I’ve been pumping iron since 2012. Prior to that, I took pride as a mountain biker, B minus level soccer player, and a former 10k finisher. Many of those years were spent as tye dye clad vegetarian so you can imagine the frame I was working with at the start. Powerlifting, and later bodybuilding was a true role-playing game (RPG) as I leveled up the body and mind. It’s an unparalleled sense of power when you reach a new plateau; the nemesis that is the 3-plate squat, the later 4-plate deadlift *with poor form*, and more slowly the 2-plate bench. I had begun with not even being able to do a pullup to breaking the 1,000 lb club in around two years. Using weight training as an outlet for stress and unspoken emotions in place of therapy I kept increasing the weights at the expense of my body. My joints and back paid the price for my chase of mythical numbers to prove a point in a group chat and a scruffy sense of self-pride. More will be written on injuries another time, but I was able to train around them and incorporated Stuart McGill’s Big 3 among other pre-workout exercises into my routine. After a particularly bad breakup with Voldemort, I dove into bodybuilding. With it came cutting weight and experimenting with new templates and supplements where I peaked with a 365 bench (or more) and superhero size upper body. But where would that take me? A pose for Instagram, a swelfie for online dating?
Severe leg pains hit me last summer when I started a one-day presidential traverse of 18 miles with 8,182 ft. elevation gain and I knew something had to give. Mind you my sister did this whole thing with zero training and there are mountain try-hards who fail, so we must have some good genes! I didn’t have any plans to compete for bodybuilding but I didn’t want to leave the muscle behind as I sought new summits.
After a series of unfortunate events (dear reader you’ll learn about them someday), I was forced to relocate across a few states and was reluctant to sign on the dotted line for a proper gym not knowing where I’d end up. I’d bouldered with a friend (who’s showed up all of once, let’s see if he makes the next blog) and wound up taking the newbie discount for a cheap initiation rate to a climbing gym. I’d already had climbing gear from when I dated Voldemort. An expert in the scene she had taken me on granite walls well before I was comfortable on a rope or competent to tie climbing knots. With her in the gym, I was fear-gripping 5.8s shrekking up with upper body strength, and terrified of taking a fall. Meanwhile, she climbed 5.13’s like a spider and led outdoor pitches and ice that other gals wouldn’t dare. Whether that relationship worked or not is beside the point, I hadn’t had much practical experience with rock climbing until Sept. ‘23.
With a climbing membership in hand, I decided on a new fitness experiment. What if I were to do all of my weight training at a climbing gym? What would that look like? Could I keep my gains? Upon writing this two months later the real question should be instead if I truly wanted to keep my size. I knew I could still hit arms with a bench day and an overhead press day but legs and back would be a challenge with only a power rack and maximum 225 of weight. So I decided running and soccer would be legs, well unless you count the odd day of front squats and rows as an actual “leg day.”
Armed with a Garmin watch to log my sports and calories, I decided to give this whole body transformation a go. Now my goals were more alpine than urban. I had longed to someday climb 20,000 ft. after reading a series of mountaineering books as a kid. I had seen peaks elevation of 4,000 M when I lived in China and probably hiked a bit higher. Let’s face it– life is too short to lift 5 days a week inside and measure your macros by the gram. I knew there was another way but I wanted to see if I could forge a middle path. Could I keep somewhat of my gym punk physique and become a competent climber? Let’s find out.
First Log: Sept -October 31st
Okay, I’ll stick to a monthly log after this but here goes.
Starting Weight: 215 Ending umm. Pretty similar, will edit
Lifts Split into A, B, C days
A) Bench [225] 3x 6-8 later developed to 4 x 6-8
Flys / Hammer curl / Dumbbell tricep extension Giant sets 3 – 4 X F
These are tiring sets as you don’t take any rest between the flys and curls and use the same weight in my case [25] or [30]lb and go to failure which can be something like 30, 18, 12, 8 if you are working hard. The tricep extension at [50] lbs is a bit easy but 50 lb is the maximum weight at the gym!
After weights on each day, I climb for an average of 15-20 attempts or 7-10 full climbs depending on grade. This can take 60 – 80 minutes depending on how busy it is and if I need a snack or get chatting. I’ve found that if I keep my heart rate up I can burn 380-500 kcal a session according to my Garmin watch. But I’m going to stop wearing it because I’ve already scratched the hell out of the outside.
B) Overhead press [135 lbs] with belt (my back!) 3 or 4 sets of 6-8
Shoulder shockers, kudos to @altima88 for teaching me these…
Performed as a “giant seat” 1) 45 plate raise till failure 2) Dumbell Shrug Press start at like [40] lbs 3) Dumbell side raise 15 x F
I do three or four sets of these dropping weight only on the shrug press so it would be 40, 35, 30, 25 on a good day. Pausing for water, chat, and phone nonsense only after the full set.
C) Leg Day
Okay this is a joke
Front squats Ronnie Coleman cross your arms grip
[135] 12, 12, 15, or sometimes I go AMRAP on last set for like 20ish
Bent over barbell row
BOYOROWS as we call ‘em [135] Belted. 3xF
This varies depending on how much noise I want to make, there has been a yoga class going on right next to me. I find that doing slower reps helps so 8-12 is a good range.
Climbing:
Top Rope: 5.9s in gym save 1 on auto belay
Bouldering: V2s
Okay, you came to learn about my climbing. This is where the true entertainment and transformation lies. I am proud to say that I started at 5.8 with poor all-arms technique and was not able to do one 5.9. In the span of two months, I have sent every 5.9 on auto belay (besides one due to bad body positioning) and have a much easier time with my belay buddy JQ, who complimented my tats and now we climb together! Yesterday I made 15 attempts on the first 4 moves of a 5.10 autobelay attracting the attention of a climbing bro and seemingly single lady to give me tips on technique. This is tremendous progress for me. I started with zero confidence on slopers or crimps and now have completed 5.9s which are all that one style of hold. As for bouldering it really is a crap shoot with my back pain on anything where I’m hanging or swinging. Plus with my body weight at what it is now that’s not doing me any favors. I have however consistently sent V1s and 2s with maybe one 3 I’d done or that could have been in 2021.
Running:
Longest Run: 4.02 miles
Best mile: 8:01 Average mile speed 8:39 when I run on road and not trails
Shit man, I can’t believe I did a 4-mile run this heavy. What really sucks has been shin splints. I’ve experimented with taking my super feet orthotics in and out, wearing tall compression socks and the like. I still have had significant pain from the first stride for the last two or three weeks of running. I hope this goes away as the rock gym does not have functional cardio equipment (the treadmill is broken) and from an aerobic perspective running feels pretty good so far. Hopefully, with time these shin splints will subside as I enjoy making strides.
Still far from an alpinist!
Stay strong,
Anders