Days Drag By, But Years Fly By

Training: 1) As Many Routes As Possible (My definition of AMRAP) in 90 minutes

Notes: 16 routes. Volume Training has begun!

This Is Not That

Training: 1) Technique



2) Flash Ladder



3) Power Endurance, Long



4) Power Snatch



5) 1-arm bench



6) Core/Prehab



Moon Board & The Bay
Training Nirvana

My Nemesis
40+ ft @ ~45 degrees
No Place To Hide/Rest

Notes: Medium Intensity/High Volume. Back to PG of SF. I'm a routesetting snob and those people do it right. Every problem at every grade is a lesson in movement. My intercostals are still sore from reverse crunch strip sets. (Note to self - I'm not a bodybuilder thus DON'T DO STRIP SETS!)



#1 Worked on crossing moves. Getting better. Thinking that outside crosses are a different species than indoor crosses, same genius. #2 I love flash ladders. Great way to trick myself into high volume of quality moves. Today's pyramid - (5 x V4, 4 x V5, 3 x V6, 2 x V7, 1 x V8, 2 x V7, 3 x V6, 4 x V5, 5 x V4) I didn't get the V8, and I realize those are "indoor grades." #3 There was nice 30 move V4 that went up the ramp. I eek out ascents outside by resting & recovering. There was no resting on this beast. Just a lovely lactic acid bath. I got wet 8 times with 3:00-3:30 rest between dips, aka Song Intervals. #4 Singles @ 135, 145(f), 135, 135, 135. My standard baseline in PS. #5 3x8 @ 55. Great Ab/Horizontal pushing exercise. I don't do enough. Remembered it when reading Dan John's book "Never Let Go". Highly recommended (the exercise and the book). #6 Redirecting my core and prehab work. Standing core only. Dropping prehab exercises that don't work for me.

Show Business for Ugly People

Training: 1) Technique

2) Onsight Hardest Routes Possible

3) Laps

4) Power Clean & Push Press

5) Good Mornings

6) Core & Prehab



Notes: It's raining and cold most places in CA. However, I got to train a premier commercial facility - Planet Granite in San Francisco. Nice routes and great weight room.

When I onsight outdoors, I tend to pause and sprint. That works well most of the time. It does not work well on power endurance oriented routes. When I get pumped, I slow down and get stupid. In addition, since I only rope up once a month I lack the mental tolerance to really push myself physically. I worked on those deficiencies today.

#1 I onsighted a hardish route then immediately repeated it. I strive to climb the 2nd lap 20% faster while being more efficient (I didn't measure). #2 Sometimes it is hard for me to separate my ego in training. I have the best intentions of not showing off in the gym. Today I did. I suckered myself into onsighting the harder routes in the gym. I rolled the dice and got about 1/2 of them. I worked on climbing with poise & grace while being pumped silly. #3 2-3 routes per set, 30s of rests between routes, 5-7 minutes of rest between sets. #4 5 Singles @ 185 #5 3X8 @ 135. My lower back is the weakest physical link I have. (I might still be too bulky). #6 Reverse crunches. The Yin to Good Morning Yang. My shoulders are very healthy. Need to reevaluate that aspect of my program.

Data is Not The Plural of Anecdote

Training: 1) Flash Ladder

2) Power Endurance, Short

rest 5 hours

3) Power Endurance, Long

4) 5 rounds
Squat, DE, 195lbs
1-arm pull-up, both arms

5) 1-arm press, 50lbs, a bunch

6) 4 rounds
8 slapping pushups
6 Russian lunges
10 45lb sit ups
15 5lb shoulder handjob

Notes: Back to being syked about training. Went to a commerical gym. I flashed all the boulder problems in the gym expect for 3. Here is the breakdown:

1 - Low ball traverse. I don't do low ball traverses outside. Why train them inside?
2 - 19 move problem. Most routes I do outside aren't 19 moves. Why train that inside?
3 - The hardest problem in the gym. I flashed the lower section. The upper section had no chalk (my guess is I was the first person on that section, including the setter) and required wedging yourself in a dihedral (very body size dependent)

#2 Played with linking problems together. No resting on the wall. Complete rest between sets. Got pumped! #3 Song intervals with lots of recovery on the wall. #4 First time squatting in a long time. Felt good to be under the bar.

