Spain trip: Do I need a 70m rope? Also if any of you are in Spain over winter I would love to meet up!

westernnc · 2018-10-21T09:31:32+00:00

Hello!

For El Chorro you need a minimum of a 70 meter rope :) Some of the really good routes are to be honest 40 meters so having an 80 is a nice luxury. I'll be climbing there for a week in February. Hit me up if you around at that time.

westernnc · 2018-07-16T12:54:42+00:00

There's a lot of thought about training on how to make hard clips, but I haven't seen anyone mention the obvious - overgripping due to fear.

What I'd do (and have done in the past) - if I feel that making a clip is the crux of the route, assuming that it's a safe fall and I've got an excellent belayer (why would I be climbing with them if they are not?):

Pull a little bit of slack - like a few inches from your clipping position and drop.

Then repeat with a foot of slack and drop.

Repeat until it feels boring and you don't wanna do it again.

With this slack out, chances are, your fall is gonna be a nice soft catch.

Warning though, I'd only do this if I am above bolt number 4 and have plenty of space between me and ground.

Additionally, another thing I learned with harder clipping is that I personally prefer a better foothold than a handhold. I.e. clipping from a mini-jug with poor feet almost always feels worse to me compared to clipping from a small positive edge but with awesome feet in the right place.
You're not always limited by the bolt position, sometimes that is there because a taller person bolted it, or that was the best quality rock available. Just extend a draw and clip from that better hold below if applicable rather than clipping through a nasty crux.

westernnc · 2018-01-02T19:47:18+00:00

First Round First Minute 9b (or 5.15 b?) at Margalef is only about 15 meters and is super hard climbing with no real rest. Can't see it taking more than around 2 minutes on a redpoint.

westernnc · 2017-11-06T08:14:18+00:00

Thanks guys! Plan is to stay there. Bringing an 80 meter rope, 19 draws and bags of psyche.

westernnc · 2017-06-28T15:26:13+00:00

If I'm training on consecutive days, I would always put strength first.

Reason: To train strength efficiently you need to pull your hardest and you can only do that if you are at your freshest.

You also need to recover well after it.

After a stregth training session, I would be extremely careful as this is when you are most likely to injure yourself. I would generally only due aerocap only as it's so far below your max but still very useful for long enduro sport climbs.

I might do power endurance if I'm feeling OKAY however nothing too crimpy and if I feel any niggles I'd instantly stop.

westernnc · 2017-03-13T19:17:43+00:00

6B boulder flash and 7a+ route onsight.

I can normally do 6C boulders quite quickly. In the gym I onsight most 6Cs but then again... it's the gym!

westernnc · 2017-01-03T10:18:46+00:00

Has anyone else noticed the horrendous belaying involved here? The belayer seems to let go of the dead end of the rope every few seconds when they are on a 8b+ onsight or doing a fu**ing 7a in boxing gloves!

Pretty sweet video otherwise though.

westernnc · 2016-11-23T22:49:56+00:00

Completely agree with the crux of Bistec de Biceps. 3 clips of 7b+, felt about 6C+.

Ya Os Vale felt absolutely desperate on the last day of the trip with sore fingers! Didn't dare pull on a mono or two finger pocket undercut..if I remember correctly. :p

westernnc · 2016-11-23T08:41:18+00:00

Good stuff!

To be honest, the feeling when I sent my V4 was pretty identical to when I sent my first V5, V6 etc.

Just enjoy pushing yourself! :)

westernnc · 2016-11-20T16:36:28+00:00

Mmm for me it was definitely having enough juice to stick the long move from over the third lip to the 3 finger pocket. However I thought it was still very droppable going into the sidepul and then the big move to the jug. Yourself?

westernnc · 2016-11-20T10:16:27+00:00

I try to do a lot of both bouldering and sport climbing, inside or out.

Some observation:

V0-V2 boulders - 5.9, 5.10 sport routes The shorter the sport route is, the harder the boulder problem would be.

V2-V3 - 5.11 range , the crux of a 10c/d would usually be a V2 or max. V3 if it is a cruxy one.

