Training, training.

The weather is shit at the moment - it’s a good thing I’m pretty relaxed about my climbing. I’m happy just to go indoors and to train a bit, although I’m sometimes being as much sociable (yes, it can happen) as I am dedicated to training.

The thing about training is: I go to indoor walls regularly, I like them, they are good fun, I like the feel of the movement and pushing my physical limits. I like leading and bouldering, getting pumped, only just being able to pull through problems.

I also try to work my weaknesses within that context as best I can. I choose reasonable angles - not too steep - with the worst holds I can use - slopers preferably as that’s my main weakness. I focus on flashing boulder problems and forcing myself to fight on the flash rather than the oh-so-tempting dropping off if it’s not going perfectly right. I try to do routes as often as I can and make sure I get pumped, either doing stuff at my limit or doubling up routes.

I don’t do pure strength stuff like campussing and dead-hanging. Nor do chill out, bimble around on easy routes and just play on boulder problems. Nor, for that matter do I do exactly what I should do to progress with the climbing I like: What I’d need to do for that would be 50% falling practise, 30% fitness training (running etc), 20% stamina route training - THAT would be precisely working my genuine inhibitive weaknesses.

So I get the feeling I am in the middle of 3 camps, none of which totally approve of my indoor style:

Relaxed social climbers would say that I’m too focused on pushing myself and grunting my way up hard stuff.

Serious hardcore trainers would say that I’m too casual and not doing anything that would actually make me stronger.

Progressive climbing achievers would say I’m treading water and too lazy to do what I really need to do.

In a way they are all right, but what it boils down to for me is balance: I want to train and I want to progress, but I want to have fun and enjoy it. So I’ve found what’s fun and I work within that. The prospect of campussing / deadhanging / endless laps / running etc bores the life out of me at the moment, I wouldn’t stick with it so it’s not the best option for now. Falling practise scares the life out of me….but it is something I occasionally do and will try to do more of, it’s easily combined with the fun of leading decent indoor routes and stuff.

On the subject of “decent indoor routes” - make no mistake I am primarily an outdoor trad climber. “Decent” is just within context, right?

Anyway, off to the wall this evening. Chalk chalk pump banter chalk crank take the piss out of grades chalk chalk rest swear pump etc.