How many pitches is a lot in a weekend?

I want to know what you think is a lot of pitches to climb in a weekend?
I know what I think, how about you?
Oh yeah I am going to try climb a lot this weekend....
Pictures to follow.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training with Piz: Knee Raises on Rope

If you are lucky enough to have a rope at your gym there are many movements that you can work on.

Knee Raises while hold onto the rope are a fun way to work your arms, lock off strength, grip strength, abs and legs.

Instructions:

1. Grab the rope with one hand high and the other one low.
2. Lock off with the low hand and then raise your knees at the same time.
3. Repeat the motion being sure to raise them as high as possible.
4. On the way down be sure not to let them free hang. It is best to stop lowering your legs before they hit vertical.
5. Perform reps of 30 seconds or a specific number number.
6. After one set change the high hand on the rope and repeat. 

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training with Piz: Sloper Pops with Fixed Feet

A "pop" is a motion where you are holding onto any type of hold and suddenly "pop" off and grab back onto the hold. It is used on the campus, finger and systems boards.

You also can do this from one hold to another. It is not so much a dyno because we are not looking for the biggest movement, rather the contact strength required to hang on to a difficult hold. Combine this with a adjustable systems board and you can practice "pops" on many angles and holds. Not only will it work your foot work and core tension, but your ability to dead point and stay on and move off "bad" holds.

*Be sure to start working the "pop" on good holds and work your way down to the smaller and more challenging ones in order to prevent injury.

This one is on the sloper balls. The steeper the angle the tougher it is to stay on the wall.

Instructions:

1. Find the best angle to start.
2. Grab onto the wall and fix your feet.
3. "Pop" your hands from the lower sloper balls to the next level up.
4. Lock your core and feet so as not to cut them.
5. Return your hands one at a time back to the start position.
6. Repeat 6-8 times over 3 reps with a 3 minute break in between. 

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

2013 Red Rock Rendezvous 10th Anniversary

April is not too far away. Have you signed up to attend the 10th annual Red Rock Rendezvous in Las Vegas?

http://classic.mountaingear.com/events/default.aspx?EventID=31

Just click on the link above and find out about all the great clinics and events that will be happening during the event.

I will be teaching some trad clinics and I expect it to be a blast. Last year we had a great time placing gear, building anchors and learning the basics of trad climbing! I look forward to working with more eager learners.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training wth Piz: Medium Crimp Typewriters

The Typewriter is a great exercise to increase your power endurance and grip strength.
It works, your hands, back, forearms, hand and finger strength (depending on what you hold) and your over all pulling power.

As you can see in the video, I am failing badly due to it being placed later in my training program.

I suggest that you always begin new exercises on the best holds possible and over time and mastery of the movement should you switch to smaller holds.

With great practice of this you could add a weight belt to increase the challenge.

Instructions:

1. Pull up on your bar or fingerboard with a wide grip.
2. Lock off at a 90 degree angle with your arms
3. Hold the lock off position and move all the way to the right and back all the way to the left until your chin is over each hand.
4. Repeat this process for a time period and repeat 2-3 reps. (15- 30 seconds depending on the climbers experience)

As with any of these movements that I have posted, over doing any one of them will lead to possible injuries. It is likely that if you try to do them all with out rest that you will have finger and elbow problems.

One more thing to note is that I do not provide a specific training program for any of these movements. It is up to you to identify what you are weak at and then to choose the appropriate exercises that will develop that specific area.

As long as you are systematic about what you do and how train, you will see increases in performance. It is the "training" where you just go to the gym and do a little of this and that that are truly unproductive an a waste of time.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Delicate Arch Hike

Rowan wanted to hike as far as he could but often ended up getting stuck in the bushes and throwing dirt and rocks.

 Jane showing that you can be 23 months pregnant and still crush uphill hikes.

 Me and the boy on the slick rock.

 A little bit of snow and ice on the trail. We saw some city slickers slipping and sliding here.

 No worries.

 Ah, success at last.

 Hanging in the sun. It took Rowan a little bit of practice to walk on the uneven terrain. He was scared most of the time and needed us to hold his little hand.

 Jane glowing.

 The La Sal Mountains in the background on the way back to the car.

 Rowan ready to test his skills.

And the final meltdown.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Mount Garfield with My Students

We went out to hike up Mt Garfield near Palisade, CO last week.
I find that we never stay on the trails very long.
Enjoy the photos and hopefully more of my kids will attend the next hikes in March!

