Mar 15th Workout
Lifting
Bench
Warmup (pause first rep)
bar x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 4
275 x 2
300 x 1
320 x 1
Work sets
280 x 8
280 x 8
280 x 8
280 x 8
Dumbbell Squeeze press
65’s x 16
Fatbar curls
33 x 10
53 x 10
73 x 10
73 x 14
Band pull aparts
4 x 10
Notes: Tapering off my accessory volume during this last cycle of my volume phase. Felt decent today.
Mar 16th Workout
Climbing
Routes
10d
11b
12a
11a
12d
12c
Notes: Was climbing really strong, but split a tip on the 12c, and didn’t want to make it worse or bleed all over the place. Damn small crimps.
Ecchastang, I was browsing through your log man. I used to climb a ton, not any more though, it is pretty cool to see someone combine strength training and rock clambering. Are you climbing mainly at sport crags, gyms and bouldering? Any trad?
[quote]Evolv wrote:
Ecchastang, I was browsing through your log man. I used to climb a ton, not any more though, it is pretty cool to see someone combine strength training and rock clambering. Are you climbing mainly at sport crags, gyms and bouldering? Any trad? [/quote]
For my outside climbing, about 80% is sport, 18% is bouldering and about 2% is trad. I always say I want to do more, but then never do. My hardest trad lead is 11a, whereas my hardest sport lead is 12d (have fallen at the top of some 13a’s many times, but never got one clean). Since my hip has been getting worse, I have been inside far more than out, which I am not happy with. For instance, in 2010 I climbed outside 213 days, in '11 it was 133, in '12 it was 76, then 75 in 2013 and 56 last year. Only twice this year so far. Climbing hurts it, but its more tolerable. What isn’t tolerable is any noticeable elevation gain/lost in approaches. If there is any instability in the steps, or they are greater than about 6", I get shooting pains in the front of the socket. Looking forward to being on the other side of surgery, to finally have near normal range of motion.
Where did you climb? I have been all over, so if its in the US, I have probably been there.
So sorry to hear about your hip man. That really sucks. That is a noticeable amount of decrease in your outings, I hope the future can bring you some pain free climbing!
I climbed mainly between 2000-2008, then a little bit in 2012. I stopped the first time due to injuries, there were a laundry list of them from climbing and mountain biking (it is why I started lifting actually). The second time I stopped because it was very hard to find reliable consistent partners. Before, I would have like 5 guys I knew that could always get out and were burly strong climbers.
I started climbing in North Carolina, a ton in Linville Gorge (Shortoff, NC Wall, Hawksbill mainly), Moores Wall, Whitesides, Rumbling Bald, some off-grid places of course, pretty much the whole state. I’ve climbed out in southern Cali, Kentucky (the red!), West Virginia (the new!), Tennessee (T-Wall, Obed), Washington, Oregon, Wyoming (Tetons), New Hampshire (mostly ice)-- pretty much the entire southeast and a few others. Did a few alpine routes in the cascades but never any steep ice out west 
I’ve been to almost every state in the country, but have only climbed at less than a dozen or so. I was in Utah this past fall and OH MY GOD what a Mecca-- beautiful state.
Man, I love southern sandstone. I love living in the west, but the rock quality can’t be beat in the southeast. In 2010 I lived in my van at the Red for 6 months, I spent two there in 2011, and a month in 2012. Have also climbed the Obed, Rumbling Bald, Tons of stuff around Chattanooga, The New, Little River Canyon and Horsepens, etc. I have been to all 50 states, and have climbed in 24. I lived in Salt Lake for 5 yrs, and enjoyed the easy access to the desert. Truly amazing! If you ever make it out to Colorado and want to rope up, let me know! Funny, that when I first saw your screen name, I thought of the climbing shoe brand.
lol, that is where I got it from (evolv). The Red is something special, like an outdoor gymnasium. That is friggin GREAT you lived in a van there for so long! Stories for the kids one day, when dad was a dirt bag climber lol. You probably ticked every route off your list there. Did you have a steady diet of Migeul’s pizza & beer?
Likewise man, if you are ever in the Winston-Salem area, holler at me. You would dig the trad just 30 minutes from here. Steep jugs and just plugging horizontal cams in the whole way on bullet proof quartz/granite.
Are you on Mountain Project?
Its unbelievable what 6 months of van living and nothing but climbing with do to you. Sadly, I still have so many projects left that I have never gotten. Funny, that you ask about mountain project, as I was currently on it doing some research about moving to Grand Junction, CO. Gotta get my trad game up to near your level when I move there, as most areas around it are not sport.
Mar 17th Workouts
Climbing
Bouldering
V2 x 2
V3 x 2
V4 x 2
V5 x 2
V6
Notes: Spent about 45 minutes at the bouldering gym before a noon class. Then lifted afterwards.
