Focus on Form (with video!)

Fairly thrashed from the two-WOD day on Saturday, I resolved to spend Sunday focusing on form and not really pushing the weight. Lucky for me, the WOD was overhead squats, so it's not like I could really push the weight high anyway...my OHS are transitioning between "complete crap" and "not complete crap" - progress of which I'm very proud.

Overhead Squat 15-5-5-5

45-55-65-75/4

As the video shows, I need to work on my depth, particularly when the weight goes up. My shoulder flexibility has improved, though, which is invaluable since my back flexibility really has not, and I still can't keep my chest very high (on any form of squat, really). Still, this is 20# heavier than the last time I tried OHS, and my form feels much more solid. I think 95# (and an RX Jeremy) are no longer way out of my reach.

We went from one Touchstone gym directly to another, to do a little climbing with Katherine & Blake at Mission Cliffs. With ripped up hands and sore muscles, I didn't expect a stellar job, but it wasn't actually that bad.

10a(o), 10d(f++), 10d(f+), 10c(f)

The first 10d was a really delicate book stem, with tons of open-hand slopers and tricksy balancing. I slid off a lot, and did not get the last move legitimately - it involved rotating to get my other hip against the wall, and although I knew this was what was needed, I just couldn't figure out how to do it, so I just swung over on the rope. Bad. The second 10d was a great climb on the slab/roof wall, with lots of big, satisfying moves that seemed impossible until you figured out the right progression, and then were easy. It had a VERY tricky expanse of 6-7 feet traversing under a roof with NO footholds - took me forever to figure out that a portion of the texturing had come off the wall, and you were supposed to use the quarter-inch of purchase this gave you as a foothold. The last 10c was nothing but huge buckets, just very long and very steep - I was so pumped I couldn't make it all the way to the top without resting.

Watching women climb

Someone, I forget who, once told me that if I wanted to improve my climbing, I should watch women climb. As opposed to the raw strength that a lot of men display in getting up the wall, women are masters of efficiency and grace. I have read of female climbers able to climb in the 12's, but unable to do a single pull-up.

This is one of the most beautiful climbing videos I've seen, both in terms of the climbing and the camera work. It's worth clicking the link and waiting the extra few minutes to watch it in HD.

Thanks to Brian at The Way is in Training for the link.