Off Season Week 4 - Climbing Update 13

12/24 - 12/30/2012 Notes:

Climbing:
          I broke from my regular training schedule this week to do some indoor climbing since I was heading into a rock gym / outdoor store anyway (see below).  My experience was not what I had expected.  I have no complaints about they gym, in fact it was quite epic, it is (after all) world renowned.  Rather my performance raised some interesting questions.  I was climbing mostly 5.9s which should be in my working pink/green-point ranges.  Some of the routes were overhung as a side note.  The Good:  I felt like my movement was not only fluid, but very technical, precise, intentional, and creative.  I did not fear small holds, showing that perhaps my door-frame hangboard sessions were paying off.  The Bad:  I pumped out ... hard.  At the cruxs and about halfway up others, I would always fall because my forearms were pumped out.  I'd rest for a minute or two and finish the route without much issue.  Analysis:  While I feel like my fingers have gotten stronger I believe that my forearms have (perhaps) atrophied over the last month when I have not been actually climbing.  In a sense, my forearms have lost the conditioning they gained while frequently climbing over the past few months.  One possible asterisk is that most of the routes I climbed were overhanging, making them more difficult to hold to.  This was something that I am not at all used to.  Now I have a different issue at hand (no pun intended).  While my fingers were weak and forearms strong, now my fingers and technique feel solid but my forearms need to regain a bit of conditioning.

New Shoes:
          Santa Claus brought me a new pair of climbing shoes for Christmas.  However, they were the wrong size... silly man.  Rather than have to return them and gamble on getting another size that might fit (FYI:  I'm switching brands, and every brand sizes differently) I made the trip into Atlanta to visit the store at the local rock gym to try on a few pair of shoes.  I was stuck between two pairs that both fit great, but one happened to be on sale :)  WIN!

Diet:
          I feel pretty good since having switched my diet to a much lower carb intake.  One should note that I'm not really on a "low carb" diet and certainly not a "carb free" diet.  However, the intake is limited and carefully organized to manipulate my insulin levels when my blood sugar runs low.  I feel like my body is just made to run better on high protein given that I have a stocky muscular build, especially for my height.  I feel fuller, and while there have been a few minor slip ups, in general my body/mind connection/reaction feels much better than when on the high carb diet.  Things are looking good so far.

Weather and Schedule:
          This week was a bit hectic, the weather played some funk on my training schedule.  While I don't mind shadowboxing in the rain (very few things feel cooler than that!), its a little different when the 40 degrees and raining than 60 or 70.  Also, my phone (ie:  my round timer) isn't too fond of the rain.
- weather messing with training schedule
- indoor climbing on Sat - felt smooth technical and crips, but VERY pumpy

Training Log

Monday:
Hangboard - 7/8" door frame; all sets 30 sec @ 1 min rest

• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted hang x 3
• 1 hand, 4 finger, assisted reps x 2 each side
• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted reps
• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted hang x 2

Yoga - (I really  liked this one!)

Tuesday:

Circuit x 40 sec @ 20 sec rest

Weight Used = milk jug filled w/ water (apx. 8lbs)

Circuit done first as warm up, then once at full speed

• Elbow Plank w/ Alternating leg lift
• Tree Choppers (20 sec ea. side)
• Alternating Over Head Lunge
• Straight Leg Alternating Deadlift
• Push Press + Tricep Extension (from standing position)
• Goblet Squat
• Lawnmower Row (20 sec ea. side)
• Alternating Side Lunge w/ Touch
• Dumbbell Deadlift

Wednesday:

Hangboard - All sets = 45 sec @ 90sec rest

• 2 hand, 4 fingers, assisted hang x 2
• 2 hand, 4 fingers, assisted reps x 2
• 2 hand, 3 fingers, assisted hang x 2

Thursday:
If you don't mind some slightly cheesy pep-talking through it, this is an awesome yoga session!

