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reg
Apr 23, 2008, 4:07 PM
Post #26 of 54
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majid_sabet wrote: Your age stops when you start to climb. That is how I see it.
your as young as you feel no matter what your doin!
also:
moose_droppings wrote: My guess would be most of the average people don't even climb. If you'd ask of those that climb, I'd guess as long can. At least that's my plan.
me to - as long as i want to and can!
ask stimson bullit at 83 pullin 5.10b!
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nklotz
Apr 23, 2008, 4:09 PM
Post #27 of 54
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I've heard of people up into there 80's. As long as, you keep your flexibility and keep working out. I would think you could go as long as you want. Also, one thing would be that, they should keep there bones strong too.
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chanceboarder
Apr 23, 2008, 4:26 PM
Post #28 of 54
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macherry wrote: difdclimber wrote: How old would you say the average person stops climbing at or better yet, at what age do MOST people climb until? I don't meen stop performing at peak levels but climbing (whether it be bouldeirng, sport climbing, or top roping) how old can one expect to climb until? 50's? 60's? Thanks guys ask fred becky
http://www.supertopo.com/...72033&msg=572721
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dutyje
Apr 23, 2008, 4:37 PM
Post #29 of 54
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lena_chita wrote: ...loud, grossly-misinformed rant...
wow.. settle down. I can give you better context on this. My wife never enjoyed climbing, so I had to extrapolate based on another mutual interest. We both love to go backpacking. We always went backpacking together, but once we had kids, we had less opportunity. She chose to give it up, and I have significantly reduced my trips. We've been out together twice since our son was born four years ago.
She has the opportunity to do things just as much as me. Two weeks ago she went to Charleston to run in a race with her friends, while I stayed home with the kids. Last weekend, she went to the spa for a massage, manicure, and pedicure.. then spent the day shopping. I took care of the kids.
We used to play soccer on a co-ed team in an adult rec league. We both gave up soccer when we had kids. We both continue to do the things we most enjoy, and that didn't make the cut. I was merely stating that I am far more passionate about climbing than I would have expected her to be. If I had married a climber, we would likely have instead found ourselves new/additional climbing partners.
For example, one of my climbing partners has a wife who also climbs. They normally did most of their climbing together. A year ago, they had a son. They both climb with the same frequency, but now almost never with each other.
My wife has the free time to enjoy her many hobbies/activities (running, scrapbooking parties, Ladies Club, Book Club, Girls Dinner, and the neighborhood Bunco games). I use my time to climb, backpack, and play hockey.
I love this site and the way people get barbecued based on the assumptions made when somebody chooses to spare the crowd all the irrelevant, long-winded detail/context behind a basic statement.
So there.. it's a good thing my wife wasn't a climber.. Otherwise, I would have had to buy some chain to keep her in the house while I run off to the cliffs. I can't be troubled with trying to keep children alive while she's off climbing or having her own fun. And women have no right to enjoy themselves and pursue their hobbies. I hear there's a place in Texas with lots of newly-available space, and they teach a woman her place in the world. I'm gonna take the family there.
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lena_chita
Moderator
Apr 23, 2008, 4:55 PM
Post #30 of 54
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dutyje wrote: < snip> So there...
My apologies for misreading you.
I understand now -- you just happen to have a wife who was/is willing to give up more than I was/am willing to give up. I always knew I was selfish...
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shockabuku
Apr 23, 2008, 5:03 PM
Post #31 of 54
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fresh wrote: sspssp wrote: You climb until either: you get married, have kids, and decide you don't have the time for it, I'd be interested in how true this is. anyone?
I interpret that as: until you don't have enough interest to climb anymore.
Married, 4 kids, grad student, still climbing, more and better than ever.
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dutyje
Apr 23, 2008, 6:36 PM
Post #32 of 54
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lena_chita wrote: dutyje wrote: < snip> So there... My apologies for misreading you. I understand now -- you just happen to have a wife who was/is willing to give up more than I was/am willing to give up. I always knew I was selfish...
Selfish, no... just different, like everybody else. I still agree with what others have said, which is that people will stick with what is most important to them. My wife is a very social person (homecoming queen/cheerleader-type), and those activities are most important to her, so she has focused on those in place of sports (aside from running).
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tolman_paul
Apr 23, 2008, 10:28 PM
Post #33 of 54
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fresh wrote: sspssp wrote: You climb until either: you get married, have kids, and decide you don't have the time for it, I'd be interested in how true this is. anyone?
Perhaps it helps that I met my wife climbing. 6 weeks after she deliverd our first child, we were back out climbing. With 2 more children subsequent to that, climbing kinda got put on the back burner.
Now after a more or less 12 year hiatus, We're back at it and getting the kids into climbing. I have a former co-worker who I've climbed with off and on that just hit 40, and has two children. He climbs pretty much at least once a week year round, and is pretty solid on 5.11's and makes it up the occasional 5.12. I'm needing to shed 30-40 pounds that I acquired driving a desk 40+ hours a week and building some strength as I'm hard pressed to make it past 5.9.
If climbing is important, you'll make the time. I find that climbing is more important to me now then it was when I was climbing more frequently and harder. I plan to climb, ski, bike etc at least into my 60's barring major injuries.
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ladyrockstar
Apr 23, 2008, 11:50 PM
Post #34 of 54
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I started climbing when I was 53, with the express purpose of climbing Devil's Tower. Did that two years ago, at 58 (thanks Frank!). Chronologically, I turned 60 April 1, but really, I've gotten younger at each birthday since I started climbing, and I expect to keep climbing until I regress back to being an infant ;-).
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Tree_wrangler
Apr 24, 2008, 12:14 AM
Post #35 of 54
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In reply to: You climb until either: you get married, have kids, and decide you don't have the time for it,
In reply to: I'd be interested in how true this is. anyone?
Not only is it not true, it's just total BS........The person who made the statement obviously has no relevant experience on which to base it.
Kids make it different. You're not having your own epic every time out, but they're not young forever, either. It's a lesson in patience, but it's not the end of fun.
I know one fellow, who may even read this post, who used his 7-year old daughter as a belay slave while he put up new routes on lead. He just tied her to a tree and gave her a gri-gri. They're still close now that she's an adult, and they still climb together.
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munky
Apr 24, 2008, 1:47 AM
Post #36 of 54
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Fo Real! I gotta adopt me a kid.
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jeapord
Apr 24, 2008, 3:01 AM
Post #37 of 54
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I'm sure someone knows this guy's name: A couple of years ago 2005? there was a 60 yr old that stared climbing at 38 and had just climbed his first 5.14. I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!! That guy is inspiring, I want to be that guy.
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difdclimber
Apr 24, 2008, 12:23 PM
Post #38 of 54
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nklotz wrote: I've heard of people up into there 80's. As long as, you keep your flexibility and keep working out. I would think you could go as long as you want. Also, one thing would be that, they should keep there bones strong too.
What are keys to staying flexible? Thanks guys
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Tree_wrangler
Apr 24, 2008, 2:21 PM
Post #39 of 54
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Truly, there is only one legitimate key.
You continue to use your body frequently, all of it. Arms, legs, shoulders, hips, etc., ALL OF IT. Don't allow yourself to favor old injuries, don't allow yourself poor posture, etc.
And you don't allow yourself to become sedentary and inflexible. Although I'm being a little cheeky, it really isn't inevitable that you become inflexible with age. People just allow it to happen as they get busier with age, and exercise and stretching becomes less convenient......
Keep yo' body movin'.
And Yoga, Tai Chi, Climbing, Swimming, and other whole-body, low impact activities are good choices. Better yet.......do them all.....as lifelong habits.
And all the rest. Sleep well, eat well, drink less, give up tobacco, etc. It's easier to motivate when a lifestyle isn't making you feel toxic and sick.
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sspssp
Apr 24, 2008, 6:15 PM
Post #40 of 54
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shockabuku wrote: fresh wrote: sspssp wrote: You climb until either: you get married, have kids, and decide you don't have the time for it, I'd be interested in how true this is. anyone? I interpret that as: until you don't have enough interest to climb anymore. Married, 4 kids, grad student, still climbing, more and better than ever.
Ok, I made a broad generalization and assumed it would be taken as such. Sure there are people who have kids and still climb, sure there are people who have serious injuries late in life and come back and climb, sure there are people who do the Nose in under four hours. The OP asked when the average climber quits.
If you take two guys in their early 20's and one gets married and has kids and one stays single, which do you think is more likely to still be climbing in their 40's? I've lost more than one partner to GF/family.
You can climb into your 70's and 80's but few do. Walk into a climbing gym and select 50 climbers in their late teens to early 20's. [Going back to the OP's original question] I bet only one, at most, is still climbing at age 70.
(This post was edited by sspssp on Apr 24, 2008, 6:18 PM)
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WVUCLMBR
Apr 24, 2008, 6:30 PM
Post #41 of 54
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I'm not sure if your "50 people @ climbing gym" is an accurate sampling. Gym climbers make very little investment in gear/knowledge. It is easy for them to walk away from the sport. I'm pretty sure if you leave the gym and go trad the % of old-heads still in the game increases.
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the_climber
Apr 24, 2008, 6:33 PM
Post #42 of 54
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sspssp wrote: You can climb into your 70's and 80's but few do. Walk into a climbing gym and select 50 climbers in their late teens to early 20's. [Going back to the OP's original question] I bet only one, at most, is still climbing at age 70.
There it is right there... climbing gym.
I would venture a guess and say that if you took the same number of (real) climbers, who primarily climb outsite and in the same age bracket, you would find many more of them are climbing late into life. Sure there will be those with a hiatus or a significant hiatus in there, but I would say there would be many more still climbing.
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zonie
Apr 24, 2008, 7:16 PM
Post #43 of 54
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Let's see. I started climbing in my teens during the 70's. Dropped it for a while in grad school. Introduced my son into climbing when he was 13. Climbed together with him in my 40's and 50's (he's now doing v10/5.13). Less time for climbing now that I have taken up running (Boston marathon last Monday). Looking forward to early retirement (55) so I can run and climb more. Hope to introduce my grandkids into climbing when I'm 70.
I don't see any end in sight...
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rgold
Apr 24, 2008, 7:16 PM
Post #44 of 54
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This is a subject that is really hard to generalize. How long you climb and how hard you climb depends on a host of mental, physical, and genetic factors. Not everyone can be Fred Beckey, no matter how much they might want to, and no matter how healthily they try to live. Climbing 14's when you are sixty is the provence of a miniscule group of people with the exceptional luck to have perfect genetics and extremely unusual conditioning. You may aspire to this, but there are no guarantees that you could ever attain it, and the chances are that you won't.
Then there are the psychological, social, and cultural factors. Priorities will change for most people who marry and have children. There will be less time for climbing and so a decline in conditioning and ability, and a sense of responsibility that changes the willingness to take certain types of risk. Some people find interesting and fulfilling careers that they willingly give considerable attention to and derive great satisfaction from. The collection of broadened interests and deepened and elaborated social ties has got to result in a diminished level of performance for all but a very exceptional few. Most people accept these changes as part of the process of maturing and see the tradeoffs as positive, even if they sometimes feel nostalgia for a former level of climbing performance they now find out of reach.
