Grampians last long weekend with the queen! Queen of boulders that is...

...And by queen of boulders I mean Josh! :P All these videos are not the best quality and I put them together fairly quick but who care, it's climbing! :D

I'm amazed that he didn't get the first boulder in this video sooner! He managed to itch his nose, miss holds, make everything more awkward than other attempts but he did it! Nice one Josh! :P

This next video will be featuring myself. Most of the bouldering in it was based at Between The Sheeps which is a pretty sweet place to boulder! Lot's of fun steep V4's and stuff and I'm not meaning steep grades... but you know that angle and shit? :)

And other than that we jumped on more boulders, tried some projects and made some progress which is nice! 

Had a relaxing day of routing on the Sunday mid weekend at Sundeck/Cave cliff which was fun. I flashed 'Gotham City' (23) and Josh had a lash on it but was just a tad pumped half way up which is understandable. He also onsighted 'Holy Batmania' (18) and 'Commissioner Gordon' (19) over at Sun deck.

We hung out with Mark Lalama that day and our laziness rubbed off onto him, so I'll take the blame for him not sending 'Boy Wonder' (28) which is a awesome line as well! And we did some epic bush bashes... Enough said

Peace out! - Aden

(And I just noticed the quality is way worst than the original when in full screen :\ my apologies for sucking) 

It's been too long!

Okay, so it's been way to long since anyone has made a post! This one will mainly be about my achievements over the last couple of months (since the last post went up on here pretty much)

My very first 27 was 'Velvet Goldmine' which I ticked on the 31st of March, this was a very nice confidence boost for myself and knowing what I can achieve. Not too long after that send (like 30minutes later) I onsighted 'Body Count' (24) which only added to that confidence.

Nearing the end of 'Velvet Goldmine' (27)

Somethings just clicked and came together very well after that, I was just way more confident in climbing harder and pushing myself, I'm pretty sure even my subconscious was only thinking about climbing as soon as I would touch the wall and my head was only getting more clear.   :)

A few days after that trip I went to Tasmania to climb over Easter and onsighted heaps of stuff there which was heaps of fun! I really got to build a better base of climbing for myself there. I even got my first 25 and 26 onsight as well, along with heaps of other awesome 23's and 24's.

The weekend after Easter Louis and myself went to The Gallery in the Southern Grampians and were expecting to stay there for two days but we climbed extremely well coming away with some awesome ticks. Louis got his first 25 onsight and 'Gorilla Tactics' (26) second shot and I got another 26 onsight and 'Chasing The Shadow' 27 third shot there was also a 23 and a 24 in there. After our amazing day we went back North to spurt wall for Louis to find his first 26 onsight but with no luck, we still got a couple more 26's ticked off though.   :D

Recently there has been a few bouldering day trips with the crew which have been mainly working on hard stuff and trying to push the grades that's what I wanted to do anyway. during those trips I have ticked my first V8/9, and the weekend just gone my first V9! To add to that I ticked a V5, V7 and three V8's around in the Hollow Mountain Cave area, it's great to be able to pull onto more climbs in the cave after it felt so out of reach quite awhile ago. 

So PSYCHED to keep up the climbing and keep pushing myself before my surgery later this year or early next year... Who even knows! But I got some big goals ahead of me and I'm slowly but surely getting my act together to achieve them.

HAPPY CLIMBING TO ALL!

- Aden

All aboard the Send Train!

Just a quick update after Labour Day weekend - probably one of the best weekends I have had climbing!!

Started off awesomely with a no-warm up, first shot repeat of the super classic Mr Fox (V7) at Andersens... Next up was an epic onsight of Transcience (V6) which turned out to be easier than I thought, but it has some serious height to it, so needed a while mid problem to calm the heart down.. Best of all was a pretty quick send of a long term project - Rise of the Machines (V7).. I almost flashed it when I first tried it, but since then have been twarted on the last hard move.. This time I took a couple of attempts to remember my beta then sent it solidly!! So stoked! Finished off the day with 808 State (V5 @ Andersens) as well as repeats of Minus (V4) and Connection (V6) at Campground.]

Day 2 - Aden, Josh and I (aka the Send Train) decided to check out Ground Control and Caves Club - super rad areas full of classics!! I got my ass handed to me on Donald (a V3!!! #$%@#!!) and attempted I Feel So Holy (V6) but got shut down.. Tiredness, soreness and weakness means that will have to wait til later.. We then dropped down into Middle Cave and attempted Lonely Hearts Club and almost came away with the tick, but a super burly gaston move meant I couldnt finish it off - bummer! We also checked out the V8 extension: Rota-Loo.. Aden had a couple of burns and came so close to getting the tick, but again the gaston move shut us down.. We will be back!!

