Focusing more on finger strength would generally been less volume, more intensity and less density with my hard bouldering sessions. To make strength gains you need to operate at a high % of your max which requires being fairly fresh. I've likely just shown up tired too often for optimal strength gains.
Ok in this regard I'm doing well. I pretty much always go as hard as I can in terms of climbing to the limits of my grip on intense/limiting problems. Although I think the problem's I've selected plus my style of climbing has lead to a discrepancy between finger strength and finger power.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cottonseed1
I'd routinely climb for 3-4 hours a session until recently. My highest intensity days I've been trying to cut shorter recently. 1.5-2hrs max.
How much volume a week depends on the intensity level associated with it. If all I was doing was very hard to project bouldering 3x a week would be fine I think. Could add a 4th day if it was kept really easy, like low level aerobic mileage
I do think that newer climbers need quite a bit of volume. Getting a ton of reps in a variety of different styles is really crucial for building good movement skills. For the first several years I'd focus on doing lots of boulders I could complete in 1-3 sessions max. You can mix up the days and have project days, pyramid days, easy mileage (routes are very good for this).
The highest intensity project days I think I'd try and leave the gym feeling pretty good. Don't get trashed. This is where I have messed up in the past I think. I'd climb for way too long on my hardest days and dig a hole. Inadequate recovery would eventually lead to the elbows flaring up, shoulder getting grumpy etc.
I've felt a dip after a couple hours too. I think limiting myself to that number with rare exceptions is a good idea.
I definitely suffer from a lack of experience. I think this is part of the reason I have trouble flashing new boulders that aren't super obvious. Like I'm sure I've gone climbing less than 200 times and still have issues seeing beta all the time.
If I don't take long rests even climbing V2's to V3's can be limiting, especially V2 in the cave. So maybe introducing easier days would be better for conditioning and allow me to increase days/week. Possibly just a day where I only work 2's and do all the cave stuff, then integrate 3's as I get fitter
I definitely go too hard at projects, and don't start them soon enough into sessions. Can correct this and rest longer and put in more quality attempts this way
I also am starting to think there's little excuse going as hard as I can at climbing when I have lingering pain and overhead mobility issues...resolving this stuff is just as important as short term climbing progress
20 day break over. Climb was pain free, besides my right shoulder feeling a little tight late into the session. Went harder than planned since I won't be able to climb again until Friday.
Fell on a new sloper V3 twice due to beta. Flashed a new V4 that was very challenging. Super happy with that. Tried a new crimp pinch V5 on the same wall and put it together, sending the problem a few moderately hard moves in after around an hours work. Was losing strength and decided to save the problem for next time.
Tried the first few moves on a newly set 7 with a sloper and crimp crux early in the problem. Couldn't find any possible way to match on the sloper and gave up and tried a slightly overhanging V4 crimp climb that crushed me, at which point a group came in and a guy who had sent the V7 before re climbed it in a few attempts.
Here is one of my attempts to replicate the beta I saw and make the match on the sloper (after which the person who sent it cut right foot and made the move to the left hand crimp side pull on the sloper). I skipped the pretty hard first move. The other tip I got was to basically crimp the sloper...I fell trying to make the match here but the issue was my feet and not having static tension, not my left hand grip
Finished pumping out on the top of a new V3 and trying to dyno to the top to send anyway. Hit the top but the barn door ripped me off the wall and I took a pretty sweet fall onto all fours
any advice on how to make the match on this sloper would be very much appreciated.
here's the position I try to match in... basically my leg position doesnt hold if I try to move my right hand
One thing I'm thinking about is getting the left hand to the left side of the sloper and seeing if I can get further underneath it /drop further down into the drop knee
Looks like you need to get lower to match. Did you try dropping your right foot off? Seems like that would put you lower and further to the left.