Friday:
Rest day

Saturday:
Indoor Climbing at Stone Summit, Atlanta, GA

Sunday:
Shadow Boxing - 6 x 3 min rounds at 1 min rest

• Round 1 - Warm Up with a little of everything
• Round 2 - Straight Punch Combinations
• Round 3 - Add Hooks and Upper Cuts
• Round 4 - Kicking Combinations Only
• Round 5 - Defensive Maneuvers & Counters
• Round 6 - Full Combinations (punch, kick, knee, ... etc.)

Off Season Week 3 - Climbing Update 12

12/17 - 12/23/2012

Notes:
         Hey folks, we've got some interesting analysis and changes this week.  To be honest, if you've been following this blog then you know that I've been trying a high carbohydrate diet as recommended by Eric Horst in his climbing guides.  I embarked on this journey as an attempt to validate myself as a truly open-sourced and open-minded athlete.  However, I jumped on the scale the other morning out of curiosity and much to my dismay it read 180 lbs.  Now, this is not terrible as I am still pretty lean (exact measurements not taken).  However, my goal is to be losing mass for climbing (in an attempt to increase strength:weight ratio).  It is fair to say that I've given the high carb diet a good solid try for a couple months.  Now, I will not go on bashing high-carb diets, but I will take a few paragraphs to explain some possible explanations for my weight gain.

• CarboHYDRATES - Part of the function of carbohydrates is to HYDRATE your body.  It is in the molecule's nature to retain water.  Thus, part of my weight gain could have resulted from added water retention from the high carbohydrate intake.  This is also true of many people who go on low-carbohydrate diets, only in reverse.  A significant amount of weight can be lost from reducing water retention and typical this is the initial result of beginning a low carb diet.
• Decreased Cardiovascular Activity - There is no doubt that climbing has opened a whole new challenge for my body.  However, I simply do not have the same caloric burn or cardiac elevation that I do when fighting (or training therein).  This decreased "activity" level results in less energy being burned during workouts.  Another thing to consider in this category is that for the last month (not quite) I have been on break from school.  This means that my no-workout related activities have also decreased.  I am not riding my bike 10 miles per day to commute to school, I'm not walking around campus, and I'm largely stagnant other than moderate activity levels while working.
• Holiday Boredom and Stress - Emotional eating is real.  The chemicals in our brain can directly relate to our appetite.  In other words, some people take comfort in food.  Why?  Well, carbohydrates increase serotonin (happy chemical) production in the brain.  Many people also eat when they are stressed.  These both have been the case for me over the holiday break from school.  Boredom from in-activity levels and stress from having too much time on my hands to over-worry about my career, bills, schooling, health, family, etc...

Target Ketogenic Diet

           A diet that I have found effective in the past is called a Target Ketogenic Diet.  Now, Ketones are energy particles created from fat sources that your body uses when carbohydrate sources are not available.  Low-carbohydrate diets force your body to run on ketones, hence, they are ketogenic.  I would advise this type of diet for persons who are largely sedentary.  However, for intense exercisers, a slightly different approach needs to be taken to fuel and recover from those grueling workouts.  The trick is to not say "no" to carbs, but to control them and control your body's resulting insulin levels.  This is done by allowing some carbohydrates when your blood sugar is low and energy is needed.  For example; first thing in the morning, about an hour before your workout, and immediately following your workout.  Some reference material can be found below: 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark86.htm

http://www.4hourlife.com/2011/06/01/targeted-ketogenesis-exercise-and-the-4-hour-body-slow-carb-diet/

Target Ketogenic Diet Setup:
Goal Weight - 160 lbs
Total Calories - 14 to 16 x bodyweight = 14 x 160 = 2240 calories
Protein - 1:1; grams:lbs - 160g / day = 640 calories
Fat - 0.5:1 grams:lbs - 80g / day = 720 calories
Carbs - Total Calories (2240) - Protein Calories (640) - Fat Calories (720) = 880 calories / 4 = 220 grams / day
*50% of carbohydrates to be consumed pre/post workout (25% each) = 55g pre-workout and 55g post-workout; remaining 110g spread through other 4 meals of the day (6 meals total) for 28g carb each meal.
** 1 cheat / refeed day per week :  Mostly carbohydrates to refuel glycogen supplies.

