Plan & Preperation

Going from 7a to 8a isn't easy. In fact, I only managed to climb a single 7a so I have my work cut out for me! But I also have experience working towards epic goals from other sports in the past like martial arts. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and in which areas I'll need some help.

 

Roughly, this is my plan for the year:

Preparation - December 2021: trip to France and Spain to get more experience on rock. This helped me discover what kind of climbing suits me best, and was a good way to start building my pyramid.

Mental phase - January, February, March 2022: This means dealing with my fear of falling, being able to stay in the flow and climb with upwards momentum especially when on insecure holds, and being able to toggle between trying hard and staying relaxed and efficient. I should climb at least one 7b in this phase.

Tactical phase - April, May, June 2022: This means tipping the conditions in my favour and doing whatever I can to get an advantage. I have loads to learn: tick marks, using the right gear, getting good at projecting and red pointing! I should climb at least one 7c in this phase.

Physical phase - July to December 2022: Work towards my 8a project. This means creating a simulator for the crux, working on the necessary endurance for the project, and applying all that I've learned in terms of tactics. It also means I need the strength, power and creativity to find ways around the restrictions caused by my hips. I'm aiming for 27 points (8b+) on the 9c test made famous by Magnus Midtbø: which means I'll need much stronger fingers and endurance than I have now. Because finger strength takes time to develop, I'll start working on it in from day January - but it won't have priority until the physical phase.

 

Weekly plan: 

Below is my intended training plan, at least to start off with. By logging what I do, how I feel and how I progress, I can evaluate every 2 weeks (and every 4 weeks with my coach) and adjust the schedule accordingly.

My evaluations will be posted on my blog. During the evaluation, I will check if I'm still adhering to my core values: health, virtue, resourcefulness, transparency, and growth. Progressing towards 8a must not be detrimental to my long-term health, or any of the other core values.

The YouTube video's on my channel will focus on one subject at a time: finding the perfect shoes, dealing with fear of falling, or increasing finger strength. However the background and data behind the video's can be found here on this blog.

  • Monday: General fitness
  • Tuesday: Bouldering (High)
  • Wednesday: General fitness & Climbing specific training
  • Thursday: Rest
  • Friday: General fitness & Climbing (High)
  • Saturday: Climbing (Low)
  • Sunday: Bouldering (Low)

General fitness (90 minutes): this includes hip specific exercises (strength & balance training) as well as cardio on the crosstrainer, recovery training on the hangboard and antagonist training.

High / Low training (120 minutes): I will either be pushing myself to gain strength, power and the ability to apply skills at my limit, or stay well below my limit and climb for the flow, to recover, and to build capacity.

Climbing specific training (60 minutes): every 2 weeks I will cycle between the hangboard for finger strength and the campusboard for power and contact strength.

Weekends: I will try and climb on real rock any chance I get! In which case I will climb close to my limit on Fridays and Sundays, and climb far below my limit on Saturdays to build capacity.

 

Lessons learned from Preparation Phase: 

I've just returned from my 4 week climbing trip to France and Spain, this is what I learned:

  • Rope solo is a hassle, but allows me to train and get experience even when alone
  • Finding a climbing partner is super easy in popular climbing areas
  • I'm terrible at the vertical, technical climbing on crimps that Siurana has to offer
  • I'm much better at powerful climbing on pockets in areas like Margalef
  • Getting stiff and precise shoes made a huge difference in terms of my performance
  • Bouldering gives me a rush much bigger than sport climbing, I need that from time to time to stay psyched
  • My fear or falling really is a fear of losing control - I need to work on exercises that involve getting into the flow and havint upwards momentum when on insecure holds
  • My strengths: I'm strong and creative, with a big reach, tough skin that lasts a long time, beginner mindset (I easily learn from others) and I am super dedicated towards getting better
  • My weaknesses: I forget about the feet when scared (which makes me more scared), restricted range of motion in the hips (I can't high step for instance), sweaty finger tips make crimps really hard and my endurance is bad even for a boulderer
  • Outdoor climbing rocks
  • I got a coach, physical therapist and awesome training buddies that can teach me loads and support me on my way to 8a