Spent a couple of hours bouldering at MPHC. Long warm-up to V3, staying on the vertical stuff. The rest of the night was spent rotating between a 4-, a 4 and a 4+. Made the most progress on the 4+, which was crimpy and balancy, involving a tough static move to a gastone on a two-finger pocket. Just my luck that the next move is a pinch. Fuck. Finished up with some easier overhung problems.

No route for you!

Went to MHPC with Joana and Brian to do some bouldering last night, but they were closing early to set for a comp this weekend. Had barely enough time to warm-up and work out the kinks on a few climbs (V0-V4), with the 3s and 4s being pretty rough. JK was climbing well, working her feet high to get past the reachiness of some of the route-setting. Brian got there late and hit the ergs instead, glutton for punishment that he is.

Called it an early night and went to find some calories instead...

Met Kenway for some quick bouldering at MPHC. Not too crowded, and we had a solid session. Started off with a couple of V2s and V3s, including a nice V3 (blue) that crossed the arch. Worked on some V4s, including one with a nice high-step (purple) and another (yellow) that required pulling in on a block to get a piece up on a big feature. Managed to finish a V5- (pink) that was pretty fingery.

Bouldering + some food poisoning

Met up with JKoll to get some bouldering in at MPHC. Surprisingly empty considering how packed it was last Friday. They rated the all the new routes on the right wall and added a few since then. Worked our way through some V3s. Had fun on a nice V4 (purple) with a hand-foot match and high step. Then Joana had us do one of the 10 minute Metolius hangboard sequences. I was tired after that.

We had plans to meet Kenway for some drinks, but got poisoned by picking the cheap Thai place for dinner. Nausea and a headache set in for me pretty quick and I headed home (almost puked on the train ride, people moved away from me cause I looked gross?). Got home to find that J wasn't feeling so good either. Guess we got what we paid for?

The Three Musketeers

Kenway, Brian, and I met at MPHC yesterday for a bouldering session. Kenway and I arrived first. We first did two V1s. This was followed by three V2s. Brian arrived as we worked on the third one, and thus that what he started on.

The more serious stuff started next, when we tackled the V3s. We did 3 of those, and although they were not easy, they didn't feel too hard.

Next we moved to the 4s. Brian picked a black vertical V4 which involved a difficult move to a big piece (slopper), where you would put your right hand to the top and left hand to the left before rocking over your right foot (which is on a tiny piece) and extend to a piece far out right. Then after a bit of footwork, you go high to a slopper and explode to the final hold. We worked that problem for a while. After that we kept working on V4s, and in the end we must have tried between 5 and 7 of them (not sure exactly). We also put our hands on a few V5s but with no luck.

My plan was to work on the less fingery stuff to protect the fingers of my left hand which are in constant pain these days, and I think it worked (I also had done quite a good tape job).

Finally, on our way back, I think I have figured out why Kenway is having problems with his starts. It all dates back to when he started climbing in jeans. I think they are limiting his movements and that's why he has a hard time getting his feet in position. There you go, one problem solved!

Represent

Tonight I was a club of 1 at MHPC. Although I did meet a bunch of Coles climber and their friends. Angel also showed up as I was leaving.

I warmed up on 1, 2s, and 3s. After that I did three V4s successfully, although they all required a bit of work. I followed it by a V5, which although I couldn't finish, I got very close. I tried it at least 10 times, making infinitesimal progress each time, but on my last try, I touched the final hold. The last move seems to be one of the hardest. The problem is on a vertical wall and involves a tough crimp that goes to a moon crescent sloper (the moon is set mostly vertically and thus it is rather difficult to grab) before the last move. The feet are small and high.

Over the years, I have been to MHPC about 5 times, and I always felt the problems were a bit sequency and beta intensive. The last two times however, they felt easier. I conclude that either the grades are getting softer, or their style is now more normal to me. This would make sense as they are in many ways similar to the Coles problems: vertical with crimps and slopers, and balancy.

Assault of the Monkey Club: Day 3

Today was day three of the Monkey Club's assault on NYC climbing gyms. The combat unit was composed of JK and myself (the rest of the group being at a fancy party for people with brains). And climbing we did.

We didn't let the heavy rain stop us. After meeting at Astor place, we rode the subway to MPHC. There I bumped into 4 unconnected people, all ex-Coles climbers. Weird.

We climbed at a fast and sustained pace, with very short breaks between climbs, trying every wall of the bouldering section, from the vertical, to the overhang. We started on a few V1s that felt easy. We followed that with attacking V2s. After I did a few V2s, I attacked the V3s. I did about 3 V3s in the area close to the doorway between the two rooms. JK worked a V2 in that same area. She persisted and finaly sent the problem which required a lot of body tension because it went from a full horizontal section to a fully vertical section, hence the feet were not great, and some moves involved quite a bit of body swing.

Then we each tackled a project. Both fully horizontal. Hers was a new ungraded project, on which a bunch of string dudes were working. I would say from the looks of it V2/V3 (although I did not climb it). JK gave it a couple of tries. On the last one she missed the next to last hold, making the problem substantially harder. She matched hands, took her right foot high, and jumped high to catch the final hold, her body being in almost an iron cross position (although rotated so that the left hand is substantially higher than the right). I think most guys had there mouth opened when she came down.

I worked on a V4 (I had tried two other V4s without success before). That one I could tell would work for me. It involved a lot of moves where you feet have to come high and inside. A guy gave me beta (for short people), which involved skipping a big part of the problem. The complete problem first went to the right and then came back left to a big piece shaped like a half sphere. The beta was to stay below the big piece, move your feet high, and then jump for it. This worked for me after a few tries. However, I am not sure if it is still a legitimate 4.

We kept going, I tried a few 5s. One which involved being fully horizontal sideways with one toe and one hand taking all the weight, and reminded me that I am completely out of shape. My core was simply too weak to hold the position. Time to get back to burpees I guess. Joanna tried a few more V2s.

We finished on a hard crimpy V3.

That's it for me this week.

Packed

Joana and I met up for some bouldering at MPHC. Wow, what a shit show. I guess Tuesday night is like meet-up at New Rochelle, only the same number of people in like 1/10th the space. Despite the crowd, we both managed to climb pretty well. Joana sent her first V3 at MPHC, which made all the boys swoon. She also got on a bunch of great 2+s and 3s, including one in the cave that she looked super-strong on (except for that last move!). I spent most of the time on V4-s, got a V4 (pink) that I couldn't finish last time, and sent my first V5 at MPHC (although it seemed super-easy thanks to my hyper-flexible hips?).

Problems

Awesome bouldering session at MPHC with Jkoll. Both of us were a bit sore from the run yesterday, and at least one of us was hungover, but we still managed to send some great problems. As usual, we found the MPHC problems stiff, technical and crimpy. High finishes too! Stayed in the 2+-3+ range, and wrapped up with some long traverses.

Kids, check your calendars and keep eyes out for flights to Vegas. Let's try and get out to Red Rock before its too hot. Oh, and while you're looking for things to do when we're not climbing, Joana wants to visit a "family-friendly" strip club???