My First Outdoor Climbing Trip - Climbing Update 7

          I have spent the two days on my first outdoor climbing trip.  This was very exciting when I have been training at an indoor gym and group of friends invited me to come with them to Sandrock, Alabama for an overnight camping / climbing trip.  I was ecstatic!  I jumped on the chance to get some real rock experience.  I left Monday night, arriving and setting up camp, only a cool night repel that evening, then a sun-up to sun-down climb with a group of four people the next day.  You will find some of the highlight pictures scattered throughout this post.



Routes Climbed:
          The day started on My Dog Has Fleas (5.8+) as a lead climb with pre-placed draws.  I was not able to cleanly complete this route.  I took two attempts, falling on both, but completing the route on the second.  Next we moved to a short 5.8+ named Julory.  I was not able to cleanly complete the route (pre-placed gear) on the first attempt, however  I did do so on the second attempt.  Next we moved a couple anchors to the right to an unnamed 5.8 route.  I was able to complete this route cleanly on the first attempt with pre-placed gear.  Up to this point, our most experienced climber, though injured, was climbing these easy routes and placing gear for the rest of us.  One other gentleman and I were lead climbing the routes while the female in the group preferred to climb them via toprope.
          Next, we took a big step.  In the gym I am comfortable climbing a 5.9+ lead with pre-placed gear.  However, I seem to hit a wall when attempting a 5.10.  Our leader decided to work a project of his that he had not previously been able to attempt due to injury.  The route was Price is Right, a 5.11a. He did an awesome job of not only completing it cleanly, but by placing all the gear, and looking as good as ever!  Next was my turn, however, I opted to toprope this route; knowing that it was a bit out of my league.  The route was hard, but not impossible.  However, about halfway up, just getting to the crux, I fell from the overhang.  It was actually quite difficult to get back on the route after the fall and that pretty much sapped what strength I had left out of me.  The other guy in the group was not able to complete the route on toprope either, but he did get further than I and was able to clean the gear of the route.  Needless to say, this (as my friend who completed the route thought) would make a good project for the two of us to work on as a lead climb in the future, perhaps in the Spring Break (March) time frame.
          Next, we stayed in the same area to try the route Eight in the Hole (5.8).  This was a great climb to build back our confidence.  Our leader placed gear, the gents lead, and the female toproped.  All completed the route on their first attempt!  It was a great feeling to build back some team morale.
          For the last climb of the day, just as the sun was starting to set, we moved back to route that I had had my eye on from the start.  Kennel Club (5.8) was about 60ft tall and I was up first.  This time there would be no pre-placed gear.  That duty was left to me.  The route was hard, but not for the technical moves or lack of holds (though some were small), rather, the route forced me to be creative in my movements and that is what made it really elegant.  I completed the route cleanly on my first attempt without any prior beta (knowledge) or practice of the route!  Alas, my first true redpoint!  The other guy in the group also completed the route after I had placed the gear and our lady completed it on toprope.  This was especially important to her because in a previous attempt at the route (on a different trip) she was not able to complete it at all and had to give up on it.  Way to get some revenge girl!  It was truly a capstone climb to seal off our little mini-vacation.



Overall Experience
          The overall experience was incredible.  There is nothing like real rock!  As much as I love training in the gym, there is just something magical about the fresh air, the cold rock, the feel of chalked and sweaty faces and hands, all coming together in a whirlwind of intense physical, emotional, and mental triumphs and trials.  As far as the location goes, the site is about a two hour drive for me which makes it easily accessible several time throughout the school year.  As far as camping is concerned, it is a great place for climbers who are camping not for the joy of camping, but more or less because it comes with the territory of climbing.  Our vehicles were were within fifty yards of our campsite meaning we could leave all unneeded gear and food in them, and take only our climbing gear to the crag.  It really was an ideal set up especially considering that you can easily watch the sun rise over the village below right from your campsite!

Stay tuned for a publication of my future planned outings!



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Climbing Training Update 6 (11/17/12)

