Hello fellow DiS climbers (@sadpunk and @chris-budget, any others? )
How’s your climbing going?
I’m injury-free for the first time in months, so gonna train myself back to the brink of falling apart in time for a break over Christmas. Have basically given up on being competent at slab climbing and focusing almost exclusively on overhanging stuff as it’s what I love.
Watched a day of the climbing world championships in Paris on Saturday. Astonishing performances all round, and an amazing atmosphere from a crowd of 8000 climbing fans. Here’s a crap photo of someone casually clipping in while hanging on one arm in the men’s lead semi final.
Also, the silence that descended on the room for the final of the blind paraclimbing was pretty special. Tension in the arena was palpable as the climbers ascended, instructed only by their guides shouting instructions at them.
Things are still progressing slowly into V5. My wrists feel really weak at the moment and are the first things to give on crimpy routes. Stupid wrists.
Currently projecting a motherfucker which requires hanging horizontal and matching hands on a shallow half-moon hold. I can’t stop swinging off. (yet).
Other than that, still going strong.
Looking forward to the weather cooling down so that I’m not out of chalk and covered in sweat by the second move.
Not climbed for a couple of years now. Should really start again, but always seems like a lot of faff compared to sticking running shoes on and heading out the door.
I do quite a bit of core stuff already. Three times a week I do: some russian twists, some planking, some passing a weight around my legs, some dorsal lifts, some leg raises, some hanging off a pull up bar and bringing my knees up to my elbows.
What more can I do?
Outdoors is over-rated. Indoors is better; someone’s marked the holds for you, there’s no jagged rocks, the entire floor is crash mat, and there’s a roof.
lol - all true! Not to mention how far outdoors is from London…
All that core stuff sounds on the money, although I’ve never had much time for planking. Prefer higher intensity stuff. My advice would be to work towards front levering. e.g. rather than bringing knees up to elbows, try bringing your feet in line with your hips with straight legs.
I love training, I think almost as much as climbing itself. Not sure that’s how it’s meant to be but, there you go!
Yeah, it’s definitely more faff. Why don’t more business hotels have climbing walls attached, eh? Bane of my life.
Not sure where you’re based, but if London let me know if you fancy a session.
Could be. It’s certainly a good location for climbing. Good wall, all the Lakes stuff on the doorstep, 2hrs drive to North Wales or Peak and not much more to get up past Glasgow in to the Highlands.
Looking around Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, York. Contingent on if/when NHS jobs come up for the TV.
I really like Neil Gresham. Saw him give a really good talk when Adam Ondra came to speak at Westway in London. He was also overheard by one of my mates complimenting one of my indoor ascents last year
Kendal +
Lots going on for a little town (loads of culture/arts stuff)
Good community vibe
Good pubs/cafes
Fuck all crime (a bike getting nicked makes it in to the weekly paper)
Lake District on your doorstep (and excellent public transport to get there)
Immediately surrounded by nice countryside
Booths
Kendal -
Almost total lack of decent live music (seen Toumani Diabate and British Sea Power here in the last 4 years)
Not close to anywhere decent for decent live music (Manchester and Glasgow a bit far for one night and zero return public transport options)
Generally shit weather
Shopping kind of ok, but more aimed at older dudes (of which there are many)
Annoying one way traffic system
If you’re used to a big city (we moved from Leeds), it’s quite a change