I don’t think that will work tbh. I mean maybe it would but I can’t do it. The middle and left side of the sloper are too bad to support that much weight, with my strength level anyway. The guy who sent it didn’t cut the right foot until he got both hands on the sloper
Thinking that getting further left with my left hand and straightening the left arm might allow me to get lower and more left
warmup (now includes an exercise to improve high knees)
squat 1x30
prone straight arm raises 2.5 3x20 adding weight and keeping ROM was hard
cable pulldown/row 3x20
cable band row 3x20
floor press 3x10
single leg med ball taps 3x40
cable OHP 3x20
shoulder external rotation 5lb 3x15 (switching to band)
NG chin 1x10
R arm 90 degree lockoff 2x1 (2nd set was much weaker)
2 new exercises I ran out of time and didnt get to
BW 174.5
Would have done one arm NG db press instead of floor press but still dont like lowering left arm below parallel on these. Similar to not wanting to do a deep row on it. Same issue since the strain. Felt strong on the floor press though. Like if I worked at these in the specified 3x8 range and my shoulder allowed it I could pretty quickly get to 80 pounds or heavier
Happy with the right arm lockoff. I hit 4-5 seconds before I had to grab the right bicep with my left hand, and then held another 6-7 seconds. Wish I could train left.
Forearms are still sore after last Sunday's climb. Climbing again this Sunday and then trying to get back to twice a week. Next session will involve a lot of 2's and 3's before any harder work
Started with a V0 and a traverse warmup that was way, way too hard and might be worth doing on its own another session
Sent some new easier stuff. Was going to work volume on some new V2-3 but there was a higher level guy crushing all the newly set routes so I worked over there to see his beta and attempt some stuff.
Sent a new V6 crimp problem in 7-8 tries. Worked on a sloper V7 with possible compression elements and tried various betas with a lot of success, but still couldn't hit the crux. Will try something new next time and possibly send. There's numerous ways to work this problem but no matter how you do it the first 4 moves are very hard and the crux involving slopers on a slight overhang is sick...this one seems harder than the slab 7
This was my first ever 6 in one session. It wasn't as hard as the first sloper V6 but was definitely hard.
Got to hear a lot of interesting talk about the routes and setting. The guy flashing all the V6's through 7's had just been in Waco and climbed 4 V10. Got to watch him work a 10 in the mini cave briefly which looked impossible
Started in weight room doing mobility and some easy hanging. Could tell I wasn't quite as strong as my last session.
Warmed up on several V1-2 and flashed a new V3, in the mini cave surprisingly. Had trouble with a new crimp V4, that was too shouldery to be worthwhile.
Decided to work on the 7 for the last of the session. This route got in my head a little and I wasn't strong enough today to hit the first move or work either of my betas for the crux. The problem is the first 2 hand and foot moves include a nightmare low start and would be a V6 boulder on its own. So I have to make it through that and recover very slightly in the middle portion before the crux. Once you make it through those moves and reach the higher left hand sloper you can drop knee to move the right hand from gaston to the slightly better right hand sloper. Then either attempt the tall man crux or feet have to move
Alternate beta includes a hands free rest but I don't think I can make the foot move to attempt the crux
Options now seem to be
(1) keep working my drop knee unwind beta and try to hit the big reach to the top overhanging sloper without falling due to losing compression
(2) cut the right foot after using the drop knee, and get really strong on the right hand sloper and attempt the crux move, possibly moving left foot first
(3) work the alternate beta again and try to figure something out.
Next session I will try to climb all the new V2 in the cave and overhanging areas for my warmup, send the 5 I worked on a couple sessions ago, and then go back to this project and see if I can make headway
Flashed some new V2 and a V3. Fell on an old 4 I had flashed before. Flashed a V4 crimp and pinch climb that starts overhanging and involves a nasty bump from a crimp to a lower undercling. Tried to repeat the V6 crimp climb from last session but wasn't strong enough. Worked beta on the 7 and made some difficult moves I wasn't sure I could do, none of which allowed me to progress further in the problem than before. I have some promising new beta to work next session and this problem will be around for a long time, so as long as I keep making progress I'm gonna stick with it (though not every session).
Happy I made it twice the past week. Still wasn't as strong as I was a week ago. Think I'll take off the next few days and then go for a hard session, possibly trying to send this 7
I'm going to post this humble list to track my progress and compare to later in the year:
Cable OHP 1x20
TRX decline body row 1x10
side plank 3x1
2 others I didn't get to
Floor press is feeling like I could go super heavy very fast and risk injury. Might be better to increase to 3x20 and try to get back to regular DB bench eventually
Was psyched I can do decline TRX row again and will be adding those back in. This was an exercise that caused shoulder pain initially when I re-hurt myself. Unsure if this is one I will work up in reps on or add weight. Either way the whole motion feels really productive and I'm getting great retraction. Would love to get to some weighted pull-ups in the future too, and hopefully left arm lockoffs to compliment the right. I have a lot of faith that the right arm one arm pullup is gonna happen though maybe not this year.
