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.

Clydesdale Climber

Training: 1) Continuous Climbing, .5 block

2) 3x repeats, 1 block

3) 6x3 bouldering intervals, rest as needed

4) BS, 3X5, 205

5) Press, 3x5, 130 (f)

6) Prehab

Notes: Last training session before roadtrip. No need to taper because I'm in a performance cycle. Session geared towards efficiency. My current focus on outside bouldering has lead to some bad habits. #1 - Best way to trick myself into becoming a better climber. #2 - All diffuciity levels. Rewarded myself with a hard flash every couple of sets. #4 - Way off my all time PR of 315. Choosing to be a climber. #5 Failed on last rep.

I Got Now, I Don't Care Who Got Next

Training: 1) CIR, 1 block

2) VIR, 1 block

3) Press, 3x5, 125

4) Deadlift, 1x5, 275

5) 5 rounds
Swings, 60lbs, 'till lose pop
Push-ups, 'till pause
rest 1:00

I'm a lifer.
I figure I've about 10 years of hard climbing left, but I maximize each day.

Notes: I'm starting my season. Getting outside 4-5 times per week. Training 1 day per week. My two training goals are:

1) Supplement outside climbing
2) Maintain general Strength and Conditioning

This week I worked (and sent) many medium/hard first ascent climbs outside. There is always more figuring and cleaning than doing with first ascents. I tend to climb too tentatively and statically, since the problems are new and dirty. I flipped the coin for my indoor training by doing a high volume of familiar climbs. I worked on flowing and moving efficiently. #1 Homewall, repeated easier climbs #2 Commercial Gym, repeated & flashed climbs. Very crowded but kept moving. #3-5 My maintenance schedule is loosely based on this template. No need to make it complicated since I back at the novice level in the S&C world. I plan to push my numbers in a systematic and sustainable manner. The conditioning was "auto-regulated". Focused on quality of movement (instead of killing myself).

Prudent Paranoia

Training: 1) Technique

2) Hangboard

rest 5 hours

3) Screw Around in Climbing Gym

4) Front Squat, DE, 175lbs

5) Press, 3X5, 115

6) Core & Prehab



Notes: 3rd day on. The other two days were putting up first ascents, fun but not high volume. I'm a believer that massive amounts of quality climbing is the fastest path to Crankdom. So today was a volume day. #1 Trying something new - thumbless climbing. Inspired by the video. No crimping or pinching. It fixes two problems 1. My strong loathing of pinchcentric indoor climbing. 2. My addiction to crimping. Thumbless climbing also forces straighter arm climbing (free money). All around a great tool in the workout toolbox #2 I trained in the 15-20s range. Matching my previous baseline. #3 Went to a commercial gym. Horrible setting and crowded. The best I could manage was a hybrid of density training and short intervals. Chasing two rabbits and didn't catch either one. #4-5 Maintenance work. Lowered the volume on the squats. Last time my squat recovery cut into my subsequent outdoor session. If your cross-training cuts into your sport or life, it time to reevaluate your program (or lack of one). #6 Rotator cuff is healthier. Elbows are little funky.

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.

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.

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

Factory Coil

Objective: Climbing Technique, Strength

Training: 1) Flash Routes, up to mid 12, 2.5 hours

2) Train various gymnastic movements - 1 arm pull up (assisted concentric), straddle front lever (4-5s), one legged deck squats, flat back tuck, strict MUs, L-sit scissors (3X10)

Notes: Awesome training session at BRC in Boulder. I tried to flash every 12 in the gym, I got most of the them. I felt strong with enough endurance to barely hang on, basically where I want to be as a sport climber. I did find a weakness (which gets me amped to destroy it) - big greasy macros. It stems from a lingering weakness with hard matches. Given the indoor comp looming, I got to get on it.

I'm still in the Novice stage with gymnastics training, easy gains by just doing it. I'll buckle down and create a program soon.

Bonus: This exactly how I feel. After I climb, I rather hear "you should've used the higher foot on the crux" than "Good job, bra." Getting to the top is not the only goal.

