Systems Training

System set at the Beacon Climbing Centre, Wales

 Began training again using a system that I used to try and maximise my time when I had 6 weeks to get as much Power Endurance as I could for the BLCC's a year ago. It consists of building maximal strength for the fingers using borderline grip types with little distance between them to maximise the focus on the finger loading and contact strength before the natural progression towards PE is achieved by default. Finishes with campus sets on jugs once the fingers are drained to build more power across the back and shoulder girdle... Takes an hour.

1st session today at the Beacon Climbing Centre where I trained for an hour on the system then nearly fell off every easy route I tried after just an hour on the system. So it works ... For me!

Owen Jones trying out my system

If you are interested in 1:1 training sessions for increased Power Endurance sessions with Mark at the Beacon Climbing Centre , then contact him on markmcgowan01@gmail.com for details.

Set some routes at the Beacon... it was good!

The Beacon

... It was good!

Bouldering in Ogwen, North Wales... It was good!

... It was good!

Welsh Rock Trad Program with 1:1 Coaching in North Wales: Welsh Classics from VS to E5

Welsh Rock

After 25 years away from Welsh Trad, it was great to get back into things with a gentle introduction with friends at Holyhead Mountain on a lovely sunny Welsh day along the coast of Gogarth. In 1985 as a young 16 year old, I climbed amazing classics around the Snowdonia National Park such as the Right and Left Walls of the Cromlech (E5 & E3), The classic headwall crackline of Cream on Tremadog (E4), Dream of White Horses HVS on Gogarth and Comes the Dervish E3 on slate all in the same week... I was so inspired by these climbs that I moved to Wales that year.

Cordelia Molloy at Holyhead Mountain, North Wales

Ben Ram on Holyhead Mountain, North Wales

Cordelia Molloy at Holyhead Mountain, North Wales

I'm back having done some 'stuff ' in the last 25 years and have decided to relearn these classics and coach and design a program that finishes with ascents of the Welsh Trad Classics:

The Program will consist of:

• 6 week training/conditioning online program (£75)
• Option of 3 seperate days of 1:1  Trad coaching at location of choice (can be split over weeks if required) (£125 per day)
• 3 week training program designed around climb of choice (£50)
• 1 days coaching on objective Trad route of choice (£150)

If you would like further information on the Welsh Rock Trad Program then please contact markmcgowan01@gmail.com

 

 

Over excited on Welsh Trad after 25 years away!

3rd Ascent of For Whom The Bell Tolls E6 (1985)

The Chimp & I (age 17) outside Pete's Eats 1985.

2nd Ascent of Art Groupie E6, North Stack Wall (1988)

Recovery... Part 1.

 Been training at the Beacon Climbing Centre in North Wales, where I am beginning the path back to fitness again after a few months recovery in Scotland after returning from the Pyrenees. It seems to take a few visits to relax properly at a new training venue and begin to get the best from oneself on lead. Each week brings small progressive steps towards last years fitness. First session began with a 6c fail on the last move, 2nd then progressed to a 7a, then a 7a in approach shoes a few sessions later and now I am completely hooked on working sessions on a great 7c+ to try and get into a power endurance environment again.

Applying the tactics I learned last year where one concentrates on the volume/number of working sessions on a route above your standard as the training objective to build some power endurance. I am not yet 7c+ fit but have got up to 3 goes on the route on the last sessions, so aiming for 4 will by default lift my PE and later, an accidental red point! Then move maximal finger strength up a notch then change to a harder environment again.

Climbing on lead feels different this year with less angst and much more relaxed approach focusing on each move with less noise or ambition getting in the way of what I feel will be my most enjoyable years climbing... ever!

Ben on the 7a at The Beacon Climbing Centre

Ive been coaching a friend Ben on a  great 7a at the Beacon and I reckon we will chain it soon. It's great to see someone stretch themselves, but also I am learning from Ben about keeping a high level of fun in  climbing as the overriding factor which is reflecting back into my climbing.

Last year I concentrated on increasing flexibility and core and this year I am hoping to focus and change my psychological approach to my climbing and also introduce sports massage support for more effective recovery to maximise each session for a great summer in North Wales. More on that next...

Join our ReAch Feb Team...

We are recruiting for early February Team to join our Online Dual Factor training program for 4 months.

Training consistently is not easy, and that's what makes the program more successful. By having someone, keeping an eye and advising where possible, provides a greater incentive to be consistent.

When I came back to climbing in 2010, I was worried I wouldn't stay the course at the level of intensity I wanted to achieve my own goal (6a to 8a in 6 months). It was tough but luckily I was sufficiently crazy! But by writing my own training diary and researching my way through the process it lead to the development of our Online DF Program that is now used at ReAch.  If you train consistently with structure then you will improve...

Coaching 1:1 in Siurana, Spain with MCofS kids

You will have access to training information documents as well as your own online program, designed and monitored by Mark to help support you during the training period.

The cost is £200.00  for the 4 month program.

ReAch member Amanda Lyons training at
Ratho, Edinburgh, Scotland
(Photo:Stuart Stronach )

If you climb between 6a and 7c and are looking to improve your sport climbing fitness using our Dual Factor Online Program, then please contact markmcgowan01@gmail.com to arrange your place on the program. We now have climbers training with us from UK, Canada, Spain,  So join us and be the best you can be ...

Filming for MTA : new routing on Gozo Island

Giving Back... A12 year old ambition...