My left rotator cuff is a significantly weaker than my right. I notice it on 1-arm hangs and prehab work. It might be do to an increase ROM from mobility drills. The scar tissue seemed to protect it, now I need muscle to that job.

Non-Gaussian Errors in the Residuals

1) Technique, 1 block

2) Hard Bouldering, .5

3) DT, 1 block

Notes: Last hard day before taper. I feel good but a little beat up, right where I want to be. #1 Learn a trick for dynoing, especially for lateral ones. AIM FOR THE BACK OF THE HOLD. It is like shooting free-throws. Instead of aiming for lip, aim deep. #2 Hard bouldering was more of a break between other two. Nothing was enaging, aka everything was too easy. It is a blessing in disguise, forces me to focus on technique and tolerance. #3 20 minutes, 2 laps on 4 problems, 3 laps on 3 problems. All Adv. Settting blocked access to one of the problems. Training in commerical gyms is an exercise in futility.

Blogging Empire

Training: 1) Technique

2) Bouldering

3) T2P

4) Dynamic Effort, 1-arm

5) MU, 3X4

6) Pull-ups and Dips

7) Front lever and stall bar leg lifts

Notes: Settling into a groove. Technquie work, a bit of hardish climbing, and some tolerance training. I'm getting better at each of these aspects. Hopefully, I will see some transfer.

#1 foot hover, decompress #2 Focus on quality movement over sending, alertnagted between my own problems and established climbs #3 Traverse into Spiderman (~V2 into ~V3), 6 laps, 2:00 between laps #5-#7 Noticed some modest gains after taking 3 days off. Birthday Challenges training is training for its own sport (that you make up the rules to). I always feel like I need to get more serious about the training. I supersetted the physical training with fun, i.e. front flips out off the trampoline pit, learning basic parallette work, and 1-arm cartwheels.

Poking The Bear

1) Technique, 1.5 block

2) Bouldering, .5 block

3) Fartlek Intervals, 1 block

4) Mobility/Basic Gymnastics, 1 block


"Two-Minute Drills Part 2: Treating That Sticky Rib" with Kelly Starrett

Notes: #1 Continuing to move up the dyno progression - bigger, more sidewise, more single handed. Continued progression on one leg climbing by climbing harder problems #2 Quick sent all the new problems, including a "project" dyno (2nd go, static for me) #3 I'm improving and it feels nice. 1st round - Adv, Active Recovery (AR), Int, Int 2nd round - Adv, Adv, Int, Int 3rd round - Adv, AR, Adv, Int, AR, Int #4 Tried the Kelly Starrett "Treating that sticking rib" until I started to cry (literally). Either I was doing something very right or very wrong. The jury is still out. I "played" on cool playground bars near my work, made up a nice kipping pull-up progression (since I don't know of one for tight shoulders). I released so much tension that I feel like I'm floating.

Modern Life is a Repetitive Use Injury

Training: 1) Technique

2) Bouldering

3) RI

Notes: #1 Training for an upcoming dyno comp. Laying a big foundation. Aiming for 9 sends for every 1 fail. #2 Feel stronger than ever, probably from taking it easier. Need a to find a strong stimulus to elicit the proper response #3 Ended early when I kick myself and started bleeding. NEGATIVE. Probably for the best save something for the weekend.

