UKC

With limited time and no home equipment!

My pre Covid goal of (f)7a bouldering was nearly reached but closing of walls / sickness meant I've had a slow retun to 6c bouldering and the occasional 6c+.

What should I train to get 7a? Fingers seem strong but upper body not so (plus left shoulder suffers if too much forces put through it, reigniting old injury)

Will endurance circuits help? Moon board? Woody? Weighted pinch block (which I have at home)?

Given how damn long it takes for injuries to heal, I'm also a bit psychologically blocked from taking certain risk, e.g. mono pockets, coordinated dynos, mad swing outs....

Find a particular 7A that you'd like to climb. Try it, and work out what your particular weaknesses are preventing you from climbing it. Work on those particular weaknesses.

Smash it.

I’m a very similar age and went through the same thing just a few years ago.  I went from thinking I’d never be able to get a 7A to getting quite a few (and a few 7A+ too).

Deacon’s post above is spot on.

I’m assuming you want to get a 7A outdoors?  If so, I’d add that it’s worth trying quite a few of the grade.  Some will seem nails and might seem possible.  Put the time in and train your weaknesses but maybe see if you can make mock-ups of the problems on a system board.

Don’t underestimate how useful it is to have a bit of endurance. Means you can do longer sessions have more tries and there is a sport/trad pay off. Also if you lower the intensity but increase the volume you MAY get fewer tweaks and niggles. I tend to use kilterboard as it’s quite comfortable but use what you have. I pick a problem under my max and just aim to do it twice then rest. Pick a variety of styles to do this in. I have to manage a few ongoing shoulder and elbow issues so strategic rest in between pushing it is key. 

Also, if you're in your 50's I expect you've been climbing for a while, and have a particular style that will play to your skills. Yes, bouldering is often strong & powerful but there always alternatives.

If you have good technique perhaps some slab fettling or if you're handy at sport climbing a nice bum scraping 20 foot traverse will suit.

Also if it's your first 7A there is absolutely nothing wrong with hunting out a softie. There's plenty of time for the harder ones, and once you get one, the others will start to fall.

Get power 

Get power 

Get power

How are you structuring training now? I've been using the Crimpd app and find it works pretty well. Got me back up to Font 7a pretty quick after a loooong lay off.

63 year old next birthday…The biggest gains I’ve ever made is when preparing for bouldering trips by dialling in sport climbing at the wall, doing 4x4s and pyramids. So basically anything you’re not doing now to bring  variety into the training. Another example is getting to another wall to train, so adding the burly beefy Depot pulling to the techy delicate Climbing Works. 

I used to do 4 x 4s. So will restart that though the walls are so busy these days its not as easy!

Pyramids? I'm curious.. 

No training right now, just 3 or 4 sessions pw of either bouldering or autobelays. A typical autobelay session will include 12 - 15 routes up to 6c/6c+. 

I've begun doing endurance circuits and can manage a 6c of about 30 - 40 moves. 

Aren't they a bit slabby?

Started at 40 so 12 years.

I'm not too bad at crimps or slabs though there is a fear, that rises with height, of a slip on those micro foot holds. I've improved a lot on volumes, pinches but I'll never be an advocate of dynos and have sod all campusing ability! Nor bat hangs...

Get a finger board or even just a rung for your house and start following one of the Crimpd programs.

I'm not affiliated to them, it's just worked for me!  

Sounds to me like you need to swap some endurance work for strenght and power.

With the proviso that I’m 38 I’d say you’re getting some solid advice here. The principles of training remain the same for any age - specificity, progressive overload combined with rest for compensation. That’s just basic sport science/ physiology to encourage adaptation. Age means that progress might be slower and the need for rest/ support activities might be increased, but there’s nothing stopping #gainz if you’ve got untapped potential in there. Make sure you’re eating and sleeping enough! 
 

Just a note though - 7A is quite an abstract goal. I assume we’re referring to outdoor problems here. Do you want to climb *a* 7A or have a good chance of getting up *any* 7A?
 

If the former, then to me it’s all about having a project (or couple of) in mind that inspires you, are accessible (e.g. drive time/ walk in time/ long condition window/ safe to climb if not able to get a spotter etc) and then just working towards it. The problem itself will then tell you what you need to do depending on where you’re struggling.

If the latter, that’s about bringing up general level and will require a broader approach e.g. working weaknesses/ blocs of training for strength/ power/ power endurance endurance/ consistent improvement on flexibility etc. 

Overall, for bouldering, my main improvements have come from 1. A structured and continual fingerboard programme to isolate and strengthen components of fitness + manage injuries (your shoulder injury - could this be rehabbed and strengthened using a fingerboard programme?) 2. Having access to a woody for power/ power endurance training 3. Being inspired and motivated with projects in mind. 
 

edit - just re read that you have no home equipment and minimal time. My advice is to get a decent wooden fingerboard (I’ve got a BM2000 - lovely board but I reckon a 1000 probably gives more options) and commit to using it. Relatively cheap, very accessible and you can get a good session in even with only 30-60 minutes. Can work individual grip type strength/ shoulder strength/ endurance/ some power (velocity pulls etc.) 

1 more edit just to emphasise that all this physical/ training stuff is actually probably secondary to tine on the rock!  

I though bouldering was just training for climbing? 

Lots of good advice advice, but as you are Glasgow based why not try popping along to Dumby, I find that repeatedly being spat off there makes for a steady improvement after a few sessions - cheaper than indoors, and even at Dumby in Dec / Jan there will be dry areas (ever dry wall) - if your off over the festive period can think of worse places to head to 

Good luck with what ever route you follow to get to your goal.

The approach that worked for my first (only, so far!) 7A boulder at 55 was as follows:

• find one that suits your style
• go out every Sunday morning for a month while the family are still in bed
• work the exact beta, especially feet, relentlessly
• ... send!

"Suits your style" is crucial. The one I did was slightly overhanging with some big reaches on mostly good crimps, and I had already in the same season done a couple of similar things in the 6C/+ range in a day, so I knew the necessary finger strength level was probably already there. Meanwhile, two blocs over in the same sector there was a 7A compression prow on which I couldn't even get off the ground.

All very worthy, but not going help you get up boulders

I missed this one from the OP. Agree with Alan here, these are effectively junk miles (or at best, active recovery) if your 7A project is a typical boulder of 6-12 moves. Much better focusing on quality/ intensity in 2 sessions a week than knackering yourself with 4 sessions below your limit. If you want to climb 7A and you’re indoors, start working on moves on the V6-V8 range and bouldering at your limit.