UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => bouldering => Topic started by: quiffhanger on January 09, 2013, 11:23:55 am
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I’m turning 30 very soon.
Feel free to call it over-the-hill hysteria, but I’m looking for some inspiring stories about people who managed some big bouldering improvements in their (very slightly) later life.
With routes I’ve been on the up for a few years: I’ve made some good gains and I’m confident that with enough effort I’ll be able to continue my progress. Short & hard things are a different story, progress is much more elusive. On the technique side, I get out regularly yet still struggle up things I did years ago. On the strength side it’s even more obvious. Despite committing to reasonably well researched & structured training programs, watching my weight and generally trying quite hard I see depressingly little progress. 10 years ago I did none of this: never trained, rarely got outdoors & had crap technique but somehow managed to crank out similar grades. To quantify I’ve been getting up Font 7a’s and the occasional 7b for years & I simply want to see some solid progress!
I’ve heard loads of stories about old-codgers upping their game and cranking out some big route grades in later life but not so many about people finding their inner monster and getting truly strong.
Anyone care to offer an inspiring rebuttal of my assertion that you need to get strong when you are young?
-ross
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I'm 43 and I'm climbing better than ever.. Pushing my first 7C. 5 years ago I was in the low 6's having had a 7-8 year period of not climbing
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Now if anything's inspiring it's tomtom's 7C battle. Tomtom: LESS POSTING, MORE CRUSHING.
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I had my best bouldering year last year tick wise and I'm 33 (low 7s). I think plateaus happen for everyone and working through them is different for everyone, time and effort wise. One of the things I really like about climbing is that age isn't necessarily a limiting factor for improvement. Didn't Rab tick 8a for the first time a few years ago?
I imagine Nai and TomTom (and others) will have lots of words of encouragement on this subject.
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I'm 39 in two weeks and climbing better than ever.
It helps if you were not very good in your youth, then the only way is up. For me it just required a bit of application and training more than once or twice a week.
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True stength gains are possible and no reason why technique can't be improved as well. The barriers are elsewhere.
Most people who get older lack time and lose that youthful enthusiasm. It also takes additional motivation when gains are incremental which typically require addressing weaknesses that take you out of your comfort zone. Weight gain is another biggie. And injury.
Typically climbers reach a level (which is hard to improve on) then phase in and out of fitness.
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I'm 39 in two weeks and climbing better than ever.
I'm 49 in two weeks and climbing worse than ever.
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Its over the hill hysteria.
You're young and know nothing :)
I didn't start trying to climb harder properly until I was 32 or 3.
Did Blueband when I was 39.
I'm now 48 and fully expect to boulder 7B+ this year and I'm old enough to be your Dad.
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I'm in a similar situation to the OP and can only pray for a future of gradual strength gains and minimal injuries. Hoping to reach 1 more level before the future of being in and out of fitness! :weakbench:
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A few years back I got pressured into doing a (spare time) Phd by work & nearly went nuts.
When I finished I really wanted to do something physical.
Decided to put some effort into bouldering as there was finally a good wall in striking distance & give myself a 7A for my 50th birthday.
Didn't make it :-( I was 18 months late (projecting in Bleau can be frustrating when you live in the uk )
Got the second one last year at 55.
Stopped making progress now, partly injury but mainly I think nowhere to train anymore :-(
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I’m turning 30 very soon.
Feel free to call it over-the-hill hysteria, but I’m looking for some inspiring stories about people who managed some big bouldering improvements in their (very slightly) later life.
With routes I’ve been on the up for a few years: I’ve made some good gains and I’m confident that with enough effort I’ll be able to continue my progress. Short & hard things are a different story, progress is much more elusive. On the technique side, I get out regularly yet still struggle up things I did years ago. On the strength side it’s even more obvious. Despite committing to reasonably well researched & structured training programs, watching my weight and generally trying quite hard I see depressingly little progress. 10 years ago I did none of this: never trained, rarely got outdoors & had crap technique but somehow managed to crank out similar grades. To quantify I’ve been getting up Font 7a’s and the occasional 7b for years & I simply want to see some solid progress!
