CMG's Log (6', 190lbs, HLM, HPS, Montana, Climbing)

[cgeorg]

2024-03-27
Climbing

Campus
Spent a little extra time here after finger warmup, got to a 3 rung move on both sides, generally felt Strong Enough

Bouldering
Warmups
Problem of the Week: sent in 3 tries. Neat slab, big volume holds. Balancy start, then a neat low move across that I missed once, then stand up into the finish that I missed once.

Wave wall: Tried one of the v3-5 from 2 sessions ago that seemed more doable. Got one move further but the holds are just a lot worse than they look. Will probably/maybe come back to this one again.

Coffin: Tried the weird purple v3-5 again, probably 5 attempts total. Can do all the moves but still struggling to link it. Footwork is real iffy in the first part, and my accuracy at hitting the slot on the clamshell holds wasn't there. Tried to find an image of the holds but apparently clamshell is a hold company that doesn't actually make these... God that took like 15 minutes to find. "Ruffles" by RockCandy.



I Forget the Name of This Wall: Tried a v5-7 I've played with a few times again. The lower 4 moves or so are fine, have never missed them yet. Then you have to get a foot out left, mantle up and then try to stand and get your right foot on for the top part. I got close by staying lower and moving my weight left before trying to stand, but still can't quite get there. I think hip mobility is getting in the way.

Prow: Slightly overhung section next to the comp wall, worked on a pretty cool v4-6. Got all the moves individually, I think I can put this together if I'm fresh. There's another one right next to it on the comp wall that could also be fun to project.

Overall, despite the lack of sends, a fairly heartening session. Skin is still painful but not as problematic as it's been the last couple of times out.

[cgeorg]

2024-03-28
Golf

Regripping
New MCC Jumbos on my woods
New SuperStroke Tour 5.0 on the putter

Driving Range
Worked my way up to driver pretty quickly, started taking some slo-mos. Working on a wider takeaway, leading with the shoulders. My turn still kind of blows my mind when I see it on video, it doesn't feel as big as it is. Noticed I was standing up quite a bit at the top, worked on just rotating my trunk rather having an up-down-up motion. I think I like the swing plane and most of what I see here, but it seems like my hips are still a little slow, I think they should be rotated a little farther at impact. I also never get my left leg fully extended - I've had a lifelong trigger where I kind of dip my knees right at the start of the downswing and never really come fully out of it. I noticed on some of my practice swings near the end where I was focused on the backswing that when I just didn't think about the downswing, my clubhead speed sounded off the charts. Took that feeling into some real balls and while I don't have any actual distance data to back up the feels, it sure seemed and sounded like there was some extra pop.

I think they teach relaxation as a necessary condition for violence (violent, ballistic motor programs).

Tried implementing relaxation -> violence this at softball a few Fridays ago, felt like I got a bit more pop in a few.

@Hanley's wisdom knows no bounds.

Last video of putting it all together:



I hate shorts but didn't feel like running it through processing into landscape. The MCCs felt great, especially with my left hand not being as dexterous and requiring higher grip pressure to get around a smaller object.

[cgeorg]

2024-03-29
Lifting

Deadlift DOH
255x3x4

Planned on 5 sets but per my usual, the first reps were a lot worse than the rest, and the first rep of the 4th set told me I didn't want to push it with another first rep in another set. Maybe next time I'll just do 5 sets of 1 + 1 to groove the setup. I always stop on the floor after each rep but it's not a full stand up and get in position setup.

Triceps Pressdown
40x12x3

Put a ~3/8x3/4 piece of poplar through the rope to use as a handle. It kind of hurt. Need to redo the knot to fit something bigger/better through it. Either the rope or the pulley is creating a lot of drag. A swivel somewhere in the mix would be nice too.
+
BBC
60x[10,8,8]

Might have had 10s across but I'm climbing tomorrow morning.

[cgeorg]

2024-03-30

Bailed on climbing this morning, climbing partner was out and my shoulder is quite aggravated. Instead,

House Stuff

Worked on the drawer fronts. Due to lack of skill/milling equipment, there were gaps and unevenesses at many joints, so there was a lot of sanding and filling. Some of them had a decent bit of material to take off of the edges, so I was using my random orbit sander, and that's hard to control properly on a 3/4" edge, especially without any sort of bench clamp. So, there are more things that most people won't notice but I'll stare at all the time. Whatevs. Got them into painting shape, but I want to get the hardware picked out and holes drilled before I actually get the finish on.

