[Vitamin K]

Here's a topic that's dear to my heart...

So, at what age do you stop making improvements in your climbing performance. Being the wrong side of 40 leads me to ponder this issue with increasing regularity. I'm wondering whether there is a plateau that you reach where it's all downhill from there.

Of course I believe that I will always be able to climb at a decent level (at least V8 or so) and recent sucesses would seem to bear this out but...the question is always there.

So what do you think - can I be evergreen like Jackie Godoffe, Jo Montchausee and even Will Simm et al or should I bow to the inevitable, sell my board, pad, hnag up my boots and live off memories of back in the day? What can I do to ensure the decline is slow and structure my training so I can still perform at a level that I'm happy with.

[unclesomebody]

I would suggest donating all your savings to a young up and coming climber who doesn't have the sufficient funds to travel to remote locations and climb hard things.... 

but seriously, I don't think it's all over. Perhaps achieving your first 8B boulder would be very very very difficult (not impossible), but there are more options available. Not so long ago a 58year old italian (i think) climbed an 8b+ route. To me, that is exceptional. I guess you just need to rethink your goals and assess your options. Aging obviously affects recovery times etc, BUT it doesn't mean you can't achieve amazing things! Impossible is nothing! (damn adidas!)

[Nibile]

i have to say that, despite having trained and improved for a few years, i have made the biggest progress in the last year. this is due mostly to having someone to tell me how and how much to train. i always tend to over train if im on my own, while ive recently seen that the right rest after a "load" period makes you explode literally.
for sure the level of max power decrease with age, but as uncle said, it seems that you get better at aerobic efforts, like doing sport 8b+ while also being a famous writer (erri de luca is tha man).

moreover, age gives you that "experienced man" charme that women just love.

[GCW]

Vitamin K, I'm sure you've witnessed Hank and Geoff M at Brownstones.  No, they are not cutting edge and crimping out font 8a, but they are having fun.
When it stops being fun, hang up your boots mate.  Until then, keep adding the polish to Lifeline sitter.

[Vitamin K]

Don't you worry mate I still enjoy it and I can't really see that changing. You should have seen my reaction when I latched the top of ridiculous eliminate!

If anything I appreciate getting out more because commitments with kids means that things tend to get a bit intermittent. That's why I keep going on my board; my rationale being that when I do get out I want to be strong enough to do the stuff I want.

Anyway, I have some really good problems on my board and sometimes even these get me really psyched. I often wonder just how hard they are but when I get out I feel pretty good so they must be having some training effect.

And Nibs - that experienced man charm might work for you good looking latin lovers but we're talking Bolton here, that level of sophistication just isn't appreciated enough around these parts.

[GCW]

Ridiculous Eliminate is a good find.  You done the Ridiculous Dyno too?  Frustrating.

I think you're right, it's more a commitment issue.  I struggle to train or get out as much as I would like and I'm nowhere near as good/strong as I used to be.  I'm sure if you were committed and had no distractions you could carry on cranking hard stuff for years.

[Vitamin K]

Commitment is the key definitely - luckily training is something I've always enjoyed.

One thing that really made a difference over the winter was rope climbing, deadhanging and doing problems on a brick wall, i.e. brick edges. It certainly made for super strong fingers! All this was done when the lads were in the cricket nets. I couldn't stand watching so used to nip into the Gym next door - the caretaker was surprised to see me at the top of the ropes one night but didn't seem overly concerned - he just told me not to fall off!

Most parents thought I was just mad.

One thing is for sure, rope climbing without using your feet is hard.

Anyways, I'm off on my board.

[Pantontino]

I think it is possible to make some gains in later age; these gains will probably be smaller if you've been already been pushing yourself (and it sounds like you have). For me the interesting thing for me of late has been success on bugbear problems that have have always kicked my arse. This winter I changed tack and got stuck into a few of them and surprised myself by doing them fairly quickly. These are not breakthrough grades for me, but they meant a lot because I'd come to assume that I would never be able to do them.

I'm 39 and I'm still psyched out of my mind for climbing. I don't see that changing anytime soon and there are plenty of old gits out there who are still cranking. Streaky is in his 50s and can still cruise up Jerry's Roof when the mood takes him. If he starts flagging then I'll get worried, but there is precious little sign of that so far.

[superfurrymonkey]

There`s a guy on a vid i have "Tour de Blocs" who gets his first V12 aged 57, there`s a Dave Macleod article I read recently were he talks about aging, i`ll post the link when I`ve found it.

[superfurrymonkey]

"I would say the prospects of you climbing 8a have nothing to do with your age and everything to do with your attitude. Responsiveness to strength training does not diminish through life. Even maximum potential for strength development drops off extremely slowly and only starts to become significant at recreational level (and that includes F8a!) at age 60-70. Anyone has the potential to climb an 8a in quite a short space of time even if they start climbing at 38 given reasonable technique and some sustained effort for a while." you can find the rest here http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=317

[saltbeef]

when i was in oz, there were these two old french guys, late 60's erarly 70's. which is not that old in the greater scheme of things, but... anyway they were doing stuff like anxiety neurosis, trojan, monkey puzzle, stuff up to about 8a, mostly on sight. they were wads!
it occurred to me i might be getting past it the other day, but got poopooed by dobbin. just keep cranking. a veterran 4minute mile would be good though eh?

[SA Chris]

I hold Ben Moom up as a shining example to us all.

I have shifted a stone plus since the beginning of last year, and with the new wall open 10 mins from work I am getting some decent training in again, and feeling a lot fitter and stronger. I don't see myself making any massive gains, as there are too many other things I enjoy now, but i hope to carry on operating at the same level i always have for a while now. I think it's all down to your state of mind, I'm as psyched for it now at 38 as I was when I started at 19. Just realised that's half my life.

"I spent half my life climbing, and wasted the rest"

[webbo]

i reach the ripe old age of 52 in 8 days time and i'm just as keen and motivated as ever.the only stumbling block is when you are too keen and end up damaging yourself.i currently have a lower back in spasm which is probably a result of being  on holiday and just being a bit too enthusiastic.
i.e.
sat bouldering outside
sun pissing down.intervals on turbo trainer.antagonistic training,more intervals on turbo.
mon 8 mile walk with the missus
tue bouldering indoors,intervals on turbo,stretching
wed 70 mile hilly bike ride.vacuumed house from top to bottom.bent over to pick up washing  and "oh shit"
 

[Vitamin K]

Thanks guys - all these responses are inspiring me.

I think it's just a case of training smarter, rather than longer. When I think back to what I used to do, even with all the training I was doing I was never as strong as I am now I reckon.

The key time for me was reading a series of articles in OTE titled the 'The Training Secret'  and also going down (up) to the cellar at Cliff's Barn - basically it kicked my arse but showed the potential that could be achieved.

Pantotino has some good points in his post about really focusing on some specific problems that have always been stoppers (Lager, Lager, Lager @ Earl being one) and really working them on a consistent basis.

My tick list is as long as ever.

[namnok]

i feel that you should give up bouldering and take on easy grade trad climbing, you old codger.

andy email me your address as we'll be sending out invites in the very near future