Sticky Diet (starting 12/21/2012):
Pre-Workout - 60g Starch
Post-Workout - 40g Starch
                          20g Protein (whey)
Breakfast - 30g Starch
2 x 20g/c Fruit
4 x 5g/c Vegetables
2 x 20g/p Fish
2 x 20g/p Poultry
1 x 20g/p Red Meat
1 x 20g/f Nuts
Supplements - Whey Protein (MetRx Natural Whey 1 scoop / day)
                        Joint Supplement - 3 packs per week (Universal Animal Flex)
**1 Cheat / Refeed day per week to replenish Glycogen supplies (mostly carbs)**

Training Log:

Monday:
Shadowboxing -
Hangboard -> 20 second rounds w/ 1 min rests:

• 2 hand, 4 finger unassisted hang x 2
• 2 hand, 4 finger assisted hang x 3
• 2 hand, 3 finger assisted hang x 2
• 2 hand, 4 finger assisted reps x 3

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Shadowboxing - 5 x 5 min rounds @ 1 min rest

• Movement only, no punches
• Full boxing combinations
• Kicking combinations only
• Kick-Knee-Punch combinations

Hangboard - all w/ 2 hands, 4 fingers, assisted hang

• 1 x 1 min @ 1 min rest
• 3 x 40 sec @ 1 min rest
• 3 x 30 sec @ 1 min rest
• 3 x 15 sec @ 30 sec rest

Thursday:

Yoga - Freestyle, randomly selected poses and transitions

Friday:

Hangboard - all w/ 2 hands, assisted, 2 sets of each x 30 sec @ 1 min rest

• 4 fingers
• 3 fingers
• index and middle fingers
• middle and ring fingers
• ring and pinky fingers
• 4 fingers (single set)

Shadowboxing - 3 x 6 min @ 1 min rest:  Rounds = Boxing, Kicking Combos, Full Thai

Saturday:

50/40/30/20/10 reps of each, no rest, all sets back to back

- push ups

- air squats

- bent over flies

- standing reversed leg lifts

Off Season Week 2 - Climbing Update 11

12/10 - 12/16/2012

Notes:
          This was a good week.  I felt pretty solid in my climbing training.  However, I did change up my microcycle training schedule because I felt that I needed some more cardiovascular training.  I am still trying to implement plenty of yoga as I greatly enjoy it and think it relates great to my Jiu Jitsu and Rock Climbing.  I felt like I required a more intensive style of training so I added some shadowboxing and Jiu Jitsu drills to my training.  I really feel like this is an optimal set up for an Off-Season training program where there is a little bit of everything in contrast to a training camp where you focus specifically on one sport or objective.  You can see the new changes below in the "New Microcycle" section.  In addition the cold showers for recovery have been dropped.  While they are quite beneficial they are pretty unnpleasent and a bit taxing on the nervous system.  The goal of off-season training should not be to max out your training capacity, but to re-examine your current practices and tone down the training to a more long-term sustainable training schedule.

Monday:
Hangboard (7/8" door frame) - Unweighted
20 second rounds w/ 1 min rest

• 4 finger 2 hand hang, assisted
• 4 finger 2 hand hang, unassisted
• 4 finger 1 hand hang, assisted (repeat other side)
• 3 finger 1 hand hang, assisted (repeat other side)
• Index-Middle hang, 2 hand, assisted
• Middle-Ring hang, 2 hand, assisted
• Ring-Pinky hang, 2 hand, assisted
• 3 finger, 1 hand hang, assisted (repeat other side)
• 4 finger, 1 hand hang, assisted (repeat other side)
• 4 finger, 2 hand hang, unassisted
• 4 finger, 2 hand hang, assisted

Yoga - >

Tuesday:

Wednesday:
Yoga - 5 x Sun Salutations (A & B) each; a few other "flow" poses
Shadowboxing Rounds

1. Little Bit of Everything, Mostly straight punches
2. Slipping and weaving w/ combinations
3. Add hooking and uppercut combinations
4. Full boxing combinations
5. Add kicking combinations

Hangboard:  30 sec rounds @ 1 min rests

• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted hang
• 2 hand, 4 finger, unassisted hang
• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted reps
• 2 hand, 3 finger, assisted reps
• 2 hand, 2 finger (IM, MR, RP ea.), assisted reps
• 2 hand, 3 finger, assisted hang
• 2 hand, 4 finger, assisted hang

Thursday:

          This was a long day at work... admittedly, I caved and skipped on my workout.

Friday:
Warm Up - Quick Yoga
Shadowboxing - 5 x 5 min @ 1 min rest (Rounds:  Movement only / no punches - Straight Combos - Add hooks and uppercuts - kick / punch combos only - add knees)
Hangboard - 20 sec hang @ 1 min rest

• 2 x 2 hand, 4 finger unassisted
• 2 x 2 hand, 4 finger assisted
• 2 x 2 hand, 3 finger assisted
• 1 hand, 4 finger assisted (each side)
• 2 hand, 2 finger (IM, MR, RP ea.) assisted

Saturday

Push Ups, Bent-Over Rows, Lunges
- 60 x 20 sec @ 10 sec rest ea.


New Microcycle (Effective 12/11/2012:

Monday:
Warm Up - 15 minutes solo Jiu Jitsu drills
5 x 5 min Shadowboxing @ 1 min rests
Warm Down - Hangboard

Tuesday - Active Rest
60 min Vinyasa Yoga
Cold Shower for recovery

Wednesday:
Warm Up - 15 min short yoga
5 x 5 min shadowboxing
Warm Down - Hangboard

Thursday:  (Same as Tuesday)

Friday:  (Same as Monday)

Saturday - Strength and Conditioning
Crossfit-styled workout

Sunday - Total Rest Day
Watch Climbing and Jits Videos




Follow me on Twitter @Savaged_Zen

Off Season Week 1 - Climbing Update 10

12/3 - 12/9/2012

NOTES:
         This was a good week to start off my off-season training.  I feel like the schedule I set for myself will set up nicely with a ton of yoga, regular hangboarding, and a clean (but not too strict of a) diet.  Hangboard exercises this week were done on a simple 7/8" door frame.  Assisted pullups / reps were done with my feet on a chair.  Assisted hangs only require dragging my toes on the ground but trying to lift my knees while hanging and keep as much weight on my fingers as I can.


Monday:
Hangboard (unweighted)
          Holds:  4 finger crimp, 3 finger crimp, index-middle crimp, index-ring crimp
          Round 1 - 15 sec assisted reps x 15 sec; 30 sec rest
          Round 2 - 15 sec assisted hang x 15 sec; 30 sec rest
          Round 3 - 15 sec assisted (if needed) hang x 15 sec; 30 sec rest
Yoga - "BaptistePowerYoga3" from yogadownload.com (60 min)
          Background Music = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km5pxTDcVRQ
          *I could not do all of the poses so it actually only took me about 45 - 50 min

Tuesday:
Full Recovery Day - I didn't actually need a full rest day, just the circumstances of the day (final exams and work and such) kept my pretty go-go-go, so Sunday's scheduled Full Recovery will be swapped with Tuesday's (missing) Active Recovery.

