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Post by Chris W on May 17, 2015 20:17:53 GMT -7
I know there are several threads floating around discussing what to do when the local weather only offers a spring and fall season. After a fishing trip this coming week, I'll be starting my transitional summer season, consisting of a full strength phase followed by 3 weeks of power training. I'll then rest and start training for my fall season.
In an effort to get more outdoor climbing time, I considered using the power phase of my summer season to work the crux of my fall goal route. I would be bouldering on a rope 50 feet up. The route is almost in constant shade, except for early in the morning. It will be hot, buggy and humid. My goal would not be to send but to become familiar with the holds and try to work out a sequence. My thoughts are:
1) It could be a fun; a way to get outdoors and spend time with my fair-weather climbing friends
2) It could be a great way to learn moves and prepare for a full attack in the fall
3) It could be demoralizing and demotivating trying limit moves in bad conditions outside of a performance peak while being 5 pounds overweight
Any thoughts? Anyone experiment with this before?
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Post by jessebruni on May 18, 2015 9:02:59 GMT -7
I'm sort of doing this myself. I picked a goal route for the year rather than for the season/s and I have concerns that by fall I won't have enough weekend days to redpoint the route if I'm not already familiar with the beta. I also had the issue of the route being way too hard for me at the beginning of the year, when I made the goal, to the point of not being able to do all the moves or hang on all the holds. My approach thus far has been to get on the route only once per season, recording the improvement, until I get to the point where I can do all the moves. Once that happens I'll begin dialing in the beta, even though I won't be in peak form.
The downside of not being too fit, and conditions not being great is that it could sucker you into using less than ideal beta. I think if you bear in mind that you will still probably need to work some beta out for the tougher sections once you're ready to redpoint it's probably a good idea to get the easier sections dialed in. I think your point #3 that you mentioned above is valid, but you have to trust the process. If you've been through enough of these seasons you've probably experienced sucking, wondering what the hell you're doing spending all this time training only to apparently be getting worse, but then a few weeks later find yourself in your peak absolutely killing it. If you can keep that in mind it's harder to get demoralized and demotivated by sucking when you're out of shape, because you'll know it's just part of the process.
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Post by MarkAnderson on May 18, 2015 9:21:36 GMT -7
I think if it is indeed fun, and as long as it continues to be fun, then you should do it. The practical benefits are minimal in my experience. Ya, you can work out the easier moves, but how long would that take when you're really fit? Maybe 20 minutes? So you aren't saving yourself much. And as Jesse said, it's pretty easy to suss non-optimal beta in the cruxes due to lack of power. Sometimes one powerful move is "easier" than 5 less-powerful moves to climb around it. I've made that mistake several times, only to return in a following season and easily just crank past what used to be a crux.
The best practical reason to do it is to determine what you need to train for (assuming you don't already know). You may find a particular move that requires a new skill, or extra strength, to execute. You can spend the summer training for said move. Even if you find new beta in the next season, at least over the summer you will feel like your training has a bit more purpose than usual.
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sr
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by sr on May 18, 2015 13:13:28 GMT -7
I assume you are back east (RRG), b/c this working your project through the summer is pretty much the standard at Rifle and Maple, although conditions are not that great. Of course, this is relative since those of us in Utah think humidity greater than 30% is high..
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Post by Chris W on May 18, 2015 13:33:50 GMT -7
I'm definitely out east, in south central PA. It is very humid out here in the summer (90+ percent).
As far as power goes, by the time I hit my second week of my power phase for the spring season, I felt great. The term that keeps coming into my head is "popping" off the holds. We'll see if this happens in my summer phase. The route I'm working is about 35 feet of 5.10d, which I use as a warmup climb, to the mother of all jug flakes. I could ARC there for 30 minutes, no exaggeration. From there you launch into a 5 move V4/V5 boulder problem, then another two bolts of relatively easier climbing to the chains. That boulder problem has shut folks down for years.
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Post by cirquebound on May 23, 2016 8:57:45 GMT -7
I'm definitely out east, in south central PA. It is very humid out here in the summer (90+ percent). From there you launch into a 5 move V4/V5 boulder problem, then another two bolts of relatively easier climbing to the chains. That boulder problem has shut folks down for years. Humidity is the worst! But, I think that it is still possible to send with those sorts of temps. Making attempts in the morning/shade? Climbing on the East I find myself making the same statements, but then I think about Mike Foley sending Jaws 2 (9a+) in the middle of JULY! !!! You got this rig!
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Post by Chris W on May 24, 2016 2:04:25 GMT -7
Ha! I've thought of that too, but I also wonder what his conditions were like.
I sent my project that fall, when the temps were nice and cold.
My current idea is to get out a bit during my ARC phase this summer. I can get on some of the moderate classics that I know and love. It should help keep my rock thirst sated while taking the pressure off to "perform" all the time. The focus would be to enjoy the climbs, build outdoor mileage and keep myself in tune with the local rock. Of course, this will all depend in part on how the wife and kids are doing...
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Post by cirquebound on May 24, 2016 7:22:58 GMT -7
Congratulations!!! Love to hear someone sending~ Indeed, I am also trying to wet my thirst while I am hangboarding my brains out. One thing I have come to love at least climbing in NE, is feeling like you are flailing for a couple of HOT months, but whittling down beta, and when the temps drop off, sending one project after another
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