[Bolder]

IIRC for working around shoulder aches, you can use the football bar or use dumbbells and press them from a neutral position (both horizontally and vertically) - if you have access to either one of them. Also, the low-bar squats can mess up the shoulders as well, and perhaps give high-bar squats a go as well (if you want or SSB). However, they may not be necessary, depending on your goals, of course.

If you ever return to pressing and low-bar squatting (probably don't go too hard on the frequency; it takes more time for the joint and tendons to recuperate than the muscles anyway).

Hope you heal up soon.

[cgeorg]

IIRC for working around shoulder aches, you can use the football bar or use dumbbells and press them from a neutral position (both horizontally and vertically) - if you have access to either one of them. Also, the low-bar squats can mess up the shoulders as well, and perhaps give high-bar squats a go as well (if you want or SSB). However, they may not be necessary, depending on your goals, of course.

If you ever return to pressing and low-bar squatting (probably don't go too hard on the frequency; it takes more time for the joint and tendons to recuperate than the muscles anyway).

Hope you heal up soon.

I'm a home gymer with pretty sparse equipment, just a barbell and little adjustable dumbbells from 5-25lbs. The shoulder issue is arthritis caused by cartilage damage, so I'm not sure how much I can really work around it - it doesn't seem like something that's going to heal, barring advances in medical treatment. If I can get myself to a place with heavier DBs or a neutral grip bar I can give them a try, and add to the gym (bigger adjustable DBs would be a great addition regardless.) I do hope to find some solution and will continue to do what I can, trying to build up the muscles around the shoulder however I can, but for the time being I've pretty much accepted limited lifting selections, having pain most of the time, and holding out some hope that treatments that are currently only available for knees come to shoulders in the next decade or so.

The talon grip has taken all the shoulder pain out of squatting. I tried squatting with a higher bar position a few times and I think I need a bit more upper back hypertrophy to actually have any sort of shelf for the bar. As it was, it was just sitting on shoulder bones. I think my current position is probably somewhere in the middle, basically as high as I can find any sort of delt shelf.

[FilmBuff]

If you’re able to clear yore hips faster on the swing you’ll get some pretty insane power upgrades. Still a nice swing.

I need to drop weight before I can get back to my old golfing ways.

See if my neck and back will hold up.

[cgeorg]

If you’re able to clear yore hips faster on the swing you’ll get some pretty insane power upgrades. Still a nice swing.

Yeah, I'll be hitting the range weekly for a bit, will be working on this.

2024-04-01
Lifting

Squat
185x5x3

Was able to find a slightly higher shelf for the bar. Last couple reps were "hard" but probably still had a good 4-5 in reserve, especially if I'd have let my posterior chain take over. Huzzah for BW squats.

Internal Rotations
Blue Band x10x3

So hard, and so hard to keep my upper arm in one place. When prescribed by the PT, you're supposed to roll up a towel to put between your elbow and side. I tried doing that with my hoodie and it still doesn't really seem to help. Hell of a chest pump though.
+
Supine BB Row
105x12x3

Went more upright on these to get a bit more upper back/trap involved, me likey. Lots of room for the weight to go up here. I think that getting to BW for reps would be really useful for steeper climbing.

[MikeMullany]

That’s a pretty nice looking swing. I hate looking at mine on film, but think I may have to if I want to start getting g better and more consistent.

[cgeorg]

That’s a pretty nice looking swing. I hate looking at mine on film, but think I may have to if I want to start getting g better and more consistent.

Yeah, it's real eye opening to compare the feeling to reality.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-02
Climbing

Top Rope
5.9 Flash
Very relaxing

5.10d Fail
Very pumped. Feels terrible to not get a 5.10.

Lead
5.10a Flash
Pretty cruisy. First time leading since fucking up my hand. Clipping with the left was hard, but not impossible. I've adapted pretty well in general, but some things are just hard when you don't really have much tactile sensation.

