Looking Backward

Flashing another problem in paradise.
For me, Paradise Lost.
I left CA for CO.

Looking back on the year is slightly odd feeling. I don't get too nostalgic and didn't have specific goals for this year.

Here are some highlights :

- Climbed a shit-load, locally and road tripping. I climbed as much as I could considering I had a salaried job and finished a Ph.D. I took many weekend trips to Bishop. How fucking cool is that!

- No injuries. I don't handle injuries very well and actually take the steps avoid to them, e.g. take days off, no high-balls on bad rock, and lots of sport climbing.

- Successful Birthday Challenge. Did I complete my challenge? No, I tried the "impossible" and failed. RAD!

- Learned a lot about training. I read, thought, discussed, and attended seminars. I'm still processing information. I have a good handle on general conditioning and starting to understand training for climbing.

I hope the next year is very similar.

(After I finished the post, I realized that I didn't mention grades once. I did climb harder this year, first V8, but ticking a particular grade wasn't as important as the complete experience).

Video Evidence

Here is the highlight reel from yesterday's session:

Get Psyched! Get Strong!

Urban Hippies Are Still Stinky

Objective : Climbing Strength

Warmup : (1) Pullups, lots
2 sets

(2) easy campusing
2 sets

Training: (1) dead hang
7s on / 3s rest
6 reps
rest 2 minutes between sets
3 sets per grip

grips : sloper, 0, +20, +25
open crimp, +20, +20, +20
two finger, +10, +10, +10
closed crimp, +20, +25, +25
pinch, 0, +10, +15

(2) easy campusing
1 minute on
2 minute rest
3 sets

(3) 1 arm pull up, each arm
3 sets

(4) front lever
3 sets
ab wheel roll out
3 sets

Notes : Great session. Loosely based on RockProdigy’s Hangboard Workout : reference. Baseline numbers for dead hangs. Need to refine. #2 kicks my ass. Need to work on my power endurance.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Objective : Climbing Power Endurance

Training: Campus lap, i.e. Beer & Cheese Traverse
7 tuck jump burpees
3 rounds



Notes: I got poison oak developing climbing in Santa Barbara a while ago. It is still making life miserable, see Vegas's performance. Today I wanted to get hot and sweaty. The second I got bothered, I felt fire ants eating my skin. End of session. There is a reason why workouts are written on whiteboards. I'm going back to standard climbing workouts for a while. If you every get poison oak, here is ninja beta: frequent scalding hot showers. The showers release the histimine and stops the itching.

Eggnog Slurpee

Objective : Climbing Strength

Warm up : Campus Lap X 3

Training : (1) Hang 4-8s
Rest as need (approx. 2-3 minutes)
6 rounds per grip

Mono, 1 1/4'' edge
Pinch
Two finger, 1/2'' edge
Open hand, 1 arm , large campus rung
Full crimp, 1/2'' edge + 63lbs

(2) 1 arm pull up (each arm) X 3

(3) Front lever X 3

My good friend for the next week. This hangboard is too fancy, lots of wasted space and extra features. I added the hooks for a pulley system to take weight off.

I asked my sister for weight and got this stuff. It ranges from 1/2lb to a 10lb kettlebell! I will be able to accommodate small linear progress, a "secret" to weight training, but might not be able to train maximal strength.

Notes: Weak on pinches. Strong on crimp. Standard climbing workout: reference. Good enough for Ben Moon. Good enough for me.

Las Vegas, Day 3 - Pebble Wrestling

Objective : Performance

Boulder Sent: Unnamed V1 (flash)
Spring Break V2 (2nd go)
High Noon V1 (2nd go)
Concession Obsession V5 (5 tries)
Spring Board V3 (flash)

Total Points: 12

Boulders tried : Cherry Garcia V3 (flashed bottom, got spooked on top w/o spotters)
Boulders Tried: It's On V4 (fucking dyno)
St. Louis V4 (went over 5 try rule for roadtrips)

Props to Seth for making a great guide to Las Vegas Bouldering.
Check out his adventures: here.

Notes: Went to Red Spring for the first time. Weather was good, cold and sticky with a little snow for ambience. Only 1/2 day because I had to home for Christmas. It is hard to flash by yourself. No one to encourage you or betawhore. Still sucking on dynos. I love bouldering by myself. I spent the day hanging out in nature spiked with hard physical activity. Perfect.

Las Vegas, Day 2 - Wool Panty Day

Objective : Performance

Routes Sent : Buck's Muscle World 5.9 (flash)
A Day in the Life 5.11b/c (2nd go)

Total Points : 7.5

Routes Tried : Yaak Crack 5.11 c/d (2 tries)

Climbing is a friendly world. Here is Bill and Jason (not the same one as yesterday) at The Gallery. I meet Jason in the parking of my hotel the night before, and he invited me to go climbing the next day. Rad!

"A Day in the Life" - A day in the life of someone on the road means try to crank in horrible weather.

My 2nd go on Yaak Crack. I was trying very hard but the extreme cold was creating issues with clipping. I whipped on the last move. Ugh!

Notes : Windy, cold, and raining. Still climbing. I rather sport climb than boulder. I prefer continuous movement over pure difficulty. Bouldering has less continuous movement and sometimes has difficulty for the sake of difficulty (and greater chance of injury). But today, I should have went bouldering. I would only have touch the rock for a couple of seconds instead of minutes. Resting on the routes was a balancing act between depumping and hypothemia. It was that cold.