Gone Epic

For the first time in my life I've actually been applying myself to training for something, it's been about 10 weeks since I started an aperiodized climbing training plan, based loosely on Steve Bechtel's Logical Progression .  The basic premise is that you rotate between the three types of sessions, progressing them all simultaneously, rather than peaking and letting each of them fall in turn.  The results seem to be pretty good, I'm climbing harder than I ever have before, and am seeing benefits in all three areas.  Finger strength and general strength is improving (so surprising given that I've never done any lifts before)  My on route endurance is improving, and my ability to apply power is increasing as well.  I still struggle with setting goals, but one route that I've been keen on doing for years is Butterfly Wall Direct (24) at Nowra. I first had a look at it in January this year, and the moves felt surprisingly doable. I spent another ...

It's been at least a few years since I was last climbing at Nowra, but in preparation for Yangshou I think it'll become a little more common. The sandstone jug routes and slopers are the closest I'm going to get to the tropical limestone routes. Considering the amount of routes I've climbed in the last year or two it was a pretty good day, an 18 and 19 to warm up, then worked the moves on a few 22's. I also finally had a crack at Butterfly Direct, an imposing route up the intimidating face hanging over the track, right up and over the 'butterfly' feature high on the wall. I've been eyeing it off for years, but never really felt up to having a go at it. I jumped on not expecting much, even pulling off the ledge at the start was hard, mostly intimidation rather than the moves. Once I was on the wall things got a little easier, I was happy dogging the route, so I'd climb as far as I could, sit on a draw and study the next moves, the lo...

Now that I have my own bouldering wall, I've decided to get a little more serious about my training for climbing.