A challenger approaches: bambooroo

[bambooroo]

Hi!

I have read this site for several months and recently decided to jump in and participate with all of you inspiring, nerdy people. I'm looking forward to posting updates as I hope that will aid in the accountability I sometimes lack when it comes to being healthy. This is my first challenge and I plan to check in a couple of times a week so feel free to say hi!

I've been climbing for a couple of years and got really serious about it last year. We had a new bouldering specific gym open and it got me hooked again. Unfortunately I had a major reconstructive ahoulder surgery (not climbing related) in July which I'm still recovering from. I am starting to add strenghth training back in to my plan as I would love to correct my muscular imbalance as well as put on 10-15 punds of lean muscle over the next several months.

Here is the schedule I'm planning for the next 4 weeks.

Monday: easy bouldering routes, 2 hours

Tuesday: liffting weights

Wednesday: high mileage bouldering, 2 hours

Thursday: lifting weights

Friday: project routes, 2 hours

I plan on doing yoga and foam rolling throughout the week as well. I danced for 12+ years and sorely miss the flexibility that came with it. There are several free community yoga classes around so if I can make to one of those at least once a week and practice at home, I'll be well on my way. I recently took a couple of acroyoga classes and I would love to explore that further!

Are there any other (slightly obseesed) Game of Thrones fans? I've read the books multiple times and can't decide if I should continue watching the show or wait for Winds of Winter to come out.

Specific goals for this week:

-take pictures and record measurements

-book flights and car for Iceland! (Has anyone been before? I'd love to hear suggestions)

-Sort through clothes and take donations in (part of bigger goal for capsule wardrobe)

-Download duolingo and get through level 1

[bambooroo]

Week 2 update

[bambooroo]

Week 3 update

[bambooroo]

Week 4 update

[Jothra]

Bouldering is bomber. I'ma following!

[bambooroo]

Bouldering is bomber. I'ma following!

Completely! Have you done much outdoors? We're planning a trip to South Lake Tahoe and I so badly want to climb there. Thanks for saying hey!

[Jothra]

Most of my outdoor has been toproping, but I do try to get out with the bouldering mat now and then.

I used to absolutely PUNISH myself in the bouldering cave of the climbing gym when it was 10 minutes away instead of an hour ten.

[tinkerer]

Hi Bambooroo! There are a number of us climbers on the NF boards and I think most of them are bouldering aficionados...you should find a lot of good company.

 

That looks to be a pretty ambitious workout plan! How intense are your strength training sessions?

[bambooroo]

Hi Bambooroo! There are a number of us climbers on the NF boards and I think most of them are bouldering aficionados...you should find a lot of good company.

That looks to be a pretty ambitious workout plan! How intense are your strength training sessions?

Hi Tinkerer! Thanks for the heads up, I've been searching forums for climbing but most of them seem older, not that there's not anything useful!

Strength training is just a supplement to climbing for now. I'm mostly focusing on lower body and ensuring my upper body stays equally developed since I'm recovering from surgery.

If you have any advice for combining both effectively, it would be most appreciated. Thanks for stopping by!

[bambooroo]

Most of my outdoor has been toproping, but I do try to get out with the bouldering mat now and then.

I used to absolutely PUNISH myself in the bouldering cave of the climbing gym when it was 10 minutes away instead of an hour ten.

I love top roping too but our bouldering gym is light years ahead of our top rope gym, not to mention bouldering is only ten minutes away as opposed to 45 minutes.

We're trying to incorporate day trips into our climbing; Nashville, St. Louis, and hitting up the Red River Gorge to spend time not in the gym. I've never done lead climbing but I've got my eyes on it this year.

[Jothra]

Me too!

[TerryDes]

Hey Bambooroo, love your challenge.  It looks challenging.  :-)

 

I tore my rotator cuff years ago and the revery took a year.  Once I was able to I started at the gym working with weights and it made a big difference in my recovery!

[bambooroo]

Hi TerryDes! Thanks for coming by!

It's definiely a lot but only the strength training with weights is new. I've been doing bodyweight work on and off my whole life but adding weights and recording progress with specific goals are some my main goals to hit. I'm hoping participating here will keep me honest.

I'm glad you recovered well! I had acromioplasty, rotator cuff tear repair, and capsular shift procedures done. My shoulder would dislocate (ball out of socket) while doing normal activities. Then I more or less clotheslined my great dane which caused the tear so I had surgery last July after being in a sling most of June.

So, fast forward through months of inactivity followed by intense PT and I slowly started climbing again in December.

Were there any lifts in particular that you felt really aided in your recovery?

[dancezwithkittehz]

Hellooooooo there!  Yay for more aspiring assassins!

 

I really want to do more climbing and I'm planning to do some rock classes that I believe teach all the trad climbing stuff in April. I am so excited! I really need to dabble some more in bouldering as well. When I was more regularly going to a climbing gym I was hanging out in the top rope area!

 

 

Also OWW injuries. I'm glad to hear you are on the road to recovery!

[bambooroo]

Hellooooooo there! Yay for more aspiring assassins!

I really want to do more climbing and I'm planning to do some rock classes that I believe teach all the trad climbing stuff in April. I am so excited! I really need to dabble some more in bouldering as well. When I was more regularly going to a climbing gym I was hanging out in the top rope area!

Also OWW injuries. I'm glad to hear you are on the road to recovery!

I'm still trying to figure out how to quote people in replies, it's a bit more haphazard than methodical though.

Finding my way back to a climbing gym was the definite kick in the ass I needed to take myself seriously.

My main focus is bouldering due to convenience, but I (very occasionally daytrip) go to a gym that has three story top roping. I went about a month ago and was able to crank out several 5.7s and 5.8s without feeling too pumped or tired. We had initially planned on climbing there again a couple of days later so I could've tried a couple of harder ones it turns out, oh well.

I'm also getting new shoes for myself and the bf to celebrate the new commitment we've made. Who doesn't love new (and hella functional) gear?

It's looking like I'm taking a rest day tomorrow so I'm restructuring this week a bit. Trying to just go with life as it happens, that said I don't like to be too inactive. So, a good yoga session it is!

I plan on posting a mid week update tomorrow after grocery shopping. I don't eat terribly now but I want to focus on eating more. I'm terribly distracted and uncomfortable while shopping though so it's going to be a challenge.

[Jothra]

Climbing shoes really do make a world of difference.

 

A friend of mine called our climbing shoes "ballerina slippers," and the name stuck.

[Maia]

Wow, climbing/bouldering sounds like so much fun. Good luck with your challenge

 

And Game of Thrones... it's on my list but I haven't seen a single episode yet! Maybe when I finish bingeing on NCIS haha

[Mad Hatter]

Yay bouldering!

 

What language are you learning?

[TerryDes]

Were there any lifts in particular that you felt really aided in your recovery?

Well first of all I will say start light!  I started with the muscles that I felt supported the rotator cuff, it's been a while so my memory may be a bit dodgy.  Basically it was lateral and side dumbbell lifts with of all things lighter bench presses.  After about 6 weeks my shoulder started feeling more stable so I started working more around the shoulder with shoulder presses, upright rows and shrugs.  I still feel pain and have clicks so I am pretty diligent to keep working on the muscle in that area.  

 

Around the 6 week mark I also started doing rotator cuff exercises.  Now I mostly do standing scarecrows but have also done Isometric internal and external shoulder rotation exercises.  I still feel pain when I target the rotator cuff so I tend to go light and listen to what my body is telling me.

[bambooroo]

Climbing shoes really do make a world of difference.

 

A friend of mine called our climbing shoes "ballerina slippers," and the name stuck.

 

I've called them my dancing shoes before, glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

Agreed about shoes making a difference! Do you have a favorite pair?

I'm getting a pair of the sportiva muiras. Thank you amazon the prime, haha. I've been kicking around in the Electras for probably too long and can tell they're hindering progress.

 

Wow, climbing/bouldering sounds like so much fun. Good luck with your challenge

 

And Game of Thrones... it's on my list but I haven't seen a single episode yet! Maybe when I finish bingeing on NCIS haha

 

I recommend everyone give climbing a go, it's so satisfying to physically solve puzzles. I'm terrified of heights and I can say that climbing has built up my confidence.

Game of thrones is amazing, definitely start that! Just a heads up (morbid humor ftw), it is based on graphically violent books and it's made by HBO, suffice to say don't let small children watch it. Let me know what you think of it!

 

Yay bouldering!

 

What language are you learning?

 

I'm picking French back up. I had it for 7 years in school and think it'll be easy to get through the basics quickly. I'd love to learn some Icelandic since I'm traveling there later this year but omg, so many consonants!

 

Well first of all I will say start light!  I started with the muscles that I felt supported the rotator cuff, it's been a while so my memory may be a bit dodgy.  Basically it was lateral and side dumbbell lifts with of all things lighter bench presses.  After about 6 weeks my shoulder started feeling more stable so I started working more around the shoulder with shoulder presses, upright rows and shrugs.  I still feel pain and have clicks so I am pretty diligent to keep working on the muscle in that area.  

 

Around the 6 week mark I also started doing rotator cuff exercises.  Now I mostly do standing scarecrows but have also done Isometric internal and external shoulder rotation exercises.  I still feel pain when I target the rotator cuff so I tend to go light and listen to what my body is telling me.

That's exactly what I'm doing currently, and hitting lower body and core pretty hard.

I feel like I'm hyper aware of how my shoulder responds to everything so I know when pain is just discomfort and when it's a red flag. Thankfully the number of climbing sessions I have ended early due to caution had gone down significantly.

Thanks for all of your advice and I hope recovery continues to go well.