Happy with this program in general and feeling pretty challenged as far as completing it in a single session and not declining on exercises. Doesn't seem like anything is missing. All I really need now is an RDL or some kind of GHR to condition my hammies for heel hooks and get the upper back retraction even stronger
BW: 171.5 (-30.5)
11/27 BW: 192.5
Taking a big step with diet to try to wrap this up and lose the last 12-15 pounds. At this point still holding noticeable fat
-climb all the new V2-3 in heavy overhang and cave
-try alternate beta on the 7 quickly and move on for the day if it doesn't work
-Send the 5 I worked on sessions ago
-Work the overhanging pinch V4 I struggled on
and go from there
Would like to have sent all the V4 in the gym in the next few weeks, but the cave stuff will be challenging. If I can get this V7 sloper problem I won't have any projects above V5. Although there is a short crimp V6 I have beta on that I will definitely work soon. Crossing my finger that they set another good 6 or 7 when they reset the slab and flat wall
Nice going on the bodyweight! I tried to add 20lbs to my 20mm hang the other day and I couldn’t hold a half crimp for 4sec lol. Weight makes such a difference.
Seems like you’ve made tons of progress wrt diet and just overall health recently. Haven’t been posting much about hunger, sleep, etc.. issues.
Looks like you are continuing to make great progress. Nice work! Post some videos of the cave climbs.
Have you tried doing Ys on rings? Those have really helped my shoulder over the last couple of months. They hit lower traps/rhomboids nicely, which was a weak point for me.
Looks like you are continuing to make great progress. Nice work! Post some videos of the cave climbs.
Have you tried doing Ys on rings? Those have really helped my shoulder over the last couple of months. They hit lower traps/rhomboids nicely, which was a weak point for me.
Will do. I'll video my flash attempts next session
Have not tried this but my gym has rings so I'll check it out. Right now I'm being ultra careful with my shoulders
Nice going on the bodyweight! I tried to add 20lbs to my 20mm hang the other day and I couldn’t hold a half crimp for 4sec lol. Weight makes such a difference.
Seems like you’ve made tons of progress wrt diet and just overall health recently. Haven’t been posting much about hunger, sleep, etc.. issues.
The weight makes a crazy difference. Losing 12 pounds of weight over a couple months I went from flashing legit V3 less than half the time to flashing them most of the time, plus I started sending 6's. It's hard to even say how much of a difference the last 8-10 pounds I lost during my month off has made since I've only had a few sessions back since then-but everything feels easier than before despite being detrained.
Sleep and hunger have been good. Diet has continued to be a struggle, but not so much of a struggle that I haven't kept making good progress. I've managed to keep my average calories around 2100 most weeks and this has resulted in consistent weight loss. However, this figure includes a lot of slip ups and eating when not hungry. I overate the last 3 days and find myself making some resolutions on how to deal with it and get back to several very low calorie days. I'm always on the verge of getting things in place and taking total control over my diet but I'm not quite there. I need to either be a little more resolved or just make a change that I haven't wanted to make
It seems pretty clear to me that I have about 15 more pounds to lose, and I'm not gonna wait all year for this so I'm going to take the steps necessary to make this happen. The next several days is going to be big in terms of determining what my plan will be going forward
Went to framingham due to snow and climbed V2-3 comp style boulders. Flashed the 2's and one V3 and nothing else of note happened. I was afraid several times this session- walls go too high and too many volumes. Tried a V7 route that starts with a one foot dyno to a crimp and made it to the final move which was basically a harder version of the crux move on my last V7 and didn't feel close to doing it. Did not enjoy this session at all which never happens for me climbing.
