A Change Is As Good As A Rest

Objective : Performance

Routes Sent : Let down your hair - 10a/b, onsight (nice in-the-sun warm-up for a cold day)
Gossip Column - 11a, flash (felt easy expect one tenuous move)

Total Points : 8.5

Routes Tried : A Spot of Bother - 10d, bailed at 2nd bolt (I onsighted through the crux, only to have my hands go completely numb)
Rapid Fire - 12d/13a, 3 tries (1st - on TR and did all the moves, 2nd- fell at crux, 3rd - hands went completely numb)

Jason finding the beta intensive "no-hands" rest on Gossip Column.
Photo courtesy of Tina

Notes : 2nd trip to Palace with Jason. It was cold. My hands went completely numb twice. NEGATIVE!!! I'm switching my focus from onsighting to projecting. My first target is "Rapid Fire", a 8 bolt 12d/13a. It starts out with moderately sustained climbing to a distinctive crux between the 3rd and 4th, a 4-move CRIMPY boulder problem, to more moderately sustained climbing. Here is a good analogy for the route: Hang on a large campus rung for 1 minute then move immediately to small rungs and do 1-3-5, move back to large campus rung for 1 minute. Wait, that might be a good training idea!

It does not feel very hard. My guess is 12b/c, but I really don't have very much experience with grades higher than 12a. The difference in my perception and the consensus might be a result of the bolting. It is very close to an adjacent easier climb. I clip all bolts on "Rapid Fire", but I use some holds on the adjacent climb. You could contrive a harder climb by not using holds on the adjacent climb. I think eliminates are lame in bouldering and doubly lame in sport climbing. In my sport climbing book, if I clip all the bolts on a line I have sent the line (regardless of the holds used). I will be honest about the style and grade.

Better Technique = National Championship

The SCS National Championship was last weekend, and Momentum Video Magazine recently posted the highlight video. Even though the video was heavily edited for public entertainment, I was able to find technique differences which separated 2nd from 1st place.

Disclaimer : All the climbers in the finals are rad, super strong, and have great technique. This is a learning exercise, not a criticism.

The Finals Route started with a techy vertical section, which eliminated a couple of competitors, to all points dyno, which eliminated several competitors. The upper headwall separated the top competitors. Ethan Pringle, 3rd, fell a move below the one outlined below. There was not enough video to analyze his performance. However, there is enough video to breakdown the difference between 2nd place, Dave Graham, and 1st, Carlo Traversi.

Dave Graham, who is no slacker when it comes to onsighting, was less efficient throughout the headwall and made one critical mistake. Right before his fall, he grabbed the right hand hold and kept his right foot on the large foothold to make the move to the next bucket.

Overall, Carlo Traversi was much more efficient through out the headwall. Also, he made a better decision near the end. After he grabbed the right hand hold, he switched his feet on the large foothold to make the move to the next bucket. That one foot switch was the difference between 1st and 2nd place.

It is generally better to push with the left leg when reaching with the left arm. It allows the climber to turn-in more, keeping the center of gravity closer the wall. In addition, the right arm can remain straighter for longer. These factors transform the pull-up motion into a push-towards motion. The difference could be a National Chamionship!!

It Doesn’t Have To Be Fun To Be Fun

Objective : Climbing Strength

Warm-up : Circuit #1
Mobility Drills
Circuit #2

Training : 7-10 moves (no more, no less)
rest 5 minutes
repeat for 1.5 hours

Notes : I climbed okay but felt horrible. This workout is not fun. I starting get pumped after move 8. The longish rest enabled me to physical crank hard if my psych kept up. The workout might have been more targeted on system wall, but I think bouldering was better for engarm practice. It is the eternal debate between strength and technique. Here is my opinion right now : Strength always wins over technique. However, most people have very bad technique. I don’t think training one works against the other. If you have been climbing for a little while (more than 3 years), focus on getting stronger and keep polishing up technique. If you haven’t been climbing for very long, you will get stronger through technique practice.

I’m a huge fan of Self-Coached Climber. I have done all the drills in the book and try to focus on the better technique all the time. I feel that my technique is okay. Lately, I have been developing one aspect of my technique, feet cutting. I avoid feet cutting as much as possible through planning and maintaining tension. Sometimes, you have to cut your feet. Instead of controlling the swing by stopping it, I have become better at redirecting the swing towards the next foot. I call it the “Judo Kick.” As my feet start whipping around, I direct the proper foot to the next hold to check the swing. I’m far from mastering the technique. It has helped during redpoint attempts on boulder problems, but I have not mastered it enough to apply it during flash attempts. I wish my camera was working to better explain it.

