Clearly the real solution is to get good enough that I'm not scrabbling so badly at the big, frictiony holds on the V1s

*g* I can monitor my progress on any given wall by how close the scrapes/blisters are to my fingertips. Verticals and mild overhangs: moving along my fingers in that direction. A few times I've even hurt my fingertips, and felt very proud. Steep overhangs: still roughing up the base of each finger.

(Scrapes and grazes anywhere from elbows to ears: I fell down the slab.)