5.10b Fail
Took an intentional break in the middle, I was getting too pumped about 60% of the way through. Climbing was pretty clean though.

Bouldering
Flailed about on a v5-7 and a v3-5, did a couple 2 chili comp boulders, called it. Scraped the wall on a dyno on one of the comp boulders, still got the flash but it feels like I bruised a bone in my elbow.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-03
Climbing

Hangboard
Attempted to do an aerobic capacity workout at 40%, but the piece of wood that my pulley was attached to wasn't attached to the whole rig all that well, and the screw (yes, singular) snapped midway through my 3rd set. I had 80lbs on it, and while I don't think the 45 landed directly on it, some combination of something hit the top of my right foot and it doesn't feel great. I'm predicting it feels better in a week. I'll improve the setup later.

Lifting

Deadlift DOH
265x3x4

Again, had 5 sets written down but autoregulated to 4 after the 4th set was around @8-9. I've pushed the weights up quickly without really re-establishing a base, so I'm going to drop back down to something like 205x5x5 and work it back from there a bit more slowly. Don't have a goal in mind so what am I racing for?

More plates, obviously.

I did tell my wife that when I get back to 3 I'm getting a mini-jack.

BB Skull Crushers
60x7x3
+
BBC
60x10x3

I knew 60 would be a lot for the crushers but thought it'd be easier to just use the same weight. Should have just used the empty bar and dealt with the major inconvenience of 2 change plates. I also think an ez-curl bar would be a much nicer hand position for both but doubt I'll act on that.

[DCR]

I also think an ez-curl bar would be a much nicer hand position for both but doubt I'll act on that.

I don't remember the last time that I saw someone do skull crushers with an actual barbell. That's either cool, awful, or both.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-07
Climbing

Top Rope
5.9 send, fun
5.12a got about 4 moves, every hold was worse than it looked and it was too early to shoot my wad.
5.10a send, practiced pausing at each bolt and clipping

Lead
5.10d 2 falls
Fun climb. I fumbled the 3rd clip badly, probably took a good 20-30 seconds trying to get it in. Need to work on left hand technique. I didn't actually "fall", but a clip or 2 later I had my belayer take in a slack and rested on the rope because I knew I was too pumped to finish. Got another clip or 2 then needed another break on the headwall, again too pumped and there were 3 big not great holds to get through - I might have had it, not sure I could have gotten the clip done after them though.

5.10b 1 fall
Again, not a fall per se, but I struggled with a clip near the top and had my belayer take in the slack for a quick rest. Turned out I should have just matched hands on the hold I was on and clipped with the other hand.

Top Rope
5.11a 1 fall
Tough short one
+
5.10c 1 fall
Getting real pumped here.
+
5.7 send

Did these back to back for some endurance. Then,

5.10c? send
Not bad
+
5.9 1 fall
Ridiculous pump.

After the 2nd lead, my left forearm near the surgery site had some massive swelling, the area was very soft. I don't know if it's been happening and I haven't noticed it or if it was new today. Not really sure what's going on there, took some pics to show the doc when I go on the ... 23rd or 24th.

[cgeorg]

Decided yesterday to drive from Pittsburgh to Warren, OH for 2m of totality. I am so glad I did it, it's hard to describe how incredibly awesome that was.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-09
Climbing

Top Rope
Not my best, don't remember everything. I think 2 5.10ds with 1 weighting of the rope each, and a 5.10b that was a bit of a challenge.

Bouldering
Wandered aimlessly and did some things. I tried and failed an overhang v3-5 that I've been close on, did a 2 pepper comp climb, all in all a fairly blah session.

BW is up to around 180, doesn't seem like I should be seeing that sharp a decline from 5lbs. Sleep hygiene has been pretty bad, been pretty tired most days. That seems a more likely suspect. Got a solid 8 last night though. Lifting today.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-10
Lifting

6 ways
5sx[10,10,5]
6 ways done 3 ways - neutral, supine, pronated. Pronated made a lot of noise and was probably dumb so I stopped early. I did notice the other day that trying to lift my pronated arm out to the side had a pretty impinged ROM compared to my left side, where other positions don't. Probably a clue, but I'm not sure what it points to. Retesting now, I can actually get it to nearly the same place, but the top half of the movement is pretty tough.

