Staying in shape for caving during lockdown
- Thread starter David Rose
- Start date
Cantclimbtom
Well-known member
I was "enjoying" the same workout program at the weekend, except for me it was changing the thermo mix bath taps/shower. The hot water side was an absolute so-and-so to reach and of course it just wouldn't come undone. Scraped most skin off the back of left knuckles, but I found shouting carefully chosen motivational words was great assistance. Oddly enough I also used a headlamp strategically placed under bath to see the back corner.PeteHall said:
Definitely a good ab workout, plus some vocal training too.
pwhole
Well-known member
Cantclimbtom said:
Swearing has been scientifically proven to reduce pain, as this eminent example shows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA-g3Mhgnjk
Stuart France
Active member
I don?t know where you all find the time, and you all seem so organised about it, and committed.
I?m curious to know what ?splits? and ?box splits? are that Roy refers to. Is this something to do with martial arts manoeuvres that rip apart trousers or shorts?
For caving trips, raw strength isn?t going to help much. To get anywhere interesting (and back) you need endurance and flexibility. Digging is altogether another matter, and I?m always impressed by people who pick up and throw boulders that I would only roll away, and I?ve noticed they are really willing for that sort of role.
My stay-fit suggestion for normal folks is doing 40 minutes non-stop of some sort of semi-demanding aerobic exercise, doesn?t matter what it is, can be a variety of things or combinations, on two days out of three - unless you go caving which then counts as one of the active days. It doesn?t pay to over-do things, but it needs to be 40+ minutes done on a regular basis to have a marked and lasting effect.
I?m lucky to have big hills very close by. There is also a good network of quiet minor roads and farmland footpaths or bridleways, many of which I had never bothered with much in earlier years.
I?m curious to know what ?splits? and ?box splits? are that Roy refers to. Is this something to do with martial arts manoeuvres that rip apart trousers or shorts?
For caving trips, raw strength isn?t going to help much. To get anywhere interesting (and back) you need endurance and flexibility. Digging is altogether another matter, and I?m always impressed by people who pick up and throw boulders that I would only roll away, and I?ve noticed they are really willing for that sort of role.
My stay-fit suggestion for normal folks is doing 40 minutes non-stop of some sort of semi-demanding aerobic exercise, doesn?t matter what it is, can be a variety of things or combinations, on two days out of three - unless you go caving which then counts as one of the active days. It doesn?t pay to over-do things, but it needs to be 40+ minutes done on a regular basis to have a marked and lasting effect.
I?m lucky to have big hills very close by. There is also a good network of quiet minor roads and farmland footpaths or bridleways, many of which I had never bothered with much in earlier years.
RobinGriffiths
Well-known member
I'm doing minor roads, muddy riverbanks and farmland paths. I've got some mountains nearby, but at 5 miles away, they're not really feasible with the Welsh begin exercise from home directive. Maybe they'll give us a 10km drive to begin exercise like they did in April by Spring?
pwhole
Well-known member
This was my afternoon stroll in Sheffield today, which admittedly spoils us somewhat by having Peak District-sized hills at the end of the street, but what you gonna do? But this is an average walk for me, without using public transport. The River Sheaf is at the two low bits - I crossed it twice. The middle bit was Arbourthorne/Deep Pit/Manor, for those who know the place.
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NewStuff
New member
Stay in cave shape?
You can't really. It's a way of moving that is hard to replicate. Anyone coming off a while out of caving/exploring will attest to that, I certainly was when I was out for a bit, though I did plenty of walking and tramping up and down inconviniently big hills. We're all in for a rude shock when we can go play in the usual manner once again.
You can't really. It's a way of moving that is hard to replicate. Anyone coming off a while out of caving/exploring will attest to that, I certainly was when I was out for a bit, though I did plenty of walking and tramping up and down inconviniently big hills. We're all in for a rude shock when we can go play in the usual manner once again.
JackSherlock
New member
Still trying to perfect the 'prussik-mill'.
You just throw the 60m up to a branch and have your mate belay you, continuously paying more rope out at you climb.
You just throw the 60m up to a branch and have your mate belay you, continuously paying more rope out at you climb.
Alex
Well-known member
But you are not allowed to see your mates lol! Plus none of the trees in my garden are big enough, because I had thought about doing this but, I would have to use a public tree, which is probably against a Covid rule for some reason. (2 forms of exercise, some crap like that?)
JackSherlock
New member
I guess this is the benefit of being a student, living with a house full of cavers! The downside being we talk about it exclusively 
Alex
Well-known member
Yeh for me, the tree is the issue. I have John for the belayer I was thinking of others.
Anyway my keep fit exercies are basically 30 x pressups, 15 bicep curls each arm, 15 weight lifts each arm, 20 squat thrusts with a weight, (trying to mimic prussicing).
Finally a 3 mile run most lunch times and a bike ride at the weekend + hikes.
At this rate I am going to be fitter in this lock-down then I ever was, but prob not cave fit
Anyway my keep fit exercies are basically 30 x pressups, 15 bicep curls each arm, 15 weight lifts each arm, 20 squat thrusts with a weight, (trying to mimic prussicing).
Finally a 3 mile run most lunch times and a bike ride at the weekend + hikes.
At this rate I am going to be fitter in this lock-down then I ever was, but prob not cave fit
Cantclimbtom
Well-known member
Be careful not to get over enthusiastic and make sudden increases in anything. Build up gradually.Alex said:...At this rate I am going to be fitter in this lock-down then I ever was, but prob not cave fit
Very first lockdown I decided to really work on my jogging and start adding in regular sessions of very hard hill sprints (which I was hardly doing before), I'm just about finishing rehabilitation of my left Achilles -- all this time later!
Wouldn't it be better *not* to do that. So you changeover to ab down then without touching the floor changeover to jugging back up again, maybe even the a knot in the middle of the rope to have to pass, practice the ropes as well as the fitness. If you do that for long periods of time, make sure it's a rope you borrowedJackSherlock said:
Suggestion: two ropes a metre apart hanging in a tree. Up one, down the other past a knot, then across back over onto the first rope without touching the ground. See how quickly you can do 10 circuits of that, and practice to beat that time, compete against your housemates for glory and beer. (stay safe!)