I’ve heard loads of stories about old-codgers upping their game and cranking out some big route grades in later life but not so many about people finding their inner monster and getting truly strong.
Anyone care to offer an inspiring rebuttal of my assertion that you need to get strong when you are young?
-ross
FFS Ross, 30 is very young.
I prob had my strongest year indoor wise 5 years ago (was 32 at the time), trained really hard, did ok at the works comp, was thus put back on the british team and had a couple of reasonable international results.
Last year (2012) was by far my strongest on rock, again by training really hard, only this time taking much better care of my body to try and minimise the risk of rupturing anything through lack of mobility etc. the intervening years were plagued with injury, but that was just me being a numpty.
My advice is find a good project (your style) at a currently unclimbed grade for you and siege the living shit out of it and make sure that it is sufficiently hard (and therefore desirable) that you find yourself pulling down way harder than you ever have had to before. That and deadlifting ;)
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20s & 30s - only managed the odd problem harder than 6B
late 30s after becoming a dad gave up biking, running, mtb, put actual climbing on hold & started solely bouldering, scraped up a few 7As (a grade I kidded myself I'd be happy to reach...)
Started training properly (rather than just "going to the wall") at about 40 including fingerboarding
Now 45, did my hardest problem yet last year (7C) and still hitting PBs on the fingerboard and campus board (don't do a lot of the latter).
A lot of my gains no doubt due to massive under achievement previously and being very lucky to avoid injury.
You may have an unidentified weak point that is holding you back, ask for some coaching/assessment as a special 30th present?
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I felt similarly aged 23 after taking 5 years out but I've learnt that the body can apply itself to anything if demanded. I also turn 30 this year and so much stop starting over the last few years in uni had me worried. I really think some self-relection and honesty can tell you what to work on as well as a useful critique from a peer. It's slightly less polite in Merseyside and you'll soon know what you're shit at without asking to know.
Religious adherence to goal setting can only be a good thing as well. If you pick up a tweak, there's still a million other areas of your body to train whilst you recover. Keep the faith mate, life is long!
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One of the beauties of climbing is that it's not game over when you hit 30. If you can stay injury free and psyched there's no reason why you can't improve. Our best climber is 42, Gaz Parry did his first 8c+ last year aged 37 and look at Stevie Haston. I don't see why bouldering is any different. Like Shark said i think life circumstances becomes the biggest barrier.
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I'm 39 in two weeks and climbing better than ever.
I'm 49 in two weeks and climbing worse than ever.
I'm 52 this year and, 2-3 years back after a >10 years absence, climbing at about the level of my 20s & 30s. See no reason in principle why I shouldn't be able to do a quite a bit better, although I'm feeling a little plateau'd just at the moment.
A lot of my gains no doubt due to massive under achievement previously
This certainly applies in my case.
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With improving your bouldering, getting older and 'life circumstances' can be an opportunity.
I used to do lots of route climbing, but since having a kid (2nd one due any day), I've mostly bouldered. I actually think my base level has gone up and my technical ability has improved in the last couple of years across a broader range of problems. I'm not as strong as I was when I did my hardest boulder problems (10 years ago), but I'm better at more types of problems.
So, I don't think you can expect a big gain without sacrificing other aspects of climbing (and life maybe), but you could still break the next grade if you spent more time bouldering, year round. And it's satisfying simply to do problems that you might have tried over the years (not necessarily graded as hard as the hardest problems that suit your style the most), or even to do things quickly that in the past you may have dismissed as not your bag.
As to pure strength, I can think of a mate who is 47 soon. He did the Oak 2 years ago and although not bouldering at such, it definitely required an increase in power on his part. I think it was a case of focussing on that objective and training specifically for it (no surprises there). It wasn't like he was weak before, he just did lots of different things.
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I've said it before. Strength and climbing ability has a direct correlation with upper body hair. At this rate i should be climbing 8a when all major areas have joined over my skinny man frame.
30 isn't old. Martin Boyson and Rab were sending 7th grade sport routes at twice that age. Trust me, they burnt me off. And laughed. And called me an amateur. :wavecry:
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I hadn't climbed anything harder than 6a routes at 30, grade wise at 40 I'm in a similar situation to you, there are problems I'd love to do this year that are 7C. I'm always improving on the fingerboard, I just need to translate it to the rock.
yet still struggle up things I did years ago
Figure this out, there might be a good lesson and improvement there.
On the strength side it’s even more obvious. Despite committing to reasonably well researched & structured training programs, watching my weight and generally trying quite hard I see depressingly little progress.
Try something different maybe? Shark seems to be getting the results using the Lopez approach and quality over quantity.
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I'm 39 in two weeks and climbing better than ever.
I'm 49 in two weeks and climbing worse than ever.
bloody good innings so far though
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thirty FFS. When did that become old??
If i was you i would just give up now and go get the slippers. If your not improving when your that young your in the wrong sport.
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thirty FFS. When did that become old??
:agree:
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Wow! This thread is making me feel like a young buck at 35. :punk:
Strongest I've ever been is now, and getting stronger still. Two years age was at 7C+ max (had been plateaued there for a decade), and this past year was at 8A+. A little bit of distilled training and you can still make god improvements.
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Two years age was at 7C+ max (had been plateaued there for a decade)
That's a new world record right there, 7C+ at -8 years old but I guess you didn't weigh much then and every hold was a ledge so it doesn't count :P
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Like Shark said i think life circumstances becomes the biggest barrier.
I agree, I climbed at my best when I was largely unemployed for a two year spell in my early 30s. Bouldering 3-4 times a week at my leisure - very rarely having to go indoors as I could always wait for a dry day, or just have lots of snatched half-days. Keeping away from the plastic meant all my injuries (mainly elbow related) cleared up and my grade went from around font7a/+ to f7b+/c.
Things have slipped since then though. Not through age I reckon, but through getting a job. Less time on rock and being a weekend only climber means that if it's raining, I have to go indoors - too much of which knacks my elbows (and rules-out making up for lost time with mid-week wall visits or finger boarding).
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thirty FFS. When did that become old??
Haha, sure. I don't really believe it's all over @ 30. Reckon I've got till 35 before I don my hexes and starting working my way through classic rock :)
Fact is, all the good boulders I personally know got good in there 20s. Just looking for some re-assurance that significant progress is still possible - which I've had: thanks all.
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Just had my 50th ... :boohoo: started back around 5-6 years ago after a long layoff and took me over 12 months to achieve even a lowly 6A
Managed one goal of a 7a before I was 50 - minor cheat in that it is an extended V5 bouldering traverse that gets a sport grade but at my age you take what you can get lol, other goal of 7A remained very close but just out of reach but I remain hopeful and train as hard as I can
Am stronger now than ever and still improving, also more savvy about how to avoid injury a critical skill in the geriatric as is managing them when you can feel the clock ticking - most recent was to my foot/ankle that made anything away from the fingerboard a non-starter, even onto crash mats indoors - somewhat annoying as it was at the end of a 12 week period of strength training and just as I was looking forward to transferring some of the new strength to rock; worked out OK in that it has pissed it down up here in Fife over pretty much the whole Xmas period whilst the ankle was damaged so I have used the time on the fingerboard instead
Best advice I can give is ignore your age and but be ruthless in your assessment of yourself and your peformance so you put focus where focus is needed, even if the truth hurts e.g. my technique is crap, lastly pick your battles carefully
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30, fucking kids.
When did Ben Moon do Voyager again?
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starting working my way through classic rock
Bet you will find that more of a challenge than ticking the next number on boulders.
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I'm 25 today. That's it, far too old now. Over the hill. Might as well quit and take up beer-ticking instead.
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I was 30 in Dec. I started climbing when I was 23. I am currently, stronger and less injured (generally speaking) than i've ever been.
Ste Mac said his best year in terms of crush was at 40.
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Fifty five...and still alive. Climbing well...and growing old disgracefully...
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I'm 43 in April and fully expect to send 7C this year. Did 7B on my first trip out this year with 10 pounds of excess christmas pudding round my waist. Its having young kids and too much Red wine that causes me to fall in and out of form! I'd love to be 30 again and have the opportunity for 12 years retro training. Reckon i'd cranking 8A by now. Shit, I'm having a mid life crisis!!
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I've got a mate out here who did his first 12 at 43 and now at 46 is still doing the odd 10 or 11. So don't worry - there's still hope for you yet.......
.......at 30. ;D
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Imo, a lot of it's in the mind and the strong gravitational pull of being like your age cohort amongst climbers. If you don't want to perform like your age cohort, climb with younger people more. 30 isn't even mid-life.
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30. bloody youth...
I'm nearly 42 and managed to improve my max bouldering grade from 7A+ to 7C lst year by a bit of focused training and actually tying hard on the blocs. And I've been climbing for nearly 25 years. You have a long way to go, just keep pushing yourself and the improvements will soon appear :2thumbsup:
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30 isn't even mid-life.
Its the start though if you're generous and over-estimate the mean life expectancy to be around 90 and then divide that into tertiles of young/middle-age/old. :P
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I am 36 and have only been climbing for 1 1/2 years and only bouldering for a few months so I hope the only way is up and I'm not over the hill already.
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divide that into tertiles of young/middle-age/old. :P
Like this?
(http://mehulsfengshui.com/image/cache/data/3%20generation-175x249.jpg)
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I started climbing at the age of 25 (already having two kids) and fairly steadily built up to bouldering 7a+ then life got in the way in the form of bad relationships and too much partying etc. I'm now nearly 37 and despite not bouldering anywhere near at my old peak, I feel fitter than ever and find myself hugely positive about the future of my climbing.
I'm fairly recently married to a very understanding wife (who is slowly but surely getting the bug) and finding that this has settled me down more and helped me re-focus on what I want to achieve in climbing but also in the world of fishing. It can be hard to juggle three kids, a hard (but very satisfying) job, wanting to climb and fish all the time, train, afford all the things we want and maintain a good relationship with all parties!
However, that's a big part of what life is all about surely!?
To the OP I'd echo what everyone else has said and suggest that you take inspiration from the likes of what Tom and Nai have achieved in their 40's.
At least, that's what I'm doing :)
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But does your lady wife know that one of your goals is to bag a fat old trout?
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Again, Stevie Haston.
I'm 40 this year, and I'm not done yet. Gains take longer, but you consolidate faster. You gain more wizardry.
I lost a fair bit of spark due to work and kids, but its come back around. I'm back to full power on the shorter, more intense problems of my younger years. Also, getting much stronger at the minute - it can be done mate.
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Shorter, more intense being 1-2 moves as opposed to your longer power stamina problems of 3-4 moves ;)
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That's right. When 5 moves is approaching a stamina fest, who needs more than three?
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a good friend of mine bouldered his hardest (7b+ i think?) being 46.
another did "la balance" (7c/+) at a similar age, and with a pulley-less finger (not that it requires much crimping...).
if i can extrapolate from their examples i'd say that good performances and even improvements are still possible, yet:
-minor injuries and recovery might be a serious issue. The first guy only manages to get his best shape once every two years...
-motivation and a positive attitude towards younger climbers are essential.
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I don't understand how a positive attitude towards younger climbers is essential to an older person bouldering better in later life? I'd agree with the other things certainly
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I think there's a temptation, in my experience anyway, to feel secretly a little bit jealous of younger climbers who are doing what you want to do and know you 'could' do if you had the time/youth/recovery that they do blah blah blah. Not a constructive attitude and I think it can make you accept less than your potential. Climbing with younger climbers forces oldies out of the comfort zone of ding what their age cohort are doing, which is nearly always a way to improve as long as you steer clear of injury.
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As others said. 41 in two weeks and never been so strong in my life. Highs and lows but generally a full notch above any other period of my climbing history. Core, fingers, pull ups, full body power.
Having a home wall and generally some spare time to train is very important, but it all starts in the mind.
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Another old git checking in. I'll be 45 this year.
I don't really train that much (nothing particularly structured anyway) but last year I lost some weight and felt as strong, at least for a few months, as I was in my twenties. I feel like I've got much better crag skills these days - it always amazes me how younger climbers who crank at the wall are completely rubbish outside on real rock. So I guess that is one benefit of being old and experienced.
I am carrying a bad finger injury at the moment though - maybe that is just standard issue as you get older. Or maybe not, as I did it when I broke one of my golden rules about warming up - a real stupid schoolboy error.
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Oh dear I seem to be the oldest of lot of old gits at 57. I don't improve any more although last year I did a couple of 7a+ which I haven't achieved for a few years. I have to work quite hard at staying at the level I'm at but that could be more to do with drinking like a fish and trying to be competive on my bike at the same time.
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I am recently retired, in my sixties and expect to complete several projects both in this country and in Font this year. I have far more time to train and rest than when I was working and am therefore stronger than I was in my 50’s. A key focus for me has been improving flexibility and technique and both of these require substantial time investment that is starting to pay off now.
In my experience probably the greatest inhibitor of performance is “ life in general “ and it seems to me that marriage, children and careers take a serious toll on one from about 30 to 60, after which a few good years should be possible if you have kept yourself in reasonable condition.
The comments about climbing with younger people are interesting as I have always bouldered with people who are younger than me and learned vast amounts about improving technique and trying hard from them. I have, therefore, always had great respect for them and fueled my passion to “ climb better “ with the enthusiasm of successive generations.
I do not expect to continue improving in terms of grades forever but would hope that I can improve technically and eventually get to be able to move like some of the very old bleausards I see out in the forest, sending things with a perfect balance of poise power and grace.
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I don't understand how a positive attitude towards younger climbers is essential to an older person bouldering better in later life?
it is maybe biased by the observation of the "older" (40 something) climbers i know...
the ones who generally perform better seem to mix with younger generations.
It's probably simply a good way to keep boredom away and find a source of motivation, and possibly new tricks, esxpecially if you've been climbing in the same area for 20+ years...
anyway, among this sub-group of oldies, the most successful are the ones who have a balanced position about their younger partners' physical abilities - not overly competitive or jealous, yet not falling either in that kind of "i'm old, weak and often injuried" self-commiseration...
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Nonsense. I still don't understand how me having a positive attitude to someone younger makes me a better climber. What next me having a poor attitude to older climbers makes me a poor climber? Very random thought process. If we were to change the word younger to mate or the word older to mate then I could understand
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Nonsense. I still don't understand how me having a positive attitude to someone younger makes me a better climber. What next me having a poor attitude to older climbers makes me a poor climber? Very random thought process. If we were to change the word younger to mate or the word older to mate then I could understand
It's not exactly "having a positive attitude toward someone younger". It's more of an elimination of age as a determinant or excuse.
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Yes I know Sasquatch, one is totally different to the other tho
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Yes I know Sasquatch, one is totally different to the other tho
True.
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Thirty's not even clocking in to middle age! I didn't even start climbing of any kind until I was thirty. It's now four years later and I ticked my first 7B+ last week - I hope to consolidate that and assuming I can stay injury-free, bag at least one 7C that suits my style this year.
Have done this with regular bouldering indoor and out and some fingerboarding.
You have nowt to worry about!