Perceptually infinite power

Now obviously, everyone has their physical limits. 

One can only apply x much force, as determined by our muscles ability to pull and our nervous systems ability to control that force when applied to situation y.

Think of it like a transistor. A pnp gate or similar. The device is rated for a maximum throughput of energy, of which the flow is controlled by another determinant (amount of energy into system). I think, the difference between our force mechanisms and a transistor is that we best apply control in recognisable patterns  from feedback, and we can change how much control is required to leverage so much force. This is all relative to how you try and apply the force, and how much power you think you have, perceptually

I am sure you will see a pattern in my style of thinking, but if you can convince yourself you have a possibly infinite amount power relative to your ability to harness it, you will probably be able to kick out those extra few measures of energy, which may translate to those last 3 moves through the crux and into the victory lap. Its all about gurning, gritting the teeth and really putting the extra 99.99% of possible effort, on top of the 99.99% you are already using. This is when you can make your body do things that scare you. You surprise yourself, and can pull off those sequences that seemed impossible. 

As I started up from the ledge at the pitch going up and right, I though nothing. I just had the move set I knew in my head. I had dogged through some of the harder sequence, but not move to move. The rope was in the first two bolts, so I was happy to have a go at the first hardish moves. 

I started up though the first 3 clips of moves, and after a few grunts managed to hang the horrendous back-three sharp camming stacked pocket. Shocked that it held, I grimaced through the next little balance sequence, and then clipped the 4th bolt. moving left I hesitated with my feet 'how was I here'. I powered through to the split pocket, move feet, pull, 'I can't feel my left back-three', more hesitation, power out. 

A standard scenario for most. If I hadn't hesitated, I probably would have made my first 7c route, on the first day of play, with little fuss. I will never be a Steve McClure. But I had really put all the beans in, chips down on the table, and made a solid effort. I pushed once again beyond what I though I was capable of. This had thrown me a little, but it is simply a case of learning to deal with it. Much like the fear. Finally today I had climbed beyond my level, above the bolts, and had accepted I was going to fall at some point or another. Much improved!

. 

From my experience I feel we need to learn to do hard moves well individually, and teach the nervous system how to apply maximal force in as many given scenarios as possible. Further more, we need to teach the un/conscious versions of ourselves, to push just that much harder, every time.

I still feel that bouldering is crucial to hard climbing, of any form. Be it on any medium.

So... that training plan.. and The Tor.

Its been a busy, busy week. But I am getting there.
Today I went back to Raven Tor for the first time since maybe April (which was a washout session).

After some pinches wall fun, we decided to actually get heads down and put some time into the powerband. I had tickled it before once or twice in passing, but had never decided to 'get on it'.

This proved highly successful, as I got a foot plan together and made it into the LH pocket which you drop into before the final section (over half way). I didn't manage the drop, but from not really having a plan at the beginning of the session and a reasonable amount of work, I am super happy with that progress. I think < 10 sessions and some slightly focussed training will see me tick this to get a F7c under my belt.
The biggest problem with working this problem, is the LH crucial slot, which is held while you do 3 RH/foot moves to a good pinch, a bad pinch and some footwork/twisting, before going LH to the pocket of the working crux. I re-adjust on this pocket, and really get the tip of my index finger into a good jam. The downside of this is that my skin takes a real beating on these moves, and working that section in so many laps caused a good hole to form.

Once the hole occured, working the problem became pointless because the handholds became painful. So I knocked that on the head and walked up the hill to join those on the weedkiller traverse.
I managed to do 5 good laps of this problem, always getting to (but not completing) the very final move to the incut jug. Every time I fell was because I didn't have the juice to commit to that last big pull, or the get in a better body position without letting go. I even got strait back on after one drop, and made it to the top jug.

From this I have realised some great progression, which coupled with time at Malham recently has made me a happy and focussed climber. You just need to ignore the sneering grit enthusiasts who will spend years punting to the 7a - b level, and just get on with climbing/training. And for those who haven't got the time to climb 24/7, training does seem to be worth the 30 - 45 mins a session it costs.

So I need to sort out a bit of bicep strength, one-arm deadhang slopers / v.slopey pinches, and start to really maintain and reduce time between harder problems. 7mins rest per go on powerband felt just about right, with 15 mins every 10 - 15 goes.

Monday will be a rest day, due to other commitments.
Tuesday will be one-arm deadhangs on the good beastmaker slopers. Classic 7on 3 off 6 sets.
Wednesday will be working on the harder indoor problems i.e. blue/yellow/white (and some top-end oranges). Limited rest for difficulty, 3 - 4 mins per attempt (4 goes at dogging a move with 45s rest between counts as one attempt in this model). 5 - 10 mins rest per 20 laps.
Thursday will be light volume and an easy lockoff session.
Friday is work, followed by the indoor boulder comp. Not to fussed, but will be good to chat to some of the better locals that I don't see so often. Plus free beer.
Saturday is work and rest.
Sunday is flexible, but work starts at 00:30 Sunday night / Monday Morning for a few hours.