Training Notes:
          Needing Some Rest (11/8/12) - I have been pushing it pretty hard the last couple days, working at or near my limit a few days in a row has taken its toll on me.  Today (Thurs 11/4) I tried a couple hard routes and just wasn't "feeling it."  I think that I'll be best off taking a couple days off (Friday and Saturday) and then hitting it hard on Sunday and Monday.  I was just informed today that our Climbing Club here will be hosting Climbing TEAM try-outs next week.  So, following rest on Friday and Saturday, hard climbing on Sunday and Monday, I'll take Tuesday and Wednesday off again to be primed for the try-outs in the later part of the week.  I'll then begin my official rest week which ill include my first outdoor climbing trip and a self-assessement test as prescribed by Eric Horts book "How to Climb a 5.12".
          Alleviating Training Schedule Complications (11/15/12) - I am doing some major work towards un-complicating my training schedule.  This is not unsimilar to the changes I'm making in my diet.  There is no concrete plan at the moment, but I'll be taking the next couple week to test things out before posting a dedicated plan.  Essentially it is extremely complicated to have a huge list of things to do every day and no day ever being the same.  A routine should not be stressful or complicated in its organization, to do so is to jeopardize the longevity of the program.
          But First, A Couple Weeks of Fun (11/17/12) - Last night I participated in the University of West Georgia Climbing Club team try-outs.  The session was extremely challenging, though not impossible.  It was defiantly hard and pushed me both mentally and physically.  I'll have more on this later as the try-outs will resume after school resumes after the following Thanksgiving Break next week.  Some of my previously aimed goals for this mini-cycle were not completed.  However, I think that is important to re-invest ourselves in the love of a sport and just do it because we love it, sometimes without any particular goal in mind.  I'll begin my "official" off-season workout routine once the rock wall closes for the winter break on December 7.  In the mean time, my "goal" is to just have fun, push my limits a bit, and simply enjoy rock climbing for rock climbing's sake without trying to reach a particular goal within these next few weeks.




Diet Notes:
          Still Having Some Issues (11/13/12) - I'm still having some problems sticking to the diets I've laid out, which explains the frequent changes in order to honestly adjust when it is needed.  Look forward to the "Self Assessment" post linked above for more detail as to the new diet that I began today.  The diet portion of the post will be in retrospect, but there will be some good information there explaining the changes I've made and the psychological as well as scientific reasoning behind them.  I'll be taking the next week or two to fine tune the adjustments I've made before posting an "ironed-out" plan here.



11/4 - 11/18/12 Goals:
1 x 5.10 indoor-clean-toprope (complete date / not completed)
2 x 5.8 indoor-clean-lead (*see pyramids below for date)
4 x 5.9 indoor-clean-lead (completed date / not completed)
2 x 5.9+ indoor-clean-lead (completed / not completed)


Highest Grades Completed:
Indoor - Toprope - Dirty - 5.10
Indoor - Toprope - Clean - 5.9+
Indoor - Lead - Clean - 5.9+


Grade Pyramids (Clean - Indoor - Toprope):
5.8 (1) - 9/21
5.8 (2, 3) - 9/24
5.8 (4, 5, 6) - 9/25
5.8 (7) - 9/27
5.8 (8) - 9/28
5.9 (1) - 10/10
5.9 (2) - 10/12
5.9 (3) - 10/15
5.9 (4) - 10/17
5.9+ (1) - 10/17
5.9+ (2) - 10/17
5.10 (1) - not yet completed



Grade Pyramids (Clean - Indoor - Lead):
5.8 (1) - 11/2
5.8 (2, 3, 4) - 11/4
5.8 (5, 6) - 11/5
5.8 (7, 8) - 11/7
5.9 (1, 2) - 11/11
5.9 x (3, 4) - 11/12
5.9+ (1) - 11/7
5.9+ (2) - not yet completed


Long Yoga Session:
          This week's yoga was cut out due to some very intense climbing and the need for some total rest days.  However, the morning yoga session previously outlined were still conducted.


UWG Climbing Team Try-Outs:
Separate post coming in the future.  Link will be provided when it is completed.


Self Assessment Exam:
Separate post coming in the future.  Link will be provided when it is completed.





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In a Hurry? Workouts on the Run - 11/10/11 republication

          Whether it has been on vacation, a business trip, or that you're just pinched for time; I think we have all tried (at one time or another) to use the excuse that we don't have enough time to or are too busy to fit a workout into our daily schedule.  Whether this is a daily obstacle or just a here-and-there speed bump, there is a solution for you.
          I am not typically a fan of fitness magazines in general due to financial endorsements and bias, but now and then I come across something I feel is worth passing on.  Men's Fitness recently ran a few articles that, for what it's worth, have my "seal of approval."  You will find my comments in italic font.

In a Hurry is NOT an excuse:
The particular workouts as prescribed in the article are as follows.