Thank You, Sir! May I Have Another?

Objective : Climbing Stamina

Warm-up : Circuit #1

Training : Power Hour (but with enough rest to finish Open and Advanced problems)

Notes : I don't think the gym could physically hold more people. I like the idea of 2 short sessions but the after school/work crowd is too much. In preparation for the comp, I'm focusing on power/strength and the ability to climb moderately difficult (hard flash to 3 tries) problems for 3 hours. Remember you are what you do: If you spend most of your time falling after 2 moves then sitting on the ground for 5 minutes, you will get good at that. I want to be good at moving over plastic/rock.

As American As Herpes and Hotdogs

Objective : Climbing Power

Warm-up :(1) Circuit 1
Mobility Drills
Circuit 2

(2) Flash new Recreation and Intermediate problem
Fail on new Advanced and Open problem

Training (1) Big Rungs, ladders
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
1-3-5-7-8

(2) Medium Rungs, drops
4-1-4
5-1-5
6-1-6(f)
6-1-5 X 2

(3) Small Rungs, ladders
1-4-6 X 3

(4) Big Rungs, matching
two fingers
1-2

Notes : Another pre-work session. These are the first problems in the gym that shut me down. They were set by someone with a very different style then me. One problem has big moves with small feet. The other problem has high bunchy feet. I tend to push a lot with my feet down low, trying to generate movement from my legs, hips, and back. A least now I have some projects and they will prepare me for different setting styles in the comp. I'm ramping campusing back up. Because of the pull-ups yesterday, I couldn't pull through very well. My fingers were fresh so I could catch everything I got near. I need to use fewer fingers or add wieght to the medium rungs. I started two finger campusing even though I'm preparing for the indoor comp. Indoor comps tend not to have pockets. If they do, they are soft for the grade/points. My hope is fingers strong in isolation, two, will be strong together, open hand.

Bonus :

Hierarchy of Campusing

1) hang and shrug - both hands on same rung and shrug, physical and mental preparation for campusing, especially important for female climbers

2) matching - hands start staggered, e.g. one hand on #2 and the other on #1, and move lower hand up to match upper hand, excellent and underutilized method for incorporating harder moves

3) ladders - both hands on same rung and move one hand up at a time, most people start and stay here, probably a mistake

4) drops - hands start staggered and drop upper hand to match lower hand, powerful and effective, easy to make incremental improvements

5) doubles - both hands on same rung and both hands move up at the same time, much harder but difficult to make incremental improvements

6) double drops - both hands on same rung and both hands move down at the same time, very difficult (maybe just for me) and high risk of injury

These are basics. Feel free to mix and match.

I am Brian's Wasted Time

Objective : ? (maybe Cross-training)

Warm-up : Crossfit warm-up X3

Training : (1) 21-15-9
Kettlebell snatch, 55lbs, left arm
Kettlebell snatch, 55lbs, right arm
Burpees
Time : 8:24

(2) 1 RM, clean, 185 (easy), 205 (fail)

Notes : Went to the local CrossFit affiliate to check out another class. Everyone else was 10-20 minutes late for the class. The CFWU does nothing for me. It is not physically hard nor do I practice any technical skills. After I finished the workout, I sat around and did nothing for 7-9 minutes until everyone else finished their workouts. Then, I did my skill work and heavy lifting after I'm tired. I value my workouts and my workout time. Similar to my old CA afffliate, I don't get the same feeling from this Crossfit affiliate.

Welcome to the Jungle

Objective : Climbing Stamina

Warm-up : Circuit #1
Mobility Drills
Circuit #2

Training : (1) Up and down 3 new problems (flash)

(2) Work Cave problems, 15 minutes
Rest 10 minutes

(3) Up and down favorite problems, 15 minutes

(4) 3X10 strict CTB pull-ups

(5) 3 rounds
10, sit-ups, 45 lbs
5, shoulder scarecrow, 5X2

(6) 10 rounds
30s row
30s rest
each interval should be faster

Notes : A rare 3rd day on. It is cold and snowy in CO, back to training. Another crowded after work session. The local university is in full swing so the gym was extra crowded. I’m focusing on the indoor bouldering comp in 18 days. It was good practice climbing in front of crowds. I feel a little weird flashing other people’s projects. I feel doubly weird when I down-climb their projects. I’m far from the best climber in the gym. However, I was a below average climber in CA. I’m a well-above climber in this gym. I’m working on not being complacent. There are always stronger lions in the jungle.