I’ll keep my money, guns, & freedom, you can keep the “Change”

Objective: Strength

Warm-up: 4 rounds
Barbell Complex - 95, 105, 115, 125

Training (1) 1 RM Strict Press, 160

(2) 5 rounds
2 x Strict Press, 135
3 x pistols, each leg

(3) 4 rounds
10 x deadlift, 185, 195, 205, 215
3 x TGU, each side, 35
10 x dips

(4) 3 rounds
10 x swings, 45
3 x corkscrew, each side, 45
10 x ankles to bar

Bonus: I'm resting my finger injury and its raining. Time to improve my durability. Barbell Complexes really suck, in a good way. It takes a moment for my heart to go back into my chest at the end of a round. According to Rob Shaul, those numbers are decent.

My strength is about the same as last year, without doing very much direct training. Very weird. I can press about 90% of my bodyweight. Good enough for my goals. My legs were a little shaky from all the rucking. I cut #4 at only three rounds because I hit the 1 hour mark. The next session will focus on either on work capacity or power endurance.

Mittens And Zip Ties

Objective : Strength

Warm-up : Snatch Practice

Training (1) singles, front squat, 225, 245, 265(f), 255

(2) 5 rounds
doubles, front squat, 215
10, shoulder press, 35X2

(3) row 500m
50 dips
row 500m
50 push-ups
row 500m
time : 10:03

Notes : I did this workout because I felt like moving my body. I also wanted to see how much strength I have lost since switching my focus to climbing. It turns out not much. Mountain Athlete is finding a similar result. Interesting.

At some point, my Olympic Weightlifting class will start to clean and jerk. I love cleaning (I could live without jerking. Scary!). There is no messing around with a clean. You have to commit. My current PR for the clean is 205. I have the potential for a big PR. Hopefully, I can actualize my potential.

The circuit, #3, was a smoker. I couldn't see for the first 30s after and couldn't talk for 5 minutes. If I threw in 50 handstand push-ups, my power output would have precipitously dropped. Think about it.

Busy Dying

Objective : Strength

Warmup : Snatch Practice

Training : (1) triples, Clean, 95, 135, 155

(2) doubles, deadlift high-pull, 215, 245

(3) singles, deadlift, 315, 355, 375

(4) 5 rounds
triples, deadlift, 315
15 perfect pushups

(5) 10 rounds
4 strict pullups every 30s

(6) 3 rounds
10 corkscrews, 45
6 TGU, medium weight

Notes : I'm gym rat. I have three rest days before the comp, I can sneak in a workout. Putting Cleans before deadlifts tricks your body into pulling fast and lifting heavier weights. My 1 RM is much higher than those singles, but I don't think pulling more than 2x bodyweight is going to help my climbing. I'm happier about the working sets (triples, deadlift, 315). Another chink in my fitness armor is being able to move moderatly heavy weights with little rest. Number 5 is a "test" posted by Mountain Athlete. 75% of the the pullups were chest-to-bar (CTB). Next time all of them will be CTB. I finished with a little rotational ab work. I haven't done TGU in a long time. It is a great exercise for climbers: mobility, shoulder stability, core, and little heavy breathing.

My Bitter Half

Objective : Strength

Warm-up : 4 rounds
400m, sprint
40 push-ups
Time : 9:46

Training : (1) 1 RM, deadlift, 365

(2) 5 rounds
doubles, dead-lift, 285
8, strict press, 35X2

Deadlift, 365
When I training for my Birthday Challenge last year, this was a warm-up weight. I'm trading my General Physical Preparation for Specific Physical Preparation. Oh yeah, those hex plates suck.

Notes: After the lengthy climbing session, I didn't have much left in the tank. I hit the basics hard : sprinting and lifting heavy stuff. I throw-in a little vertical and horizontal pressing to keep from becoming a hunchback. I had a bunch more planned, but I left instead of possibly hurting myself. In CrossFit world, that makes me a pansy. In my world, I'm focusing on my sport.

