Me, as a rope gun.

I went on a "climbing trip" this weekend. It was to Reimers Ranch Sat/Sun with camping at Pace Bend on Sat night.

I had been reading a lot about training for climbing (particularly mental training), so I definitely had an agenda for the weekend. I didn't want to top rope anything and on-sight as much as possible.

The Hit List

Not counting my warmups (which were some 5.9 on-sight attempts), here is my hit list (ratings from the Austin Rock guidebook)...

• Dead Cats Don't Meow - 5.10c - on-sight attempt
• Hello Kitty - 5.10a - on-sight attempt
• Riemerama - 5.10a - on-sight attempt
• T-Roofic - 5.10d - redpoint attempt
• Hairlipped Dog - 5.10b - redpoint attempt
• Water Ballet - 5.10c - on-sight attempt
• Prototype - 5.10c - redpoint attempt
• Wife in the Fast Lane - 5.10d - lead attempt

Though I botched every on-sight and redpoint attempt, I never failed any climb and I can honestly say, I did the best climbing of my life.

On Motivation and Pride

The book I'm reading (I'll refer to the author as my mentor) about mental training for climbing really has you examine your motivation and challenges you to define your self-image and self-worth outside the social norm of performance or comparative based achievement.

I'm not going to lie, I was bursting with pride that I was putting up the routes for my group... that the people following couldn't finish the route or needed the beta that I discovered while attempting to on-sight.

It's a good feeling for sure, but my mentor would say using that for motivation is drawing from a shallow well. If you base your self-image or self-worth (they are two different things, read the book) on performance or comparison based achievements, then you're just setting yourself up for a crash which will result in a destructive downward spiral.

So I found myself asking what drives me. Is it that my friends rely on me to put the route up? Praise me for putting up the route? Expect me to put the route up? That is the reason I'm most afraid of. I don't believe anyone should ever be motivated by other people's expectations.

I really am an introvert thus why I'm fascinated with this book which really is about self-discovery and introspection to unlock your potential.

On-Sighting

Wow. Just like lead climbing is on a whole other level from top roping, on-sighting is again on a whole other level. On-sighting is lead climbing a route that you have never seen before, nor have any beta about. Oh and you can't rest on protection or fall.

I don't really know how to describe it other than climbing into the unknown. You have no idea where, when or if rest spots are coming up. Sometimes you see a hold a couple of moves away, but have no idea if it's good or not. Sometimes you simply climb yourself into a dead end. Instead of being told where to go and what to do, you have to make the decisions on your own. Sometimes these decisions can put you in a precarious position which might lead to a fall. Still, you have to make these decisions... and quickly or you risk pumping out.

Often times, I found myself eyeing a hold 2 moves away, but not having the nerve to go for it. I was afraid that the two moves would tire me out, then I wouldn't have enough energy to hold on to it if it turned out to be bad. I would do one move, then chicken out. Then go up again and look around for a bigger more obvious hold, not find one then come down. By this time, I'd be pumped out and have to rest on my protection... and that's how I'd blow all my on-sight attempts.

My Project

I have attempted on Wife on the Fast Lane (5.10d) 3 times before on top rope and failed every single time. I decided to attempt to lead it as my last climb of the weekend.

This climb is at the limit of my ability. It took everything in me (mentally and physically) to finish it.

One huge mental block I had to get through was expectation of failure based on my previous unsuccessful top rope attempts. If I couldn't finish it on top rope, how the hell could I finish it on lead??

The next mental block was fear. I had a very hard time controlling my fear while clipping the anchors. I knew it was a hard climb for me so my brain kept telling me that I was too tired or not strong enough to hold with one hand while clipping the protection. Also, I was scared to climb above my protection. With the expectation of failure, I didn't want it to happen while I was above my protection.

I fought through it though and finished. Partially because I didn't want to leave booty on the wall, partial because I asked a cute girl to come check on me and finish the route if I couldn't (then decided that I didn't want her to see me fail). Now I'm back to questioning my motivation.

Rope Gun

The guy or gal that leads all the routes, setting up the top rope for the other climbers.

My Current Diet

I typically go on "food kicks" where I really get into a certain type of food, then get bored with it in a month or so. What that translate to is that my diet changes about once a month. Soooo... here's what I'm on this month.

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Breakfast - 900 AM

If I plan on being performant (i.e. going for a tough climb), I'll eat cream of wheat with peanut butter and brown sugar. Otherwise, I'll have a serving of Muscle Milk blended with half a frozen banana or half a frozen peach.

Lunch - 1200 PM

A chicken wrap made with baked chicken breast, whole wheat tortilla, avocado, tomato, red onion, Fage Greek yogurt and Chalula hot sauce.

Post Workout - 300 PM

One serving of Muscle Milk. Sometimes I'll complement that with some almonds or a slice of turkey with a slice of swiss cheese.

Dinner 1 - 600 PM

Cowboy Soup is a staple of my diet. It's mostly vegetables, beans and steak. It tastes super good though and I don't seem to get tired of it.

Dinner 2 - 900 PM

Baked salmon marinated in some Asian sauce. I alternate that with pan fried lemon/garlic pepper encrusted tilapia with avocado on the side.

