Thanks guys. Looks like I need to be pulling hard as hell if I want to do these

I thought when I could hold a strong lockoff at 90 and in the top position I would have way more one arm chin strength, but in reality I don't think I can even pull from the starting engaged hang position. Left hand on right shoulder I can do the full chin though, so idfk

I am not sure what Tx is doing, but when I do the engaged hangs I am not really pulling with my arm like I am doing a pull-up. I pull the shoulder blade down to keep it engaged and am just tight through my whole body to resist rotation.

What do you think your 1 or 2RM pull-up would be? I just tried to do a one arm with left hand on right shoulder and am not close. A one arm with hand on the shoulder seems like a damn strong pull to me!

Yea I do the same thing just pure retraction/depression. That’s also how I’ve been starting my two hand chins lately to try to get a better mind muscle connection with my lats.

No idea. I can't do it on the left with the hand on the shoulder but hand on bicep isn't bad. Hanging with a bent arm still seems really hard though, I would be surprised if I could do it for more than a couple seconds on my left

I'm going to try the one arm hang with the shoulder down and see how it feels. Hopefully that makes the difference

Been lifting and climbing just nothing interesting to report.

Diet week 6

Average calorie intake: 2,210
Expected TDEE: 2,825
Projected weightloss: 1.23 (7.07 overall)

Rolling 7 day BW average is 146.7, started at 155.1 so #’s basically line up along with a little water weight. Next two weeks going to be difficult training and diet wise. Not sure where I should take my body comp at the moment. Getting to 140 would be tremendous for climbing but I’m looking skinny especially off the deload. Taking carbs back up and adding volume will help. Probably run this through first weekend of May and reassess.

4/18 - 2,176 calories

Climbing gym 2 hours

Hangboard 20mm edge - 5x7sec w/4min rest BW+20
One arm hangs 4xside with 5x scapular retraction. These are getting a lot better. Can nearly hand without the twisting now.

Circuits 1 hr, gym was packed so just stayed at the circuit wall. They’re all set to 28-30 moves now so getting even the easiest will be a challenge.

4/19 - 2,199 calories
4/20 - 2,543 calories
4/21 - 2,313 calories

Diet been good lately, life stress has not. Hopefully it all comes to a head in the next couple days and I can relax a bit.

Training going alright, yesterday did 5x7sec on 16mm Beastmaker board quite easily. Usually on a 20mm edge so this was pleasantly doable.

Climbing is ok, even though I’m down 8-9lbs I feel heavy at times on the wall. Probably bad technique and overall fatigue.

First week of new mesocycle almost in the books. This will be a tough week to train properly, might have to roll out of bed and left in the AM to get things done.

4/22 - 2,198 calories

Climbing gym 75min

Mind was racing throughout all of this, just not a well warmed up or execution training session so called it early to take care of some life stuff.

Hangboard 20mm
5x7sec BW+20
—little tougher than I’d like, maybe due to 16mm BW+20 on Saturday.

Wrist roller 5x2 +10lbs
Scrapped one arm hangs due to right lat issue.

Circuits

Nearly sent a new 29 move circuit on the 30deg wall. Fell off on move 26. Really not too tough but not all jugs either. Fell on 19th move of the middle grade one as well.

We will see if I can wake up early tomorrow to lift, things ran late tonight so session would probably suck but I wanna do it anyways.

Diet week 7

Average calorie intake: 2,257
Expected TDEE: 2,825
Projected weightloss: 1.14 (8.21 overall)

Everything going ok, getting workouts in and diet is good. Weight stagnating a bit but I think that’s due to the low(er) carb deload I ran two weeks back wooshing off some pounds. Mirror/measurements improving so I’m not concerned.

Hangboard going really well. One more workout at BW+20 today then I’ll take a light week then move to +25 for a 3 week cycle.

Here is my training with a easy/medium/hard RPE.

4/8 - 4x6sec BW+20 20mm medium
4/13 - 4x7sec BW+20 20mm easy
4/15 - 4x7sec BW+20 20mm easy
4/18 - 5x7sec BW+20 20mm easy
4/20 - 5x7sec BW+20 16mm medium
4/22 - 5x7sec BW+20 20mm medium
4/25 - 6x7sec BW+20 20mm medium
4/27 - 6x7sec BW+20 20mm easy

Life stress dissipating too! Made a big decision and who knows how it will work out but it’s a big career step and if right will be incredible.

Also my climbing gym is now open at 6am during the week vs 11am. Might try to do some morning sessions and see how I handle them.

Diet week 8

Average calorie intake: 2,479
Expected TDEE: 2,825
Projected weightloss: .69 (8.90 overall)

Took me 55 days to finally crack on the diet lol. Work outing led to a half dozen drinks and awful food choices. Probably my first day over maintenance calories in 8 weeks. Think I have about 11 days left on this diet at which point I’ll figure out what I want to do.

Training is fine, was supposed to climb in a comp Saturday but have a conflict.

This is definitely worth congratulating yourself on

I've been battling against multiple maintenance + days a week since I started dieting and am still trying to make adjustments

Yea my work life makes it super tough but I’ve done a great job at outings having like 1-2 whiskey’s and no food. Doesn’t hurt that I don’t drink much and I’m tiny so 2 stiffer pours makes me feel pretty damn good.