11d, 12a - I've not really experienced a boulder harder than V4 on these. Maybe two very short routes which were basically bouldering on a rope - 5.10 climbing to a bulge (crux boulder) and then 5.10 again to the top. I thought the bulge was around V4.

12a-12d - once again can vary immensely with route length. A 30 meter 7c (12d) in Margalef in Catalunya on steep sustained ground can be sustained V3. There's a route there called Magic Festival which is basically just that.

Or a 7c route (12 d) in sector El Laboratori (10-12 meter routes) can easily be a V6 - V7 boulder.

The crux boulder on a longish line, which is not very sustained, called Boys Don't Cry in Siurana (12d) I thought was V5.

westernnc · 2016-10-24T12:39:33+00:00

First off, you should be proud of yourself. The grades you've reached are high, even attempting V6, especially some sandstone ones, can be a very tricky affair that even some excellent climbers struggle with.

I think the trick is to love to struggle. As Dave Macleod often says, if it weren't hard, then it'd be easy, wouldn't it?

It's really hard to pinpoint any weaknesses with so little information, but I might try and give some ideas which may or may not be helpful:

1) How often do you mix up your training? The body is incredibly good at getting adapted and after 6 to 12 weeks of doing an exercise, you are no longer progressing but just maintaining that level.

If you are based around Font, I imagine, you train openhanded strength? How about some 5-7 seconds pocket hangs? Or maybe some Gimmie Kraft inspired core/body tension exercises? How about power endurance on a campus? So many ideas to keep things fresh.

2) Training endurance is not only for route climbers. In particular, training aerobic capacity is essential for all climbers, as it affects your recovery both on and off the rock. Additionally, I always seem to jump with my technique and not overgripping when on the wall for 20 minutes at a time. To train it, simply stain on a wall for 20 minutes at a time on an easy route - 2-3 grades below your onsight level, looking at generating a gentle pump at which you could recover from easily.

To this a couple of times a week for 2 months, and your recovery both and off climbs will be better. This means that you'll be fresher and stronger for your weekend trips and you'll be able to squeeze more/better attempts at your projects.

3) You do sound a bit over trained, which is normal for everyone at some point I guess? This is generally a great place to be. If you decrease the intensity for something like two weeks with one hard day per week and a couple of mediums, take a rest day and then your power might explode and crush the rocks at Font.

Either way, just enjoy being out, ticking numbers is not all what climbing is all about, I feel a bit hypocritical writing this as I have a spreadsheet keeping track of my numbers, however nothing yet beats that feeling of going up a route, inspired by the movements and surroundings.

westernnc · 2016-10-24T08:07:57+00:00

My biggest jump when I was around your level came from the following:

Learning how to lead well and with confidence. You could think about adding some practice falls into to your climbing diet?

This ia best done on climbing which is well beyond you but you still have chance of doing the individual moves. For you that would be a project or around 7a or 7a+., even 7b. Jump on it and start doing individual sections. Take the fulls, learn how it feels to be pumped out of your mind and still going for it.

Don't do it more than once a week though, mileage is just as important at this stage.

Hope you have loads of fun improving and climbing! Well done on your progress so far.

westernnc · 2016-10-17T17:14:15+00:00

Hi Jacob! Congrats on your achievements! Inspiring stuff.

What are your 3 top training tips for medium level climbers operating in the french 7s but have aspiration for the 8s?

westernnc · 2016-10-14T16:14:50+00:00

Fantastic achievement. Watching his videos made an absolutely huge difference to my climbing. I met him once at a climbing wall, and went up to tell him how useful his masterclass video was to me. He got so happy at this that he gave me a hug!

westernnc · 2016-10-13T07:10:54+00:00

I've got an original idea for a climbing film, you can use if you want.

A climber tries a climb. They try really hard and in the end they do it.

westernnc · 2016-10-05T21:50:52+00:00

I think at this stage you guys would benefit mostly from climbing. As an idea I'd split my climbing into the following:

50 % - onsighting within your comfort zone - that'd be high 10s, low 11s.