However, it does seem to me that, if you like it enough and are capable of enjoying what you can do as opposed to pining for what you used to be able to do, then it isn't hard to continue to climb well into old age. I'm 64 and have been climbing for 50 years, longer than the majority of the poster on this site have been alive. I've had pretty long periods of single-minded intensity, I've had some periods when I only did several climbs a year, I have a wife and a daughter in college (with a tuition that I have to pay) and a profession I enjoy. Nowadays I manage to climb twice a week or so in a climbing gym and one or two days a week outdoors, with a one-week climbing trip a year. I'm climbing perhaps a grade and a half below my peak abilities, which for me were really forty years ago. I've been "subpar" for longer than many people have climbed. I find I now have no interest in some of the riskier things I used to do---I ain't no Bachar. It seems that the less life I have left, the more valuable the remaining time becomes.
But here's the thing: I still like climbing. I've always liked it, so I never got fat, I never got seriously out of shape, and I'm still chugging along, albeit at a substantially slower pace. I know this decline will continue, even as I scheme to slow the rate, and I accept that too and am greatful for every day I get to spend out on the crags.
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sspssp
Apr 24, 2008, 8:19 PM
Post #45 of 54
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the_climber wrote: sspssp wrote: You can climb into your 70's and 80's but few do. Walk into a climbing gym and select 50 climbers in their late teens to early 20's. [Going back to the OP's original question] I bet only one, at most, is still climbing at age 70. There it is right there... climbing gym. I would venture a guess and say that if you took the same number of (real) climbers, who primarily climb outsite and in the same age bracket, you would find many more of them are climbing late into life. Sure there will be those with a hiatus or a significant hiatus in there, but I would say there would be many more still climbing.
Go to Yosemite and select and 100 climbers in their late teens and early 20's. At age 70, 2.1 will still be climbing (I read in on the internet, it must be true ).
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the_climber
Apr 24, 2008, 8:53 PM
Post #46 of 54
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sspssp wrote: the_climber wrote: sspssp wrote: You can climb into your 70's and 80's but few do. Walk into a climbing gym and select 50 climbers in their late teens to early 20's. [Going back to the OP's original question] I bet only one, at most, is still climbing at age 70. There it is right there... climbing gym. I would venture a guess and say that if you took the same number of (real) climbers, who primarily climb outsite and in the same age bracket, you would find many more of them are climbing late into life. Sure there will be those with a hiatus or a significant hiatus in there, but I would say there would be many more still climbing. Go to Yosemite and select and 100 climbers in their late teens and early 20's. At age 70, 2.1 will still be climbing (I read in on the internet, it must be true ).
Can't say the same thing about my area. Guess Canadian Choss Climbers are just tougher.
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Tree_wrangler
Apr 24, 2008, 11:58 PM
Post #47 of 54
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You've kind of got a point, but think about this.
Take your same 100 (or whatever number) 20 year old climbers, all who will remain single for life, and check them when they're 70.
Very, very few will still be going. So they didn't get married...so what.....it's just as likely that they'll end up wasting away in a bar for 40 years instead.....many of them will still give up climbing.
And Yosemite stacks the deck in favor of climbers with some talent, so you've already (intentionally) biased your population. Go to your average crag, go to all of them, etc.....most give it up, or at least give up the dream of improving eventually.
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WVUCLMBR
Apr 25, 2008, 12:21 PM
Post #48 of 54
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It's pronounced "Canada"...and no...you aren't tougher.....your beer is just stronger than ours.
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the_climber
Apr 25, 2008, 2:58 PM
Post #49 of 54
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WVUCLMBR wrote: It's pronounced "Canada"...
Yeah, the Counrty is "Canada" but people from here are "Canadian"...
I still maintain climding in the Canadian Rockies makes you tougher.... the rock only gets better from here. Our ice is better though... that's a fact!
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WVUCLMBR
Apr 25, 2008, 3:16 PM
Post #50 of 54
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It's from some beer comercial. I don't think it is fair that you guys get all the good ice. BTW, u guys also have oil and diamonds.....all it would take is a WMD rumor and we'd invade yer ass.....watch your back Canada!!!!
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