Strength / Weight Training

Very tempted by one of these:
https://shop.theclimbingacademy.com/product/armaid/
Between work and climbing my forearms are in complete tatters. £115 is a touch spenny, but I’m not sure there are any reasonable alternatives.

I have one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackroll-mini-fascia-roller-self-massage/dp/B085DQBW11 that I used on my forearms when I was climbing a lot more than I am now and it's great (recommended by Cristiano Costa when I went to him with a finger injury). I have considered an armaid multiple times in the past but couldn't really justify the price to myself.

Very tempted by one of these:
https://shop.theclimbingacademy.com/prod­uct/armaid/
Between work and climbing my forearms are in complete tatters. £115 is a touch spenny, but I’m not sure there are any reasonable alternatives.

Maybe a silly question, but do these definitely work?

Climbing friends who have the v1 (straps to your leg, a bit less beefy construction), seem to rate it. But £115 is obviously a wedge, although perhaps not when compared to physio costs.

I’ve decided I’m definitely buying one as my forearms are in tatters today.

That looks good, but i dunno if I’ll manage to get into the deep trigger spots like I can with my fingers.

Could I get a form check for deadlifts?

Just up to 100kg (looks like 80kg but there's two 10kg plates on there) and although I'm not struggling with the weight I want to iron out any issues before I get heavier.

https://streamable.com/h9pb0v

I'm no expert but looks decent to me. Perhaps keep your chin up/eyes forward a little longer as the last couple you can just about see your lower back arching just a teeny bit. And drive your hips through a touch more at the top.

Stop at the bottom and reset. Your hips stay high and it becomes a back hinge.

get into the deep trigger spots

Hockey balls ftw

When you set, can you get your shoulders back & down / chest up any more?

Get Mark Rippetoe’s book - it answers all questions. I am far from an expert but your back seems rounded slightly. You don’t seem to have set up your back - it looks loose. Head should stay down so vertebrae in spine and neck are in one line.

The method I'm using is from Alan Thralls YouTube ("don't move the barbell").

Thanks for all the input, deadlifts are the one lift I'm not confident with my form, and you hear all these stories about people putting their backs out deadlifting heavy without good technique.

I want to keep my back straight as possible so I'll definitely be trying to keep my shoulders back more, and pausing at the bottom.

First time I've videoed myself lifting and it's very interesting looking at it analytically.

Get the set up right. Things get slightly easier from there. Remember to put the bar down in a controlled manner.
The best description of a dead lift which I read is ‘your arms are chains, your hands are hooks’. I always know I have got it when I feel my feet going into the floor - that may not make much sense until you feel it yourself. Almost like you are pulling the floor up.
Good luck.

You're doing touch and go deadlifts, especially when dialing in form (as pit said) it's better to let the bar come to a complete stop on the floor, set up, and pull. This will help with how you're losing a bit of tightness in your upper back as well, since you will have to set up again and can really create a lot of tension.

When you're starting your first rep you can hear a bit of a clicking noise. This indicates that you are not "pulling the slack out of the bar". There are lots of ways to coach this but I think the general "the bar should feel heavy in your hands" before you initiate the pull is a good start. This weight doesn't look heavy for you, so I would expect the weights to leave the floor a small amount during the set up of the lift before you initiate the lift. This is shown and discussed in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP0IFHkkRZ0

Do Allan's 5 step set up for each rep in the set. It'll drill in real quick. Never bounce it of the floor, that's how you mess up your back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYREQkVtvEc

Anyone know of a decent gym within ~30 min ride of walthamstow? feel like I'm done with lifting at the climbing centre since they have such a small amount of equipment. Main desires are multiple squat racks / deadlift platforms, and ideally benches with safeties.

Have you looked at the gym group? Not been to the Walthamstow one but I use a couple of them since starting training again . Open 24/7 and for about £30pcm I can use any five gyms and bring four guests. The two I use definitely have all the kit you are after; Colliers Wood has two dedicated squat racks, two squat / bench set ups and two dedicated benches.
I think you can just buy day passes to try them out.

Yeah I've ummed an ahed about that one, but good shout, I'll get a day pass and check it out.

Possibly one of the Better Gyms too
https://www.better.org.uk/

They can be a bit hit and miss but near me there are couple with decent free weights areas and a couple of racks that are very rarely busy.

They run a lot of the facilities at the Olympic Park too, so I’d hope there’s something decent there

I use the Forest Hill branch of Better - it's got some odd omissions such as no cable machine for overhead pull-down/cable row, but it's almost always quiet, clean and cheap.

Lewisham Better is fine for me. Adequate plates, bars and dumbbells. Various benches, squat rack etc. And seated cable row machine.

I also like that it's a very diverse crowd in there. Not many gym bros, plenty of older folk keeping active. You've seen nothing until you've seen an 80 year old doing weighted lunges in a sari.

First gym I ever went to was the leytonstone better, it was definitely adequate especially going in off peak times.
The gym group has a deal on ATM where first month was only a fiver more than a day pass so gave that a go and we'll see. From looking at photos of the centre they have what I'm after.
I'm just spoiled, I used to lift at the gym at Queen Mary which has amazing equipment, but I think they have powerlifting and/or olympic lifting team so it makes sense.
Thanks for suggestions all.

I used to be a member of Saint Mary's, which is also really well equipped.

Obviously, you need to find a gym with Mary in the name.

Good shout on the gym group. 2 power racks w/ lifting platforms, 2 squat/bench racks and 2 bench set ups plus all the Normal Gym Stuff.

Well after complaining about my hands and needing an arm aid, I’ve done something absolutely savage to my hand at the climbing wall.

Made a big feet off move to a crimp, caught it (like it did a week ago no problem), and felt something go in my palm, like something inside it sagged down about a cm. Did not feel good.

Managed work today but climbing is clearly off the menu for the next few months most likely. Can’t clench my fist fully, and I get a king of grinding pain in my palm as I start to close my fingers. Not good!

So looks like front squats with crossed arms, running and other cardio are likely to be the activities of choice until next year. FUCK.