Jo Neame

 With a third lockdown underway and not much uni work to do, I figured it was time for me to use my rest day to do something more productive that Netflix binging. I entered 2021 with a sense of optimism, hoping that this year would be somewhat more ordinary than the last and that I might finally be able to put my training gains to the test in competition. Less than a month into the year and the future still seems very uncertain, so to try and preserve my optimism I thought I’d reflect on the progress I am currently making on my competition style bouldering, in particular my dynamic movement and coordination, both of which are undoubtedly my greatest weaknesses. In September 2020, after months of climbing outside and training in and out of lockdowns, I finally had the opportunity to practice world cup style moves at the newly established, dedicated training space for GB athletes at Unit E in the Climbing Works, Sheffield. During my 2019 boulder season, I came to the terms with the...

After months spent training at home I finally had the opportunity to travel this summer! As someone who is very used to living out of a suitcase going between comps, the prospect of spending summer at home did not fill me with joy, so when some mates asked if I wanted to join them on a climbing and scuba diving trip to Croatia, I didn’t hesitate to book my ticket. Paklenica may not be as well known as some other European sport climbing destinations, but it certainly has a lot to offer. I have always focused primarily on indoor climbing, following a busy training schedule which over the years has given me little time to get outdoors. However, with the competition season as good as cancelled this year, I’ve spent lockdown transferring my skills to rock. Before going to Paklenica, all my trips have been performance focussed-not what you’d exactly call a ‘holiday’, but rather an opportunity to show how my training had paid off. For this trip I decided to adopt the mindset of wanting to c...

So as you all may have noticed, I haven’t written on this blog for a long time, mainly due to the fact that I’ve been focusing on my studies at uni. With the very weird situation going on, I’ve decided, as I’m sure many others have, to rekindle an old hobby-blog writing! As someone who is used to and enjoys a very regimented, busy training schedule (and life in general), I have struggled to adapt my lifestyle but I feel that in the days that have already passed I have learnt some lessons about myself and the way I live. My family home is in London, but I decided to stay in student halls in Leeds during this period as my family and I felt that travelling to the hub of the virus didn’t seem to make sense at this time and, being the outdoorsy person that I am, I felt it would be better for me psychologically and physically to be near larger green spaces for my single daily exercise. I miss my parents and sister, but I also appreciate the time I have spent getting to know myself! Below ...

I feel honoured to have competed alongside such a strong team of athletes  (photo by Band of Birds) Finally I have found time to sit down and write again! It’s been a very busy couple of months, with a Lead World Cup taking place on almost every weekend in July and the World Championships filling the majority of August. This has been the highlight of my year and what I have worked so hard to enjoy and while I am relieved to have some time at home with family, I have relished the chaos and commotion of my travels. I did not get the results I was hoping for at the Lead World Cups, feeling that I had only fought hard in Chamonix, while in Villars and Brian ç on I felt that my results did not reflect my ability. However, in hindsight, I realise that my preparation for these comps had been far from ideal and the process of competing and being out in Europe for a month was nonetheless a great learning experience. Being selected for the Senior Championships in Hachioji, Japan, w...

A close-up of my pre-injured hand (photo by Leo Cackett) With the Boulder World Cup season done and dusted it should be time to start getting ready for the lead season, my stronger discipline. However, sometimes things don’t go to plan and you can find yourself sat in bed, nursing an injured finger and wondering why such bad luck comes at the exact wrong time! I recently found myself in this situation (and am currently still recovering and unable to train at the level I would normally) after damaging a vein, whilst fingerboarding a couple of weeks ago. I’ve had my finger scanned and the injury could have been a lot worse-instead of spending months without climbing I am expecting for my finger to be healed within another week or so. The experience has given me a lot of time to reflect about the priorities in my life and the importance of climbing in it. My initial fears that I would be unable to compete in the Lead World Cups this year have now been consoled, as I know now that ...

As many of you will know my schedule has been rather busy lately as I’ve been competing in my first ever Boulder World Cup season! As a result, this is m y first post in a while, but I’ll keep it short to give a quick insight into my experience so far. Last year I represented GB in a couple of Lead World Cups but as I was still a junior, my season was focussed on the junior comps. Now, having stepped up into the seniors, all my training is orientated towards those comps and I have had the chance to try my hand at the bouldering circuit. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, having watched many a live-stream where the athletes leap around in a more parkour style than what I thought of as ‘climbing’. This comp style has never been my forte; I’ve always been stronger at the basic, board-style problems. However, I have learnt so much already from this season that I’m psyched to work on my biggest weaknesses-dynamic movement and coordination. My first event was Moscow and I we...

