Much has been happening, but not much interesting. I've had an injured pulley on at least one hand for about 9 months and realised that although I'm relatively strong open-handed my crimp strength is savagely pathetic. Cue high volume, very low intensity fingerboard training of aggressive crimping. Feet on the floor and everything. Beast! Actually, it's helping loads and something I've never considered before. Compare it to, say, dead lifts. When you can't do it, you do high reps of light weight to get good form and get used to the exercise. When you get the hang of it, you decrease volume and increase intensity. I can't crimp, so I've been doing a fingerboard routine a few times a week where I crimp like hell, but with my feet on the floor (or sofa), concentrating on placing my fingers perfectly on the holds. When I feel less shaky, I pull harder. I'll do this for 4-6 weeks, have a few weeks off and start again with higher intensity. Simple. Clearly fingers are a bit different to major muscles, but it seems like a sensible way of thinking and approaching the problem. I've also been doing a monster amount of general conditioning in the form of circuit training, but there will be more on that soon.

Last weekend I went up to Hepburn with Toby and did some rock bouldering. We met Adam there and watched him do PrepH, which was very inspiring. I've said it before, but it's got to be the best boulder in the UK. Anyway, I've been back and had a go at it and this is the thing. Once I've got the toe hook in I've managed to nearly get to the top bit, but getting the toe hook in works 1 in 100 goes and swinging around on the start holds cuts chunks out of your hand. I'm pretty sure that I can do it. No, I can definitely do it! YEAH! Check me out! I would love to do this boulder problem, it is incredible to look at and the moves are ace. I reckon I won't get many opportunities over winter as it stays wet (I've heard that climbing on damp rock causes more erosion than climbing on dry rock, but I think it's probably nonsense).

This is said problem, although I don't use this sequence. A Scottish lad who there with Mike got really close this way and fell off the top about five times, gutted! It's something to aim for over the coming months/years/decades, anyway.

Prep H, Hepburn.