Bank Holiday Climbing and a few musings.

Over the bank Holiday myself and Hannah headed out (for the first time this year) to place some gear and do some Trad.  Nothing that difficult or scary on the cards, but trad always feels a little bit scary when the last time you placed gear was well over 6 months ago (checkout the post).

So with good weather promised and the desire to still tick the classic rock tick list the plan was to go and do Troutdale pinnacle. After a hefty few days in Bristol for a friends Stag Do, I didn't fancy getting up at the crack of dawn.

We had a leisurely start and arriving in Borrowdale about 11.30am we walked the short distance towards the crag.  It was obvious straight away the crag was busy. A few climbers walking in the other direction warned that there were 3 parties on the pinnacle and a number of others on all the other routes up to about E2; some of whom appeared to having an epic!

Armed with this knowledge, we headed back the way we came and towards Shepards Crag. I knew it would be mega busy so I suggested we headed to do Fool's Paradise at Gowder Crag, only another 10 minutes further on.  The guidebook said it was one of the best VS's in Borrowdale so why not.

Arriving at the bottom there was a party about 2/3 the way up so we stopped for a quick bite to eat and to rack up.  I felt pretty on edge. Not having lead anything for some time, I wasn't certain of success on this route. My average lead grade last year was only HS (despite me doing more climbs last year than any year previously) although I can't remember the last time I fluffed a VS.

Anyway, after a rather dank first pitch the climbing that followed was simply great. I could tell I hadn't been on the sharp end for a while but I really did enjoy it.  Having no real desire to climb the route, but just being happy to be climbing, seemed to have worked. I was happy above gear and wasn't fussed about falling off. I was always placing gear in a rested position and didn't get stressed and panic when the climbing was a challenge. Basically it was as climbing should be, challenging but not so scary that once you finish the thought of going again fills you with dread.

That's where I was last year. Putting myself under so much pressure to be out and climbing routes all in the name of being able to say I was good climber, or an E3 leader (or whatever), that I stopped having fun. It became a massive chore. I was constantly pushing myself and if I hadn't done something that pushed me beyond a certain level, as opposed to just pushing me, then the day had been a failure. This was in-spite of the fact that I might have lead some really good routes, or that I'd just been there to experience someone else's success!

So I feel like I've got some psyche back, not to start training again, but just to go out and have a good time.  I do want to start training again just not at the moment. With my PhD in overdrive (I'm trying to finish for September) then training just isn't going to fit in.  As I've said before I'm going to the gym at the moment and it's really helped my overall condition and alleviated many of the problems I had.  What I'd like to do is combine the both, I think it's something that will help me stay fresh and be able to train that much harder.

The other thing which going to the gym has really helped with is the mind muscle focus that is required when lifting weights, or more preciously bodybuilding.  I've been following a bodybuilding type program which focuses on a certain look rather than just being able to lift weights. The upshot of that is that you train your mind to activate the muscle group you are working. This means you can lift a very light weight and still see plenty of growth. The reason being is your muscle has no concept of weight, it just knows that it has to do work. As long as you're stressing the muscle it will adapt and grow. Also if, for instance you're training pecs, then there is no point lifting a heavy weight only for your shoulders to be doing the work!

'So what's that got to do with climbing?' I hear you ask. Well one of the aspects of my climbing which I know is rubbish is I over grip. I'll be climbing really easy stuff but I'm baring down on each and every hold as  if my life depended upon it. Through the training I've been doing I'm much more aware of how hard I'm squeezing my muscles and I can only see this having a positive effect on my climbing.

It's also helped me with my posture, especially while training. I was doing some fingerboarding and I noticed that my shoulders and elbows were all out of shape (I was rotating my elbows towards the centre line of my body) which puts huge amounts of pressure across the upper back and neck.

I was basically doing all the things that might cause you to have neck issues from fingerboarding, namely:

• Avoid extending you neck (i.e. looking upwards) - always did this when I got tired - keep looking forwarding.
• No shrugging 
• Keep your shoulders low and tight
• Do not flex you arms.

Basically I did all of these things in one form or another. 

The final point to take from these musing which I had is that I was actually reasonably strong prior to this prolonged break. I've checked out my old training diary for the finger boarding I was doing and I could fully lock off on two fingers (both hands) for over 7 seconds and repeat this for numerous sets.  So why was I so crap?

Well mainly poor technique and not being aware of how poor I was climbing. Focusing too much on JUST climbing and the idea that the reason I couldn't get up stuff was because I was weak.  The gym stuff has made me realise the importance of repetition and high volume sets to start a periodized training program.  It's one thing I've never done. I mean who wants to climb loads of easy routes, you want to be redpointing the hard stuff right? Wrong! You have to go and do loads of volume, stuff that doesn't completely box you, in order to learn how to move efficiently on rock and be relaxed.

So although I'm not going to be training for a while yet (I'm having to actively not because it's easy to go/not go to the gym but climbing is a little more involved and I need all my brain power for physics :-P), but when I do I really think that I can make lots more of what I've got. I mean if I was training like a mad man before and climbed a few E1s (but mainly VSs) and I haven't climbed for months but can still climb VS that really shows that my training and the routes I was climbing were rather disconnected. 

The only criteria I have for climbing at the moment is that the weather needs to be spot on otherwise I can't afford the time off.  If we should get some more decent weather then you'll see the odd occasional post.  If not then come September it'll be time to get serious (but have fun) again and I'll be posting more regularly.  E5 is still my goal but my main aim is just to have some bloody fun!!