Wednesday Fun.
Same as usual, down to the lesson. However, I left my wallet at work! Luckily I only work about 10minutes walk away from the wall so I got there and back to pick it up with enough time to join the lesson. It was me and two newbie girls this time. I helped out the belayer by holding on the the rope past them to give them support while they climbed. It’s interesting to see how you can so easily see where complete newbies are going wrong. Mostly it’s just not looking where they need to put their feet. The instructor threw me up a couple of climbs but nowhere near as tough as normal. It seems he was putting me against climbs which were easier than I was used to, but with the aim of trying to make me plan how to climb them. As demonstrated earlier, I seem to be able to do 6a/6bs, but need shouted assistance. I guess this is all about helping me plan and learn the moves for these tougher climbs without having to rely on an expert. We finished with a little bit of bouldering. My bouldering seems miles behind my top rope ability. I can do the same three climbs, but as soon as I try anything a little harder, I can’t stay on the wall at all, even if they are graded far below what I can do on the top rope. I shall work hard on Sunday to try this new route I’ve been given. Seems it’s my balance that is the problem; I’m reverting to just trying to grab and pull myself up the wall, which doesn’t help when the handhold I’m using is smooth and round!
Bouldering, Indoor | Comment (0)Tonight….
Missed last week due to unfortunate family goings on. Didn’t really have my head in the right place to get my act together to go on Sunday either. Today was good. Just me and one other person at the training session. Meant we both got some quality time with the instructor. Did an ungraded course, which the instructor thought was a 6b+. Fell off half way, but got back on and ~almost~ managed to complete it. It involved having to string quite a few moves across some very small and poor holds. Well… they felt small and poor to me… I’m sure a more experienced climber could stop and have his lunch on them! There were two other 6a’s in there which I completed, but with shouted up help. Still.. definitely getting better.
Indoor | Comment (0)Last night.
The normal Wednesday night climbing tuition. Just me and one other guy with the instructor which meant there was no standing around at all. Started easily and did a mix of climbs. The most difficult ones were 6a’s (down a bit from the last session with it’s 6c’s!). I completed one of them, but couldn’t finish the last move on a features only climb. I’ll get it next time I think. Finished up by trying to do some of the low traverse climbs, which I have great trouble with despite them being rated lower than what I seem to be able to do. I think this is due to me having no flexibility, which is essential to get close enough to the wall to be able to hang low from the hand holds! Still, perhaps my flexibility will improve too.
Indoor | Comment (0)Bouldering
I was without a partner today, so instead I went bouldering at the local indoor wall. Warmed up on their traverse wall for a while. Managed the two easy ‘traverses’ on one side and almost did the harder one (which I think is a 5c?). I could do it all but one move on it. I shall ask for advise on Wednesday if we are on there. Then went in and did the usual 2-3 bouldering climbs I can manage on the bouldering wall. They are all fairly simple climbs, but I haven’t worked that hard on it. I managed one new one after watching some guys do it which was tougher. (5b I think) Shows I need to work on the bouldering more 
Ended up stopping as I mashed my finger somehow, resulting in running blood. Hope it’s better for Wednesday!
Sore hands!
I’ve just got back from my teaching session. Today I climbed for about 3 hours with other 2 guys and never made it to the top of the wall. I also fell off 8 times in total… My instructor had decided to push me pretty hard so had me on 6b+ and 6c climbs all night (which, being as I’ve had about 8 lessons, is pretty hard for me!). The furthest I managed up the wall was actually on the 6c, in which all of the holds were tiny. Still, I got MUCH further than I thought I would have (which is half the point I guess!). My arms and hands ache lots now though. Ooh, I bought my own harness today too. Along with a ‘bug’, karabina and chalk bag. Along with the shoes I bought last month, I guess I have no excuses any more 
Hopefully some more climbing on Sunday, but we’ll see…