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

 Getting ready in the parking lot on a perfect morning.

 The first hill is a slap in the face. If you are not used to going up steep unrelenting hills it will destroy you for the day.

 Taking a break with a nice view!

 Look over the valley of Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument to the right.

 As usual, I am always looking for cracks to climb!

 Getting air born over the gap.

 Cool formations in the shale.



Sliding back down to the cars after getting all dirty and tired out!
What a great way to spend the morning in Colorado!!

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

CAMP Photon Video with Piz!

We sat down last week to talk about why the CAMP Photon carabiners are the best for your climbing.
You also get a sneak peak of my latest new climb called Blood Pulse in Escalante!
Check out the video and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgjQ8aQO_Nc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training wit Piz: Assisted Muscle Ups on Rings

The muscle up is a wonderful activity that works and develops a variety of muscle groups. From your upper and lower back, to your legs, core and triceps and biceps, the muscle up works them all!
It combines the dip (at the end) with the pull up (at the beginning) and the real challenge in the middle (the transition).

Instructions
(these instructions are brief, the muscle up takes a while to master depending on your fitness level)

1. The first thing that you have to do is hold the rings with the proper grip. You want to have your palms and facing towards you and the bottom of your hand/wrist resting on the bottom of the ring.
2. Next, do the pull up motion quickly. (add a kip or upward hip and leg movement)
3. Next, pass through the transition into the dip.
4. It is key to fix your elbows at your side and keep your arms from flying away from your body. (that is where you can rip your shoulders out of place)
5. Then you finally, press (your dip motion) to the straight arm position

• Depending on your ability, you may do these in a try or two or you may have to back up and start with dips, and pull ups to develop your skills, also you may have to use the bar to get your first muscle ups down.
• The rings add the challenge of stabilizing muscles which makes it a truly full body training tool.
• I suggest having a spotter when you first try this move on the rings

How Much?
I woudl do this no more than once a week as a power exercise. You can do three sets of 10 (if you are up to it) If not try to start with 2-5 in three reps.

Good luck and be sure to scaffold your training so you do not get hurt!

Check this other blogger who spends a long time describing the muscle up in great detail: http://www.beastskills.com/the-muscle-up/

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Some Blue Skys and Cobble Climbing

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

 Parawon Gap, just north of Cedar City, Utah

 Walls of pretty solid cobbles just a few minutes hike from your car and south facing!

 Tons of holds and plenty of routes across the grades.

 A little bit vertical, slab and even overhanging routes to get tan on while climbing

 This one is from way back with Luke. I don't know where we are or what we are climbing on.

Mike B. taking the swing at Parawon

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Climbing Desert Sandstone

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

 I have been teaching my son to drive. He is doing really well! The icy roads get him every time though.

 We have been climbing in the snow a lot lately, it was in the upper 20's this day we decided to go multi pitching in the desert.

 Mayan is always game for a sandy crack these days!

 Calcite formations on the wall.

 Mayan on the first pitch. So splitter, one inch crack!

 Me standing at the base of the wall.

 Mayan taking the lead on a beautiful 5.12-.

 At the top and only mostly frozen. Our hands took a beating that day.

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Working it Out, The Project that is.

I began working on a crack that was not my style sometime ago.
I tried the moves.
I learned and rehearsed them.
Then, I built a specific training program to increase my weaknesses for the route.
During the training, a deep freeze came to my town and kept me off the line for 10 weeks.
Fortunately, I had all the sequences written down and memorized.
My first time back on it, I reached a high point (on top rope because I am still too afraid to lead it)
I realized that part of the challenge for me is the endurance of this route.
Break, explore, climb other stuff.
So now, I found a new unclimbed crack project.
It is shorter, more powerful and different.
IT too is a bit scary to lead.
After one day I figured it out and nearly sent.
What is the point?

Well sometimes it is important to get on something else when you are getting frustrated with your current project. Sometimes the feeling of success will trickle over to your other project without you actually knowing. Sometimes the change of movements and effort and mental state allow you to overcome what seems impossible. Sometimes, success breed success.

Both of these routes will be sent, I can and will finish what I started.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training with Piz: Rubber Band Jumping Jacks

These will get your heart rate up and with the correct combination of movements can really become impossible during a circuit.

The point is to get a little opposition in for your arms. All we (as climbers) normally work on is compression and this will work to complement those climbing muscles and help prevent injury.

Similar movements like this with the rubber band will help strengthen you up for those shouldery boulder problems and routes.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme