Yosemite/Creek training

I've got one month before a big trip to these places. How best would I be to train using this time to maximize success on goal of sending 5.11ish classics(Astroman duh, Voyager, Rostrum)? Wouldn't mind trying some hard single pitch stuff in the park and the creek or red rocks also!

Also probably an el cap aid route with some folk that know about this a lot more than me! 

There is some amount of crack/trad climbing near me (North Wales, UK)but after work never works out and days off never align with weather so seems mainly indoors and if poss couple weekends planned to crackier spots is more worthwhile.

Have built a 2.5m horizontal crack trainer in 2 sizes of decent hands and slightly big hands. Other than just laps till failure how else do people like to use these? I'm yet to experience thumb pump...

Also have access to a pretty decent gym where I've mainly been trying reasonable amount of volume on the ropes. Recently started bit of double laps and 4*4s.

Im not really sure what grade I'm at currently but previously up to french 6c(followed a couple 7as) on euro granite cracks but mostly in Chamonix where imo stuff can be a bit soft. Also more laybacky.

Overall I'd say some weaknesses might be general upper body strength as I'm pretty small, bit out of practice with any long granite routes this summer to know how they are feeling. I usually get powered out before I get boxed. But yea any secret training top tips and beta would be greatly appreciated!

Make sure you can climb a squeeze chimney and splitter #5s (kneelocks).

Get shoes you're comfortable jamming in for a 1000'.

I think for a horizontal crack thin hands hands is the most useful size, but still doesn't have much carryover to real climbing.

Try spend time on some friction slab routes... do they even have those in the UK? Makeup gym climbs where all the holds are in a vertical line to practice body movement for splitters. Stemming and chimneys are important too. In other words, mileage emphasizing foot work and granite specific skills.

Lost Scotwrote:

I've got one month before a big trip to these places. How best would I be to train using this time to maximize success on goal of sending 5.11ish classics(Astroman duh, Voyager, Rostrum)? Wouldn't mind trying some hard single pitch stuff in the park and the creek or red rocks also!

Astroman is a very long route in October and it sounds like you're likely to be slow.   The NF Rostrum is less committing since you can get off of it half-way.   Before you get on either, see how well you do on something like The Moratorium first.  

Personally, I don't think any gym will prepare you for continuous varied crack climbing (tips to OW), but what do I know...

I might have some useful input for you, since I moved from Edinburgh to the bay area last year, and I've spent a bit of time in the valley although more big walling than the 5.11 classics you mentioned. There are some good crack testpieces local to you in llanberis pass, and my advice would be to put as many laps as possible into these (with my take on the US grade for calibration):

1. Grond - good sustained hands, 5.9+. Do as many laps of this as you can!

2. Atomic hot rod - off fingers, roughly 5.11c. I got spanked by this when I tried it pre-yosemite trip a few years ago.

3. Fear of an infection - good honest squeeze chimney into off width. Felt safe enough with 1 #6 and 1 #5. Unfortunately this would probably only get about 10a in the valley imo. The wide stuff there sometimes translates into laughably low UK grades.. An unnamed 5.7 pitch (HS?!) on freerider comes to mind!

That pretty much covers the size range you'll see. Don't bother with any hangboarding! I didn't believe this before my big trip there from the UK, but it's true..

With the big walling, just pumping iron for general body strength for carrying loads, hauling, and jugging helps to offset the attrition on your body if you're on the wall for multiple days.

Have a great trip, happy to spray more beta for UK-based prep if you want! I have a bunch of scottish routes in mind which would be good training for the creek/valley but I guess that wouldn't be particularly helpful?

John Byrneswrote:

Astroman is a very long route in October and it sounds like you're likely to be slow.   The NF Rostrum is less committing since you can get off of it half-way.   Before you get on either, see how well you do on something like The Moratorium first.  

Personally, I don't think any gym will prepare you for continuous varied crack climbing (tips to OW), but what do I know...

That (moratorium) is a dirty sand bag haha Think of astroman as more of a 7a+/7b, not 6c+. Rostrum and voyager are excellent warmups though. Try Great Escape or Killa Beez if you need a 3-4 hr route in the afternoon. I would work on liebacking endurance personally and getting comfy resting off finger locks. BD #1 and #3 endurance will get you very far on astroman and rostrum respectively

I'm also UK based and have done a couple of trips to America. I'd say the grit is the best for outside crack training in the UK. If you've got a weekend available I'd highly recommend going to try the Staffordshire Nose, will definitely be useful in terms of building up some hand/fist crack skills, with a bit of offwidth in there. Maybe another weekend at Millstone/Lawrencefield for fingers, but they're not really like American finger cracks. I know they're not in North Wales, but they're close by American standards!

John Clarkwrote:

That (moratorium) is a dirty sand bag haha 

Is it dirty now (I remember it being clean)?  Or are you saying it's a bad recommendation.  Yeah, it's pretty hard but only 4 pitches, short compared to the others in the discussion.

Sounds like your crack technique is probably "good enough" or as good as you're going to get it for now. I'd suggest working hard on your basic fitness--lots of push-ups, pull-ups, core--so that you've got the strength and endurance to support improving or refining as you climb. Welcome and have a great trip!

John Byrneswrote:

Is it dirty now (I remember it being clean)?  Or are you saying it's a bad recommendation.  Yeah, it's pretty hard but only 4 pitches, short compared to the others in the discussion.

Just hard for the grade imo

John Clarkwrote:

Just hard for the grade imo

Exactly.  If the OP can do well on the four pitches of Moratorium, then he has a very good chance of doing well on a Grade IV of similar rating.