The rest of Monday will probably be spent resting/doing uni work, and I may go to the wall but it isn't very likely.
The rest of the week will see a similar pattern I expect, except Friday will be a climbing day, Saturday will be rest and then should be out with Zippy on Sunday, either at Malham or at the Tor.

Coincidently, it seems that the final aim at Malham for the year 'something stupid' 7b(+really) is pretty soaked at the moment. In the instance this is the case and we show up to Malham that day, I will work on the upper part of Seventh Ardvark, into the hole on Bat Route, which from the ground is an 8b link. 4 extra moves on top of the 7b... a Font 7b+ boulder problem?

We will see...

Coincidently, I am going to start looking more at brain training for Focus. I want to develop myself better mentally, to just switch off from everything outside of the specific act of climbing this particular thing, so that I can be truly focussed and really improve. If you know of anything to help/guide this, please comment.

Also... I am starting to get psyched some more, which is always good.

Well, it feels like time for an update

It even turns out that I didn't manage the last post, and it has sat in drafts in a sorry sort-of-started state.

So I went to Malham cove for three days with Zippy a couple weeks ago (before the trip to North Wales). I have been back twice since, and each time I seem to get some more mileage under my toes.

On the weekend trip:
I had never been climbing at Malham before, and had walked under it once ages ago. Thus, I had no idea what to expect. My fingers had sort-of healed up, and the ankle, but I haven't done a massive amount of climbing outdoors in ages. Particularly with how the summer went. Sometimes I think I just need to doss out for 3 months during a climbing season, and get good...

Anyway.

I basically spent three days top-roping/seconding the classic sport routes in the bottom of the 7s. Against the grain/Yosemite Wall
7th Ardvark
Rose Coronary
All great! 7th Ardvark took more time than the others, but suited my style and once I had found an intermediate gaston in the crux, it was over quickly. I struggled on 'something stupid', but managed to shock myself into flashing sections of it on the first touch.

I approached the weekend in an optimistic way, but with no expectations of preconceptions of glory.
I tried to take the 'what would I imagine Steve Mclure would do' mentality of cool, calm, collected, technical, preplanned and meticulous detail/precision to everything I tried (all be it on top rope). The approach to 'finding the ideal position where each move is as easy as possible', was bang on and made those three days a magical new and eye-opening experience. Malham had become (and still is) by far my favourite sport crag.

I left that long weekend with a renewed enthusiasm for climbing, and a want to train to get stronger. I will pick up technique and good movement/confidence as I go, but I need to focus on strength while I am still before my absolute peak.

I tried a few training sessions with various plans, but always felt too tired for the next 2 or 3 days to do anything worthwhile. Plus, I was eating properly. I think I need to write myself a new, more realistic plan that will let me do an hour a day, and build up towards split sessions over a long time.

I have been back to Malham twice since that weekend, and each time I have managed another three routes, including leading THE 6a+ this weekend. Although, my accuracy and technical quality has been dulled, in replacement for trying to pull harder. I also went this Saturday, feeling a bit sore and tired still from the previous Thursday. I need to sort this out and become reconditioned with more work. I also need to keep doing full stretching routines, as I am convinced they aid recovery speed/quality alot! Get on that yoga stretch thing at the end of your climbing session.

This does not solve the problem of loss of technique however. My next session at Malham, or even in the peak at Garage Butress etc, will mainly be focussing on body position. I will aim to find the best continuous body positions, using loads of drop-knee/Egyptian shenanigans, in order to technique and finger-strength my way up the wall, as opposed to pulling hard with ze arms. I am sure this is all dead obvious.


With my final year of university now into full swing, I feel I need to start really knuckling down and focussing of time management. I have been doing so, but I need to start factoring climbing into that management. So I plan, every day from Tuesday (and maybe tomorrow), to climb from 8 - 10. I will warm up for 30 mins, train for 30 mins and a reasonable intensity, project for 30 mins and then stretch and warm down. I will take time out from projecting if I have to, but my training will mainly be finger/core based on the wall, campus boarding, or maximal strength depending on the day and how I feel and what I have done previously.
I will post this plan up by Tuesday, and will explain why I chosen certain routines.

I have started to get out on the grit, now that it is coming into season. I will be spending time on the grit over the winter, for all the technique and footwork goodness. I am not all that bothered for shredding myself on some crap slopers, but it would be nice to potter about. I may even indulge in some easy trad, just the start becoming more well-rounded before the limestone season starts again next year.

I have been so busy as of late, that this blog hasn't been what I planned.
I will try and be more active on it, and start climbing more. This is just a very busy time in my life.