Wednesday:
       This was one of the last days that the rock wall was open for the semester, so I enjoyed an hour or two of bouldering instead of my planned hangboard and yoga work.  It was well worth it :)

Thursday:

Friday:

Hangboard (unweighted) - 20 sec intervals w/ 1 min rest

          2 hands, 4 fingers open hand x 2 (unassisted)

          2 hands, 3 finger (I/M/R) open hand x 2 (assisted)

          2 hands, 2 finger (I/M) open hand x 2 (assisted)

          2 hands, 2 finger (M/R) open hand x 2 (assisted)

          2 hands, 2 finger (R/P) open hand x 2 (assisted)

          Right hand, 4 fingers open hand x 2 (assisted)

          Left hand, 4 fingers open hand x 2 (assisted)

          2 hands, 4 fingers open hand x 2 (assisted)

Yoga - http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/beginner-basics-flow

*This was a really good video, challenging, but definitely not too intense.  The instructor did an EXCELLENT job of explaining proper positioning for the  poses.  I bookmarked it, you should do the same :)

Saturday:

* I was feeling a bit strained from the last few workouts, just a matter of my core getting a lot of abuse.  I'm certainly enjoying the yoga workout and they seem to be a nice fit for the goals of my off-season training.  I did some very light yoga today before finding out that I need a bit of time to re-adjust to these types of workouts.

Sunday:

Light Yoga - http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/restoring-equilibrium

Follow me on Twitter @Savaged_Zen

Off Season 2012 Plans - Climbing Update 9

December 2012:
          During my first outdoor climbing trip, a friend of mine who is a far better climber than I, easily climbed a 5.11a (my current project level is about a 5.9+ / 5.10) named "Price is Right" at Sandrock, AL.  I attempted the route on toprope but could not complete it.  I did make it about halfway up to where it really starts to get tough.  Another climber that was with us failed to complete it on toprope as well, but made it further than I did.  The climber who completed the route suggested that this become our new project to work towards completing.  The other failed climber and I set the tentative goal of our (we attend the same university) spring break in March 2013 to complete "Price is Right" on a clean lead climb.  The main stipulation was the goal of completing the route.  Ideally this would be done on a lead route, but if lead cannot be done lead, then toprope is acceptable.  Our spring break is scheduled for the week of March 18, 2013 which would include the final rest week of a 10 week training camp as well as the actual climbing trip itself.
          During this coming month of December, our indoor climbing wall will be closed.  However, this sets up nicely for me to work in an "off season" training and diet routine.  After six (6) weeks off-season training I'll be able to jump right into a 10 week training camp prior to the spring break return to Sandrock and attack "Price is Right."  The diet will be a fresh take on the recommendations I gained from Eric Horst's books.  As much respect as I have for Horst as a climber, writer, and instructor, his dietary guidelines (I believe) are too specific to his body-type, metabolism, and genetics.  I plan on using his guidelines as just that, a guideline, to guide my previous knowledge of my own body.

Off-Season Training Schedule (5 weeks)
          This training is reflective of my previous post on self assessment.  I would like to incorporate more running to try and force my body to shed some muscle mass as it is (at the basis) more weight I have to carry up a route that may not be necessary.  However, my body is just not built for distance running.  This is not an excuse but a matter of honesty.  I experience intense lower back pain, shin splints, and heel spurs from running.  As a result I will have to find other measures (such as diet and yoga) to work towards this end.
*  The specific goals of this off-season are to A) increase finger strength, B) increase flexibility and intra-body tinsel strength, and C) lose excess muscle mass.  You will find that there is a lot of repetition in these workouts which typically I am not a fan of and do prefer more advanced forms of muscle confusion.  However, simplicity is valuable in the mental aspect of training.

Monday:
60 min Vinyasa Yoga
Hangboard (4 holds x 4 sets:  weighted reps, unweighted reps, weighted hang, unweighted hang)
          *Start w/ 2nd easiest of the 4, then hardest, 2nd hardest, easiest
Static stretching

Tuesday - Active Rest
60 min Hatha Yoga
*Cold shower for recovery

Wednesday - Same as Monday

Thursday - Same as Tuesday

Friday - Same as Monday and Wednesday

Saturday: - Strength & Conditioning
- 4 bodyweight exercises x 1 min ea
- rest 1 min
- 4 rounds then 5 min rest (6 min including last 1 min rest)
- 3 rounds then 5 min rest (6 min including last 1 min rest)
- 2 rounds then stretch
*Cold shower for recovery
**This may be replaced with an outdoor climbing trip (one) over the break which would substitute the "strength and endurance" day for that week.