CG Bench
45x10
65x10
75x10
80x10
85x10
90x10

Worked up through my wife's weights just to see how it would turn out. I'm trying to convince myself that I just need to keep rehabbing/restrengthening slowly and it's not actually an issue of bone on bone. Although if there is pain tomorrow, I confounded potential results w/the 6 ways.

Squat
195x5x3

Sad how tough these feel. The talon grip is still fairly comfortable, but my arms are wicked high and I'm not sure my wrists will be happy at higher weights. I have gotten a better shoulder shelf, so these are probably mid-bar, but I think a lot of that shelf comes from getting my elbows up. We'll see.

Internal Rotations
Grey x12x3
+
External Rotations
Grey x10x2
+
Supine BB Row
115x10x3

Grey band is a bit too easy for the internal rotations, but the blue band was ridiculously hard. I crossed my non-lifting arm over my belly and held my hand out as a brace for my lifting elbow to rotate on, and that worked better. I'll try blue band again with that setup. Added externals on the 2nd circuit because it was the bread and butter of my rehab.

[cgeorg]

I started standing with my arms out to the side, and just rotating from extreme pronation to supination and back a bunch. My shoulder seems to like it maybe? It hasn't been mad at me for a little while now.

2024-04-16
Lifting

CG Bench
45x10
65x10
75x10x6

Again just doing 10s between my wife's set. Gonna smack it with a ton of reps like this for a little while before I start getting frisky with weight.

Deadlift DOH
225x5x4

The little reset I mentioned, looks like I had said 205 back on the 3rd but this was easy.

BB Skull Crushers
55x10x3
+
BB Curls
65x10x3

My guns aren't much in this community but they feel like they're about to pop out of my skin. I couldn't fully extend my arms on the last set of skull crushers from the pump I'd already gotten from 2 sets of curls.

[DCR]

My guns aren't much in this community but they feel like they're about to pop out of my skin. I couldn't fully extend my arms on the last set of skull crushers from the pump I'd already gotten from 2 sets of curls.

[cgeorg]

2024-04-18
Climbing

Bouldering
Short warmup, then went to the arch, which has lots of more overhung stuff.
v3-5 flash
Biggish moves on good holds, pretty comfy.

v3-5 no send, several tries
This one had a very strength intensive start. 2 pinches on a volume under the roof, so you're starting horizontal. You get a toe hook on one of the starting holds, then swing around to move each hand, then take a big swing when you release the toe hook, then have to twist and get your left foot up even with your hands, then pull up to get a crossover move with your left hand. It gets a bit easier after that, I tried from the "then pull up to get a crossover" part and made it to a move before the finish, where my left thumb sucking had me fall off on a pinch. I think I could put this one together if I have a strong day and dial in the start.

v3-5 flash
This was a cool one, there was one v2-4 line that started on one side of the arch and traversed through the roof to the other side, one v2-3 line that started below the v2-4 finish and went up a bit higher, and then a v3-5 line that followed the v2-4 and then finish up the end of the v2-3 line. The holds were all pretty good but it's a long boulder, I ended up having to chill on the v2-4 finish hold for a bit to rest out some of the pump before I finished it up, and I wasn't sure my grip would actually work on the last couple moves. It did though!

Other v3-5 and v4-6 stuff - not much happening here.

I ended up chatting with 3 different people throughout this session, which was nice. One dude is moving for work in like 6 months and has a 1 year old, so while he has done some outdoors stuff it's prob not happening w/a rando this year. The next one was a much newer climber, I gave her some tips on some stuff she was working on but again not a candidate for exposing me to outdoor climbing. 3rd one was climbing with a friend and we talked beta on a couple climbs but I was winding down and didn't actually get too deep.

I think between bouncing between the 2 locations and having inconsistent times it's hard to see the same people repeatedly. Need to find a local climbing group/meetup.

Top Rope (Autobelay)
5.11+ flash
I think this wasn't actually 5.11+, a couple of tougher moves but I think it would have been a v3 or v4 boulder. There's actually a similarly set v3-5 boulder elsewhere in the gym right now.

5.12- nope
Really slopey holds, got the first half but I have no idea how the finish is supposed to work.

Other stuff that I don't remember and didn't send.