I never tried front levers at all. That short climbing partner had been a serious gymnast and thought it would be pretty rough for my body. At any rate, sounded hard.

Any chance you watched Nationals last week Holliday? Alex Puccio essentially did an iron cross between a pinch and a sloper to send her 3rd problem and take gold.



On the topic of pullups, there was a group of guys at the gym yesterday projecting a 9 and sending 6's and 7's. I asked one of the guys and he said they all had 30+ pullups in them. It seems that's the baseline for a lot of these guys.

2/19 AM

Pullups Day 1 2,3,2,2,5

Not sure how I'm going to deadlift tomorrow. Going to cut back to 2 DL work sets and either progress on weight for 1x2, or lower weight and keep my form really tight.

Losing weight. Going to focus on lower rep ranges for lifting. This is weightlifter blasphemy, but I can't afford for my legs to get much bigger

I physically cannot use the CoC right now. My skin just can't take it.

2/18

Pull-ups 2x5
Dips 2x5

Long climb. 3.5 hours. Worked several V1 problems and eventually sent them all. Hands are cooked.

Widened pullups grip and using a bar with much less traction. Back to 50 pullups program.

2/17

rest

Any particular resource you found you like for climbing?

No, would definitely take a look if anyone has any suggestions. Learned the little I know from my climbing partner.

Here's the first climbing video I watched outside of parkour. I thought this was really cool:



From a strength training perspective, climbing is really interesting because it requires you make dynamic moves that require insane amounts of isometric strength. Some of the moves are as hard as any gymnastic move, stuff that no one could possibly maintain for more than a fraction of a second.

Didn't see it. About when is the iron cross?

I think the 30 number is just a big legacy item. I remember being told to only work pullups until I hit 30 (and more recently told the same for weighted dips) and I remember being told to not bother to add more once you hit 30 because it'd be overkill and the time was better spent on other stuff. At this point, I feel like that was entirely unnecessary; an arbitrary figure conjured up by skinny ****ers who weighed 90 pounds or so.

I'm a total novice having only gone 3x. On top of that I don't really have anyone showing me what to do.

It is an interesting learning experience. I actually have thought a lot about how I learn a skill and it doesn't really work with climbing. Typically just a **** ton of trial and error but that basically leaves me pumped out and highly inefficient in this sport. So my plan is to take it slow and try to apply one skill to each session. What I'm studying now and hopefully will apply on Tuesday is whcih way to apply force on holds.



Probably a super simple concept for non novice climbers but something I would have never figured out on my own.

Hey Spenda, bearing in mind I have no idea what's come along in the last ~10 years, I always liked this Eric Horst guy (I know I read 'Training for Climbing' and 'How to Climb 5.12') for things like climbing-specific exercises, techniques for different terrain, plus using visualization in different ways to extend climbing-thought time. A lot more than that too--I would call him thorough and organized, but have heard "over-the-top" and "obsessed with listing sequences". Don't think he had much of a web site back then.

2:28

Good to hear. 30+ is a lot of pullups, even if I get down to 175

Spenda,

I found this resource via a bouldering forum:

https://youtu.be/nkfUqdr-0zk?list=PL...SMbK2tncTrI25r

My friend has been giving me different cues depending on the holds. I had a climb yesterday where I had two angled craggy holds that I had to basically "pull apart" to create enough tension to hold on. I also just started holding onto some very hard dual slopers by really pulling the forearms down and in to create tension. The hand angles on Gaston holds tend to be challenging as well

My skill acquisition process definitely includes a lot of trial and error too, but with climbing one move or skill at a time seems critical. At the same time volume is important just like it is with any skill. Some of the opening moves on V2 and even V1 when fatigued are hard enough that I just repeat them like it's a strength training rep.

Took another session off db bench to hammer pushups, which I haven't been logging. Getting back to db bench this week. Need gym PT for face pulls anyway.

Moved back DL a day and doing a lighter 3x3 day to hammer form and keep the upper back in extension if possible.

Not sure if I can keep the shoulders from rounding on my normal 1x2 max effort set, or if I should care. I'd have to drop weight to achieve this result. As long as my lumbar doesn't round I guess it doesn't matter.