Sunday - Full Rest Day


Off Season Diet Plan:
*This is taken almost ver betum out of Erick Horst's books' recommendation for a 160 lb climber; which is about what I weight, so that was convenient! GOAL:  FREAKIN' RELAX!  This is not a competition prep so there is no need to take the number so seriously.  Take a chill pill, just keep body fat in the single digits and weight within 10% of where you want to be for your next competition [160 + (160 x 0.1) = 176]

Meal 1 - Starch (40g/c)
Meal 2 - Protein (20 g/p), 2 x 80g veggies
Meal 3 - Starch (40g/c), 2 x 80g veggies
Meal 4 (Pre-Workout) - Fruit (2 x 20g/c)
Meal 5 (During / Post-Workout) - < 400 cal fat free candy, whey protein (20g/p), green tea
Meal 6 - Starch (40g/c), protein (20g/p)
Meal 7 - Starch (40g/c), nuts (16g/f)

Supplements:
MetRX Natural Whey - 1 scoop daily
Universal Animal Flex (Joint Supplement) - 3 packs per week (M/W/F)

Cheating:
- One cheat meal per week
- can be buffet, but not an all-day eat-a-thon!





Dietary Notes:

• Honesty - I know my body pretty well, but I am willing to experiment with different ideas.  I have modified Horst's suggestions and compiled them with what I've been experimenting with the last few weeks as well as the years of dieting experience that I have already gone through.  The big difference for the off-season vs in-season is the acceptance of cheating.  When in a training camp my diet is VERY strict.  During the off season it is a bit more lax to give my body and brain a break from, perhaps too much, hard work.  That is not to say that all the rules go out the window and I eat whatever I want, it just means that I don't panic about little "oopses" and take an all around more relaxed approach to the format of the diet.  As far as day to day changes go, since I am doing something active almost every day of the week it is actually more simple to eat the same amount every day rather than worry about active vs non-active days and how much they add up.
• Supplementation - Horst recommends whey protein for various reasons and I have my own as well.  I also chose to add a joint supplement to help with the load placed on tendons and bones in sports such as climbing and combat sports.  
• Ice Baths - The benefits of ice baths in regards to recovery and immune function are well documented.  The next best thing would be to take a cold shower.  However, this is not very comfortable and is quite daunting to do every single day.  So I have constrained it to my "Recovery Days."
• During / Post Workout Meal - Food actually takes a while to digest, especially if it is solid opposed to liquid.  For this reason I will be beginning to consume my post-workout meal during my workout so that my body is making use of the nutrients by the time it actually needs them.

Self Assessment - Climbing Update 8

         In "How to Climb 5.12" Eric Horst details a Self Assesement Exam.  The contents of which have been copied below and include my results at the present time.  I have now been indoor rock climbing regularly for about two months and have my first outdoor climbing trip under my belt.  Taking this past Thanksgiving (much thanks indeed) break from school I've had some time to reflect on my climbing progress.


Highest Grade - Indoor / Toprope / Clean - 5.9+
Highest Grade - Indoor / Toprope / Dirty - 5.10
Highest Grade - Indoor / Lead / Clean - 5.9+
Highest Grade - Outdoor / Lead / Clean - 5.8
Highest Grade - Outdoor / Lead / Dirty - 5.8+