10 Minute Workout:
1) Woodchop with resistance band - 2 sets of 12-15 reps
2) Push Ups - 2 sets of 10 reps
3) Jump Push Up (hand and feet both leave the ground at top of rep) - 2 sets of2 10 reps
4) Walking Push Up (from push up position:  walk on your hands, dragging your feet.  One "step" = one rep) - 2 sets of 10-12 reps
5) Ice Skater (Stand on one leg, keep back in natural position, bend forward at the hip, raise one leg off the ground and touch same-side hand to the ground as far in front of you as possible) - 2 sets of 8-10 reps (each side)
6) Plyo Lunge (Jump from lunge position rather than stand) - 2 sets of 12 reps (each side)
7) Stationary Lunge - 2 sets of 12 reps (each side)

20 Minute Workout:
1) Banded woodchop - 2 sets of 12-15 reps
2) 10 x 20 yrd sprint (walking from finish back to start)
3) Push Up + Row (hands grip kettlebell or dumbbell, at top of push up pull one weight up to your chest then repeat with other side; that's one rep) - 2 sets of 8-10 reps
4) Cobra to Superman ("Bend forward at the hips, squatting slightly, and reach your arms out in front of you with palms down.  Hold for 10 seconds then reach your arms behind you and turn your palms up and hold for 10 seconds") - 2 reps of 5-10 seconds
5) Reverse Grip Row (Bent over row with dumbbells or kettlebells, palms facing out) - 2 sets of 15 reps
6) Reverse Flye ("Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on one leg.  Bend forward at the hips so your arms hang straight down.  Raise the weights to your sides") - 2 sets of 20 reps
7) Band Lateral Raise (Stand on a resistance band, holding one handle in each hand and raise it to your sides, both at the same time) - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
8) Dumbbell Curl - 2 sets of 20 reps (each side)
9) Dumbbell Band Kickback ("Hold a dumbbell in one hand and the end of an anchored band.  Keeping your elbow close to your side, extend your arm behind you") - 2 sets of 20 reps (each side)
10) Band Lateral Rotation ("Hold the end of a band in each hand and bend your elbows 90 degrees.  Pull the band apart") - 3 sets of 20 reps
          How did it get my "seal"?  A lot of these movements are done standing.  This means that a lot of your body is involved with each and every movement.  Also, the small stabilizing muscles in your body are also getting a workout as you have to maintain body tension throughout (though the bands to provide some stability as a cable would compared to free weights)
          Variations:  Obviously these can all be done with a variety of set/rep/load and work/rest ratios.  Feel free to mix it up   These should be ONLY taken as an outline for you to take and mold to your own needs.
           Other Ideas:  I remember reading a long time ago on the rossboxing.com forum about a simple 5 minute (or so) workout.  The process was simply to pick four exercises (or more if you have time).  The reps/sets were prescribed as max reps in a given time interval.  For example, you would do exercise one, two, three, and four all back-to-back for (instance) 60 seconds each.  WITHOUT REST go back to the first exercise and repeat, doing each for 45 seconds.  Continue this progression until you reach your maximum total time or 5 second sets.  To begin,  decide how much time you have to workout.  Then do the math to see what the max time per exercise is that you can start with, figuring in the other sets, and still meet your deadline.

The Hotel Workout:
          Prescription:  Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, resting as little as possible (or not at all) between exercises and sets.
          The initial plan prescribes doing all upper body exercises first, followed by the lower body series.  However, at a high enough intensity, fatigue and lactic acid build up will start to take effect.  It may be a good idea to alternate between upper and lower body exercises.

1) Push Up (or any variation you'd like)
2) Seagull - "Get into push-up position and then bend your elbows 90 degrees so your forearms lie flat. 
          Keeping your body in a straight line, reach one arm straight out to the side as you balance on the
          other.  Then reach forward.  Continue for 15 seconds and then repeat on the other arm"
3) High Five - "Lie on your back on the bed and plant your feet flat.  Bridge your hips up so your butt
          is raised.  Reach up with one arm alternately as if you're giving a high five.  Keep your hips
          elevated"
4) Plank Up - Start in a plank position on your elbows, then raise yourself up to a push up position by
          moving one arm and then the other.  Reverse the process to complete the rep.
5) Alternating Knee Dive - "Get into push-up position and raise one knee at a time to your chest and
          back
6) Single Leg Squat - "Stand on one leg, brace your abs, and lower yourself into a squat, going as
          deeply as you can."  Be extra cautious here if you have bad knees!
7) Windmills - Stand with your legs as wide apart as possible.  Raise your arms out to the sides. 
          Keeping your arms straight, like the propeller of a windmill, and knees locked, touch one hand to
          the opposite toe, rise back to the start, and repeat with other side to complete the rep
8)  Lunge + Twist - "Get into a lunge position with your right leg forward and hold a pillow in your
          outstretched arms.  Rotate your torso as far as you can to the right; return to the center.  Repeat
          for 30 seconds and then switch legs and rotate to the left."

