[36chambers]

In a quest to make my life as miserable as possible, I'm contemplating making a switch to decaffeinated coffee.

Becoming a vegetarian was easy. Giving up sweets, dairy and eggs was easy, giving up alcohol for prolonged periods of time is easy. But not having at least three cups of strong coffee a day is hard. As possibly my only vice I have toyed with the idea of only drinking decaf and in the past I think my best effort was 2 days of sustained misery.

But is there actually any benefit?

I've read numerous articles about the pros and cons of caffeine with regards to work and study, and also with regards to sport performance and training, and I'm just curious if the UKB collective have anything to say about it? 

[dave]

I drink virtually no coffee or tea, and look at me.

[SA Chris]

I have no idea about performance benefits etc, I drink coffee because I really really like it. Only one a day mind, but brutally strong.

[cheque]

But is there actually any benefit?

It's nice to not need it to wake up. I'm living proof that a totally "straight edge" lifestyle has little to no correlation with climbing performance though.

[Plattsy]

Becoming caffeine free and drinking decaffeinated coffee are two different things. Decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine and will have gone through a chemical process to remove most of the caffeine. Decaffeinated coffees might contain 10-20% of the amount of caffeine found standard instant coffee.
Caffeine free coffee is something I read about recently. Can't remember if it is in development or available yet.
Caffeine free hot drinks are your fruit or herbal teas and my favourite redbush/rooibos with milk.
I sleep better and usually wake up fine without the need for caffeine these days. I'm probably more alert generally now I've stopped drinking coffee. Still get a little caffeine from chocolate though. Can't give that up.

[tomtom]

I drink alot of Rooibos tea instead of regular - worth finding a decent brand, tictoc (the one everywhere is minging IMHO) sainsburys red label is cheap and really decent (its in a red box anyway not sure of the exact label).

What Plattsy said RE decaff stuff. A decaf starbucks americano has as much caffeine in it as a cup of regular instant coffee..

[cowboyhat]

In a quest to make my life as miserable as possible, I'm contemplating making a switch to decaffeinated coffee.

Becoming a vegetarian was easy. Giving up sweets, dairy and eggs was easy, giving up alcohol for prolonged periods of time is easy. But not having at least three cups of strong coffee a day is hard. As possibly my only vice I have toyed with the idea of only drinking decaf and in the past I think my best effort was 2 days of sustained misery.

But is there actually any benefit?

I've read numerous articles about the pros and cons of caffeine with regards to work and study, and also with regards to sport performance and training, and I'm just curious if the UKB collective have anything to say about it? 

Why?

[Oldmanmatt]

Just the thread title is offensive enough.
That you actually contemplate a life without coffee?

Well, brings a tear to my eye, it does.



All posts either sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek or mildly mocking-in-a-friendly-way unless otherwise stated. Looking at you, here, Dense.

[Fultonius]

In a quest to make my life as miserable as possible, I'm contemplating making a switch to decaffeinated coffee.

Becoming a vegetarian was easy. Giving up sweets, dairy and eggs was easy, giving up alcohol for prolonged periods of time is easy. But not having at least three cups of strong coffee a day is hard. As possibly my only vice I have toyed with the idea of only drinking decaf and in the past I think my best effort was 2 days of sustained misery.

But is there actually any benefit?

I've read numerous articles about the pros and cons of caffeine with regards to work and study, and also with regards to sport performance and training, and I'm just curious if the UKB collective have anything to say about it? 

Why?

Sitting a coffee shop in Boulder, CO, contemplating why anyone without a medical reason would consider it? In sensible amounts it seems to have more health benefits than negatives and ... just ... why??!!  You seem to be addicted to giving shit up - why?

[TobyD]

Why indeed? If you are smashing in ten cups a day and having serious sleep and heart problems then give it up. If you like it, drink it!

[tomtom]

In a quest to make my life as miserable as possible, I'm contemplating making a switch to decaffeinated coffee.

Becoming a vegetarian was easy. Giving up sweets, dairy and eggs was easy, giving up alcohol for prolonged periods of time is easy. But not having at least three cups of strong coffee a day is hard. As possibly my only vice I have toyed with the idea of only drinking decaf and in the past I think my best effort was 2 days of sustained misery.

But is there actually any benefit?

I've read numerous articles about the pros and cons of caffeine with regards to work and study, and also with regards to sport performance and training, and I'm just curious if the UKB collective have anything to say about it? 

Why?

Sitting a coffee shop in Boulder, CO, contemplating why anyone without a medical reason would consider it? In sensible amounts it seems to have more health benefits than negatives and ... just ... why??!!  You seem to be addicted to giving shit up - why?

Is that coffee shop in the Amsterdam stylee?

[Fultonius]

Ha, nah. A bit like when I'm in Amsterdam, the availability of the green does not entice me.

