|
vegastradguy
Dec 4, 2002, 5:58 PM
Post #26 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 5919
|
i wish i had started climbing earlier, but i just wasnt exposed to it until i was around 23. Now i'm 25, been climbing for about 7 months. I'll prolly never climb 5.13, but i'm really not all that concerned about it. My goals are to have fun and climb mountains.
For the record, tho, last week I started pulling 5.11b/c on TR clean for the 1st time. woo! course, when it comes to leading, i'm still in the 5.10 range on sport, and 5.7-5.8 on trad. everyone has to start somewhere!
and i agree, 26 is so NOT old. age is a number, its all in how you feel!
|
|
|
|
|
drector
Dec 4, 2002, 6:03 PM
Post #27 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 27, 2002
Posts: 1037
|
I started 3 years ago at 35. I can climb a few 5.11s and I'd be at 5.12 if I lost a few excess pounds. Climbing is all about the moment, not the moment when you started but right now.
Dave
|
|
|
|
|
redpoint73
Dec 4, 2002, 7:00 PM
Post #28 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 1717
|
My partner is 41, he started climbing about 4 years ago. He is wicked strong, leads trad 5.10, and could probably do 5.12 sport climbing if he wanted to.
|
|
|
|
|
mreardon
Dec 4, 2002, 7:33 PM
Post #29 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 1337
|
One climbing partner is 44 and just worked all the moves to a 12c crack. It will be his hardest send when he gets it. Another partner is 45 and worked all the moves to a 13b sport route. Another partner is 35 and sending V10+. 26 is too young to pull anything hard
|
|
|
|
|
mhr2000
Dec 4, 2002, 9:07 PM
Post #30 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 13, 2002
Posts: 290
|
I'm 31 and just now starting to climb. I also started kneeboarding and wakeboarding again on a regular basis last summer which is pretty physically challenging as well. Unless you let yourself go, weigh 400lbs and can barely pop the top on a soda I'd say you should be good to go for a great climbing career.
Man.. I'd give anything to be 26 again. But if given a choice I'd choose 21!
|
|
|
|
|
spoon
Dec 8, 2002, 6:43 AM
Post #31 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 26, 2002
Posts: 312
|
I started at around 16, and I wish I had started earlier too. Everyone wishes that they could have started earlier. It's climbing, duh.
|
|
|
|
|
curt
Dec 10, 2002, 5:59 PM
Post #32 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 27, 2002
Posts: 18275
|
First of all, Gill is currently 65, not 70. He may be getting up there, but we don't need to pile any additional years on.
I started climbing at age 24, and asked myself the same question as the one that started this thread. At the time, I wished that I had begun climbing at an earlier age. However, looking back, I don't think it would have mattered much. A lot of people who start very young end up "burning out" and leaving the sport. Also, if I had started younger and subjected my fingers to additional years of strain that hard bouldering demands, I may have been finished by now. So, I don't really think it matters that much when you start.
Curt
[ This Message was edited by: curt on 2002-12-10 10:00 ]
|
|
|
|
|
climbingjunky
Dec 10, 2002, 6:16 PM
Post #33 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 9, 2002
Posts: 407
|
It's great to hear most of you have a positive mental attitude towards climbing. I don't really compete with others, I just climb to challenge myself, the numbers really are just there for reference purpose. I don't think one can move forward much if they lack the mental fortitude.
|
|
|
|
|
zzsean
Dec 10, 2002, 6:26 PM
Post #34 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 7, 2002
Posts: 42
|
heh, I started when I was 26 as well and am very glad that I didn't find climbing when I was younger - or I may never have graduated from University!
One of the great benefits of getting into climbing at the "ripe old age" of 26 is that you have money and fexibilty to travel. Within 2 years of taking up climbing I had travelled to Yosemite, climbed The Nose and travelled up and down the West Coast of the USA.
And then I could always look forward to going back home to Australia and planning trips to Arapiles and the Grampians.
Old in climbing is a mental state, sure, I will probably never send a double digit Boulder Problem, but I have a hell of a great time climbing at the level I do!
I guess the main issue is that you probably level out earlier than if you had started at a younger age. I bouldered my first V8 with 5 years of climbing and still find it a ridiculously hard thing to try and do 4 more years later.
|
|
|
|
|
flynnypek
Dec 11, 2002, 5:57 AM
Post #35 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 28, 2002
Posts: 309
|
I'm 27 and also a beginner! I really enjoy being up there. Feeling the air, climbing 5.3s, 5.2s, 5.10s. who cares anyways? I just need to know that I'm not going to be hanging all day because I chose a hard route. That's all it matters
|
|
|
|
|
coclimber26
Dec 13, 2002, 1:44 AM
Post #36 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 8, 2002
Posts: 928
|
You could be the worst climber in the world and have the best time of your life climbing a 5.4...climb for the experience the movement or whatever makes you happy not to try to out climb the guy next to you at the gym (unless that makes you happy).
|
|
|
|
|
ricardol
Dec 13, 2002, 2:12 AM
Post #37 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 1050
|
Umm -- set good goals -- and go for them ..
i started climbing at the end of september .. i'm 27 .. and last week i lead my first sport route .. a hard 5.9 (some books even say its a 5.10a) ..
.. in the gym i can send most 5.10a routes and i'm beginning to experiment with 5.10b's..
.. the important thing though is your goals .. mine are to become a 5.9 trad leader .. within the next 12 months .. and thats all that matters .. not how high i can go in the number game
-- ricardo
|
|
|
|
|
hwghead
Dec 13, 2002, 3:09 AM
Post #38 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 22, 2002
Posts: 7
|
You are only as young as you feel.
|
|
|
|
|
tigerbythetail
Dec 13, 2002, 3:36 AM
Post #39 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 514
|
One of my climbing partners started at 49, and he's still cranking at age 60 now; there are people out there in their 50's doing 5.13+!, and people older still climbing and enjoying themselves while their contemporaries suck down prune juice and drool on themselves.
Keeping fit through your "younger" years is essential, but it just goes to show there truly are no limits except for what others tell you.
|
|
|
|
|
topher
Dec 13, 2002, 3:53 AM
Post #40 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 19, 2002
Posts: 477
|
as for the guy that said he can do 11c/d top rope but couldnt lead, that and you hope to do 13tr and lead moderat 11, thats kinda bunk, if your talking trad, then yeah ok, but still if you can Red point 13 i bet you can lead 11+ onsight. if your talking sport, get on the sharp end man!
as for starting at 26, thats young!!! and them little 13 14 year olds in the gym yousaly hit puberty and then get muscals and then they kinda suck. 26 is young, go nuts and have fun.
|
|
|
|
|
qacwac
Dec 13, 2002, 4:52 AM
Post #41 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 25, 2002
Posts: 292
|
I just read on some website a 52 year old did an 8b or 8b+ (forget which). That's insanely hard. So if you look at it that way you have 26 more years before you're that guys age.
|
|
|
|
|
marks
Dec 14, 2002, 9:48 AM
Post #42 of 42
(3668 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 3, 2002
Posts: 376
|
indy,i was 25 when i started climbing,it just takes time to build tendon strength up.a few of my friends started young and they have tendons like the terminator.99% of the best climbers are in thier 30's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