Same Big Hole, New Dirt

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) T2P, 1 block

3) Gymnastic Buffet

Notes: I train alone. I like training alone. I don't carry about who sent what "secret" project, where the "pro climbers" are climbing this month, or what grade a problem gets this week. I don't care about a couple of bolts on some cliff I'll never go to. I just want to climb. This is my chance for action, instead of just talk. Today, right now. Excuse me while I turn the down the volume on my life, your life, and all of life.

#1 Still getting after it at CATS. My climbing is improving. #2 Better at the longer thing. Skin was the limiting factor. #3. Went horrible, couldn't do easy stuff for me. Didn't want to force it. First time on a balance beam in 25 years! Doubled the amount of time on trampoline over last session. Finished with some pull-ups and core. It is fun and reasonable to do kipping pull-ups on proper gynmastic equipment. The variety of basic equipment provides an environment for me to properly scale "bodywieght" movements.

Don't Get Your Feathers Wet

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) DT, 1 block

3) RI, 1 block

rest 3 hours

4) 3 rounds
6 1-arm push-ups
5 OHS

5) 1 arm dip practice, negative only

6) dips, doubles, 90, 90, 90

7) Front lever, 3 sets

8) 3 rounds
10 pull-ups
10 1-arm situps, 27.5 lbs

9) Shoulder prehab

Notes: #1- Foot Hoover, Leg Progesion #2 - 4 problems x 4 (Adv, Adv-, Adv, Int+), #3 ~3 rounds of Traverse into Int+, Recovery, Int+, Recovery, Int+ #5 I'm strong enough to do a 1-arm dip. I'm working on learning the tricks.

I had another mental breakthough today. It was during #3. I got to the point where it didn't matter that I was pumped. Physically, I was tired and pumped, but there wasn't the typical fight or flight mental response. It was nice to enjoy it. I ended the training session shortly after.

Maybe "Nothing" Is The Best Model

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) RI, 1 block

3) Power Touches, 3 sets

4) Pull-ups, 3 sets

Notes: One thing I learned from Rob Shaul of Mountain Athlete is the power of progressions. The idea you start where you at and move towards your goal in small measurable steps. One counter example is people skipping grades, frequently in an indoor setting. Gravitating towards the new, therefore cooler, problems or the ones their buddies are working. All my training is based on progressions, both micro and macro. One example is my technique work today. The micro progression is:

First, do the problem with both legs.

Second, do the same problem with only the weaker leg.

Third, do the same problem with there only the stronger leg.

Fourth, do the same problem with both legs (hopefully with refinement over lap #1)

This is part of a larger marco progression aimed at adding diversity to my climbing movement. I drop knee a lot, probably more than I should. It is frequently easier to do the individual moves but keeps me on a climb longer. I need to be able to move with more momentum and less foot combinations (several hand movements with the same feet).

#1 - Foot Hoover, Decompress, Leg Combinations #2 - Horrible. My ability to recover is definite limiter. I'm only able to recover on mega jugs and there are no mega jugs at CATS. Dave Mcleod in his book "9 out of 10 climbers ..." discuses focusing on the aspect of climbing that has the highest derivative, i.e. rate of change. Recovery ability on marginal holds is that aspect for me. #3 - My back is often the most tired muscle after climbing outside. I'm not sure how to best train it. #4 - I suck at high volume pull-ups.

Reverse Skimming

Training:
1) Technique, 2 blocks

2) Bouldering, 1 block

3) T2P, 2 blocks

rest 3 hours

4) 1-arm pull-up, singles, +0

5) dips weighted, 3X5, 70lbs

6) pistols, 3x5, +0

7) 1 arm press, 3x5, 45 Left, 50 Right

8) Good Morning, a bunch with 95lbs

9) Shoulder hand job, 50X1, 10lbs

Notes: #1 Foot hoover (my favorite drill), dyno (felt rusty, too much arm pull), 1 leg only (a good one that I need to do more) #2 climbed okay, need to rest more between attempts #3 I did a variety of "routes", the best one was 20 moves of V0/1 into a 10 move, V3/4 #4-#7 Back on track for a B-day challenge #8 My back is my biggest physical limiter (excluding finger strength) #9 Works my old shoulder injury nicely

The Slick Trick With The Donkey Dick

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) Boulder, 1 block

3) T2P, 2 blocks

Notes: #1- I foot bobble when things get hard. Perfect practice with foot placements at progressively harder levels. Stop at diminishing returns. #2 - I worked a hard(ish) problem interveaved with hard(ish) flashes. #3 Already getting more tolerance but still hard.