2/20

climbing: light session. 2.5 hours

3x dead hangs
2x double sloper dead hangs

Worked some V1 problems and sent all but 1. Flash pump gave me some tendon pain in my right bicep. Going to start warming up more thoroughly as advised

2/19 PM

light PT session
pushups 10,8,8

2/21

Front squat
20x5 40x5 50x3 55x2
60x3
65x2x3
70x5x2
75x1

Pull-ups 2,3,2,2,2,2,4
Push-ups 8,8,8

Notes:

-Was unable to add weight to front squat. Felt weak. Missed my last session and went too low on volume before that.

-Switched to wider grip pull-ups on the outside of my pull-up bar. No traction at all there so the grip will work extra hard

-Left oblique tying into back has seized up. Will need rest and some PT, stretching, foam rolling if I'm going to train Thursday

-Taking a week off deadlifting to let my lower back and obliques heal up. The rest of my lifts are going to thank me.

2/22

Rings session:

Uneven pull-ups L: 2x1,0,1,1 R: 2x1,1,1,1
Front lever 3 attempts
Hanging L Sit 1 attempt

Bar:

Lockoffs 3 sets
Lockoff WG 2 sets parallel

Light climb: 7-8 V1-2 attempts over 30 minutes

-Right bicep still hurts. Core/left back is recovering fine.
-Uneven pullups are currently limited by my grip rather than arm and back strength

2/24

Front squat 20x5 40x3 45x3 50x3 55x3 60x2x3 65x2
70x2
75x2x2
80x2
85x2x1

Back squat 80x2x3

2/23 rest

-Trained despite my left side still hurting. Better than expected. Losing upper back form and coming forward above 70kg.
-Was going to do a light RDL but grip is still recovering from Sat-Weds. Will try my best to climb tomorrow

2/25

Max climb

Gassed fast. Flashed a new V1 and sent a few more routes. Still recovering from earlier in the week. Less climbing and way more pullups next week.

Some motivation: One of my climbing partners repping 1 arm pullups today

Lol ffs

I asked him what it took for him to get there. He said he could get 8 reps on his right arm, when he could:

(1) do 40+ consecutive pullups ("you NEED 20-30")
(2) "very strong" (endurance) at one arm lockoffs, one arm dead hangs, and one arm lockoffs at 90 degrees
(3) BW+72% x8 reps weighted pullups

This was before he started climbing, so his strength cannot be attributed to that. He also said he wouldn't do weighted pullups unless he could do 20+ regular pullups. He doesn't think assisted pullups train the right movement pattern, has never used the towel method, and never did any gymnastic progressions for the 1-arm: he just achieved the above and "could just do them"

More motivation: Front levers at 170

2/26

Pullups 3,4,2,2,8,7,6

front squat

40x3
45x3
50x3
55x3
60x3
65x2
70 2x3
75 2x2
80 5x1

Back squat 60x3 80x3

2/27

light climb. 8-9 attempts and 5 sends
Coc 20 reps/hand
5 sets dead hangs and lockoffs

Less than a cm from cold closing the #1 with one hand/no set. Quite easy to close with a set. 40-50% stronger and I'm back at the #2... HAH

At this point I have to officially admit that my right shoulder is doing worse than it was a few months ago, and that I have a slight strain in the left side of my core/back/ribs. Both are slightly impacting my sleep. The left side was worse over a week and a half ago and has been getting progressively better, but it seems that it's time to get active about the problem.

Going to continue to take off deadlifting while healing, and start heading to the gym for a lot of face pulls and core work, other physical therapy work.

Switching from front squats to back squats due to mobility issues in my right shoulder.