Lifting
Bench
Warmup (pause first rep)
bar x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 4
275 x 2
305 x 1
325 x 1
Work sets
295 x 6
295 x 6
295 x 6
295 x 6
295 x 6
Low incline dumbbell flies, slow eccentric
35’s x 8
40’s x 8 (supersetted with DB squeeze press x 8)
40’s x 8 (supersetted with DB squeeze press x 8)
Tricep extension
60 x 10
60 x 10
Hammer Curls (didn’t like how these felt on the elbow so stopped)
35’s x 10
Notes: Glad to be almost done with this volume phase and ready to transition into the intensity phase. The DB flyes supersetted with Squeeze presses fried my chest.
For sure man. My very first time climbing was multi-pitch trad and that is how I learned for like a year. The guy who taught me to climb always would tell me, “If you can comfortably lead 5.11ish on gear, you can climb anywhere in the world.” To me, trad is more of a mental mind game than physical prowess.
If you have never read it, check out a book by Arno Ilgner, “The Rock Warrior’s Way: Mental Training For Climbers.” Written by a bold local climber here in NC, pretty popular-- you can get it on Amazon. A good read for every climber, and I’ve applied a lot of it to my weightlifting and life even.
Keep doing what you’re doing, I’ll check in with ya here and there. Good luck with the hip!
So reminiscent to read about the Red and the New and Tennessee Wall and other climbing areas in that part of the country. My husband spent the first six years of our marriage gone many, many weekends to those locales. Of course, that was the late 80s/early 90s for me. And Miguel’s!
Ah, Miguel’s. I still have good friends that work there every season, living in vans or tents out back. BTW, I didn’t realize it until last weekend that one of my good climbing friends is Dr. White’s research assistant. I told her how you had recommended him, and was happy with what he did with your daughter.
Mar 18th Workout
Climbing
Bouldering
V1
V2 x 2
V3 x 2
V4 x 2
V5 x 2
Notes: About the time I got warmed up to start working other stuff, I took a small fall and tweaked my hip, ending my session for the day.
Surgery date set: April 8th. Looking forward to getting this done.
Mar 19th Workout
Climbing
Routes
10c
11b
10b
12a
12d
10d
12b
Did 4 rowing sprints of 300m.
Pullups
15
10
Notes: Was a crazy busy day hearing that they can squeeze me in for hip surgery April 8th, but it means that I have very little time to get done what I need to do before then, such as get plane tickets, book hotel on the front and back end of the hospital stay, etc. Excited its happening though.
Mar 20th Workout
Lifting
Bench
Warmup (pause first rep)
bar x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 4
275 x 2
305 x 1
Work sets
315 x 3
315 x 3
315 x 3
315 x 6 AMRAP (failed 7th rep) PR
Band pull aparts
4 x 15
Notes: I completely changed my program since I am now having surgery in less than three weeks, and I will have to be out for a few weeks after that. Happy with 315 x 6, which was my target, but it felt good enough that I contemplated the 7th, and paused too long before starting the rep. Failed about half way up. Oh well, still a PR.
Mar 21st Workout
Climbing
Bouldering
V1
V2 x 2
V3 x 2
V4
V5 x 2
V6
Rower
750m
250m
Cable Chest flyes
4 x 12
Chest supported row
4 x 12
Right only leg extension
4 x 10
Superset
20 crunches, 20 heavy band curls x 5 sets
Notes: Bouldered a bit, then went to the city rec center on a free pass with my girlfriend. Basically toyed around on some machines, and did some rowing on the concept 2 rower.
Glad you got the surgery date moved up!
I’m usually of the “Lets DO THIS” mentality when it comes to getting something over with.
Best of luck with it.
Mar 23rd Workout
Lifting
Bench
bar x 10
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
235 x 4
275 x 2
305 x 1
325 x 1
345 x 1
365 x 1 All time PR
316 x 6
Notes: My intent was just to work up to a heavy (not max) single to prime my CNS for maxing in a couple weeks. I am posting the video with the understanding that some will ridicule my ass coming off the bench, but part of that reason is that my right leg will no longer go into extension, so I have to have blocks higher than normal, and that reduces my arch and makes me go on my toes on very heavy sets or on the last couple reps of AMRAP sets. Still, 365 is a 15 lb PR, and I am certain I have 10-15 lbs more based on bar speed. I hope to truly do a max in about 12 days, just before surgery.
Climbing
Bouldering
V2 x 2
V3 x 2
V4
V5 x 2
V6 x 2
V7
Notes: felt pretty strong, and my split on my finger didn’t bleed or get worse, so thats good.
Who gives a shit if your ass came up? You just benched basically two hundred pounds over your bodyweight. That’s freakishly impressive. Good luck with your surgery.