Digital Warfare

This week started off like any other week, sitting in front of my computer contemplating the tasks for the rest of the week. I knew that I needed to write ten reports for participants in my study for my master's so they needed to slot into my busy training schedule.

Last Monday, the 24th, was a pretty heavy day for me as it marked the first day that I would add weight to the new program. It was not a roaring success, but I certainly know that I shall be able to benefit from the additional weight. The session began with me doing 40 minutes of intense bouldering at the tuks cave. Normally I'll warm up with a 20-30 move boulder problem through the roves in an attempt to traverse the 8m cave and arrive back at the start. This often is unsuccessful owing to the loss of chalk after the first 15 moves. After the initial warm up, I tend to spend the majority of my warm up session on the 30 degree wall pulling on very small holds. I try to limit the problems to 8 moves maximum, initially they are open feet but after I send it with open feet I track the problem. This is crucial in reaching maximum recruitment of muscle in my forearms before I move to the campus board.

I borrowed some advice from Ben Moon's training program for my campus sessions. The numbers herein are referring to the rungs on the board. My board at tuks has 23cm between rungs which are 4cm wide and attached perpendicularly to the 15 degree board. This isn't ideal but it has 9 rungs that I used for training.

Warmup:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 and down x 2 with a 1 minute gap Success
1-3-5-7-9 x 2 with a 2 minute gap Success
1-4-5-8-9 Left hand leading failed 8
1-4-5-8-9 Right hand leading failed 8
1-4-5-8-9 Left hand leading Success
1-4-5-8-9 Right hand leading failed 8
1-4-5-8-9 Left hand leading failed 8
Weights off
1-4-5-8-9 Right hand leading Success
1-4-5-8-9 Left hand leading Success
1-4-5-8-9 Right hand leading Sucsess
1-4-6-9 F9 caught 8
1-4-6-9 F9 caught 8
1-4-6-9 F9 caught 8
1-4-6-9 F9 caught 8
Weights on
1-4-1-4-1-4-1-4-1 Success
1-4-1-4-1-4-1-4-1 Success
This is doing touches with alternating hands, ie Lunge with left hand and drop back down then lunge with right
1-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3 L Success
1-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3 R Success
1-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3 L Success
1-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3 R Success
Touches with the same hand between 4 and 3
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 Success
Double handed
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 L Success
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 R Success
Staggered with one hand higher then alternate


Well, that was Monday. Tuesday was a full on Finger Strength day... To warm up I use the 8a.nu training program for 10 minutes. No weights after the warmup.

10 & 15 Minute sequence

Min	Type of hold	Exercise	Sec/Rep		Min	Type of hold	Exercise	Sec/Rep
1	Jug	Hanging	30 sec		1	Jug	Drops	5 rep
2	Medium Edge	Pull-up	6 rep		2	Medium Edge	Drops	2 rep
3	Small Edge	Hanging	12 sec		3	Small Edge	Negs	5 rep
4	Pocket	Pull-up	6 rep		4	Pocket	Pull-upp	5 rep
5	Medium Edge	Hanging	20 sec		5	Medium Edge	Hanging	20 sec
6	Medium Edge	Hanging	20 sec		6	Jug	Pull-up	10 rep
7	Jug	Pull-up	10 rep		7	Medium Edge	Hanging	20 sec
8	Small Edge	Hanging	12 rep		8	Small Edge	Hanging	20 sec
9	Medium Edge	Hanging	18 rep		9	Medium Edge	Pull-up	5 rep
10	Small Edge	Hanging	As long as p.		10	Jug	Hanging	40 sec
					11	Medium Edge	Hanging	25 sec
					12	Medium Edge	Hanging	25 sec
					13	Small Edge	Pull-up	5 rep
					14	Small Edge	Hanging	20 sec
					15	Jug	Hanging	1 min

The objective is to choose a hold on the hangboard and then try to hang it with one hand. The goal is 5 seconds but you're not supposed to be able to achieve this. If you can, make the hold harder or add weight. If you can't hold it then support some excess weight with a sling or a digit on the board.

I use a metolius simulator board so I refer to holds on it but you should just use whatever you have available. Paul designed this program around a Beastmaker 2000 but I don't have one so I adapted it to suit me. Also, Paul is a beast so I had to scale it back to suit me a little better.

1. Deep pocket 3 finger crimp R 3.5
   
2. Deep pocket 3 finger crimp L 5.0
   
3. Devil hang Ring finger and Pointer R (pinky in sling) 5
   
4. Devil hang Ring finger and Pointer L (pinky in sling) 5
   
5. Small Crimp R (pinky in sling) 4.5
   
6. Small Crimp L (pinky in sling) 4.5
   
7. Front 2 in deep pocket R (pinky in sling) 2
   
8. Front 2 in deep pocket L (pinky in sling) 3
   
9. Half crimp medium edge R (pointer mono) 4
   
10. Half crimp medium edge L (pointer mono) 3.6
    
11. Big Crimp R 3.1
    
12. Big Crimp L 2.5
    
13. Easy Sloper R 5
    
14. Easy Sloper L 5

55.7 --> 79.5%

This is quite a high score so I used less supports on my later sets, my score fell to about 20%.
Repeat 4 times for me, ideally 8. I catch my breath between each arm and rest about a minute or so between exercises, if I'm feeling fatigued I rest a little longer. The objective is to get strong not to get hurt.

