Back in the Grove!!

Last couple weeks went great!! On the 5^th I had Supermilage club after school. It was a lot of fun because we finished up the engine and was able to take it out and drive it. I will also be one of the people driving our car because it is so small. Afterwards I went to the Y and set a new route that I am working on. I set a couple routes before that, that I am unable to complete. I am really happy I can set something that gives me a challenge because then it will help me getting better at this sport. On the 6^th I worked on a bunch of homework and then helped out Roan and Spencer when they came. They are really a lot of fun because they really like climbing and each week they get better at it. On the 7^th I worked open climb and then headed up to Adventure rock where I had a really good top rope. I was able to complete a 5.11+ that I have been working on for two weeks now. I completed multiple routes that I have been working on for quite some time. Once I was done top roping for the day I went to the bouldering caves and did about 2 hours of bouldering. I was able to complete a bunch of routes that higher than I normally can climb. I am really happy that I am climbing a lot harder grades and lead climbing harder grades.  On the 8^th I got to learn a bunch of new climbing things. I got to learn how to trad climb and practiced for about an hour with just cams. After I got more comfortable with those, I moved to hexes and stoppers (or nuts). I got pretty comfortable with those too pretty fast because I have an awesome coach that helped me get them right. A couple times he was climbing next to me to show me how to do it right and help me see what was not correct and what was. After all that I spent about 10-15mins taking lead falls to still keep up with that and get back into that grove. On the 9^th we had climbing classes which was a lot of fun because there were learning how to tie their knots. After they did that, they got to learn bouldering and the commands for that. After classes I had a core workout which was hard but it was only my second week into doing my core workouts again. On the 11^th I had a test at school which I got an A on it. After school I went to the Y to do my lifting program which I had gone up in weight for almost everything. My bench press was bumped up 10 pounds to 80 pounds (total which is also 75% of my body weight). On the 12^th I had club which we are so close to being done with our car and then we will be starting a new car. All we have left to put on that car is the body panels and to paint it. I got to go climbing after we finished up club for the day. While I was climbing I was able to complete the routes that I have been working on for a week and half. On the 13^th I worked open climb and helped Roan and Spencer when they came in. They did so good; they both got higher on all of the walls they tried. Saturday I went to Adventure Rock where I was able to get on a bunch of new routes that were set for the High School Competition. I was able to complete seven out the nine I tried and three of them I was able to complete lead climbing them. On Sunday I was did another lifting program which went really well!! For climbing I worked on placing cams and nuts again. Monday I watched a movie on reptiles for a half day which was really cool. Then I went home and relaxed for about 3 hours before I had to go to work and teach climbing classes. Today I a lifting program which I went up 10 pounds again. So I have now benching 90 pounds and can bench 85% of my body weight. I went in to the training mode for rock climbing and did a whole bunch of practice lead falls to get back in to that. Those actually went really well and I was able to complete a bunch of routes lead climbing them. I am really happy with how today went. I also got a new climbing chalk bag that is a grey wolf chalk pot. It is pretty beast looking and I am really happy about it and like it a lot! All photos from the past couple weeks and today have been loaded to facebook and will shortly be uploaded to flickr. This summer should be a great summer because we have planning a trip to Utah to go to Mt. Zion for a week of climbing!! Its going to be blast and I just cannot wait until this trip commes around.

Winter Break

 Christmas break so far has been a lot of fun!! On the 23rd we headed up to adventure rock for about 5 hours. There I was climbing a lot of 5.10s or higher to work on moves and routes that I need to work on that I have been having trouble with. At work I got to help on a 5 year old that has autism for about two hours. He is a lot of fun and I really like to work with him. Working with Roan has really helped me both as a person and a climber. Christmas Eve I helped work the rock wall till 1pm after that I went home and helped my mom bake a bunch of cookies and played games. For Christmas I got a bunch of new jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, a climbing hoodie and three new games for the PS3. On the 26th my mom, older brother, little brother, and I all went to the Harley Davidson Museum. We were there for about 3 hours and then we headed to Fridays Front Row at Miller Park for lunch. We got home about 4pm and then sat down and relaxed after a long day of walking. On the 28th we went to Adventure Rock for about 6 hours. While we were there, I did 3 hours of top rope and lead climbing. While I was top rope climbing I flashed a 5.11- and completed about 85% of a 5.11+. After that I started working on a bunch of climbs that were 5.10+ or higher because I was having a good day. Lead climbing, I completed 90% of a route that I have been projecting for a month before my accident, which is a 5.10+. After a fun and tiring day on the ropes I went to the bouldering caves. In the bouldering caves I spent the next 3 hours working on my bouldering to make sure that it matches my rope climbing (they do). While I was bouldering I completed four routes that I have been working on for a week and half. I am really happy with how I have been climbing lately. All considering its only my third week back climbing after everything went down. My climbing is back to where it was if not higher than it was before my accident. On the 29th, I helped with the installment of a volume at my local rock wall. It looks really cool and looks like it has been there for years. I took a break, some time to relax and figure out what I wanted to do for climbing for the night. The 30th I helped work open climb and help some buddies with learning how to lead climb. New years eve we had open climb and then a new year eve party till 10. They did a simulated countdown to midnight for the kids. At the rock wall we had over 75 people come through in 2.5 hours. On the 1st we headed up to adventure rock where we spent 6 hours climbing. During that time I completed multiple 5.10+ and 5.11s. I just missed flashing a 5.11 lead when my foot slipped off a rock at the top of the route. I was really bummed out about the fall but I am still happy with how I did. I also attempted two other 5.11s that I got half way up on. On the 2nd I didn't do to much but it help my body recover from all of the climbing lately.  Around 430 I headed to the Y to help teach climbing classes then after classes I did a core work out. Today, the 4th, was my first day back at school after school I headed to the Y to do a new work out. I got an hour to sit back and relax before I got to do a harder work out. Nearing the end of my work out I did a bunch of practice lead falls. I am still working on the lead falls to get back in the swing of lead climbing for competitions. All of the photos for the past two weeks have been uploaded and the vidoes will be up by the thrusday night.