Pullups and climbing will continue around the injuries

3-3 AM

back squat

40x5 45x3 50x3 55x3 60x3 65x2 70x2 75x2
80x3
85 2x2
90x1
95x1
90 3x2

https://youtu.be/GK2rErjBlxQ

RDL
60x10 80x5 90x5
100x5
DL+RDL 110 1+3

3-2

Pull-ups 3,4,3,3 8 later: 7,6,5
Lockoffs 3 sets

3-1

CoC 20 reps/hand

3/3

DL
100kg 7x1

GYM PT

Dec DB bench 30x10 40x5 45x5 50x5 55x5
60x8+2+1
DB bench row 50x10 60x8/arm
Face pull 5x20 10x10 15x20 20x20 25x20
Bench shoulder raises (3 angles)
DB Americana Raise 5's
DB lateral raise 5's 10,8
Cable row 120x8 140x4
Americana cable row
Palloff Press 50x10/side, 40x20 second hold

Went light. Shoulder mobility is ****ED.

3/4


Max climb

Sent my first V2 and every V1 in the gym. Great session.

Pullup Lockoffs: 2 reps for time at the top

CoC 10 reps/hand

3/5

rest

Will start swimming for PT/health once my shoulder mobility improves

3/5 PM

Weighted chin BW+15kg 5,4
NG bw+15 4,4
NG bwx10
Lockoffs

Felt pull-ups would be hard on the wrist after climbing, so switched up the grips for some weighted pulls.

3/6

pullups 1x5
CoC .5 (120) 10 closes/hand

3/7

Pull-ups 3,2,5

gym PT

DB bench press 35x10 40x5 45x5 50x2 55x5 60x5
70x4
65x5
Dead hang NG 1 hand 3 sets/arm
Uneven pull-ups 2x1 right arm
Face pull 10x20 20x10 30x25 10x25
Cable row 120x10 150x5,4
DB lateral raise 5's 15 reps 10's 8 reps
DB front raise 5's ?? 10's
Palloff press 50 x12 reps/side
isometric 50x20 sec/side
Cable Americana ?
Arm raises on bench ?
Lateral raise on bench 5'sx? 10'sx8
Dead hang 1 set

-I think I tanked my CNS climbing Sat and doing weighted pulls Sunday because I had nothing in me at all for pull-ups and cut short. Gonna axe the weighted pulls and random CoC reps for now because of this.

3/8

back squat

20x10 40x6 50x3 60x3 65x2 70x3
75x3
80x2
85x3
95X2,1 botched 2nd rep
90x2x2
80x5
60x5

Experimented at the end of squats with some bounce at the bottom. Will implement for next session. Tired of cutting depth for form

3/12 AM

NG pullups 3,5,3,3,10


3/11

Climb

Lockoffs 2x
One arm uneven lockoffs 2x/arm

3/10

Dec DB bench 35x8 45x5 55x5 65x8,5 60x5
Face pull 15x20 30x20 40x10
palloff press 50lb isometric 25 sec/side

1 arm ng hang 1 set/arm 5-7 seconds

3/9 pullups

3,4,3,3,5

-Making some progress on my friends' one arm pullups. Found that it's a shoulder and core driven movement. He's getting really, really close. By youtube standards he's already doing them.

-Left side of the core should be good enough to deadlift again.

-Had a really terrible week in terms of pullups. According to this log I hit two max sets a week and a half ago followed by a climb and weighted pulls. Pretty clear I crushed my CNS. It's been a full week now since I could hit a set of pullups with any energy. The PT sessions can't be helping but are necessary.

-Had my worst climb ever. Worked two V2 I couldn't send. Really close.

-Sleep improving again

3/12 PM

Weighted Pullup NG
bw+33 x4
bw+44 x3
bw+55 x2 lockoff 10 seconds

RDL 60x12
DL 60x5 80 90 100x2 105x1 110x3x1 120x3
DL+ SLDL 100x6 110x2(grip failed) 115x3

Squat 40x5 50x2 55x3 60x2x2 65x3 70x2 75x2 80x1
85x2x1
95x1
90x3x2,1,1,1
80x2x3
70x2x5

-Repeated my last workout with improved form. Right shoulder still being awkward. Bar came down crooked on some reps. Really bad. Fixed before heavy sets. Form held up to 90kg. 95 was awkward. No more singles over 90%

-Reset the 1x2 DL to 120kg. Had a 3rd rep in me

-Concerned about my DL technique off the floor and whether I'm losing lumbar neutrality, and if its at the point where I should care. I need to figure out how to set my lower back while setting up high