I chilled for a minute and then did some lower offs for each arm. I timed each attempt with the goal being to be able to lower for for 20 seconds on one arm. Rested 2 min between each attempt

L 4
R 10
L 2
R 8
L 4
R 6

So sue me, I'm right handed :D

After this came the next set of exercises: High Intensity Stamina. This is Paul's program and it has the ability to really make you strong. It is based around the principle of doing repeater on the hangboard. Repeaters consist of 7 seconds on 3 seconds rest, repeated 7 times. This takes 1 min 10 seconds, after which you rest 1 min 50 seconds and then move on the the next set. Tough? Yes, but manageable.

1. Small hold 5 pull ups to warm up 5
2. Right hand 1/2 crimp index assist 5.4
   
3. Left hand 1/2 crimp index assist 7
   
4. Devil hang Ring and pointer 3.5
5. Sloper 7
6. Front 2 L in Shallow 2pock right in deep, alternate 3.4
7. Back 2 deep pock 6
8. Middle 2 split shallow/deep foot assist 4.2
9. Middle 2 deep 7
10. Small repeats till fail goal 10 7.5
    

71.69%
To score this the full numbers represent the completed reps and the decimals represent the number of seconds into the rep that I failed. Total everything up and calculate the percentage. As you get stronger, add weight. I'm not using any yet.

Wednesday I ran for 45 minutes at a gentle pace. Thursday and Friday were rest days because I knew that the weekend was going to be Digital Warfare at the WOW PROW. Yes, the venue lives up to its name. The routes there are primarily pockets on a sandstone face, but not like the ones that you find at Harrismith or Swinburne, no no no, these are of a far superior standard!

I flashed a 27 that was opened by Dirk Smith called Stooppomp Blues, a 4 star line that is amazing climbing from the start. When I saw the massive 9m long extendable cheat stick I was confused, but when I saw the start to the line I understood fully. Using the cheat stick you clip the first bolt which is 6m up. You then hang on the rope and using your belayer as a counter weight you pull past the 6m of choss to the first bolt where the route begins. All the lines excepting Digital Warfare start this way.

Digital Warfare is Andrew Pedley's open project and should go about 8c+ (35). It is an immaculate line of shallow pockets that just barely goes. I couldn't quite do all of the moves, but after a few tries Andrew was able to figure them out. I have never been on anything quite like this. SO far beyond my current abilities, but maybe someday when I'm big and strong this line may seem conceivable.

Where am I coming from?

When I was first approached by Kyle to write this blog, I was absolutely ecstatic. I was not completely sure about what a blog really entails but I hope that I can make it up with time. One of the main goals of my blog is to share with others in South Africa what it took for me to reach the level that I am at in climbing.

But before I start telling you about how brutal training can be, I'd first like to give you some background to who I am and what life means to me. I'm currently 26 years old and I'm a master's student at the University of Pretoria. The field I'm in is Research Psychology. The best way I can possibly explain what research psychology is all about is this "research psychology is for people who love psychology, but don't want to listen to other people's problems forever." Basically research gives one the opportunity to have a career in psychology, but not as a clinician. Personally, I'm moving into sustainable development and environmental psychology as I feel I can make a change to the world (at least in my small way) from here.

I may have only started climbing in April of 2006 but from the second I started I was hooked. I felt instant inspiration by watching these complete strangers lead their way up the 28 meter wall at the University of Pretoria. I only touched rock for the first time that September but I was hooked!! Competed in the Boven Rock Rally that year and onsighted my first 20 the second day that I had ever been on rock. After feeling all the energy in that competition I knew that I was in for good. Climbed Miss McKinley (23) in March 2007 and did Chunky Monkey (27) in December 2007. During September 2008, I climbed my first 28: El Dorado, in Waterval Boven. By March 2009, 29s began to fall.

I spent the rest 2009 training harder and harder. I made it on the the Rock and Road trip in July, which was quite unsuccessful for me. I spent the rest of the year trying to break the 30 barrier and when I did, it was on trad gear in the USA, the second trad ascent of a line that was opened by Hidetaka Suzuki in 1986, with 4 bolts. The line had seen several ascents as a mixed line, but I was present for the first trad ascent. Inspired by this, I spent the next weeks projecting the line until it went down on January 10, 2010. This same trip also saw me onsight my first 28 on the limestone at the Dry in the Arizona desert.

2010 was a very eventful year. In my mind I broke through to the next level. This was also the next level of University, my coursework for my master's degree which was absolutely grueling and time consuming. I was however fortunate. I had a 3 day work week, at the most. This left me time for the busiest year of my life, so far. I spend about 180 days on rock and most likely 280 days climbing, possibly more. The result for the year: 7 routes of grade 30, 7 routes grade 31 and 1 route grade 32. There were many more routes than just these, but this was what I had been working for since I began to understand what hard climbing was all about.

This brings us back to the why I'm here, writing this story about myself. I want to share the psyche that climbing gives me with other people out there. South Africa is full of young climbers who have so much potential to be so much better than I could ever hope to be; climbers like Guy Patterson-Jones, Dylan Vogt and Wesley Black are the new guys on the block that will inspire everyone else. I want to inspire anyone who is interested to be as psyched as I am and through this psyche, I intend to provide a path to training techniques that will better your climbing.

I am going to share my training routines and also tell you about the routes that I climb on rock, especially those that are really tough and are a real journey. A great deal of the training that I am busy with at the moment is power training. The reason for this is my current project in Boven, a 7 bolt line that I bolted in August 2010 and is just brute power on tiny holds... I've currently spend 14 days working this line and I felt like I was not making enough progress, so I have gone into a reclusive status to train for a month before climbing on rock again.

I've been training constantly of two weeks now and I feel stronger than ever... Next week I'll tell you a little about what this training entails.