Up until now my blog has served to guide people through my climbing experiences; people know me as an athlete and that is all. However, for this post I want to write more about myself and how I strive to find balance in my life. For me, climbing is the most important aspect of my existence, but equally, it is for this reason that there have been times when I have felt on the verge of break down because all my self-value relied on climbing and my performance in the sport. I cared little about anything else-my social life, my studies, my other hobbies, even my family. In saying this I may sound like some cold-hearted climbing machine and in many ways that’s how I saw myself, but it is my belief that this mind-set is not uncommon among individuals who dedicate the majority of their life to achieving and mastering a single activity. I am by no means a changed person from the Jo who isolated herself from the rest of her life in the pursuit of being the best. I still struggle to find a bal...

One of the most important factors in pushing your grade in climbing is getting into a warm-up routine. This routine can be so useful for developing mobility and strength, enabling your body to unlock its potential during training, but the most important thing is that you find a routine which you can stick to. I have included a number of steps which I have used in warm-ups in the past, but the key thing to remember is that different exercises work for different people. The three essential stages are a pulse-raiser, dynamic stretching of some kind and easy climbing. However, you must be able to be flexible with your routine, adapting it for different places and time-frames. Pulse Raiser The purpose of a pulse raiser is to get the blood flowing through your muscles so that oxygen can reach even your extremities and you can make full use of your muscles. You can have a lot of fun at this stage, playing games if you are training in a group. One main reason why lots of people miss this...

Having not written in a blog post in a long time I felt it was time to resurrect what I started with a few tips which I think could be helpful for a lot of people! I get asked all the time about my training and though there’s no secret key to inevitable success, I do have some advice which can be used whether you’re a complete newbie looking to start a hobby for the new year, or an experienced climber who has hit a plateau. Train in the right environment Probably the most important element of training is that you want to do it. There is no point in setting out goals which you aren’t motivated to achieve because you won’t be enjoying the process of achieving them. If possible, try and find a training partner-I always climb better when working with someone of a similar ability to me or better. This way you can learn from each other and take it in turns to train and rest, making the process more sociable. Everyone’s bodies are programmed to work best at different times, so try vary...

As I sit here on my laptop, staring out of my window onto a grey, raining gloom-August in England-I can't help but think of the sunny skies of Arco, Italy, where I spent my last week on a GB Team training trip. The trip was a perfect combination of activities in a perfect location-we spent our time eating ice cream. swimming in Lake Garda, playing 'Manhunt' in the warm evenings and of course climbing, both at the incredible Rock Master Wall and outdoors at a variety of crags. Having not done much outdoor sport climbing before, I was quite nervous at the start of the trip, expecting to be completely out-climbed and terrified of the whole experience. To my surprise, my fears soon subsided and as we visited more crags, my confidence grew and by the end of the trip I had flashed 7b and redpointed my first 8a outdoors. Topping out on 'La Cucina dell'Inferno' (8a) was definitely the highlight of my trip but I also really enjoyed trying the competition style routes se...

Despite initially not being particularly bothered about attending this event (as it was a senior comp so would be very difficult and was not in my favoured discipline), I ended up finding the Senior  British Bouldering Championships  one of the most exciting events I have ever been to. Located in a tent outdoors on Devonshire Green, Sheffield, the BBCs was part of the annual Cliffhanger festival, a festival showcasing outdoor sports with food stalls and live music to add to the atmosphere. However, upon arrival in the heavy rain, my initial feelings were not entirely positive and I began to wonder whether it had been worth turning up at all. The qualification format was one with which I am not entirely familiar-5 mins on 5 off for 5 problems (so no extra time to read the problems and no chance to grab some other beta)-and I found it stressful to figure out my own beta and get each problem done in the time. After almost flashing the 1st block but slipping off the last hold and...

Eyy! Exams are over! To celebrate the start of my long 'summer' holidays (though it doesn't look much like summer to me) I travelled up to Snowdonia for the weekend to get some indoor and outdoor climbing done. Because I will be having a GB team training event next weekend to select for the European and World Championships, I decided to spend a day at the  Beacon Climbing Centre  where the selection event will be held to get some practice on the different walls. I like the walls at the Beacon as, despite not being very steep like most other walls, they are very tall and often have consistent, non-cruxy routes which require stamina and solid vert technique-the kind of routes which suit me best. I enjoyed getting on some of the harder routes to onsight but discovered a couple of routes set with wooden holds-holds I had only experienced on circuit boards and did not like on routes. These were slippy and unpredictable but I gave them a go anyway. My favourite route of the day...

Last weekend I entered my first ever international competition-the European Youth Cup held at  Imst Kletterzentrum . Due to having an exam the day before the comp, I was unfortunately unable to travel with the GB Team, so arrived late on Friday. The demos were scheduled for 8.30am on Saturday, so it was an early start for the whole team and we all got down to the wall in time to have a look around and get warmed up before the climbing began. The wall ( or I should say walls) was amazing,but what struck me in particular was the indoor wall (we were competing outside) which had an amazing range of angles, all crammed into a space smaller than most centres in the UK and yet far more impressive. My first qualifier was soon revealed to be a very technical vertical route up the middle. This should have suited me. However, extreme nerves overtook me and I found myself greasing of a pair of chalky crimps halfway up the route, with lots of energy still to spare. To my annoyance, the route ...

