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Satisfaction Guaranteed

Well, based on the title of this post, I’m sure you can guess what the highlight was.  Alas!  One of my long term projects is over!  As we drove down to the New River Gorge on Saturday morning, it was sprinkling for most of the time.  Things were not looking good.  Fortunately, by the time we hit Summersville Lake, it was only misting lightly.  We decided to hike in and by then, it had…

Day Trip to Coopers Rocks

The weather forecast for the New River Gorge was grim, so we decided to forgo a wet weekend on the rock in favor for a dry day on the boulders at Coopers Rocks.  Coopers is close enough for a day trip.  Our skin wouldn’t hold up to two days of punishment on the gritstone anyhow.  Friction usually isn’t a problem at Coopers.

We enjoyed a warm, summer-like day at Upper Rock City.  W…

Hangboard Pulley Setup

This is an update to my hangboard setup.  I installed a super easy pulley system that will allow me to remove weight very accurately.  I can also add weight with the plate weight setup I put together.  Be sure to check out my hangboard workout video and hangboard review video if you haven’t seen those yet!

First of 2012

As last year came to an end, we were pretty burnt out.  The weather in 2011 was difficult to contend with, and our last trip ended with a minor injury.  We were in need of rest.  When January rolled around, we were brewing our psych.  I bought a hangboard and started training.  I trained hard during the winter to make myself as durable and bulletproof as possible with grueling Crossfit…

Is Your Partner Psyched Enough?

It’s that time of year again.  The snow is melting, days are getting longer, and it’s warming up… it’s climbing season!  Like many, my psyche has been brewing all winter.  I finished last season pretty burnt out, but after a month or so off, I’m ready to go again.  I almost can’t control my excitement to get out on the rock again.  We are planning on going to the New River Gorge this…

The Self Coached Climber Review

When asking what book to buy to improve at climbing, the most common answer will likely be, The Self Coached Climber, by Dan Hague and Douglas Hunter.  This answer has popped up countless times on the training forum over at MountainProject or other various websites.  It’s for good reason too; SCC is one of the most comprehensive books on improving your climbing ability.  This book is like an…

Calories Burned While Climbing

I recently got a question from a devoted fan asking how many calories you burn while climbing.  This is a very difficult question and the answer depends on many things.  It would be very difficult to track calories burned while climbing unless you have some very sophisticated measuring tools.  Calories burned depends on sex, age, weight, height, metabolism level, and intensity of exercise, to…

Beginner Finger Injuries

I was recently asked by a new climber about pain he is experiencing in his fingers.  He described his hands feeling as if he had sprained some tendons.  This occurred after trying harder routes.  Not a lot of pain, but his fingers felt weak.  He was enjoying his rapid progress in the past few months, but he wasn’t sure what to do with this minor tweak.

New climbers will often experienc…

So Ill Blister Board Review

Today’s video is a review of the So Ill Blister Board.  This is a great, budget board that is very compact.  The small size may bother some, but I think it’s very usable.  The top jugs aren’t very good, but the rest of the holds are very good, although difficult.  This isn’t a beginner hangboard.  I also give a few quick tips on mounting a hangboard.

What hangboard do you a…

Beginner Hangboard Workout

In this video, I give you a beginner hangboard workout.  I got this from the Anderson’s article, Making of a Rockprodigy.  Check out the Mountain Project forum for more information from the Andersons and others.  Also, check out Steve Bechtel’s great blog on training for climbing.  These guys know their stuff!

The workout goes like this:

Pick 7-10 grip positions.  Each position is…