Climbing

I don't think I have a favored arm in climbing, but I do recognize that there are subtle differences between the strengths of each side of my body. I use this to factor into my training programs when creating them.
 
Transcript: "So I don't think I do have one arm that I favor in climbing, but I think it's probably normal that most climbers have certain strengths and weaknesses within each side of the body. So, for example, I know that on my left hand, this particular finger-strength grip is better than on my right hand, and on my left side, I know that if I'm doing this particular move, it is stronger or weaker on the left side than it is on the right side, for example. And I think, yeah, each different body position each different grip do have subtle differences on each side. But I wouldn't really say it's something you take notice of when you're doing projects and actually climbing, but it is something which you could take notice of if there's a big difference in the strengths of either side of the body. And you might factor that into your training program when you're doing it."

Yes, I have been too hard on myself in the past because I always want to do things as best as I can. However, I don't think I have ever been too hard on myself since it is important to push yourself in order to reach the best results.
 
Transcript: "Have I ever been too hard on myself? I would say, I am always really hard on myself because I always want to things to be done as best as they can be done. And if something isn't right or something doesn't go right, that doesn't necessarily mean in climbing but in just really in everyday life. Even, I remember being at school, in lessons and even lessons that I didn't like, if I didn't do something well then I was always disappointed with myself. So I would say, yeah, in life and in climbing, I'm always generally pretty hard on myself because I want it to be doing good. Have I been too hard on myself? I don't think I've ever been too hard on myself. I think it's, yeah, I think it's good to be hard on yourself because then you make a good job of it in the end."

The best way to start Trad Soloing is to educate yourself on the topic by reading books such as those authored by Andy Kirkpatrick. Once you have a basic understanding of the concepts, practice by climbing routes which are below your current grade and adapt systems to suit your own needs.
 
Transcript: "So, how would you start out Trad? Soloing I presume by this. It means rope soloing, grab them free soloing because I would never recommend anybody to stop free. Soloing, but for rope soloing, the best way you can go about it, is to sort of educate yourself in that genre of climbing. And I think a really good way of doing this for me, or what I did was I got a book by Andy Kirkpatrick, Andy Kirkpatrick called me myself. And I, and that basically took you from Total beginner to I like all the way up to big, wall solo climbing. And I read the book twice from cover to cover. And then after that, then I got the appropriate equipment that I needed. And then I went out on the small, cracks out in the Peak District, and I basically just practiced on routes that were way, way, way below my current kind of climbing grade, so I could get used to systems. I worked out, what was good, what was bad, what worked for me and then Then from there I went into multi-pitch, climbing, practice. My changeovers at the belay is and then into bigger stuff. The really important thing with ropes. All the climbing is that you adapt and adjust the systems to your own needs. I don't think there is one system that is perfect for everybody. Everybody sort of has different, soloing needs goals and once and I think adapting but taking what information is out there and then adapting it to your goal. And your situation is the best way to go about resolving."

I would recommend getting the rental Fleet shoe from a shoe company, as it is flat lasted and wider which will be more comfortable for someone with bunions.
 
Transcript: "I had big bunions. What shoes would you recommend? So, with this challenge, I would say that the rental Fleet shoe, for whatever company that you want to try is going to be the best one. One, it's going to be flat lasted. Meaning, it's going to be flat on your foot to it's going to be able to be wider. And when you have a wider shoe, that's flat lasted, it's more comfortable for any user. So, If you just trying to find out anything that's going to work for a foot with a bunion, you're going to try to find a wide shoe and you can just call the manufacturers or any shoe company, and go ahead and say, what's your rental shoe. I'd like to find out where I can try that, who has it. And that's going to be the one that's going to be the most accommodating for a foot feature like that."

To balance tree work with climbing I would train hard for a few months and then take off to do the project or trip I wanted to do for a month or two. This allowed me to save money and have enough time to dedicate to both activities.
 
Transcript: "So, when I was doing tree surgery work, how did I balanced tree work with climbing? And so, I think this can be on sort of two levels. One is the training and one is the trips. So with training it was never too much of a problem. For me. I do think like tree surgeon work is the hardest job I've ever done. I have done root setting work after that which I didn't find this bad. I always thought rework was definitely the most tiring and kind of manual labor job. That I've ever done. So it I mean bones in the train, it was hard but I was always just motivated for training anyway during that period. So I never sort of had a problem and even if I was a bit tired, then I would always just try and get the training done. So that's one thing. And then with the the trip side of things so going on trips and doing projects, I've always been a freelance worker so I've always when I have been working like I've been self-employed so I never have had like an employment or job or things like that. So what I used to do was they used to work really hard trained, really hard for, you know, three or four months and then go and do the project or trip that I wanted to do for a month or two. So for example, back in 2011 when me and Tom went and did this off with thing trip, I worked kind of really hard up to that both. Thin tree work and training and then I took two months off. Work had saved a lot of money and then I was able to go and do the trip and that's how I balanced those two out."

I stretch out my shoulders, elbows and other areas with bands, then do light bouldering to warm up my fingers and hips. If not climbing, I'll do a strength and conditioning circuit designed to help warm me up.
 
Transcript: "What's my warmup look like? Well, I like to use these bands to go ahead and stretch out. I I go ahead and stretch my shoulders out a bunch. I stretch out my elbows with the band's. I do forward, shoulders backward, side backwards and side words upward and downward poles with the bands and then I kind of do elbow movements to go ahead and continue stretching out with the band's. Once I go ahead and get my band stretching done, which usually takes about two minutes, maybe three. I'm doing I'm light bouldering on the wall, just kind of loosen up my fingers and get my hips opened up in my Mobility going and then I kind of ease into slightly more challenging movements after that. If I'm not climbing, I'm going to do my strength and conditioning workout, which the, the circuit itself will be designed to help warm me up that first round. Hope that helps"