RocUp Holidays!!!

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I am so excited about RocUp Holidays and it is about to go live!
This year, for the first time ever, you have the opportunity to be coached by the biggest names in climbing on the beautiful Greek Island of Kalymnos.

There are only a very limited number of spaces available in order to keep our clint:coach ratios down, so you’ll have to be fast to register your interest.
Go to www.rocup.uk and enter your email address now to find out more and reserve your slot.

I will be coaching alongside GB’s finest, Leah Crane and Ben West. These guys also coach on a daily basis and are also super excited about helping you get up your hardest climbs to date!

If that wasn’t good enough, we will be joined in Kalymnos by three of the world’s best and most known climbers.

You have the chance to be coached by the 9b beast that is Magnus Midtbø from the 12th to the 19th September.
From the 19th to the 26th September the first person to ever onsight the grade of 9a, Alexander Megos will be with us to help you;
And last but certainly not least, US star and team member Sierra Blair-Coyle will be in Kalymnos with us from the 26th September to the 3rd October!

These #Rocstars climb on a daily basis and have a wealth of knowledge that has got them to the top of their game. For the first time ever you are able to able to join RocUp in Kalymnos and not only get the best coaching from the resident coaches but also learn from our #Rocstars and get exclusive access to their best tips and secrets on how to get up your hardest onsight and redpoints.

We are all super excited and looking forward to helping you in Kalymnos.
Again, there are only a limited number of spaces available, so go to www.rocup.uk now to register your email.

#SeeyouinKaly

Norrona
RedBull
Sanuk
Petzl

#climbingcoach
#climbingcoaching

Training indoors for outdoors!

Training/climbing indoors is definitely where you can get stronger and fitter, but it should always be for a reason. Whether it is competitions or your next project.

If you are finding yourself climbing and want help achieving your goals outside, then get in touch by email: coaching@robinolearycoaching.com.
Last weekend I took some of my clients on the rock (some for the first time) to put their training into practice.
We had some great performances. From first ever leads (and bold ones at that) to onsights in the 7s and a V9 (3rd go)!

Not only is it a great release from all of that training (for competitions in this case), but it also improves your climbing hugely. From the fact that the bolts aren’t every metre (this crag saw them every 4-5m) helping your mental game, but also how precise you have to be with your footwork and body movement. Everything must be better thought out.

When you return indoors again, you are amazed by how big even the smallest screw-ons are!

I love climbing outdoors more than anything else in this sport and helping others outside gives me the most satisfaction too. Even though indoor sends are great to see, realising that potential outside is even better.

Are you in need of some rock climbing coaching? Whether you are competent indoors but never led outside, you need to improve your tactics, need help with a project or want a project, feel free to email me – coaching@robinolearycoaching.com

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Portland March

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Portland March 5

A Competitive Start To 2015

My coaching time is split fairly evenly between youth climbers and adult climbers. Most of the youth climbers are competition climbers and most of the adult climbers are recreational.

I hugely enjoy both aspects, as the name of the game is improvement and achieving goals set out at the beginning of the year/plan by both me and the client.
When it comes to youth climbers, the rate of progression is faster, they have less inhibitions and with squads, you can set and watch over their entire climbing career. From a bumbly enthusiastic, slightly clumsy 7 year old, to a national winner – the progress is great and the journey is amazing.

I have had a lot of involvement with youth climbers over the last 5-6 years and hopefully it will remain this way into the future.

At the moment, I coach the Surrey Sports Park performance squad alongside Guy Davenport and Morna Middleton.
In 2014, Guy and I took over the squad. They won’t mind me saying that some of the squad were very keen, but technically – well, they sounded like a band whilst climbing – banging and smashing their way up the wall.

From previous blogs you will have seen this has changed. Over 2014 ALL of the squad (now 16 strong) has jumped at least 1 number grade for sport climbing and multiple grades for bouldering.
For example:
2 have gone from 7a-8a/+ and from V5-V8/9
Many from about 6a-7b/c
Some even from 5-7b!

The jumps have been incredible and they have all worked very hard – some more than others, but that shows when it comes round to climbing on the rock or in competitions.

This year started with illness – our entire squad (and coaches) were wiped out with a cold/flu virus. Not the best thing considering we had 3 weeks to the first Blokfest and 4 weeks to the first BMC Youth Climbing Series (YCS).

However, they soon got back into the rhythm after a nice rest period over Christmas.

Blokfest was held at the TCA in Bristol for its penultimate round for 2014/15.Many of the squad went down and the results were fantastic – with multiple 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions per category. I was unable to go to this event due to other coaching commitments, but Morna went with the squad and wrote up about the experience – you can read it here.

The fact that they had all done so well gave them the mental edge on the week run up to round 1 of the BMC YCS 2015.
The BMC YCS is THE youth series for the UK.
With climbers split due to age and sex from 7 and 8 year olds through to 16 and 17s.
The oldest category is A and the youngest E.

The first round this year was hosted by Craggy Island, infamous for being one of the first walls in the area – steep, short and hard! The squad had been getting in their training and had all done a recce trip to get used to the walls and setting.
Their training has worked well, with podiums in all bar one category we entered!
The Podiums:
Cat A Boys: 1st Sam Jenner, 2nd Luke Fletcher
Cat A Girls: 3rd Phoebe Dyer
Cat C Boys: 2nd Jake Collins, 3rd Rob Cook
Cat C Girls: 1st Beth Christian, 2nd Kat Davison
Cat D Girls: 2nd Maddy Broughton

Well done must also go to all of the other squad members and another 1st place in the London and south east (northern divide) Emma Futcher for Cat C girls. Emma trains with the Westway squad as well as 1:1s with me.