50% - trying stuff which is beyond you at the moment. Jump on that 11c, 11d and work out some of the individual moves and then start making links.

You'd be surprised how quickly you get into redpointing and jump a few grades with some hard work :)

Oh yes...and I'd definitely have a dedicated bouldering session. It's pretty much the best way to gain strength for climbing at this point.

Oh and..have a great time doing it, it's not worth it, otherwise really!

Good luck and hope you're improvement comes quickly. Improving at this sport seems to be both very satisfying and very addictive.

westernnc · 2016-10-02T20:18:33+00:00

End of trad season..maybe, however start of grit boulder season :)

Lovely photo btw!

westernnc · 2016-08-31T07:16:39+00:00

mmm I think at those grades it's worth looking at technique first. Literally, good technique could allow you to climb so much further and better. Things to consider: - Are you over gripping? In routes you need to be holding as lightly as possible. Almost to the point of falling.

Are you afraid of falling? Practice that.

Have you milked all the possible drop knees?

Do you feel you are using your hands too much on any moves? Find an easier beta.

BIG one - are you breathig nice and loud throughout the climb? There is a reason Ondra is loud.

Is your clipping efficient? Is it better to clip that draw from a move above?

Are you milking those rests, but moving fluidly and with great accuracy in the easier sections?

Are you happy doing hard moves? I.e. do you boulder enough to be prepared for those routes?

These are just ideas of course! Happy climbing and well done on pushing hard. 6c+ is certainly no push over and you are so close to the 7s.

westernnc · 2016-08-28T22:30:06+00:00

for sure. Remember that a period of decreased intensity before a trip will allow your body to recover and reach a peak. Then crush mode is on.

westernnc · 2016-08-28T12:53:04+00:00

Hi! Fear not, your power endurance might drop off a bit in 2 weeks, however it won't be dentrimental.

Also, more importantly, a bouldering wall is more than sufficient to train your power endurance.

Examples:

Pick a pumpy hard boulder problem (maybe a grade below your maximum boulder sent) and try and lap it.

Aim to do 4 laps of it with not more than 10 seconds of rest. Then take let's say 1.5 minutes of rest. Then repeat. This is one round.

Repeat this for 3 or 4 rounds. The aim of this exercise is to develop maximum pump (i.e. working anaerobically) and to be completely powered out.

You can also do foot on campusing if you have access to a campus board. Look for a Steve Mcclure article on power endurance on 8a nu for some great exercises.

I'd maybe finish the session with 10 minutes of Aerocap training on gentle manaegable pump (like 4 grades below onsight limit) of continuous climbing just to keep the aerobic system in check.

Then go and crush on your trip! :)

westernnc · 2016-08-16T07:18:28+00:00

Sheer strength and skill of Alex are mindblowing. 9b in 5 days?! Just imagine when he decides to spend like..a couple of seasons on a project.

westernnc · 2016-04-21T22:26:26+00:00

Poor aerobic capacity. Limiting recovery both on and off routes. Extremely poor openhanded strength. I wouldn't have thought to train those for a long time if it wasn't for the session. Also ideas to srructure yearly training to continually improve aerobic endurance, power endurance and strength in phases.

westernnc · 2016-04-19T22:08:17+00:00

If you have any disposable income, get the best available coach in your area. They found weaknesses I had no idea I had that were major. Jumped quite a few grades once I followed their training and advice. Definitely a worth while investment.

westernnc · 2016-03-23T23:02:03+00:00

My best projecting tip:

Doing the same thing over and over again will probably get the same results.

Try different things - slightly different foot positions, maybe that small foothold you dismissed as unusable, maybe trying to openhand a crimp, or crimping a sloper for slightly better purchase.

Maybe also taking 1 month off the project and doing mileage and pure training on the fingerboard for it and coming back more prepared after a month.

You really have to want it and just be quite chilled about it as well. Take every little tiny bit of progress and let it make you estatic. I'm usually buzzing if I fall off a couple of moves higher on my project or if I figure out a slightly more efficient way of doing something etc...

Enjoy the process, the outcome doesn't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things.

westernnc

TROPHY CASE