Self Assessment:
*answers from 0 (always) to 5 (never)
** Results in bold print

1. My footwork (use of feet) deteriorates during the hardest part of the climb - 3
2. My forearms balloon and my grip begins to fail even on routes that are easy for me - 4
3. On hard sequences, I have difficulty stepping onto critical footholds - 4
4. I get anxious and tight as I head into crux sequences - 2
5. My biceps pump out before my fore arms - 5
6. I have difficulty hanging on small, necessary-to-use holds - 2
7. I blog sequences I have wired and know by heart - 3
8. I stall at the start of crux sequences - 2
9. I climb three or four days in a row - 3
10. I get sewing-machine-leg (Elvis leg) - 4
11. I pump out on overhanging climbs no matter how big the holds - 2
12. I get out of breath when I climb - 5 
13. I make excuses for why I might fail on a route before I even begin to climb - 4
14. I miss hidden holds on routes - 2
15. I have difficulty hanging on to small sloping holds or pockets - 1
16. I grab gear instead of risking a fall trying a hard move of which I am unsure - 5
17. On a typical climb, I feel like much of my body weight is hanging on my arms - 3
18. I get very sore the day after climbing at the crags - 3
19. I have difficulty visualizing myself successfully climbing the route before I leave the ground - 4
20. I cannot reach key holds on difficult routes - 2
21. On overhanging routes I have difficulty keeping my feet from cutting loose and swinging out - 4
22. While climbing I get distracted by activity on the ground - 5
23. I have difficulty reading sequences - 3
24. I get a flash pump on the first climb of the day - 2
25. I have more difficulty climbing when people are watching - 4
26. My feet unexpectedly pop off footholds - 4
27. I experience elbow pain when I climb on a regular basis - 2
28. When lead climbing a safe route, I have difficulty pushing myself to the complete limit - 5
29. I have difficulty finding midroute rest positions and shakeouts - 4
30. My first attempt on a hard route is usually better than my second or third attempts - 2

Scoring (Higher is better, each section is out of 50 possible points)

Questions 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 = Mental Score = 39 / 50 = 78%

Questions 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29 = Technique Score = 31 / 50 = 62%

Questions 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 = Physical Score - 28 / 50 = 56%

Evaluation and Suggestions:
*Key Points / Suggestions in bold italic font

Mental Score - I scored much higher than I thought here.  I typically think of myself as a very cerebral athlete, but some aspects of climbing are a whole different ball game.  They don't really psyche me out, but sometimes I feel like I can't quite put all the peices together.  Regardless, the results of the assesement show that I'm most prepared in this category and other defficiencies must be addressed first.

Technical Score - This is about where I thought I would score.  I by no means climb "hard."  I have only been climbing (recreationally) full time for two moths, so I would certainly not expect to learn everything in that short period of time.  However, I feel that I am learning fast and making solid progress in my technical ability as a climber.

Physical Score - I was quite surprised to score this low on this section.  While I consider myself fit and am very muscular and lean, climbing fitness is totally differnt than anything I have done before.  It takes strength-to-weight ratios to an all new level.  Not only is access fat bad, but access muscle is also more weight you have to carry up the route straining your fingers, joints, and ligaments.  My low score here does not mean that I am out of shape, it simply means that my body hasn't accostomed itself to a climbing form yet.  In terms of endurance and power I do not feel that I am lacking.  But sheer finger strength is an issue considering my short, compact, and heavily muscled frame.

Notes From the Judges at my Team Try Out  - 
*Team Qualifications have not yet been posted.
          Sport - Don't be afraid to just climb, don't think too much.  Hands look solid.  Good job keeping your toes on, try to make moves faster.  Too much hesitation.  Good throws, be careful (not) to stay in one place too long.
          Bouldering - Good hands, core work is solid.  Good job keeping yourself against the boulder.  Very good sit starts.  Don't be afraid of crimps!  Make sure your feet are on before making big moves. Don't make moves bigger than they are!


Clarification of Terminology:
         I just want to make a few notes to my record keeping.  There was a bit of erroneous terminology on my part in previous posts.  The corrections are listed below, and future records will relate the change  but previously published posts will not be retroactively refurbished.
Greenpoint - clean, toprope climb, multiple attempts and beta allowed
Pinkpoint - clean lead climb, pre-placed protection, multiple attempts and beta allowed
Redpoint - clean lead climb, place pro yourself, multiple attempts allowed, no beta
Falsh - clean lead climb, first attempt, beta but no practice, place own protection
Onsight - clean lead climb, no practice or beta, place own protection