I’ve definitely stalled on the scale last couple weeks. If I can keep my head down the next 1.5 weeks I’ll be happy with how this went.

Had another off the diet wagon moment at a BBQ Saturday. Managed to just have fruit, veggies and a ton of meats. Call it a win I guess.

5/6 - Climbing gym 2 hours

Upped weighted hangs to BW+25. First 7sec rep was solid, 2nd hand opened up late, 3rd was basically open hand after 3sec and 4th couldn’t crimp at all. Hopefully just a weak day.

On the wall however...sent one of my V6-V8 projects 2nd go today. Probably had ~15 total burns on it. Gonna say I think it’s my toughest boulder ever. I’d put at V5+/V6- on my personal scale.

Here is what I’m thinking 1/3 of the way through the year in terms of how I can get to the 7a level before 2020.

Off the wall

Tension/Core
Flexibility
Scapula stability

On the wall

Mindful warm-ups
Less, but better attempts
Better body position, more static movement

Will need to find good drills and exercises and actually stick with them.

Diet week 9

Average calorie intake: 2,233
Expected TDEE: 2,800
Projected weightloss: 1.13 (10.03 overall)

Solid week considering social obligations. Scale isn’t moving the past 2-3 weeks but mirror + clothes are providing positive feedback.

5/9 - 1,971 calories

Climbing gym 2.5 hours

Hangboard - 4x7sec BW+25 on 20mm edge w/5min rest - Hard
One arm hangs with scapular retraction- 4x each side

Hangs were very hard and my index finger opened up a good bit, but better than last time. One arm hangs were great on right arm, not so much on the left.

Climbing

Sent two new V5-V7 graded problems, one in 2 goes one in 3. Id call them V3 and V4, definitely not tougher than that although the 2nd one I was the only one of a handful of similarly skilled climbers to send who were working it. Also sent two new V4-V6 problems on my 2nd go on each.

I still can't do this (one arm hang with shoulder down/back engaged) unless I bend my arm, and then can't hold for long. Not sure what it's gonna take to get there besides more pull-ups and climbing. Definitely can't campus or anything like that until I can do this stuff

Try assisted with a band or pulley system in your other hand, imagine that’s a good place to start. That or maybe weighted two hand hangs with retraction?

It took me some time to get here, just 2-3 months ago I couldn’t even hang one handed now I can do really good right hand retractions.

I'd add IYT on rings or TRX will be helpful as well. Anything that is going to target the lower traps/rhomboids should help.

As Tx mentioned some of it may just be learning how to properly engage those muscles. Two handed scapular shrugs are a great place to start.

5/10 - 2,167 calories (143p/296c/43f)

Standard day of dieting nowadays, scale has settled at 145 but mirror keeps improving. Assume this is due to ramping volume and lower RIR hanging onto water. Also NEAT been a little low lately.

Also tweaked something in my hamstring or glute Wednesday. Gotten better but not sure I’ll be able to do much lower wise tomorrow.

Upper W4D4
Smith machine paused incline bench 3x10x135
Pec Dec 3 sets
TBar Rows 4x12-15x70
Paused DB Bench 10,9,7x50s
Cable row 4x
DB side raises 6 sets
DB curls 4 sets
Reverse pec dec 3 sets
Cable curls 4 sets

AM

Lower W4D5

Seated leg curls 4x15
Leg press 5x16x140
Kneeling cable crunch 4 sets
Smith machine Calves 5 sets
Leg extensions 4 sets

Took it light due to glute issue.

PM - climbing gym 3 hours

4x7sec BW+25 20mm hard
One arm hangs with scapular retraction



Also here is a V3 in the V5-V7 color grade. I didn’t even bother to post about flashing it the other day because it’s so absurdly stupid to be in this grade. What really tilts me is I saw multiple people on Instagram posting video of them struggling up it and going “My first V7!”. Idk why just bothers me, there are four in this grade right now I can walk up.

One arm scap shrugs look very strong! Nice work!

OK I thought for sure you were going to post some V4-5 you were downgrading but that's definitely a V3, lol. I agree with 3- too. Can't believe they would grade that V5-7

I worked on some legit 3's the other day and they were pretty damn hard

Thanks, left definitely needs to catch up a bit lol.

Yep, the red V2-V3 next to it is about the same level (might be a touch harder) and the blue V3-V4 is a legit 4. They actually built a super nice V5 but ruined it with intermediates and too many feet. If you just set the big flat crimps with one starting foot and the volumes I think you’d have a nice boulder.

5/12 - 2,305 calories

Traveling for work today, next four days will be a challenge diet and training wise. There is a climbing gym within 10min of hotel/office, brought my shoes in case I get a free night. There’s also a Trader Joe’s within a 20min walk of hotel so I’ve already gone twice lol.

Got a rushed workout in before my flight this morning. Actually wanted to test doing major lifts at one point and accessory stuff later so this kinda let me do that. Hotel gym sucks though, only DBs up to 50 and no machines.

Upper W4D5

Gym AM

NG BW Chins 11,11,9
Press 10,8,7x90
Paused Smith Incline Bench 4 sets
Lat Pulldowns 4 sets
Lat straight arm pulldown 2 sets
Seated DB press 3 sets

Hotel PM
Various DB Raises 9x
Various DB Curls 8x