Campus Training

[edit: on an unrelated note, here is an interesting discussion about winter gloves]

I've been bouldering a lot inside recently and I knocked off a bunch of V5s this week. I feel like I've broken through a bit of a mental barrier. I used to think that I might, maybe, one day be able to do a V6. Now I can see that's going to happen reasonably soon, and in fact, harder stuff is possible. I wasn't a gymnast, wrestler, or other sort of inhuman superman as a child. In fact, I decided un-athletic as a child. I'm certainly not a natural at climbing--it's taken lots of concerted effort.

Well, one direction I direct my efforts towards is campus training. Invented by the redoubtable Wolfgang Gullich in 1988 for his famous route, Action Directe (5.14d here in America). Basically, there's a bunch of wooden rungs which you climb up with no feet. It's primarily a form of neuromuscular training which gives you both the macroscopic coordination you need to execute big, dynamic moves and the microscopic coordination you need (muscle fibers contracting simultaneously) to be able to "stick" deadpoints and dynos. It's said there's not much muscular conditioning, but I bet it increases your tendon and even bone strength. I read an interesting article in the New York Times that seemed to suggest that strength training is not as helpful for increasing bone density as has been previously imagined. In fact, bones need "large forces released in a relatively big burst" to get stronger. I wonder if campus training qualifies? Hmm.

Anyways, each of the rungs are numbered (#1-10). On the one at Metrorock, ten rungs are arranged four or five inches apart. There are three ladders with small, medium, and large rung thicknesses. When I started doing it (six months to a year ago), I could barely hang from the large rungs, let alone do any campus moves. I started by sticking a foot on and doing "lock-off touches" on the large rungs. Both hands start on rung #2, say. One hand remains on #2, while the other bumps from 2-3-4-5 and back again. I figured that if it was, in fact, neuromuscular conditioning, then full body weight was unnecessary. I don't know if I was right or not, but it worked. After a while I progressed to doing it with no feet on, and then to "laddering," which is where your hands alternate 2-3-4-5... and then back down. Now, just this week, I've progressed to skipping rungs 2-4-6... which is a lot harder, believe me. I can do the single step laddering on the medium rungs now too. Next up is the "double dyno" which means both hands start on rung X and then explode up to rung X+n (n=1 if you're me, but much more if you're crazy). Immediately, both hands drop back down to rung X. It's not as hard as it sounds--but I almost fell over with surprise when I did it for the first time.

Aside from being just plain fun on its own, I've noticed that campus training has helped my bouldering and to some extent, route climbing. I can make big dynamic moves. I'm actually excited, rather than terrified, of making big moves or climbing on very steep terrain. Everybody complains that campus training is "too harsh" or "too hard" or whatever, but I think it's great. As long as you gradually ease yourself into it, stop if it hurts, and do it maybe two weeks on/two weeks off, I think it's fine. I make sure I take 5-7 days off climbing every two months or so. You'd be surprised what a difference that makes. I don't have a problem with skin rubbing off or anything either. I make sure I wash my hands after every climbing session and moisturize with something greasy before I go to bed that night. That, and cutting off any calluses that form with nail clippers, keeps my hands relatively smooth and functional. Some people think that calluses actually help their climbing, but I think it actually gets in the way of making good contact. And, of course, if they get ripped off, then that really puts a damper on things.

Note: Everybody says this, but you probably shouldn't use the campus board unless you can boulder at least V4 because you can get hurt (it's hard on the tendons, joints, etc.).

Crow Hill, Headpointing

Jonathan and I went to do some practice aid today at Crow Hill. I led Intertwine and he jugged it:


It was sunny, beautiful, and wet. Then Jonathan did his first aid lead on Jane, which I'll call C2. I've decided I'm going to try to headpoint it, so I worked it on top-rope, figuring out gear placements and beta.

I've one hung it so far. I'm close, but the back of my hand hurts from jamming now, so I'll have to come back to it. It's supposedly easy 11, but it's hard for me--I'm not used to crack climbing. There's real jams and stuff on it.

I made a beta sheet for it, 'cause I think I might not get back to it for a while. I'm super psyched about it though.

Rufus

Rumney on Sunday was beautiful. The climbing was overtaken by a chocolate lab puppy named Rufus. Depending on who you believe, Rufus (a) is as much Rachel's puppy as it is Vanessa and Mike's; (b) might have Down's syndrome; or (c) is much more interested in unsuccessfully gnawing at over-sized plastic bottles than you. He's also very interested in midday naps, as shown above.

Mordor Wall

I went back to tackle the Mordor Wall again with Dunbar yesterday. It went all right, but not perfectly. We ended up doing the first three pitches and then bailing. We weren't moving particularly quickly, I was spooked by a slopey bat hook, a sketchy top-step, and a lot of running water, and time was running out. The sketchy top-step occurred because of the slopey bat hook, in fact. I'd set my talon, "ooze" onto the placement, and shriek when it fell out. Dunbar, on the other hand, led the second pitch, a bolted bat hook traverse, and seemed quite nonchalant. He's calmer than I am on stuff like this. I need time to get into a comfort zone; he seems at home. It's admirable. Anyways, more talking would only bore you, so here are a bunch of pictures:

Me leading the first pitch.

At a belay. There's a lot of stuff.

Dunbar jugging on a beautiful fall day.

Dunbar leading on the bat hook traverse.

Dunbar climbing out of Mordor.

Am I hooking a bolt with a grappling hook? Um, yes.

Dunbar looking like a stoic Russian general here. He's
usually more jovial than this, but you can't tell from this
picture!

Rack for the day: doubles in the C3s, double C4s up to 2",
double BD stoppers and micro nuts, 18 draws, a bunch of
hooks, etc. Can you identify everything in the picture?