[tomtom]

[nai]

Don't know why I remember this but a few years back there was a video of Michael Camanatti (obviously spelt wrong as Google isn't helping) making espresso at Ned's house (can't spell his surname either) on his first visit here.  When asked how he liked his coffee Ned replied that he didn't drink it.  One drinks it plentiful and strong, one abstains altogether, they both climb 8B+/8C.

If you like coffee then drink it, giving it up isn't going to help your climbing (I guess this is why you're considering it?). The mental benefits of something you enjoy may actually outweigh the supposed physical benefits of giving it up.  But maybe cut down to two cups a day 

[finbarrr]

i love drinking coffee , so i'm with wolfgang on this one:
„Man geht nicht nach dem Klettern zum Kaffeetrinken, Kaffeetrinken ist integraler Bestandteil des Kletterns.“
– Wolfgang Gütlich


i don't think caffeine makes you climb better or harder, but it does help me get to the level of activation where i want to be faster and easier (and possibly more often).
down sides:
overdoing it makes you too high strung for route climbing (not a big problem for bouldering) and makes my hands sweat more

i do stop drinking coffee now and then, for a week or two, usually when i start getting headaches in the morning if i haven't had coffee for more than 18 hours. i don't like feeling like a junkie.
then i drink tea for a few weeks, to keep away the bends, it's like morphine (yes, making coffee the real stuff).
sometimes the break coincides with a break from climbing, sometimes not, but either way: life is less good without coffee.
not just the 3 times 15 minutes of drinking and smelling it. the rest of the day also. caffeine makes my days nicer.

(p.s. my dog is called Coffee)

[tommytwotone]

...giving up alcohol for prolonged periods of time is easy. 

Wait till you have kids.

But not having at least three cups of strong coffee a day is hard.

See above.

[Footwork]

Don't know why I remember this but a few years back there was a video of Michael Camanatti (obviously spelt wrong as Google isn't helping) making espresso at Ned's house (can't spell his surname either) on his first visit here.  When asked how he liked his coffee Ned replied that he didn't drink it.  One drinks it plentiful and strong, one abstains altogether, they both climb 8B+/8C.

If you like coffee then drink it, giving it up isn't going to help your climbing (I guess this is why you're considering it?). The mental benefits of something you enjoy may actually outweigh the supposed physical benefits of giving it up.  But maybe cut down to two cups a day 

Nicely put. At this rate he'll be asking if anyone has tried being chaste whilst tapering off before entering a peak phase 

[Paul B]

Sitting a coffee shop in Boulder, CO, contemplating why anyone without a medical reason would consider it? In sensible amounts it seems to have more health benefits than negatives and ... just ... why??!!  You seem to be addicted to giving shit up - why?

Black Sheep?

[36chambers]

  cheers for the replies people. All very interesting.

Becoming caffeine free and drinking decaffeinated coffee are two different things.

Apologises that was just a lazy/quick thread title.
 

I suppose my main reason is because I like the idea of not being "addicted" to something (other than climbing I suppose). But that isn't quite enough of a reason, hence why I started this thread, to see if there was anything else to gain.

Furthermore, I'm entering the final year of my PhD and thought maybe I should stop now least I end up drinking 8 cups a day.

As far as coffee at the crag goes, I have stopped taking it this year, as I'd sometimes get too jittery from drinking it between project attempts. Ginger tea is an excellent alternative (it turns out that at the crag any hot drink will do).

[DAVETHOMAS90]

This won't help, I suppose, will it?

There's something quite disgusting about this video, but she seems pleased enough 

[tomtom]

cheers for the replies people. All very interesting.

Furthermore, I'm entering the final year of my PhD and thought maybe I should stop now least I end up drinking 8 cups a day.

MADNESS!!! Final year of the PhD is characterised by wandering around your department/workplace with a 1000 yard stare clutching a cup of coffee. Life in that final year is sustained by cheap instant coffee and digestive biscuits

Drink more. And start on the ritalin.

[erm, sam]

I find that a bit of structure helps to control the coffee intake. On a week day I have 3 cups of decent coffee a day. One on waking, one on getting to work and one at 3pm. On a weekend I might go crazy and have one more.

It seems to me that the binary, drink loads or give it up entirely approach is a sad reflection of our polarised times.

[tomtom]

I bet your socks are matching...

[slackline]

I suppose my main reason is because I like the idea of not being "addicted" to something (other than climbing I suppose).

Do you find your coffee cravings match the current WHO International Classification of Disease (ICD-10)  Dependence Syndrome definition.

[Plattsy]

Another factor is caffeine is a diuretic. For every cup of coffee consumed the equivalent in water should be consumed. Plus on top of that the usual amount of water. That's a lot of water. Fairly sure muscle performance, injury and hydration are linked.

Would anyone drink coffee if it didn't contain caffeine?