TMPHBITEU

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) Hang, .3 block

3) T2P, 2 blocks

Notes: I'm transitioning from roadtrip into my training cycle. This cycle will focus on tolerance, i.e., the ability to do hard moves when pumped. I suck really bad at it, both on a physical and mental level.

#1 - Focused on using momentum especially from a position of off-balance, e.g. right foot on (only) and moving left arm. #2 - I'm training for a cliff that has a proper amount of 2 finger pockets. Most gyms choose not to set with pockets so I've to supplement with a hangboard. SAID, enough said. #3 - I traversed ~10 moves of V1/2 into ~15 moves of V4/5.

2 finger campusing to warm-up.

If you think you can 2 finger campus, you can.

A Specialist At Everything

Training: 1) Technique, 1 block

2) 20-30 moves, rest as needed, 2 blocks

3) Gymnastics Smorgasbord, 1 block

Notes: I "test" myself outside. I try to climb everything and look for patterns in failures. I learn almost nothing from flashing (even though it is fun).

"Any sticking point is mental, technical or physical"
Dave Tate

Here are the aspects of my climbing I have the most room for improvement right now:

1. Aretes

Mental - hard to overpower, need to trust myself

Technical - outside aretes are way different from inside aretes

Physical - not a meaningful sticking point

2. Underclings

Mental - need to accept that they are awkward at first but better after moving into them

Technical - don't know when to turn it or how to shift my weight

Physical - not a meaningful sticking point

3. Lip Traverses

Mental - most are contrive, lowering my syke

Technical - avoid foot cutting, over rely on power

Physical - improve power endurance in the 10-15 move range

4. Continuous Steep

Mental - like to be in control which is hard when pumped

Technical - over rely on power, need to take time to find "tricks"

Physical - improve power endurance in the 10-15 move range

I finally sacked up and made it to CATS. I felt right at home, problems I couldn't do and obsessed locals who eschew outside climbing. They have premium holds (regardless of age) everywhere and all the proper angles (no roofs). My skin was jacked up so I stuck to endurance circuits. CATS is setup so you can traverse through the gym without touching the ground. Simply RAD. If I hit a move that didn't flow perfectly, I went back and repeated it until it did. At the end, I practiced back levers, kipping pull-ups, dip walking, and got on the trampoline (first time in 10 years!).

The gymnastic portion of CATS follows an optimal gym paradigm. Lots of classes at different levels. In addition, open gym time. Most CrossFit facilities have lots of classes at the same level with no open gym. CrossFit has the fun toys but doesn't like to share.

Dead Fit Bird

Training: 1) Route Doubles, 2 blocks

2) Density, 1 block

Notes: Lately, I have been intrigued by this interview with Adam Ondra and the book The Talent Code. Climbing is so complex, and foreign to conventional movement, that a massive amount of deep practice is the best path for improvement. Projecting problems limits the amount of climbing moves in a session, misses the "massive amount". Endless traversing or ARCing isn't challenging, misses the "deep practice". The goal is to get both, stay in the zone of proximal development. It requires constant self awareness and adjustment. I can tell a quality training session because I'm mentally and physically exhausted.

#1 - I flashed all the hardest routes in the gym. #2 - I sent everything left to right in the bouldering area. "Feeling Fit" is an understatement. I need to seek out better training options.

