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.
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