Since starting my new job in December, I’ve just been exhausted. I love my new job, but my weekends are spent running errands, cleaning the house, and actively relaxing. Part of that involves aerial work and climbing, and I do have some fitness goals that I want to get down “on paper,” so that I can keep track of them and mark any progress.
I started climbing with S. in 2009 (he had been climbing for a couple of years already), and then began aerial arts in 2010, with a few breaks here and there due to moves/lack of gyms or studios, etc. I was never into team sports as a kid, mostly because I lacked interest and the kind of competitive spirit required to excel in team sports, but also because I have bad vision and lack the quick instincts and coordination necessary. As an adult, though, I love rock climbing and aerial fitness. I apparently like being up in the air and upside down, I like the balance of strength and grace necessary for the movements, and I like the puzzle aspect – trying to figure out how to configure your body to hit a certain hold, how to shift your weight and balance to hold a position on the hoop, or to move through a successful transition into another move.
So yeah, this post is in part an ode to the physical activities I like best (well, barring one, HA), but these activities also have a built in progress bar. There’s a constant push to be stronger, more flexible, braver, to be able to pull off a certain move or complete a bouldering problem. S and I got memberships at the local indoor climbing gym in October, and have been going twice or three times a week (so, as a result, I’ve only been to lyra/silks/straps once a week, at most, but I’m used to this kind of shift and fluctuation in training schedules – interest waxes and wanes), but lately I haven’t seen the kind of improvement that I want to see. So I’ve been doing some quick searches and trying to look into ways to maximize my training and meet my new goals. These are a mix of benchmark goals and simply trying to improve – open-ended ones with no definite endpoint.
In 2017, I want to:
- Climb a V6. Currently, I can flash most V4s, and work on V5s and V6s (confused? Terms here and here.).
- Do 10 pull-ups in a row. I can do 3-4.
- Clean up my spinning mounts on lyra & straps – be able to do a few clean rotations before hooking legs.
- Gain more muscular definition in my arms – build more muscle!
- Strengthen my ability to handle slopers – try to tackle more variety in problems.
And how to tackle these?
- More targeted weight training sessions. I admit, I hate pumping iron. If I only have two hours, I’d rather climb than lift. But I can’t argue against the necessity of supplemental lifting. Previously, I lifted more manageable weights for more reps, but based on this Crux Crush article, I’ve recently switched to more weight – the most I can handle for 5 max reps per sets of 3-5. This is going to make a big difference toward #4 and #5, I think, which are mostly about building arm strength – I can already feel a difference in the few times since I’ve made the switch.
- I’m also incorporating more full-body, big movements – more pull-ups, deadlifts, and heavy presses, as suggested in the Crux Crush article. I used to avoid these, just because I’m lazy and the bars and weights are heavy, and weight clips, and lazy, but there it is – can’t be lazy, I guess.
- For #2 (10 pull-ups), this is mostly shoulders; the heavier weight sets for arm and shoulder days should help, but we also have a pull-up bar at home, and just doing a couple a day really helps.
- For #3, this is about core. I’ve always struggled with activating my core (shoulder mounts, anyone?) and I do a lot of core exercises…but in addition to that, I think it’s mostly about repetition. I have this tendency not to practice spinning mounts because I know I suck at them, and that’s a personal weaknesses that I struggle with in other aspects of life (e.g., why I don’t practice learning a language). Time to cowgirl up.
- With all of the above, and with regular climbing sessions, I think #1 will come. It’s just a grade, but what I’m really interested in is raising my level of climbing, and the grading scale is a nice way to benchmark that in a quantitative way.
So, that’s all for me. I really want to make it to everyone’s blogs and start catching up, but I spend my entire work day coding and analyzing things on a computer, and when I get home I just can’t bring myself to spend any more time on it than strictly necessary. I think once I get more into the swing of things, I’ll be back on track, but until then, I do appreciate everyone who stops by to drop me a line, or chats with me on Twitter or Instagram (where I’m much more active, to be honest). You are all my favorite people.
So tell me: what are your fitness goals for the year? What are your favorite activities? Are you looking to try anything new?
My routine just changed from strength to metabolic conditioning! I can lift heavier, and I can feel the muscles, but I need to get leaner to be able to see the definition. Also, my cardio sucks. I don’t like being on the treadmill for a long time, so it’s more of HIIT.
My upper body is definitely weaker than my lower body, and I still can’t do a pull up. Half a pull up is all I can manage. If I can maintain my strength and lower my body weight, then it’ll be more promising. LOL! I’m trying to conquer my fear of being upside down though. I’ll start with headstands, as you already know 🙂
Miss you lady. Don’t work too hard!
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Hahaha, I HATE CARDIO TOOOOOO. When the weather is nicer, we usually take the dogs for a run a couple of times a week, but I refuse to run in the cold and rain and snow 😛 So now I’m trying to jump rope a little bit, or do HIT type things, too, but ugh, cardio for the sake of cardio is SO BORING. WE CAN DO IT, LILY.
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Larie! Good to see your post. Some of the things mentioned here are quite technical so I am not sure I understood everything although I suppose I could have specific goals like these in my Bikram yoga practice. Speaking of Bikram, I am not going to the studio anymore – my local studio has lost all the good teachers and I guess I don’t want to support a misogynist (and possibly a rapist)’s business (there was a documentary about the whole saga). I still want to continue to practice a short version of it home. I think my forms are solid enough to go on like this if I’m equipped with a good mirror and a video (I have one I like). The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to be fit to do ANYTHING. Good luck and I hope I see your posts more often soon! ❤
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Holy shit, that sounds horrible. A rapist? What’s the documentary?
Is Bikram the hot one? I’ve never gone to a proper yoga class, actually – I’m quite horrible at it, I think! I think you’re right – so long as you’re staying active somehow, you’re doing it right! I find it hard to stay motivated without an actual class to go to, but on the other hand, sometimes I feel like I would exercise more if I didn’t have to leave the house…LOL. Such a conundrum. I think I’m just lazy 😛
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Rock climbing and aerial arts are pretty cool ways to exercise! I have a couple of friends who do the aerial silks thing as there is a gym here that teaches classes. I would be TERRIFIED to try this! I am scared of heights and not graceful AT ALL…..I am pretty sure I would break my neck!
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LOL. If you go to a good studio with good safety practices, you’ll be fine! It’s inherently dangerous, that’s true, but good spotters and a watchful instructor make all the difference. And they always start you out with easy things!
As far as heights go, I’m not too bothered, but funnily enough, I don’t like climbing on rope and going really high. I mostly bouldering, which maxes out around 12 feet – there’s no rope. Once it gets beyond that, I do kind of feel nervous and sweaty and it’s not my favorite. I think the more you do it, the better it can get (if you don’t have a phobia, that is), but I just like bouldering so much better, I can’t be bothered, haha. What kinds of things do you do? I know you have a gym at home – that’s so handy!
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Hello! I don’t understand everything you’re talking about, but hope you achieve your goals this year! I feel the same way about core exercises and not wanting to do things when you’re not good at them yet. LOL. Like, I understand that I won’t get better if I don’t practice, but still… ugh. Why am I like this. Haha. You should force yourself to practice your spinning mounts. You’ll thank yourself in a couple months, maybe? 🙂
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Boot Camps! And Strong by Zumba which is like a HIT class I think-it’s just every more is set to music and choreographed. I am trying to vary my workouts because I love Zumba, but nothing has changed for me. Need to switch it up!
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