3/7
top rope 1:15 dedham
Very enjoyable session. Onsighted 3 5.9 and 1 5.10, got another 5.10 2nd try, and then worked on an 11 making it to the final move. All of these routes are short and bouldery and this gym's grades are no joke, so everything represented a real challenge and I was happy with my performance. Wouldn't mind going back here this month and trying the rest of the 5.10 plus this 5.11. Too bad I can't afford 2 gym memberships right now: making it in here or Boston to top rope 3-4 times a month + 2 bouldering sessions a week in RI would be pretty ideal
Or I can just get belay certified and start doing top rope at my actual home gym lol
BW is 170-172. Average calories have been 2100 but are 1900 so far this week. Will see if I can sustain that without hunger, and how fast results are. Very clear I want 10-12 more pounds. My legs still feel massively heavy. I'm also pinching like 15mm on my stomach at the fattest part (This was as low as 6mm once), but the weight seems to be coming directly from there and my legs at this point so I don't think it means much
Have been going through a stressful period but seem to be turning a corner. Climbing and my continued progress with body composition have been helping me immensely- and I'm sure the month off had the opposite effect.
Here's the only video I took last session, a short 5.9 crimpy climb with some sloppy beta. Holds were worse than they appeared but this was relatively easy (maybe like a V2 boulder). I think I hesitated on a move early and put my left foot on the wrong hold, making the next move too dynamic. I got into a small box at one point too but it felt pretty comfy and optimal.
These routes are super short but a lot of fun. Will have to try some longer routes asap. No excuse not to get belay certified already and move towards learning to lead climb
What is the point of being clipped in there lol that's shorter than some boulder walls.
Seems like a decent route to repeat a bunch though. I would think you could get on your outside edge more and skip some holds.
Hahah yeah it's way too short. The matting isn't good enough to take a fall but otherwise it's basically a high bouldering wall. The other routes go up to 25 feet or so, would have to go into Boston to get 30+ at rock spot. It's not bad though, you can do an easier route like this and then just start another right away and its kind of like a longer climb with a short rest in the middle.
Skipping more holds would be sweet, as would being more efficient. It's a good warmup climb for sur e
3rd climb this week! Helped that one of them was short.
Awesome session. Some new slab and flat wall routes took me away from the cave and overhanging warmup I planned. Flashed a new longer V3 crimp climb with a traverse that was technical but not challenging. Flashed another V3 climb starting in a mini cave on slab that I thought was just V2. Repeated another V3. Tried two new V5 for a few attempts each and moved on. Tried a new V6 and ended up doing the crux with a jumping move where my left hand is on a bad crimp that is overhung and right hand goes to a sloper, then swing to a right foot chip. This felt hard but easier than the static beta I saw. Fell after this move and a guy who just sent an 8 on the same wall went "not bad". Kind of a highlight of this session lol. The swing move might be harder than V6 but with my height plus the sloper feeling useable it seems safe and repeatable. Made it through this crux to the basic crimp finish and got stuck a couple times. Once I figure out the awkward crimp climb finish this should definitely go
Finished up the session trying some new stuff on the V7 sloper project. Couple guys were working on the same project and filming, but didn't seem to have any helpful beta insight.
Had a breakthrough after a few attempts and hit the top crimp twice! Key was to do my drop knee beta but take a gaston grip on the right sloper and pull/press on it to unwind the drop knee and left hand to the top crimp. The whole move is static control and body position. Was out of gas and didn't go for the finish but this is about ready to go. Will just have to link the first couple moves, repeat the move to the crimp and stick the dyno to the finish. There's also a rest I can incorporate to make this easier. Basically hard opening section, short rest leaning on right arm, then lots of technical movement to the slopers before the drop knee and crux
Really enjoying climbing since my return. Just gotta be careful with my shoulders + keep the weight loss coming. I'm sure the next 10-12 will be huge
Went back to Dedham for an evening climb. Expected to get crushed and exceeded myself. I remember this gym setting abnormally hard but today it felt equal to CRG, maybe a little bit tougher on some of the climbs
Flashed some V2 including a heavy overhanging climb that was dynamic and hard for me. Flashed a V3 two finger pocket climb with a low start on a pinch. Worked on a V4 that was challenging a lot of people and made it to the final two holes but realized the easiest way to finish was a jump followed by an easy campus move and decided not to do it to be safe on my shoulders. Sent another V3 crimp climb with a low start in 5-6 tries. Fun and rewarding session. This gym has always crushed me so flashing 3’s here means a lot to me, as does sending 4’s and higher
Kind of wish I could afford two memberships right now. So much about the gym and setting I love in Warwick though. Will probably keep going to Warwick as much as possible and pay for day passes here sometimes
Will start trying to send the 7 next session but there’s a lot I have to work on including the first two moves and the crux+ finish (have now hit Crux)
flashed a new V3 but got out of sequence and slipped twice but managed to cling onto crimps both times. Fingers were numb after this one lol
Worked on my V6 project and got it in 4 attempts! Will repeat on video. Basically stuck the jump to a sloper and worked my way up crimps to finish. Was psyched to send this so fast, only 2 sessions
Went to my V7 project and was humbled. Struggled immensely with the first two moves. Could do the first move if I stay lay but then am not close to the 2nd move. If I start tall I haven't hit the first move yet but it makes the second move feel easy. Talked beta on this one with one of the better climbers in the gym and got some ideas.
