alright. I will definitely need to get feet higher to reach it which means a lot of weight on the shitty gaston using it as a side pull

8/25

climb 3:30

tips got numb and cold an hour in shutting me down on crimps but were better after a lot of V1-2 climbing and a 10 minute rest.

Crushed. Repeated some V3-4 and flashed some new V3. Flashed a V5 (V4) with crimps. Flashed another crimp V5 that overhangs and has a big committing move. Flashed a V6 (V5) that was exactly my style with crimps, lots of press outs, a fat pinch you swing on, and a big power move at the end.

Worked on a black crimp/pinch climb the last half of the session that was very rewarding. It didn't look that intimidating but then I saw a bunch of better climbers than me struggling massively on it. Basically the climb is miserably terrible feet and moderately bad to bad hand holds that are mostly side pull pinches with really hard moves. There's also a move to a shallow side pull pocket at the beginning that took me 15+ tries and maximum finger strength due to a barn door. Tried different foot and body positions and couldn't stop there from being a slight barn door that made the move to the pocket require a total death grip. The next foot move is an absolute nightmare as well. Struggled closer to the top when I got there but then broke beta. Body position is still terrible up there and must be fixed.

Gonna make sure I warm up on more cave and overhanging stuff next session. Then send this black route and get back to purple crimps.

Here’s the V4 I didn’t plan well on then used tall man beta to save myself:

https://youtu.be/T2FlcJA9zvk



Here’s me getting to the top of black project sloppily then frantically trying the left hand bump without the right body position:

https://youtu.be/p9mrf21tszI

Here’s projecting the top very sloppily. Need better body position and left foot position plus maybe cut right foot for the right hand up move (though left foot is Non existent):

https://youtu.be/p9mrf21tszI

That is some seriously ugly form. I tried other beta at the top and seemed impossible but the left foot on left hand bump actually worked and wasn’t as bad projecting it

This route is way harder than it might look. Like damn

That black problem looks pretty heinous!

Position I was in from which I was able to make the bump:

https://i.imgur.com/HZsqNsQ.png

Position I was in after the bump. Note my left foot cut during the bump and then repositioned right after.

https://i.imgur.com/PxTxozL.png

Seems possible I could cut left foot for the bump but it also seems I want my body to be towards the right to get more pressure on the right foot. Could be fundamentally wrong about that. Possibly I just need the proper foot position with my left foot and to lock off harder on left hand and really use left foot to drive my right foot into the foothold, which is the position I end up in after bumping anyway

Tried this sequence again and it was smoother without the right foot cutting for the right hand move

Another issue with these feet are they are totally non existent at the top but good at the side as long as you are pressing into them

Yeah I love it. I’m sure they will grade it at least V7. It’s miserable

8/29

climb 2:45

black project was roped off cuz of the routes on the other side being reset. Think I might grade this one as V6 when I send

really needed to leave 30 minutes earlier again and got tears as a result. Will do better next time.

Flashed a bunch of stuff V3-5. Didn't grade anything harder than V4. Have climbed/flashed all of the current set's 3's and 4's right now. Some of the 5's are pretty hard and could take work. There's also a new set on one wall.

Worked purple V7. Left hand bump not happening. Hold is much worse than it appears especially from that angle plus the overhang. Made some other progress but still need to experiment to figure out the top. Not gonna spend too much time spinning my wheels. I could see putting like 10 burns into this to try other beta ideas and if I can't make the top work giving up. Despite the ok crimps at rhe beginning this is a really hard route. I have a few more ideas to match on the gaston or use the side pull as a foot but if its not happening I will move on. Maybe I can get beta somehow

Well internet beta spray fail lol.

Idk hold doesn’t look bad when you gaston it and we are talking a ~10% overhang? **** though it was a slab when you first posted it.

No, it's a 10 or 15 degree overhang. All of the wall I'm working on now besides one slightly slab one are flat or overhung. There's also two cave areas I need to start putting more work into.

The hold feels usable but barely. It definitely depends on how you grip it but matching hasn't been possible yet no matter how I try. By far the strongest way to grip it is hit the middle and lean in opposition but then the match isn't there. I have found that I can get the left foot way up with right hand on the bottom of the gaston, after which there might be some hope of matching and moving feet. I also think it might be possible to hit the bottom with right hand then do a foot move and put right foot up on the undercling and then match, possibly with left hand as a pinch. I got pretty stuck though and I'm working on other things now. Hoping to get beta.

9/1

climb 3:15

Repeated some routes V3-6 flashing all including the slabby 6/5 I flashed 2 sessions ago. Tried to repeat another 6 I flashed the same session and couldn't send in 5 tries. Didn't have the right beta or a video and it felt super hard. Amazed I flashed this route, I must have been in a serious zone.

Fell on a new sloper route that didn't seem harder than V4/5. Had bad beta I can fix and then it shouldn't be too bad.

Worked a new tricky 6 and was very excited. It's mostly slopers and tiny crimps on volumes with a weird start, crunchy move and then a nasty traverse. Made big progress my first attempt and after that worked beta from the middle to the end that wasn't working until I broke it at the end of the session. This should go, maybe in one try. Super cool route I will be happy to send and have on video for you guys. Grade feels legit too, definitely a 5/6 and quite hard.

Bodyweight is around 157 and based on fat could be as low as 149. Will be starting PT soon and would like to gain a small amount of muscle in abs and arms/shoulders. That plus the fat loss could put me around 153. I've had to eat extra food a bunch of evenings due to stomach issues but it hasn't seemed to stop me. Fixing some med stuff should help with this. I also have been overusing tylenol and gave myself stomach pains so I'm not on any pain meds of any kind right now. Have been dreading headaches but since I'm still having a little caffeine it hasn't been a problem. Sleep has also improved after a pretty stressful week and a half.

9/4

climb 3:30

Sent my V6 project on the flat wall. Sent another V6 (V5). Sent my black project above and graded it V5+. Climbed a bunch of other stuff. Tried purple again but it wasn't happening without beta. Needed to quit sooner but tried another 5 at the end of the session and got a really terrible blood blister that is sure to ruin my weekend climbing plans. Having a major problem stopping and pulling myself away right now.



Might have been being a bit self destructive. Should have been happier with this session but wasn't. Still normally I'd just get sore or have a couple bad climbs. Blood blister on a taped finger is a new problem entirely.

Dissatisfied with many things right now. Lost someone important to me in my life less than 2 weeks ago. Have had some recent depression which hasn't happened since right after the concussion in late June. Sleep hasn't been great. Also worried I have messed up my relationship with my therapist during my recent health issues which has been very important for me the last couple years. I basically had a 2-3 day health slide triggered by a bunch of stuff but seem to have recovered from it intact.

Finally figured out my stomach and diet/caffeine problems: it's been food poisoning since mid August. Seems so obvious now after reading my log. Explains the needing extra food in my stomach at night despite not being hungry, stomach constantly feeling off, the horrible pain in my stomach the night I got the food poisoning, inability to have caffeine or even warm tea, ground meat making my stomach feel off, etc. Still seem to be having some post concussion symptoms though those may be due to dehydration, which I also have, probably as a result of the food poisoning. I know this because they tried to draw my blood yesterday and couldn't. Seeing doctor again friday. The good news is I can at least take tylenol again.

Want to add I tried an 8 and couldn't mount the start which was very discouraging. Legit V8 doesn't feel close right now.

Still I can get back in better health, lose a decent amount of more fat, and keep climbing hard plus get to some hanging. The dream is still alive.

PT session was enormously helpful. Learned to find better resting positions on the mat between climbs. Also work on my glute and core activation to prevent lower back arch and gain strength. Rotators and chest are tight and triceps are overactive. This will require exercises as well as soft tissue work.

Next session will focus on what exercises to do. For now wall slides, hip mobility, and glute bridges are a start. Romanian deadlifts will also be added in for my glutes/hamstrings, core and back. Then I can develop a program to do either at the climbing gym or the PT gym.

stuff so far:

cable band row
med ball overhead taps
romanian deadlift or rack pull
glute bridges (progressing to marching 1 leg)
rotator cuff exercise
TRX decline body row
higher intensity ab exercise (in future)
cable band OHP

big progress is coming

I hope you are feeling better and sending!

I think I also need to video some of my climbing as a way to get additional feedback/learning.

update?