh bone... sounds painful.
I was so out of shape after lockdown but back into it now and starting to feel and look better. My back changed shape over lockdown and looked all sloughy, now it's more upright. Climbing, swimming and a couple of cardio sessions a week plus better diet and not as much drinking.
Lockdown I would be in the house most of the day sat down then went for a walk to the shops. Takeaways / semi healthy food but also too many beers / gins out of boredom
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Yeah it's the ligament on the inside of the knee. Had someone land on the side of my knee playing rugby, my fault for trying to settle in a new place by playing contact sports at my age :p Feels rough having your leg feeling like it's not attached properly!

Had a good physio appointment yesterday though, she says the ligament is healed now, the residual pain will fade, just needs some strength work, so I'm heading to the climbing gym this evening to test it out. Worst case I can do some hangboarding and campusing....but I think it should be ok to do straightforward stuff, drop-knees and stuff can wait.

If it's OK this session, I'm getting booked onto the first lead/trad climbing course I can find. I'm so desperately bored of bouldering on my own for the last year and half since moving back to the UK. Everyone is into trad here, and I don't fancy learning from randoms, want some proper tuition to get started, then will get out to join some clubs.

I'm not *that* out of shape, I always eat well. 6'2" and 74kg atm. I've noticed my upper body muscle mass has noticeably dropped off and am generally less toned. Going to go nuts as soon as I can regularly gym climb again.
 
I climbed! Knee is still a bit sore, but it functions correctly and doesn't bend in ways it shouldn't.

I felt about a stone heavier though, must be the lost muscle mass as I haven't gained any significant weight....and the skins on my fingertips was trashed in an hour....but so good to get back on the wall.

Going to go an get my trad courses sorted out....
 
We can dream. I'd love to drive down to Font to catch up with my friends on the continent for a week around October time, but I have a feeling travel is still going to be a problem.

But, I did manage a full hour and a half bouldering yesterday, pushed my knee a bit more on some V5s, seemed to be pretty good.

Street said:
I can highly recommend Rob Johnson if he's got any availability. His company is Expedition Guide, based in Snowdonia. I've used him a couple times years ago and was planning on booking my ML with him as well.
I've been getting my trad head back on recently. I'd not done much at the start of the year because of the weather and it's surprising how much the head game goes when you aren't doing it regularly.
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Cheers, had a look, quite tempting to do his 5-day Learn to Lead course. Fair bit of cash, but 2:1 for a full five days is pretty good value.

Sadly all booked up for this year, doh :(

Probably going to go with the Peak Climbing School, they do a 2-day, and a 3-day that cover the same stuff roughly, although 1:4. Less than an hour from me too.
 
touch said:
That's normal. You don't wear socks with climbing shoes.
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Not a strict rule, do whatever works for you. I prefer wearing trainer socks, gets a nice snug fit without being so prone to blisters, and keeps your shoes a bit cleaner and drier than just sweating into them.

Need some new shoes soon actually, my evolv nighthawks are nearly done. Torn between getting my trusty HiAngles resoled, or trying something new....to find that sweet spot between comfort and performance. Nighthawks are too flat and soft for hard boulders and tiny edges. The Evolv Geshido Lace looks tempting...
 
Well, after doing a hike in the Peak District with the other half, my nagging questions like "wouldn't you rather go up and over these hill rather than just walking around"....have paid off. Got us both on a introduction to scrambling course in Ogwen valley in a couple of weeks. Got an unexpected bonus from work too so will be getting some decent camping gear finally.

I've desperate to get back into shape, so have been just punishing myself with an hour+ on the circuit wall 3 times a week before finishing up with some limit bouldering. Still not quite back before the MCL tear, but getting there.
 
Been a busy week, did a couple of long hikes/scrambles in the Peaks, camping in Edale. Then did a scrambling course on Tryfan in Snowdonia.

Other half seems to be successfully hooked at last, and is enjoying the bouldering having got over the initial pain barrier. Might finally have achieved the dream :D
 
Street said:
Nice one, which routes did you do?
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Came up Bastow Buttress on the East Face, then up the remainder of the North Ridge.

So many good looking routes on Tryfan...will definitely be back, probably after the school holidays though.

I'm going to do a trad leading course in the meantime so by then we'll be able to go out and practice ropework on some easy stuff before tackling some of the more technical lines on Tryfan.
 
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