Worked the 2nd move onwards and hit the crux move to the crimp on the sloper 3x from my drop knee unwind. All three times I had trouble moving after. Will have to improve body position to move the right foot or put my left foot elsewhere and see if I can still hit the unwind on the drop knee to make it to the sloper crimp.
Might post a video of this one for you guys to show what I'm working with. It's a hard climb to give good advice on because the angles are so extreme. Between the compression element and the overhanging sloper finish it's super weird. One of my favorite boulders.
TRX dec body row 3x8
External rotation 3x15
NG Db floor press 30x12 35x10 40x8 50x8 (not gonna increase weight until I feel better on form here. Will add reps for now)
Cable pull down row 3x15 (increase to 3x20)
One leg med ball taps 4x30 (increase to 40, heavier ball)
Trap Bar Deadlift 285 1x5 with hold below knees.
Trap Bar was loaded so I did these for fun. Felt super easy but hamstring activation on the isometric hold portion wasn’t near would it would be for a barbell RDL. Without the hold for a single I’m sure I could do 400+ on this. This is a good exercise but I fear doing it even once a week for low reps could result in gaining leg muscle. RDL would seem to pose less of a risk than that
Cable band OHP 3x20
NG Chin
One arm lockoff (other hand on bicep) 2x5 seconds
Didn’t get to a couple exercises
Overhead shoulder mobility is clearly improving
Got deeper on the right arm lockoff. These are totally pain and strain free on both arms so I think I can afford to work them once or twice a week- as long as I keep my hand on my bicep until I get stronger
Some short term goals here:
-improve shoulder mobility
-TRX dec row 3x12-15 (I find these slightly harder than chins)
-Cable pull down row 3x20
-One arm lockoff w hand on bicep 3x10 sec/arm + get deeper on lockoff. Eventually no hand on bicep
-improve floor press form and strength
-switch to weighted NG chins for low reps eventually (heal shoulders first)
-switch from cable OHP to a harder version once shoulders are ready (maybe kneeling kettlebell press)
not 100% today but went for it anyway. Some noticeable right shoulder soreness that effected me just a couple times during this session
Flashed new V2 in the mini cave with some big moves. Fun climb. Day flashed the crimp V5 I worked on a few weeks ago. Went to the sloper 7 and tried to go harder on the gaston drop knee move and shoulder didn't like it so stopped. Tried a V6 crimp climb but abandoned at the start of the crux due to my shoulder not liking it. Tried a V7 crimp climb and made it through the first 4 hand moves but the crimping felt way too intense and my tendons didn't like it so I abandoned the climb again.
Went to the slab wall and did some silly stuff and eventually decided nothing was worth working on or would make me stronger. Going to avoid most of these problems I haven't sent until they reset because there's too much in the rest of the gym that will benefit me, especially the overhanging and cave stuff. Went back to the sloper 7 and tried the crux using a higher left foot position, hit the big drop knee and then the unwind to the crimp was easier than previously. Felt stuck at that point but also felt like I could dip down and dyno my right hand to the top. Going to work this position more and see if I can get the right foot up and reach the top statically (though the 2 people I've seen send it both jumped (but had vastly different beta from me otherwise)
Been starting with very easy hanging but might stop. My normal PT stuff plus a pure climbing warmup seems better. Still feeling close to ready. Also feeling pretty strong on crimps. but need the right hand tendons to be 100% before I can work anything like that 7
