Downhill

Post by **SCIN** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:57 pm

Piggie's post made me think.

At what age can I expect to stop improving at climbing due to the inevitable need for my body to begin to die?

Post by **anticlmber** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:22 pm

considering lee sheftel, chock odette, some euro dudes, and a lot of others crank in the golden(or gray) years i'd say your fine.

so would you stop climbing if you couldn't preform at a certain level?? like an old circus bear that can't get on the motor bike anymore. BANG, hole in the backyard.

Post by **pigsteak** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:41 pm

i can honestly say that my decline began around 38-39..I could still pull out some hard moves, but the time to recuperate is longer. so if you are used to cranking 8-10 pitches of hard climbs a day, be ready for a day of major soreness the following day.

for me now at 41, I have the heart to train hard but not the ability to do it as much as I would like..it is more important for me to find adequate rest, know when to back off to save a shoulder or elbow, find diversions like bolting that still allow me to be outside..none of these are excuses..just a realization that time takes a hold on all of us, and I want to continue to enjoy climbing for another 30 years...sort of like running the marathon instead of the sprints.

Post by **512OW** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:44 pm

I was gonna mention Chuck Odette...

He didn't do 5.12 till he was 34. 5.13 at 37. 5.14 at 44.

Post by **Josephine** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:51 pm

Elke linder did her first 5.13 at the age of 51.

she didn't start climbing until she was 30.

now THAT'S a bad ass climber chick 8)

Post by **512OW** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:59 pm

Yes. Whole family of bad ass climbers.

Post by KD » Mon May 19, 2008 11:22 pm

I guess I better get started sendin some shit

Post by **caribe** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:36 am

I started climbing at 40. I am 44. Before I started climbing I was in good shape. I used to play a lot of soccer, 2 hr. sweat sessions of run-run-run in the hot sun. This was my sport from the age of 17 on. Football is fun, but the constant injuries were a drag. It was always something. The high impact beats the hell out of you. Climbing is low impact. I don't feel a day climbing like I feel 2 hours of hard soccer.

I think that I would have progressed through the grades quicker if I started climbing at 20 or so, but I was pretty reckless at 20 and I might not be alive . . . no regrets. I plan on training and pushing it to see where it takes me. I am curious and intrigued by my climbing future.

Ray you will definitely send 14 something before you meet your apogee. Bear down.

Post by **512OW** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:54 am

Apogee is a Maxim rope. Buy one!! Buy two!!

Post by **the lurkist** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:09 am

You have to give a shout out to our craven and crusty Man in Vegas, Bill Ramsey. He is pushing 50 and still training as hard as anyone I know.
I am with Pigmeister. I hope/plan on climbing hard into my golden years. I do know from personal experience that as we men approach andropause (ouch), and our testosterone levels wane, we recover slower.
Climbing is a great sport for the aged b/c it doesn't have the dynamic weight bearing.