          Again, I like the idea here of having a lot of core involvement in each exercise.  Doing the "High Five"s on the bed rather than the floor is like doing a push up or press with your hands or back on a swiss/bossu ball.  The unstable/squishy surface will require more balance and involve much more of the core and fine muscle fibers.

          So there you have it!  Using the principles outlined here you should be primed to draw up a workout wherever your busy schedule takes you.  Thanks for reading!

Note:  The Men's Fitness issues consulted here were October and November of 2011.  I do not have the Ross Boxing cite to give, but if you feel the need, please jump over to his website.


*This article was originally published in my "Fighting and Dieting" blog on 11/10/11.  It is re-published here in its original and unedited state.  However, I feel that it still contains useful information thought it may not accurately reflect my current training and dieting procedures, practices, and theoretical beliefs.


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Climbing Training Update 5 (11/7/2012)

Foundation (One Mile) Progress:
Previous Weeks (9/9 - 11/1/2012) - 100 ascents
This Week (11/2 - 11/7/2012) - ###### ascents
Total Progress - 110 / 110 (100 % Complete - 11/4/12)


New Goals (set 11/4/12 - Due 11/18/12):
Complete ALL climbing pyramids minus 5.10 lead (indoor - clean ONLY):
*See "Training Notes" for details

1. 5.10 - toprope
2. 5.8 x 2 - lead
3. 5.9 x 4 - lead
4. 5.9+ x 2 - lead

Performance / Timed Routes:
Toprope - Indoor - Clean - Highest Grade Completed - 5.9+
Toprope - Indoor - Dirty - Highest Grade Completed - 5.10
Lead - Indoor - Clean - Highest Grade Completed - 5.8+
Lead - Indoor - Dirty - Highest Grade Completed - 5.9+
*See "Training Notes" for information on timed routes


Grade Pyramids (Clean - Indoor - Toprope):
5.8 (1) - 9/21
5.8 (2, 3) - 9/24
5.8 (4, 5, 6) - 9/25
5.8 (7) - 9/27
5.8 (8) - 9/28
5.9 (1) - 10/10
5.9 (2) - 10/12
5.9 (3) - 10/15
5.9 (4) - 10/17
5.9+ (1) - 10/17
5.9+ (2) - 10/17
5.10 (1) - not yet completed


Grade Pyramids (Clean - Indoor - Lead):
5.8 (1) - 11/2
5.8 (2, 3, 4) - 11/4
5.8 (5, 6) - 11/5
5.8 (7, 8) - 11/7
5.9 x 4 - not yet completed
5.9+ (1) - 11/7
5.9+ (2) - not yet completed
5.10a (1) - not yet completed


Strength and Conditioning (11/2/12):
*See "Training Notes"


Long Yoga Session (11/3/12):
This Week's "long" yoga session (link)



Diet Notes:
           Not Enough Time (11/7/12) - The switch is still to recent to make a good gauge on the dietary changes I made late last week.  More information will be available in the next post.


