Training - One Year In

[jessebruni]

Actually 13 months, but who's counting?

I just wanted to add more fuel to the fire if anyone is not fully convinced at how well your performance will improve with training. I started reading the Anderson's training posts in September '14 and have been following a variation of the program since then, moving on to the exact program in January. I wanted to share my ticklist from the last 12 months to show how well this training actually works (8a.nu doesn't have very good links so I apologize if this doesn't work). Note the number of 13a's and b's in the last 12 months and compare it with the previous 12 months if you want to see the real difference the training makes. All the 12's are just icing on the cake but I don't think I've projected a single 5.12 this year so basically every 12 I've sent in the last year has been as a way to climb something when I'm too tired for the projects. 

www.8a.nu/?IncPage=http%3A//www.8a.nu/scorecard/AscentList.aspx%3FAscentType%3D0%26AscentClass%3D0%26AscentListTimeInterval%3D1%26AscentListViewType%3D1

The TL; DR if you can't view the link:

Last 12 Months:
- 5.13b -- 3
- 5.13a -- 7 (2 in-a-day ascents, both on road trips...I think my crag might be sandbagged)
- 5.12d -- 3
- 5.12c -- 3
- 5.12b -- 7 redpoint, 1 onsight
- 5.12a -- 2 redpoint, 3 onsight

Previous Total:

- 5.13b -- 0
- 5.13a -- 3
- 5.12d -- 2

[MarkAnderson]

Wow, that's impressive! What I like about this, is that often the knock on periodized training is the claim that you don't get to climb as much (since you're hangboarding, or in some training phase that excludes outdoor climbing).

So, maybe you don't get to climb outside as much, but your story suggests you get to send a lot more!

[jessebruni]

Thanks Mark! About half of these sends were on a weeklong climbing trip last November, but the majority of the 5.13's have been me just doing the weekend warrior thing. I also left out the fact that I've been training with more of a focus on bouldering and indoor competition bouldering (which is going well, I've got 2nd and 3rd place at the two comps I've done this season), and we all know how different that can be from climbing on real rock. I would imagine if I'd focused more on outdoor sport climbing I'd have even more sends.

[SLT]

I agree with Mark about "not climbing" as much. I was hesitant to basically give up or greatly reduce outdoor climbing for a while but after seeing the results, the gains in performance more than make up for lost climbing time. I would also like to add that if you are doing it right, your training phases are during hot/cold/bad conditions anyway. I now do not miss climbing outside in August at all when it is super hot outside and overall miserable.