I started climbing when I was 12 years old and bouldered on my own mostly on a 12ft sandstone wall in Blantyre, near Glasgow on and off till I was about 19. Then Scotland's first bouldering wall was built in the Kelvin Hall Sports Centre by a company called Bendcrete Climbing Walls. My girlfriend and I moved into a flat immediately in the street next door to the wall coincidentally called Blantyre Street...

Blantyre Wall

I trained on the wall 3 days on, 1 day off for 4 months, right through Christmas then entered the UK Open Climbing Competition and came 5th.

Later I was kindly awarded a Talented Sports Performance Award by the MCofS, given £250 towards travelling round the European International Competition circuit and a free entry to the Kelvin Hall Climbing Wall for a year...

There was no coaching then and perhaps with coaching I may have made the British Team ( I missed it by one place, John Arran got it I think - good for him.) I could have trained or tried harder, or tried less hard and been more relaxed, which one was it? At the time I was happy with 5th as I was the top of the Scottish climbers, enjoyed a curry in London with probably the best Scottish Climber and his girlfriend and got on the night bus back to Glasgow and slept in the doorway of Nevisport (where I worked) until the boss arrived to open the shop. I got sponsored by Cassin that week.. with ropes harnesses, anything I wanted, that they made was mine. It felt amazing. I had worked hard on my own and got shown some appreciation back.

In coaching, it's not about you (me),. We all have ego, but it's about them! This is obvious to say but much harder to truly learn. I'm learning more and more and slowly start to understand that supporting a young person's climbing adventure is good for me too... But not in a me way! Get me!  So the question isn't why should we help others, the question is why shouldn't we!

I was recently inspired by a friend's young daughter who is 12 who has already achieved phenomenal results off her and her fathers own back, with limited help and it made me realise that they should be getting more help. Already her achievements have been outstanding for her age:

Rhiannon Freireich (Age 12)

• Climbing for 3 years
• Hardest Redpoint : Indoor 7b, Outdoor 7a
• Hardest Onsight : Indoor 7a, Outdoor 6c+
• Boulder font 7a
• Currently Scottish Champion in routes, boulder and speed and 2nd overall in UK for two consecutive years

But something stood out when I received her profile, something I knew about:

" Long Term Goals: Climb for the British Team and be the youngest Scottish female to climb 8a"

I wasn't female! I hope not! But I knew about trying for the British Team and being the youngest Scottish Climber to climb 8a.

So I have decided to see if ReAch can try and help  young Rhiannon and her father with their quest to help her be the best she can be, and these things are:

• Coaching (From myself and a training plan, and hopefully a session with  Johnny Dawes - he doesn't know it yet!)
• Equipment Sponsorship, especially (HELP!)
• Financial Support from Governing Bodies (HELP!)

If you can HELP, then please contact markmcgowan01@gmail.com ... 

A New Year...

Bolting in Gozo

A new year brings new motivations, new ideas and new inspirations...

2012 was exciting (good and bad) with adventures to some places unexpected such as the Midi Pyrenees, new routes on Gozo Island then Coaching again in Spain for the Mountaineering Council Of Scotland at Siurana... Working a 28m roof and learning new things about climbing and myself that I never knew before.

There was only a three week period in the whole year that I managed to train near my TRUE physical and professional limit... In the Pyrenees ... Maybe make that 4 this year!

... There was 3 months at my mental limit ... In the Pyrenees... So I am stronger.

... Plans for 2013... Get inspired, climb rocks, make new friends, try harder.

... Happy New Year climbing friends!

Mark

ReAch Mid January Team...

Barcelona 

Winter at Montserrat, Spain

ReAch are now canvasing for 10 new clients for Mid January to start on our Online Dual Factor Program (£200 for 4 month online program). If you climb from between 6a to 7c and are looking for the potential to train and substantially improve over 4 months with a personal program and online support, then please contact us to join the Team.

If you wish to join the Mid January Team, then please contact markmcgowan01@gmail.com and he will arrange to to gather your training information, arrange payment and design your program.

We have a closing date of 10th of January to allow us to prepare and design the programs .

Payment for your program is invoiced via paypal.

Lleida, Spain

Last few weeks of training for our September Team... Incredible!

We are nearly there with the ReAch September Team, with just a few weeks left, it has been great seeing the ups and downs and back UPs again! Training for 4 months consistently is not easy, I know.

Sport science is ever changing and only some data seems to carry forward into the next generation of research as 'credible'... We use various training methods specializing in Dual Factor but for me, what makes the ReAch Training Program 'credible' is having someone watching how you are doing during the program period and this is the whole center for my coaching.

Back in GB

It is not that I am a better climber ( I have climbed 8a+ so far since returning in 2010 and am proud but like you, I want more! 8b is killing me, but I have a plan!) but I think I understand the motivational drivers and need for support when things can get a bit tougher.

So here is to my September Team : Matt, Chris, Duncan, Joanne...Nearly THERE! :)

A link to Chris sending Weed Killer Traverse in the Peak and his recent trip to El Chorro in Spain below:

November Tor from 205Chris on Vimeo.

El Chorro

Chris Taylor at El Chorro

Joanne Lucas at Grotte De Sabart testing her core!

Duncan Jones Working techniques at Calames in Ariege

1:1 day at Dunkeld, Scotland on 7b+ with Joanne

Joanne working 8a at Grotte de Sabart, Ariege, Pyrenees

Mark Taking a lesson from Malcolm at Calames

Duncan doing his (S1) at TCA Glasgow's Board Area

If you wish to join our next Training Team using our Online Dual Factor Programme, then please contact markmcgowan01@gmail.com for start dates.

www.jmclimbing.com