Training Notes:
          Timed Routes (11/2/12) - I was using this method of measurement to monitor my progress throughout the early stages of my climbing when there was not a specific goal in play.  Now, as I approach the end of my "On Vertical Mile" goal, this measurement has lost its touch.  Now that I am a lead certified climber at my gym I have many other training options (other than speed climbing) should I hit a plateau.  For example, if I reach a stalling point on lead climbing then I can switch back to toprop to work on the problem.  If I reach a plateau toproping, I can switch gears to lead climbing to work on my endurance, technique, and grip.  The I have a tentative climbing trip scheduled for the week of 11/19 to scout some of the areas that I'll be climbing on February 2nd.  For the next couple weeks I'll be trying to fill out as much of the grade pyramids as I can.  Once I begin a 10 week training camp for February, I'll be working on various aspects of climbing and the goal of any particular mesocycle phase will be indicated in future posts.
          Strength and Conditioning (11/2/12) - I opted to try out my new lead certification and climb today rather than working in the weight room.  This will continue for the next couple weeks until I begin my official training camp.  As I am still in the base-building phase (I consider myself so), I want to focus as much on climbing for climbing's sake before I branch out to work on other supplemental attributes.
          One Mile Completed! (11/4/12) - Today was a big day.  I finished my mid-term goal of completing on mile of vertical climbs!  It took a lot of work and diligent training to get here, but things are only looking up!  I've got a bout a week and a half to go before taking a week off to evaluate my progress, go on a climbing trip to scout some routes for February, and draw up my 10-week training camp for a February 2nd climb at Sandrock, AL.  As far as "Performance Days" go, I've got two left before my Off Week and I'll just be trying to fill out as much of the "Grad Pyramids" as I can.  See below for new goal attribution.
          New Goals (11/4/12) - I realize that these are some pretty aggressive goals to cram into a week and a half, but I wanted something that would push me fairly hard before taking a week off.  Also, if a goal is too easily attainable it will stifle progress.  I prefer to shoot just out of reach and work from there based on results, rather than boost my ego.  With that said, if I can accomplish all of this, it will put me in a nice spot to gauge future training.  I'll be all set to test my limit on the "scouting" climbing trap as I'll have toproped up to a 5.10 and lead up to a 5.9+; thus I'll be in perfect position to test out leading on a 5.10.  Also, because of the new goals, my previously listed microcycle (weekly training schedule) is not really accurate as I'll be pushing things pretty hard the next couple weeks before a week off.
          First "dirty" 5.10 Toprope / Indoor (11/5/12) - While it was far from clean, I feel like this was a big accomplishment for me.  This route had been my plateau for a while and I couldn't even make it 20 ft up the 50 ft route.  I wasn't planning on trying this today, but a friend of mine who is a good climber talked me into it.  Some of the holds were really greasy so I had a total of 5 fall/slips/takes, but whether its 1 or 10, its still not a clean climb.  HOWEVER, it was completed.  It hurt, but I'm feeling good.
          Progress on "New Goals" (11/7/12) - Today I rounded out the 5.8 indoor  lead climbs and finished the first 5.9+.  Just to explain why I skipped the 5.9s, our indoor wall only has anchors set on two lines.  One line has a 5.8+ and a 5.10 offering, the other a 5.9+ and a 5.10.  For future reference I am undecided if I will look for a way to either make the 5.9+ a bit easier to drop it to a 5.9 or the 5.8+ a bit harder to raise it to a 5.9.  Another possible solution would be to "mock lead" a toproped 5.9 route (ie:  lots of slack in the line and phantom clipping procedure).  I'll confide in some of my teammates and post the results here.







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Sandwich and Light Snacking Guide

Originally published 4/12/2011 in "Fighting and Dieting."    

          The sandwich portion of this post comes from the May 2009 issue of Men's Health that I happened to read while seated in a waiting room.  The healthy snacking information comes from a recently posted article on bodybuilding.com.  Sources are at the bottom if you wish to check out the details.

The Art of a Healthy Sandwich:
Condiments from Best to Worst

1. Hummus
2. Honey Mustard
3. Guacamole
4. Dijon Mustard
5. Pesto
6. Miracle Whip
7. Italian Dressing
8. Ranch Dressing
9. Mayonnaise

Meat (1oz slice) Best to Worst

1. Turkey
2. Roast Beef
3. Honey Ham
4. Beef Pastrami
5. Salami
6. Bologna
7. Mortadella

Cheese (1oz slice) Best to Worst

1. Fresh Mozzarella
2. Swish
3. Sharp Cheddar
4. Provolone
5. Pepper Jack
6. American

Reasons:  Read Full Article (Link Below)


Easy Lunches and Healthy Snacks:

1. Chicken Wrap with a Whole-Wheat Tortilla
2. Dried Fruit, Pretzel, Almond, Pecan, Sunflower Seed = Trail Mix
3. Homemade Protein Peanut Butter Balls - "Mix 2 scoops of protein powder, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1 cup of dry oats, and 1/4 cup dried cranberries.  Once a sticky mixture is formed (note that you may need to add a small amount of water to moisten), form into balls."
4. Beef Jerky and an Orange
5. Peanut Butter and Banana Roll-Ups (in whole-wheat pita or tortilla)
6. Protein Pancakes
7. Mexican Tuna - "Tuna is always a great grab-and-go protein source.  Make good use of it in your quest for lean mass.  To prepare this muscle building snack, open and drain can of tuna.  Combine with 1/4 cup salsa, 1/2 cup kernel corn, and chopped mushrooms, peppers, and carrots."
8. Apple with Low-Fat Cheese
9. Protein Shake with Raw Oats
10. Canned Salmon with Whole-Wheat Crackers
11. Cottage Cheese with Canned Fruit
12. A Protein Bar

 Source Info:

Men's Health, May 2009 (link)

Bodybuilding.com Article (link)



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Updated Diet and Training Plan (11/1/12)

Diet Changes:
          After some careful examination, I found that I needed to once again re-adjust my diet.  For the past week or two, I have tried implementing the bodybuilder practice of consuming fewer calories on non-training days than on training days.  However, this did not work so well for me because I am doing something active, other than daily activity like walking and a cycling commute, essentially every day of the week.  I think it is better for me, for the time being, to revert to my previously drawn up diet plan of consuming a consistent caloric intake every day of the week.  Consistency is simplicity, and simplicity leads to longevity.

