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cornel
Big Wall climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Thanx JGill I do appreciate the many fascinating comments on this thread. Thanx to John for starting it..
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Ratzzz...
Social climber
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Personally, where I live, there are so many secluded spots that we can climb all we want without the crowds. Why wait 20 minutes or more to get on a climb when you can set up and climb whatever and whenever you want...Which means we're still out there you just can't find us. ;)
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujo de la Playa
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Susan (my Santa Cruz surfing friend) :}
Falling is dangerous. Balance is trainable. I started a few years back (I'm 67 now). Try some of those exercises with your eyes closed. It's a real eye-opener.
Anyway, balance is also "un-trainable". I layed off for a while and it was another eye-opener how I had regressed.
Here's one I do, though it's not me. Watch out though it can make your wrists sore.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Regarding balance, I have recently tried to do some slack chain walking like I easily did years ago and find it is quite a bit harder than I remember. At 77, however, I've been going up and down talus fields and have gotten back that fluid balance I once had. Feels great. But the chain just wiggles too much!
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Back in the 80s I came up with some exercises my mother could do. Now, I'm doing them! This is me in the late 80s. I still have those Levis but can't wear them.....size 31 waist! Haha! This rocking chair exercise actually took a little bit of coordination.
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cornel
Big Wall climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Yes exercises that focus on balance are very beneficial. Yoga really helps me and using the bongo board as well. Never really used the slack line much but I know that's a great one too. Got to protect our joints so proper execution of the asanas are super critical.. Varying my routine really helps me to stay hungry and looking forward to the next workout..
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johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2014 - 03:46pm PT
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Supposedly another way to determine if you are old is a functional test. Without any rehearsal stand on one leg with eyes shut and see how long you can stay that way. Following is what the "experts" say is how to determine your age:
Zero seconds your dead
1 second 85+
2 seconds 80 years
3 seconds 75 years
4 seconds 70 years
5 seconds 65 years
7 seconds 60 years
8 seconds 55 years
9 seconds 50 years
12 seconds 45 years
16 seconds 40 years
22 seconds 30-35 years
28 seconds 25-30 years
I just did it and stood for 20 seconds so that means my functional age is 35 (my chronological age is 69) But then I would expect this cause I'm a Bad Ass SOB
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Don't fret, people. Just do the best you can at any age.
(the shorter you are the more the advantage in the balance trick)
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johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 10, 2014 - 10:14am PT
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Jgill: You exposed me. I am only 3' 2". John R (maybe us short people should be required to lift both feet off the floor)
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Feb 10, 2014 - 11:33am PT
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I've just come back from a trip to Spain with several mates.
At 58 I am the youngest, the oldest is 67, or perhaps a bit older. On the sporty stuff a number of 7as were onsight flashed. In my opinion we underperform, but only because we would get bored redpointing!
The between the six of us there are five artificial hips, and one participant has no thumb on his right hand (degloved in an accident). All have had climbing associated major surgeries. Some multiples thereof.
I have recently met up with blokes in my age zone who are mor organised in their sport climbing and expect to climb in the 7b to 8a range.......
With due dilligence to training and injuries, it all remains possible. If someone had suggested that at age 58 I could still be climbing, and even aspiring to improve, I'd have said they were nuts!
Steve
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Feb 10, 2014 - 02:02pm PT
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My feet seem to keep getting longer with age. I have yet to hear somebody complain about a guy having an advantage because his feet are longer. Doesn't Honnold have big feet?
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Dingus McGee
Social climber
Laramie
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Feb 10, 2014 - 02:10pm PT
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Blakey,
but only because we would get bored redpointing!
Answer from M. Csikszentmihalyi Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Getting bored huh? There is a simple solution to keep from getting bored while sport climbimg as it is exactly what M. Csikszentmihalyi suggest in his book on Flow.
Easy, choose some 8a climbs instead of any of those climbs in the 7 range. For Trad sakes, Boredom comes about when your task requires too little of your skillset.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Feb 10, 2014 - 02:22pm PT
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If someone had suggested that at age 58 I could still be climbing, and even aspiring to improve, I'd have said they were nuts!
Sometimes it strikes me how ridiculous it is that I am 62. It's best to not think about those numbers but just get on to what you think you can do. I say ridiculous because may 'age' seems to live in another universe than the one I live in.
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johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 10, 2014 - 07:15pm PT
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I was in my gym locker room today and overheard a conversation. The discussion included "I just don't seem to want to work out as hard as I used to", "It used to be if I missed a workout session it was a big deal, now if I miss a couple, no big deal", "I just don't seem to have the recovery that I had when I was young". "My body can no longer take the abuse of working out every other day" These fellows said they were 42 and 43, were out of shape and were carrying extra weight. This is the kinda situation I was discussing in my original post: "because of desire reduction rather than body deterioration" Donini said it well: "Then there are the myriad of climbers who just give into the temptation to sit on the patio, drink in hand, and wax poetic about the good old days".
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Feb 11, 2014 - 04:15am PT
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Hey Dingus,
Bored is a simplification. Where we live, the nearest meaningful sport climbing is a two hour drive away. The local crags offer either bouldering, or serious trad.
The bouldering is as hard as you want, and the trad, above 5.10 is typically all rather serious to deadly - and we don't top rope/redpoint here.
So most of my time is of nessecity spent bouldering, seeking out new stuff, a lot of it highball, so quite exciting.
Add to this that in the 25 years I was away from my patch, my contemporaries did all the death stuff, climbed 8a when it was hard, and are understandably reluctant to spend four hours in a car to get back redpointing something they did 20 years ago!
Similarly when we have our trips away there is an understandable reluctance to spend a week fighting two routes when you could onsight a lot....
If the local crags had hard sport - I'd probably be 'at it' 'gettin some', but it just ain't so.
But you are probably right, I should cowboy up more when I'm away, if I can find someone patient enough to belay me!
Regards,
Steve
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Dingus McGee
Social climber
Laramie
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Feb 11, 2014 - 10:45am PT
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Blakey,
typically all rather serious to deadly
and even more to the point of the ideas in Flow
Csikszentmihalyi has opposite to boredom: Anxiety and I detect some anxiety in that quote above.
But I agree that some areas just don't have the right mix [somewhere between boredom and anxiety] for one's skillset.
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JerryA
Mountain climber
Sacramento,CA
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Feb 11, 2014 - 11:54am PT
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A lot of my current cycling friends who are in their 70's & 80's were also runners,swimmers,hikers ,climbers & skiers .We still do some of that sometimes but biking long distances is now phisically more rewarding & we can still cycle in lot's of places around the world.One 75 year-old friend rode 18,000 miles last year . I did not cycle across all of the cross -Sierra highway passes until I was in my 70's.
Let's go for a ride sometime John.
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Feb 11, 2014 - 12:04pm PT
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Dingus,
You're losing me a bit here......
I guess I am anxious about the possibility of getting hurt. But I don't think I am, because I know I don't actually have to do anything risky - I'm not compelled to, and can choose my time, place and route (and I still do do risky stuff - but there's no real pressure to)
I think I might've lasted as long as I have by being anxious at the right time
;-)
Steve
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