Fontainebleau...one of the best bouldering venues in the world and a place I have wanted to visit for so long. In March I finally did get the chance to go and what better an opportunity for the weather to pack in and rain almost constantly. Much time was spent fondling wet rock optimistically and it was frustrating to watch the days of our short trip go by from behind a window. Nevertheless, the area is undeniably the best place I have visited for any outdoor climbing, with boulders littering the forests in well established areas such as Bas Cuvier,and hidden gems awaiting in the depths of the forest at Apremont Bizons and other more obscure areas. Despite not being able to climb as much as I wanted, I managed to tick my first font 7a, which, considering the conditions and lack of time on the boulders, I was pretty pleased with. I discovered lots of potential future projects and am excited to go back soon (hopefully when it isn't raining!). Keep climbing! Sending Magifix (assi...

In March I visited to new boulder centre in Tunbridge Wells- Karma Climbing . The centre was spacious and all though not very big, it had a really good vibe and the staff were helpful and friendly. The setting was great and I had fun trying some of their comp set which ranged from gutsy dynos to weird balance acts. I also made full use of their training facilities-a small gym, campus and peg boards, rings and two circuit boards.I would really recommend the centre to anyone living nearby or passing through kent-it's definitely worth a visit. Keep climbing!

I haven't written in a while due to exam/training stress, but I've finally had time to catch up! During March I received a youth sports grant  from the Hackney Council awarding me £350 to help pay for some of this year's competition costs as well as a year's free membership at my local leisure centre. A few weeks later I discovered myself on page 7 in the local paper ! Thanks to Hackney for all the support they've given me- Keep climbing!

After a long day in Liverpool competing in the leading event, I travelled to Manchester to compete at The Depot Climbing Centre , a brand new centre with loads of space and a variety of gradients. I arrived 2 hours before qualifiers began and took time to look at the blocks and get warmed up. There were lots of slabby problems with twists-a slippy foothold perhaps or even a dyno- as well as some powerful blocks. Going around with some mates I managed to flash a slab and then one which came through a small roof. However the hard blocks far outweighed the easy ones, and I had trouble getting past the bonus on a fiendishly hard slab, a shouldery, bridging problem and a slab with a dyno to a tiny pocket. There was one problem which I suspect I could have done had I not messed up all of my attempts. The first go I grabbed a hold which looked the same colour as the block but apparently wasn't. The next two attempts my hand slipped just as I was setting up for the side ways dyno to the b...

Last weekend on the 5th March I arrived at  Liverpool Awesome Walls to compete in my first lead comp of the season and the first comp in which I would be representing the GB Team. This was exciting, although I felt nervous as I knew people would have high expectations of me. On arrival I was told I could collect my new team kit from Berghaus . It came as no surprise that the kit was much cooler than previous years as I knew Berghaus were a huge company producing quality goods. My favourite item is the branded down jacket! After the initial excitement of trying everything on, I felt shaky again so went to warm up and watch my demos. Both of my qualifiers were technical with a slight overhang and larger overhang at the top changing to vert for the last few moves. Pulling on to the wall for my first route I felt  a roomful of eyes turn to the Union Flag on my back and I knew I had to do well to prove my worth. After a few sketchy moves at the beginning, I reached the top secti...

Yesterday I went with my dad to Bloc Climbing Centre in Bristol for the 4th round of Blokfest. Having wrongly missed out on finals last round, I was guaranteed a place in finals this round as well as a podium prize, so I went along ready for a full day. I knew I didn't need to do well in qualifiers but I nevertheless wanted to achieve a qualifying position anyway to prove my consistency to others and myself. Fortunately many of the blocks were technical challenges so I was able to top a good number (22 of 25) achieving 210/250. However I fell off a moderately easy problem first go as I jumped straight on it in the heat of the day, only to discover that the holds were glistening with sweat and I had forgotten my chalk bag! I got back on it, equipped with chalk and a brush and got it easily second go, to my frustration. Apart from this, the qualifiers were good fun and well set. My favourite problem of the day I didn't top as I couldn't reach a hold on it. However the first ...

Last weekend I woke up at 5.45am to catch a train to Sheffield for the GB Team Inaugural Meeting. Despite having to wake up so early I was really excited to get to know my teammates and coaches better and to get an idea of how the year was going to turn out.  After a welcoming speech from the senior lead team coach the lead and boulder teams were split into groups for our profiling and training. Under the scrutiny of the coaches, everyone warmed up and then I was weighed and measured before doing some strange fitness tests to determine my general stability, flexibility  and upper body strength. I didn't find the tests particularly hard  but they got me to work muscles I never even knew I had!  After lunch we had a go at some comp-style boulders set especially for the training day. These proved to be fiendishly difficult due to the combination of small holds and large, bad ones, lots of volumes, lots of angles and some strange sequences of moves. I personally felt ...