The setting and organisation was great. One issue with this competition is that all judges, chaperones and organisers are volunteers. This is a great thing, but also lends itself to some troubles with judging at times. One category had all bar two climbers disqualified (from one climb) for brushing another hold with their lower toe – more a hindrance than a help – still, we still had a 1st and 2nd place despite this set back.

We have plenty of video footage and much to learn from performances on the day. I have to say that most of the squad just sat back and enjoyed the competition, as they should have – and as a result, they climbed very well.

Areas to work on until the final round of Blokfest and the next round of the YCS in about a month’s time.

Thanks must go to Climbers Against Cancer for the clothing, Urbanrock for their constant support alongside Scarpa and Crimp Clothing for supporting one or more of our climbers and Surrey Sports Park for the support with the squad.

Here are some pictures from the day:

Amelie BMC YCS Cat A boys podium BMC YCS Cat A girls BMC YCS podium Cat C boys podium BMC YCS Cat c Podium BMC YCS Instagram BMC YCS JAKE BMC YCS Kat BMC YCS Luke BMC YCS Roof Phoebe BMC YCS Rob BMC YCS SAM BMC YCSMaddy BMC YCS

Film on Fridays

Matthew Phillips Podiums!

A huge congratulations to Matthew Phillips who came 3rd at the BMC / MCofS (The Mountaineering Council of Scotland) ‪#‎ParaClimbing‬ competition which took place at EICA Ratho at the weekend.
For those that have watched Matt train over the last 10 months at Craggy Island Indoor Climbing, Surrey Sports Park and White Spider will testify to how hard he has worked and how far he has come as a climber.

Matt had only climbed four times (parties) when we met in February 2014. His progress has been incredible.

I have no doubt Matt will use this as fuel and we will see him on the top step and international circuit soon.

Well done Matt!!
Matt CI filming

Matt CI Gopro

Matt CI gorpo Nick M

Matt CI medal

Matt Phillips and 2nd in the world paraclimber Nick Middleton, training at Craggy Island

Matt SSP arm

Matt SSP running

A quick write up and more pictures can be seen here.

Blokfest is back!!!

Surrey Sports Park Performance Squad

The Surrey Sports Park Performance Squad have been working hard this year and they continue to do so.

With the British opens rapidly approaching the team have upped their commitment and efforts in order to perform at these competitions.

With the help of the Surrey Sports Park Strength and Conditioning team (Nick), they are focusing on becoming athletes by improving all-round fitness, strength and power whilst reducing any imbalances and likelihood of injuries.

Here are a few videos and pictures of certain members showing their current form.

Although the team were swamped with the flu (or heavy cold) at the BLCCs, I am confident with their progression and for us, it highlights how any shape/size can progress with enthusiasm and drive whilst following a dedicated and specific training plan.

 

If you want to find out more about a plan for you, do not hesitate to contact me on coaching@robinolearycoaching.com.

Cheers,

 

Robin

amelie thumbs up jake back phoebe jake blcc Plank it rob running rob thumbs up rosie high 5 Rosie Sandc sam blcc sam send Sandc lunges squad bicycle Copyright - Tokyomagic (Paul Alexander) warm up 2 warm up 3 warm up powerfingers warm up

White Spider Climbing Competition SEND

Yesterday was the White Spider Climbing Centre‘s 2nd birthday and to celebrate, they put on SEND, a bouldering competition featuring many other twists to make it a great day out for all.

10am saw the “Fun” competition start. Now this was open to all adults and junior climbers, including performance squad members up to 14 years old.
The problems were varied and tough! Set by Percy Bishton, Yann Genoux and Evie Cotrulia the problems were always going to be of a good calibre, but the real test pieces and great competition blocs were saved for the “Elite” competitors which started at 1pm. This was open to all those that were competition climbers including squad members above the age of 14 and GB members too. They were in with a chance of winning £1000 cash!!

I was there along with some of the Surrey Sports Park squad who featured both in the “Fun” and “Elite” category. For us, this was a good chance to see where we all are at the beginning of our new programme – specific weaknesses and areas for improvement – ready for team and individual climbing coaching sessions.

The squad performed well and as expected had certain weaknesses, we can go away and focus on. They loved the problems and the other features – such as a Slackline masterclass and high-line, the “leap of faith”, Wild Country Crack machine, mobile pizza oven, face-painting and some great DJs.

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The squad went around in little groups – Kat, Rosie and Maddy; Issy and Fin; Jake and Rob, then the older ones all seemed to muck in – Phoebe, Rachel, James and Sam.

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Each squad member had highlights, but it was great to see Issy Adams win the female youth competition (Fun) and Jake Collins come in 3rd for the males.
The older members were against adult competitors, such as Gaz Parry, Jon Partridge and Matt Cousins, so it was good for them to get beta and be inspired, as well as getting some tips for some of the problems, but non of them made the finals – next year!

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Sam did perform very well and impressed the top boys and GB team too.

Thanks to all involved in organising for making it a good competition and day out for all ages – and the setters for their great blocs!

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To keep up to date with the performance squad and other clients’ progress, as well as more information about climbing coaching please like and subscribe to my Facebook page.