Some Perspective and Back to Climbing?

So it's been a long time since I posted here (August last year really) and I thought I might give a heads up as to what I'm doing, or not as the case may be, at the moment.

So I haven't really been climbing all that much, but when I have been I've really enjoyed it. I haven't climbed anything particularly hard (although I nearly ticked a 7A boulder problem at Robin hoods stride) but it's been fun whenever I've been out.

I have been keeping on top of training, just not climbing orientated exactly.  I've been following a strength based program at the gym which incorporates progressive overload and periodization. I've also got a handle on my diet, which previously was way off point. Yes I was light because of it, but I just wasn't giving my body the nourishment it needed to train 4-5 days a week and not end up being totally battered. I also entered a transformation contest, see the picture below.

So after nearly 6 months of hard work in the gym I'm finally feeling like my body, and mind, is ready to get back to some form of climbing training. There is one challenge with this and that is I'm not in the very final stages (only 6 months to go) of my PhD.

Left: Me after training exclusively for climbing and having poor diet and nutrition. Right: 12 weeks later after  training 4 times a week at the gym. The right being about 4lbs lighter i.e. a much better power to weight ratio.

Easy I hear you say, sack the gym off, get down the wall, and hey presto still in the same position. Well, not quite.  I've come to the conclusion that ONLY training at the wall can leave you being rather unbalanced, physically, and having a strength based element (i.e. weights) should be incorporated into any training regime.  You look at any climber and they usually have wide lats, big rhomboids and massive forearms in comparison to the rest of the body. The reason obviously being that these are the main muscle groups that get worked/used when climbing. The problem for me is that this just leads me to being injured. It increases the level of tension across my shoulders, my forearms are tight and  I just don't feel as composed.  The few times that I have been climbing over the last 6 months I've felt a lot more stable and I look more stable too. Not shaking like a shitting dog on holds which I previously was due to weak/undeveloped deltoids.

All this information has come from going to the gym, and being able to see how certain movements create growth. Taking the movements which are climbing specific/related I can see how I became like a rubber band, so much tension in certain directions and ready to snap.  Another thing which I've really hit on is the mind muscle connection; using your mind to really focus on a particular contraction of the muscle you're trying to work. This has a direct consequence for climbing. Previously I used to waste so much energy over gripping; I'm hoping using this mind muscle connection can allow me to use my strength and power more efficiently.

There are also serious plans to go to North America (Red rocks, Joshua Tree and Yosemite) on a climbing trip after I've finished my PhD.  Watch this space for more information regarding that little adventure.

I've got a set of rock rings and fingerboard set up at home so I'm going to add in a maybe 2-3 sessions a week on those while maintaining the gym. Then once my fingers have got stronger reduce the gym training to twice a week and start training at the wall 2-3 times a week. Although it would have been better (with where the season is) to start all this in January but I wasn't ready then.  I am now so I should still get a good whack ticked this year and I'm feeling ready to just enjoy it and not take it all so serious.  I've also got a few ideas to create all the training aids I need based on what I have at home and just focus purely on my fitness at the wall, just getting loads of mileage in.

I think after having a specific gym plan for the last 6 months, it's given me a much clearer idea on periodized training and I'm hoping I can use that to great effect and apply it to climbing.

Either way It's all about having fun at the end of day and that's what I plan to do: have some fun!

Metolious rock-rings on a Power bar. I've also got a beast maker which attaches to the bar.  These should help get my finger strength back, watch this space!