To finish off the day, we ended up at Caves Club where I managed to send the SUPER classic Affenschaukel (V5) with some rad kneebars! Aden proceeded to flash Full Cream (V6), and I quickly did the same, before Josh sent his first V4, Skim Milk... Aden then sent Whipped Cream (the V7 variant to Full Cream) in a few goes, but alas I couldnt pull off a send as well with my skin and muscles wasted - came close though so should go next time we are up there.

Next trip will be Easter where I am hoping to get 3 days away - Snakepit is high on the agenda so I can attempt Waiting in the Air (V7), Attack of the Killer Drop Bears (V6) and Volume 1000 a rad looking highball V4, as well as Andersens to clean up The Shield (V6), Discovery (V6), Platinum Flow (V5) and dare I say it Puppet Master (V6) and Mr Knox (V7)

My short term (next 4 weeks) goals are:

Platinum Flow V5
Transcience V6 (Onsight 11 March)Puppet Master V6
The Shield V6
Discovery V6
Rise of the Machines V7 (Redpoint 11 March)

Mid term goals (by end of June)

Affenschaukel V5 (Redpoint 11 March)
Captain Tonelli V5
Master Bates V5
808 State V5 (Redpoint 11 March)
Maple V5
Swedish Meatballs V5
Sick Nutter V5
Nice Max V5
I Feel So Holy V6
Fallen Cow V6
Drowning DiCaprio V6
Full Cream V6 (Flash 12 March)
Gay Hip Flexor V7
Grand Discovery V7
Mr Knox V7
Whipped Cream V7
Happy Camper Traverse V8/9
Cave Man V9

6 month goals (by start of September)
French Toast V7
Flash Gordon V7
Waiting in the Air V7
Attack of the Killer Drop Bears V6
Tim Tam Traverse V7
Aphrodite V7
Hot Henry V8
Left el Westwood V8
Da Lai Lahmung V8
Gourmet Cats V8
American Dream V8

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSYCHED!!!!

- Jimbo

Very happy!

I'm really enjoying climbing right now, and it hasn't felt this amazing in a long time. I'm not sure what has made this happen, but I would like to think that all these positive thoughts I have been putting through my head and using my brain more while climbing has made a difference.


It was a quiet night at the gym tonight and I rocked up with not a lot of psych, but after pulling out the skipping rope and getting the blood pumping that seemed to change heaps. Did some stretches for about 10 minutes, then jumped onto an easy traverse working up to some hardish moves.


I wasn't really planning on climbing hard tonight and I definitely wouldn't call it training, but I was just focused on being calm and clear minded while climbing. Deep breaths before climbing while looking over the sequence in my head a couple of times, lots of steady breathing during a climb and loud enough so I could hear myself breathe. 


I'm happy it's all sinking in and doing what I was hoping it would do, I haven't taken much advice for what I'm trying to build up here so it's fairly personal, but I can't afford to lose my connection to climbing when it plays a big part in my life :)


And another thing, I've been helping out a friend (Josh) a little lately and climbing with him more than usual now, and damn he's getting some skill happening! It's such a good motivator to see him progressing so much lately. I don't think I've shouted out so much encouraging and positive words to someone while climbing in a long time, my attitude is changing and I'm liking it! :)


- Aden

Training Works

Just a quick post about the importance of really trying and working for something. One of the longer problems at The Rock had a large crossover move that i am very weak at, but with a few specific excercises to strengthen, or at least wake them up. Two weeks of doing these every other day and the move, and the problem went today. Sometimes you have too really looks at your weaknesses and then pin-point what you have to do to get it done. Till next time, keep sending..

Some Monday psyche...

This is a video I've seen before but always great - take the time to check out the rest of Lee's awesome blog - great training articles and some niche gear... I sooooooooooooo want to do one of those climbing camps... 

http://www.upskillclimbing.com/2009/12/video-dave-macleod-training-on-his-home.html#links


- Jimbo

One Bed to the Left

After reading other logs from everyone else I had better join the discussion. The overriding goal at the moment is the project, One Bed to the Left 27 on Clique wall in the gramps. This has been the big one for a while now, about 5 full days now on it. The other guys have been talking about the physical aspects and how to be stronger, this is not the problem on 'the bed'. The moves are all very do-able, I have done them all multiple times now, it seems to. E some mental aspect that needs the work. Some mental block is stopping me at the crux each time I get there. Not sure what it is, as it has not really happened before, I am usually known for never letting to, but on this route I don't seem to pull as hard as I can. All I can do at the moment is wait for the cooler temps and go and try again and really try, not the half-arsed tries I have been doing up to now..... Stay tuned