Smoking Candy Cigarettes

Training: 1) Route Doubles, 45 minutes

2) T2P, 30 minutes

3) Rhythm Intervals, 3 rounds

Level 2, 2, 1

Notes: I'm experimenting with creating sessions that follow a continuum from sport specific to conditioning specific. I got the idea from Gambetta's blog. I move from most climbing related, routes, to the least climbing related, rhythm intervals on the system board. Climbing always takes priority, but it is hard to get a strong enough "dose" from just climbing.

#1 - I'm addicted to route doubles. I climbed the hardest routes available. Falling off near the top of the second lap = PERFECT #2 - Getting better at regulating the intensity. I tend to pick the traverse too easy and the problem too hard. #3 - There is no hiding in Rhythm Intervals. They suck my soul (in a good way).

The Sessions #7, What a Yellow Light Really Means

The volume pendulum swung the other way during this session. I got on a lot of routes, ~ 11, during the two hours. For me, this kind of sport climbing is more mental taxing than physically taxing. My old, less than great, habits come back once I start getting pumped. It is a mental battle to recognize (since they are ingrained) and start to replace the old habits with better habits. I call this Yellow Light climbing. Don't speed up or slow down, just like when you're driving. Especially - DON'T FREAK OUT. Just focus on the climbing and keep moving. Climbing well during the yellow light separates good from great sport climbers.

I'm not perftect. I don't climb perfectly (none does). In the past, I would expect a redpoint to go perfectly. It never does. I would get frustated and spin out after I made my first micromistake. I'm getting better about dealing with mistakes. Now my inner dialogue is - "Oh, I grabbed a wrong hold. I'll regrab it right. Reset and move on." It makes climbing more enjoyable, with the added bonus of cranking harder.

Pistols & Frappuccinos

Warm-up: 1) Climb some easy established problems

2) Hike, 45 minutes

Training: 1) Traverse to Problem (TCP), 30 minutes

2) Density Training (DT), 30 minutes
Adv Minus - 7, Adv - 6, Adv Plus - 6, Open Minus - 2

3) Recovery Intervals (RI), 12 min, rest 5 min, 12 min

Notes: I checked out a new sector with above average rock quality. It was fun repeating the established problems. After, I hiked around and found two awesome new bouldering walls. They should keep me occupied for the rest of season. It was a nice appetizer for the entre of training.

Session #2 of Week 1 - #1 Works one of my biggest limiters, bouldering when slightly pumped. Kinda funky because I had to traverse around multiple outside corners to get enough moves in. #2 Plays one of my strengths, stamina. I tried so hard one of my legs cramped. 3 of problems were flashes, including an Open Minus. I had to lay down for 5 minutes before starting the next block. #3 - My endurance is horrible!!!

It was a different "dose" than the 1st session. I had to wait a couple of minutes before the pump went away to undo my shoes and had to pour myself into my car. A good day in the lab.

Some Change For Something Strange

Training: 1) Route Doubles (Climb 1st Route, Short rest while previewing , Climb 2nd Route, Rest 5 minutes, repeat), 45 minutes

2) Bouldering, 30 minutes

rest 4 hours

3) System Board, 30 minutes

4) Hangboard, 30 minutes

5) Icing & Wine, 30 minutes

Notes: This is the start of a transition period in my training. The Front Range spring season is tapering down, and I'm leaving on a roadtrip in one month. The new cycle will be based on the Block Programming from Steve Betchel with a couple of tweaks. I plan to add a technique block per microcycle and still try to get outside 3-4 times per microcycle.

#1 - I climbed the hardest routes at the gym. Got pumped but didn't fall. #2 - Didn't go well. The taped problems were too easy and all set by one person. Monochromatic setting gets boring quickly. #3 Focused on open hand and then 1/2 crimp, feet not cutting #4 Focused on 1/2 crimp and then sloper. Supersetted maximum effort hangs with mobility drills. My body felt better than when I started. #5 I usually don't. Glad I did.