[Jothra]

I've called them my dancing shoes before, glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

Agreed about shoes making a difference! Do you have a favorite pair?

I'm getting a pair of the sportiva muiras. Thank you amazon the prime, haha. I've been kicking around in the Electras for probably too long and can tell they're hindering progress.

I used to really like my 5.10 Spires, because they're a real generalist shoe. Now I'm in La Sportiva Nagos, which are still pretty generalist, but have a more aggressive toe. I can't wear these for hours like I could with the 5.10s, but they sure do the trick.

[bambooroo]

Week 1: Halfway Update

 

So far this week has been great even though I took a rest day today for restructuring purposes but that happens. 

 

Monday: Climbing went well, worked on straight arm climbing and really focusing on footwork. All problems within the V0-V2 range, I plan to start recording actual numbers soon. Stretching session after wasn't as long as it should be, hopefully I can concentrate more on stretching after. It's easiest to do while I'm still at the gym but I know so many people that go there I tend to get caught up in conversation. 

 

Tuesday: Weights! Joined a gym that is cheap that focuses on heavy weights. Worked on Triceps and chest (dumbbells mostly) as well as cardio for warm up and cool down. The weights were incredibly light (5-20 lbs depending on activity) but I want to start slow and build up. I did 3 sets of 10 with everything and left feeling really happy. 

 

Wednesday: Main focus was high mileage while climbing, so only V0s-V1s. The gym has a private room with walls that are only 12~ feet tall so it's easy to run up and down them continuously. I started at one end and made it over halfway through, doing some routes multiple times. I was only there for an hour and a half and included a couple of short breaks to avoid getting too pumped. I was worried I would be sore after weights on Tuesday but it wasn't much of a problem once I got warmed up. 

 

Thursday: Rest day! I did manage to do some meal prep shopping which is huge! Usually grocery shopping results in panicky confusion and not nearly enough/unhealthy choices. Also did some yoga and working on stretches I hate because they're good for me. 

 

Menu to get through Monday: sweet bourbon chicken thighs and legs (onions, mushroom, and rice), korean style bbq ribs (broccoli and rice), marinated pork chops (sweet potatoes and zucchini noodles), over nights oats with protein and blueberries (vanilla yogurt, cinnamon and honey to taste, almond milk), bananas, apples, and avocados for snacks. I don't drink much soda as it is but in an effort to curb the desire for fizzyness I picked up some san pellegrino blood orange soda. They're delicious.

 

 Looking ahead:  I'm going to stick with the plan for tomorrow, focusing on project routes in the V3-V5 range which means falling a lot and measuring progress by holds reached instead of completing the routes. Saturday will be (the weirdly anticipated) leg day as well as back/biceps. Sunday will be taking it easy, taking pictures and measurements, and other miscellaneous items I need to get taken care of. 

 

After spending more time in the forums, I have a plenty of ideas for setting up my next few challenges. I'm excited to start researching them and get everything laid out in the best order so I'm not fighting myself. 

 

[Mad Hatter]

I've got the La Sportiva Solutions, after having wearing super worn out noob shoes that were basically comfy slippers at that point. The difference was incredible! I could suddenly grip the wall and all these tiny holds that were impossible before. So yeah, climbing shoes matter. Then again you occasionally see these ridiculously good climbers that go skippety-skip up the hardest problems in the gym - in trainers.

[bambooroo]

I used to really like my 5.10 Spires, because they're a real generalist shoe. Now I'm in La Sportiva Nagos, which are still pretty generalist, but have a more aggressive toe. I can't wear these for hours like I could with the 5.10s, but they sure do the trick.

 

 

I've got the La Sportiva Solutions, after having wearing super worn out noob shoes that were basically comfy slippers at that point. The difference was incredible! I could suddenly grip the wall and all these tiny holds that were impossible before. So yeah, climbing shoes matter. Then again you occasionally see these ridiculously good climbers that go skippety-skip up the hardest problems in the gym - in trainers.

Ordered new shoes last night and after climbing today, I can't wait for them to arrive!

Have either of you had "high gravity" days where nothing seems to click?

Today was projecting and I went solo since my climbing partner was not feeling well. I didn't accomplish as much as I wanted on new projects so I finished the day completing the routes in the training room I didn't get to on Wednesday and working on pull ups.

I did all of my meal prep this morning so I'm set on healthy choices until Monday. Since convenience is my stumbling block, having food ready to go should make a big difference.

I'm not tracking food right now, instead I'm focusing on eating whole foods and eliminating mindless eating.

I finally got to finish Jessica Jones yesterday. That series was emotionally exhausting but I'd still recommend it! Here's to David Tennant, long may he reign.

Now it's officially FriYay! I don't have anything exciting planned this weekend but I'd love to live vicariously through my fellow nerds!

[Waanie]

The "heavy gravity" days are the worst, I had one this week unfortunately. It's funny, we call them the same at our climbing gym as well, although we might omit the "heavy" .