          I have also talked in the past about different views on "cheating" on your diet.  These can range from strictly not allowing it, to a full on binge day, to one meal per week, to an occasional snack so long as you're eating "good" on "most" days of the week.  The problem with the "no cheating" method is that you need and deserve a break, not just physically, but psychologically as well.  The problem with an all day eat-a-thon is that a buffet of 6,000 calories is pretty hard to make up for.  One meal per week is a good option, one that I prefer for training camps.  However, for longer term plans, you do not want to find yourself craving and romanticizing about that glorious cheat meal mid week.  Lastly, the problem with semi-frequent but small cheats is that your body becomes conditioned to what you're feeding it and thus on "clean" days you're still craving the junk foods.

          For the purpose of this diet, I am going to re-establish the idea of simply "sticky-ing" a list of foods to consume each day as well as cheat day guidelines.  By "sticky-ing" I'm referring to the "sticky diets" I've mentioned before which are "stuck" to your fridge or microwave, or some place that you'll see it every day.  The simple list allows you to meet your daily nutritional needs without the constarint of having to eat a certain thing at a certain time and getting bored or burned out on the meal plan (the pre / during / post workout feeding is an exception).  This is a slight problem that I had in that I was eating so many meals per day (7) that I never felt really satiated by any of them.  This was sort of the antithesis of avoiding eating infrequent large meals because it slows your metabolism.  I'll also be implementing some tactics that I've found useful in Tim Ferriss's book "The Four Hour Body."  I have published posts in my old blog about trying the book's dieting procedure in full.  Those posts will soon be converted to this blog in the future.


Training Changes:
          I have recently been lead certified at my local climbing wall.  What this means is that I can lead climb routes rather than always having to toprope them.  Lead climbing is much harder than toproping. I wanted to have this option available as a form of insurance against plateaus.  What I mean is that if I've hit a plateau toproping (which I have) then I can switch over to lead climbing to crispen my technique and build my grip and climbing endurance.  The opposite is also true.  If I am stuck on a project that I can not lead, it would (I suspect) be beneficial to toprope the route with a spare piece of rope for you to "mock lead."  This lets you have the ease of toproping but allows you to go through the motions of lead climbing as well as become more familiar with the route.  Below you will find the updates to both my current Training and Diet practices.


Current Sticky Diet:
*This will make more sense when taken in the context of the below "Current Training"
** g/c = grams of carbohydrates, g/p = grams of protein, g/f = grams of fat

Updated 11/1/12

Fruit = 2 x 20g/c
Veggies = 4 x 4 - 6 g/c
Protein = 2 x 20g/p
Whey = 1 x 1 scoop*
Starch = 4 x 40g/c
Sugar = Granola Bar < 300 cal
8oz Fruit Juice+Green Tea+1TB Honey*
Nuts = 1 x 16g/f
* = Pre / During Workout
** Post Workout = Starch and Protein


Cheat Day (Tuesday)
-Unlimited for 4 - 6 hours
- 90sec exercise before and after each meal
- 16oz Fruit Juice instead of 8oz
- Eat spicy food before cheat period
Cold Showers:  Tues / Thurs / Fri
15min A.M. Yoga:  Mon / Wed / Fri / Sun
Supplements:
MetRX Nat. Whey - 1 scoop / day
Universal Animal Flex - 1 pack Thurs & Sun

Current Training Microcycle:

11/2 - 11/17/2012
Monday (AM):
15 min Yoga before breakfast

Monday (PM):
Warm Up - Moderate Toprope Route
Workout - 1 x Lead Clean; Practice Lead Limit
Cool Down - Stretch

Tuesday:  Rest / Cheat Day
*Cold Shower

Wednesday (AM):
15 min Yoga before breakfast

Wednesday (PM):
Warm Up - Traverse
Workout - 2 x Mock Lead Routes, 2 x Mod/Hard Toprope Routes
Cool Down - Stretch

Thursday:
Warm Up - Traverse
Workout - 2 x Mock Lead Routes, 2 x Toprope Downclimb Routes, 1 x Toprope Lead Project
Warm Down - Quick Yoga
*Cold Shower

Friday (AM):
15 min Yoga before breakfast

Friday (PM):
Warm Up - Traverse
Workout - Practice Lead Projects
Warm Down - Quick Yoga
*Cold Shower

Saturday:
30 - 60 min Vinyasa Yoga

Sunday:
Warm Up - Very Light Calisthenics
Workout - Work Lead Limit, 2 x Lead Clean Climbs
Cool Down - Stretch
*Cold Shower





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Climbing Training Update 4 (11/1/12)