Playing with Purple Cobras

Objective : Climbing Power/Strength

Warm-up : Up and down climb all Recreation problems in a circuit

Training :
(1) campus, doubles on big rungs
1-2-3-4
1-3-5
1-4 (fail X 2)

(2) campus, throws on medium rungs
1-5-1 X 2
1-6-1

(3) epic fail on routes

(4) Cross training
a. Front Squat, 1 RM, 255

b. 5 rounds
Front Squat, triples, 216
13 strict pull-ups

c. 3 rounds
20 step-ups, 40lbs, 8 spacers high
20 elevated push ups

d. 5 rounds
mini leg blaster
10 weighted situps, 45 lbs

My Team

Notes : After the session at Carter Lake, I headed indoors to do some actual cranking. I sold my soul to a Globo Gym, i.e. signed a 1-year contract. This workout continues to build my campusing foundation. I moving towards "dropping". Reference :
One Of The Best Climbing Training Articles Ever Written. Mountain Athlete suggests creating training benchmarks. My campus benchmarks are 1-4 double on big rungs, 7-1-7 drop on medium rungs, and 1-5-9 throw on small rungs. I attempted to climb routes after climbing outside and campusing because the gym routes are "easy." I was shredding very hard at that point. I throw in a standard Mountain Athlete strength workout at the end. They suggest climb training M-W-F and cross training T-Th for 1 hour each day. My life does not lend itself to that schedule. I'm experimenting with other schedules.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Objective: Climbing Strength

Warm up : up and down climb jugs for 5 minutes

Training:

(1) 6X6 (6 sets X 6 moves/reps) up climb pinch, down climb jugs, 20lb vest
rest 30s between sets

(2) 6X4 two finger pocket, up and down, 20lb vest
rest 30s between sets

(3) 6X4 open hand, up and down, 20lb vest
rest 30s between sets

Simple and Hard

Notes: It is raining so it time for some serious gym work. This work out focuses on my weaknesses: pinch and open hand strength, down climbing.

Objective: Climbing Stamina

Training: Up and down continuously for 40 minutes

Notes: I did this workout at a local climbing gym using the autobelays. To train Climbing Stamina in the past, I have up climbed something hard, 5.10a/b, and down climbed something easier, 5.7/5.8. Dan Corn suggests I up and down climbing the same level. During this session, all I could manage was 5.9. It was harder consistently downclimbing 5.9 but overall, it felt easier than previous Climbing Stamina workouts. It included onsighting a new route, per routesetter request. I skipped about 1/2 the holds and several contrived sequences. He did not look psyched!


Objective: Strength

Warm up: Barbell complex, 65, 85, 95, 105

Training:

(1) 1 RM, Front Squat, 245

(2) 3 Front Squat, 195
10 pull ups
5 Rounds

(3) 10 Corkscrews, 35
10 burpees
10 weighted sit ups, 35
10 burpees
3 Rounds

(4) 30/30 row
5 Rounds

Heavy but doable

Notes: I hit it hard because this is the last gym session for 2-4 weeks. I need to improve on my "Working Strength", #2, relative to Maximal Strength, #1. My friend Brandon joined me for the workout, his first Mountain Athlete style sufferfest. He is now mental tougher.

Utah Is Trying To Kill Me

Objective : Climbing Stamina

Training : 1 boulder problem every minute for 40 minutes

Notes: After a long, death-defying drive from Utah, all I could manage was a stamina workout. One cave of the bouldering area at Vertical Heaven was reset so most of the problems were onsight, V0-V3. I tried to down-climb the same problem which left me laying on the ground panting a lot. Breathing heavy never hurt anyone. Problems were less "jumpy", which is good, but still ripperville, which is less good.

Objective : Strength

Warm up : 2 muscle ups
1 trip arm "walking" down the parallel bars
10 wall ball, 20lbs
5 rounds

Training: (1) 1 RM, Clean & Press, 185

(2) 5X2, Clean & Press, 155

(3) "Annie"
50-40-30-20-10
box jump, 20''
sit ups, ab mat
Time : 7:21

(4) Handstand practice

(5) 5 Shoulder Scarecrows
5 ice cream makers
10 dips
3 rounds

Notes: There were a lot of other athletes standing around at the local Crossfit Afflilate. I wasn't one of them, I was there to work hard for the hour.