Bedtime - 1130 PM

One serving of Muscle Milk blended with half a frozen banana or half a frozen peach.

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I'm not giving exact measurements in this post because everyone's daily requirements are different. I'm pretty small and workout everyday as well as rock climb 3-5 times a week. My portions are such that I eat about 2200-2500 calories a day.

My current cardio routine

A couple of weeks ago I posted my resistance training routine, so now it's time for the cardio routine. I've always hated cardio and consider myself a cardiovascular wimp. I never thought I'd ever be doing this much cardio...

Every weekday (Monday - Friday) I run 4 miles when it gets dark (around 8:45 PM these days). I'd estimate my pace to be around a 9:30 mile. I pretty much just jog, but sometimes I run.

On Tuesdays I do Mike's spin class and Thursdays I do Ryon's. Both are at noon for 45 mins at Pure Austin.

On the weekends I swim a mile. It's always in a lake, not a pool, and I usually breast stroke half the way.

Of course, I'm out climbing about 16 hours per week, usually spread across the weekend and one weekday. Climbing is an interesting sport though. When I say I'm out climbing for 16 hours, the vast majority of that time is not actually spent climbing. Most of it is spent hiking, talking, tying knots, belaying, trying to stay hydrated and out of the sun, etc.

So to recap...

• M-F - 4 mile run
• TTh - spin class
• SSu - 1 mile swim
• 2-3 days per week - rock climbing

It sounds like a lot, but it's really not. Most of my nights are spent bored, reading on the interwebtubes. We should hang out... post a comment!

All by my lonesome

Anyone who's climbed with me at Seismic (aka Maggie's Wall) on the Barton Creek Greenbelt has undoubtedly heard me say "someday" while gazing up at Lonesome Dove, the horizontal roof finish to Diving for Rocks. Well that day was yesterday. Here's the story in pictures (click for bigger pics).

The crux for Diving for Rocks involves a pretty dynamic movement. On the shorter end of 5'8", I can comfortably deadpoint it. Most people straight up dyno; few people hit it completely statically.

(a) thinking about it (b) going for it (c) sticking it!

My pull up strength is pretty good. When it comes to climbing, I usually play up my strengths and downplay my weaknesses.

(a) feet come off (b) campus-ing! (c) setting feet again

I didn't actually lead the climb, my friend Tyler did. So I had to clean the route.

(a) getting set on the ledge (b) flagging so I can reach better (c) got it!

Eventually, I make my way to the sport chains indicating the finish of Diving for Rocks. Now it's on to Lonesome Dove, the completely horizontal roof. Unfortunately, my friend Steve didn't get any pictures of me transitioning from vertical to horizontal... that's the trickiest part. Actually he probably did, but didn't want to embarrass me by showing how awkward (and scared) I looked doing the move! :)

Getting setup. That foot cam / heel hook is critical.

Clipping the other sport anchor (Tyler only got one in before me), and smiling for the camera!

Checking out the view.

My reward for a job well done. I poured 91% isopropyl alcohol into it. Involuntary noises followed.

And that's that. The climb is more mental than physical/technical once you figure out the beta. It's super fun though. Guess it's time for the red point (I've already red pointed Diving, just not Lonesome).

Many thanks to Steve for taking the pictures and his wife Beth for giving me a fantastic belay. Also to Tyler for being such a great climbing partner and encouraging me to actually do it (and for setting the TR with no prior practice or beta, nice!).

My current resistance training routine

Here's my resistance training routine. It's pretty easy. I don't believe in killing yourself in the gym (rather achieve your goals via dieting and nutrition). Every exercise is supersetted and each is done for 3 sets, 10 reps each. There is a strong emphasis on abs and shoulders. The supersetted exercises are grouped together.

Monday - Back / Heavy Abs

• wide grip pullups
• straight leg medicine ball lifts (lying on a decline bench)

• tbar rows
• straight leg lifts (hanging from a pullup bar)

• close grip cable rows
• weighted crunches (on decline bench, hold weight straight up with straight arms)

• reverse curls without thumbs (forearms for climbing)
• machine crunches

• broomstick with rope and weight on end (forearms for climbing)
• machine bicep curls (a vanity exercise)

Wednesday - Chest / Shoulders

• incline dumbell press (4-5 sets, increasing weight)
• bent over rear delt dumbell raises

• flat barbell bench press
• rear delt machine (reverse pec deck)

• machine chest flies
• smith machine shoulder press

• tricep pulldowns on cable machine
• machine shoulder side laterals (chicken dance machine)

• dumbell kickbacks
• dumbell side laterals

Friday - Legs / Light Abs

• squats on smith machine (5 sets, increase weight)
• plate drag on bosu ball

• leg press
• medicine ball lifts (between knees) on flat bench

• quad extensions
• some weird ab machine where you push forward with straight arms
• seated calf raises

• hamstring curls
• medicine ball (or 25 lb plate) twists (for obliques)
• standing calf raises

Notes

I don't really rest... meaning I don't sit and do nothing. I rest by walking between stations, getting a drink, racking the weights, etc.

Workout should take about an hour.

The only exercises I do to failure are bench press, machine flies and the leg lifts. It is not by design, it's just freaking hard sometimes.

I vary the exercises sometimes, especially the grip (wide to narrow and vice versa).