Technical Data:
*See "Diet Notes" Section


Foundation (One Mile) Progress:
Previous Weeks (9/9 - 10/24/12) - 68 ascents
This Week (10/25 - 10/31/12) - 24 ascents
Total Progress - 100 / 110 (90.1 % Complete)



Performance / Timed Routes:
Highest Grade Completed (indoor / toprope / unclean) - 5.9+
Highest Grade Completed (indoor / toprope / clean) - 5.9+

Date / Location - Route / Setting / Grade / Time / Performance (time in sec. x adjusted grade)
9-26 / UWG - The Purp (TR) / Indoor / 5.8+ / Untimed / NA
9-30 / UWG - Green Holds (not clean) / Indoor / 5.9+ / Untimed / NA
10-10 / UWG - Hello Kitty (TR) / Indoor / 5.9 / 0:04:00 / 1221.6
10-10 / UWG - Crystallize (TR) / Indoor / 5.8 / 0:01:20 / 406.4
10-10 / UWG - Zebra Trout (TR) / Indoor / 5.8 / 0:01:28 / 447.04
10-17 / UWG - Hello Kitty (TR) / Indoor / 5.9 / 0:02:40 / 814.4
10-17 UWG - Cotton Candy (TR) / Indoor / 5.9+ / Untimed / NA
10-17 / UWG - Green Holds (TR) / Indoor / 5.9+ / Untimed / NA
11-1 / *See "Training Notes"

Grade Pyramids - Greenpoint:

5.8 (1) - 9/21
5.8 (2, 3) - 9/24
5.8 (4, 5, 6) - 9/25
5.8 (7) - 9/27
5.8 (8) - 9/28
5.9 (1) - 10/10
5.9 (2) - 10/12
5.9 (3) - 10/15
5.9 (4) - 10/17
5.9+ (1) - 10/17
5.9+ (2) - 10/17

Strength and Conditioning (10/26/12):
Warm Up (15 min):
1 x Mod/Hard Route
Practice Projects

Workout:
500m Row - rest 1/2 completion time
Mountain Climbers for Rowing time - rest 1/2 completion time
Repeat 2 x (Row: 02:08 - 161 watts; 02:12 - 140 watts; 02:00 - 205 watts
Rest 5 min - Then
4 x 30 sec work / rest - DB GobletSquat-to-PushPress - rest in standing position
- done @ 2 x 15lb DBs
rest 30 sec after round
repeat once

Cool Down:  Stretch

Diet Notes:
          No More Statistical Info (11/1/12) - As noted in the top of this blog, the "technical data" is missing from this post.  The reason for this is that I do not wish to continue tracking such things on a weekly basis.  There are a few reasons for this.  Firstly, after analyzing the data I believe that simply gaining experience on the rock wall is the largest contributor to my improvements in climbing.  Thus, decreasing my body mass (which has been slow at best) has played a significant role thus far in my training.  Secondly, upon further examination of my diet data I found that my body fat was decreasing faster than my overall mass.  That is all well and good, but not what I was attempting to do in this process.  Rather, I think that it will take a much longer time than a weekly basis for changes in my muscle construction to take place.  This data section will not be gone forever, but will only be included in the occasional update.  Thirdly, tracking such things on a weekly basis is a sure fire way to burn out if you're planning on doing it for the rest of your life.  I, as a competitive athlete, have been kind of stuck in that 6-week mindset, that I'm constantly moving from one "training camp" to another.  Over the summer when I took a break from competing I was venturing into more long term sustainable nutritional practices.  I will look back into some things that worked for me in the past and will work better for longer term goal; such as a climbing trip scheduled 10-12 weeks away.
           A New Diet (11/1/12) - Hinted above, I will be implementing some old favorite tricks and tips into my current nutritional plan.  In general the nutrient ratios and such will stay the same, but there are some other "gimmicks" that I found were effective if not physically  then at least psychologically for the duration of the diet.  There will be a separate post when these changes are finalized and implemented.

Training Notes:
          Lead Certified (11/1/12) - At the University of West Georgia rock wall you are required to pass a certification test administered by the Coordinator of Outdoor Recreation before being allowed to lead climb at the facility.  Today was a big day for me as I successfully passed the exam!  I'm super stoked about this!  I won't get into my personal disagreements with the instructor's teaching style, but with all said and done, I can now practice lead climbing indoors.  What really excites me about this is that I can practice a new dimension of my climbing.  Many consider lead climbing to be the first step of "real climbing."  I'll still do a fair amount of top roping on days when I do not want to push as hard, though leading will be my primary training method from here out.  Top roping still has its advantages, for example; if there is a route you've been stuck on and can't climb clean leading, then you can work on it toprope to become more familiar with the route and do a "mock lead" practicing the movements and added endurance associated with lead climbing.  I'll get a new post up soon with my updated diet (See above) and training routine.





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Exercise: A Means to an End

     A republished post from my archived "Fighting and Dieting" blog.  The post discusses how and why the function of exercising is not to burn calories (that is an added benefit) but to condition the body to a certain stimulus.  The article was originally published on March 5, 2011.  I have included some updated comments that are printed in italic font.  I also included some pictures to make the long text more digestable.

Exercise:  A Means to an End

          There seems to be a lot of debate in the strength and conditioning world over whether different set/rep/load combinations build different types of muscle.  For example, some people thing that low weight loads with extremely high repetitions build long skinny muscles while extremely heavy loads for a small number of repetitions builds only bulk muscle.  This is really nonsense, and I will explain why.
          Your physique is how the shape of your body looks.  The single most determining factor in your physique is your DIET.  It is NOT the number of sets or reps or the size of the load.  It is your diet.  Your diet has a far more profound impact than any other thing you will do to improve your physique.  I would almost go as far as to say that any other factor combined (genetics included).  As I have said earlier posts, your weight is determined by calories consumed vs. calories burned, that's it. (Nov. 1, 2012 update:  There ARE other things involved, such as neurochemical responses and thermodynamics that have a significant role in the weight loss / gain procedure).  If you want to loose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat; and if you want to gain weight than you need to eat more than you burn.  Simple as that (see above edit).  However, your body composition (what accounts for your body weight:  muscle, fat, bone, water, etc...) is determined by WHAT you eat.  Without going into too much detail, if all you eat is butter then whether you loose or gain weight you will still look like butter; the same is true if all you eat is steak.  The concept that "you are what you eat" is mostly true with the exception that your body NEEDS fat, carbohydrates, and protein (and a variety of other micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals).  They are all important necessities for your diet.

          But this post isn't about dieting, its about exercise.  While different exercises do change your physique as directly as exercising in general, they do serve a very specific purpose.  The easiest way to explain this is to say that you should "practice how you will play."  If you want to be a faster sprinter, then you need to sprint.  If you want to be a better tennis player, you need to get more sets in on the court.  If you have decided that you would like to lift weights to increase your athletic performance then there are a few things you should also realize.

          While different exercises do not (adequately or appropriately) determine your physique, what they do do is condition your body to be more tolerant of a certain stimulus.  What does that mean?  It means that if you work explosive exercises like power cleans, you will develop very strong white (fast-twitch) muscle fibers while your red (slow-twitch) muscle fibers will remain the same or possibly weaken.  (Use it or loose it, it is difficult enough to maintain multiple energy systems, strengthening focus on one, by default, means less attention to another.  There is also no mention here of gray muscle fibers, those used for reflexive actions.)  This is why I call exercise a means to an end.  The exercise that you choose to do should derive some sort of skill that you will be able to use when you perform.  Obviously if you just want to "live healthier" then you have a lot of play in your exercise routine.  If you are a body builder, then you also have a lot of play but concentrate more on working isolation (one muscle group at a time) exercises. (This volume training is thought to promote anabolism after severely breaking down a specific muscle group per session).  If you are a power lifter then it is doing you no good to work on muscle endurance, you need to keep the reps low and the load high to condition your body for your competitions.  If you are an endurance athlete (runners for example) weights can still help you but you will want to keep the weight very low and the reps very high as this is how your body will be expected to perform when put to the test, with a low load and very long duration.  Football players often want to brag about their bench press (one rep max) when in reality they should be working explosive movements (for multiple short durations with minimal rest between efforts) such as power cleans, jerk presses, power snatches, etc... Because unless you plan on getting knocked flat on your *** you will never lie on your back to push your opponent around.

          Are you getting the idea yet?  Practice how you play.  Exercise conditions your muscles and body to a specific stimulus.  If endurance is your sport, your training should be long and enduring.  If you need to be explosive, then you should train explosive exercises.  If you're a fighter, then fight.  Every aspect of your training should incorporate some skill that you will use in your athletic performance.  Even for bodybuilders, as much as I despise the idea, if you "just want to look good" then the numbers shouldn't mean a thing, appearance does.  If you are just trying to live healthier, then you don't need to worry about numbers or appearance, simply trust in your diet and your exercise as purely a means of caloric expenditure. (This is a bit off.  It should be edited to include "trust in your research and your diet.  Losing weight, caloric expenditure, may not be the goal of a person desiring to live healthy, rather content and quality of those foods consumed should be paramount.  Learn, adapt, live.)  Practice how you play.  Good luck all!





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