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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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I still have all of my original teeth.
What's more, most of them are still in the same place.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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" A good partner and a good route, I don't care what grade, is all I need"
-words to live by at any age!
I'm 52d. It just doesn't come as easily as it used to.
Though if I work a bit harder, it seems to still be there.
Fuk, we're lucky to still be walking upright, we are truely blessed, to be having new adventures on the crags.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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I am still crazy about climbing though I don't get after it as much as I used to. Nothing is more fun than climbing with longtime partners. In these situations climbing becomes a sort of time machine where we can go backwards and be the fools we used to be rather than the fools we have become!
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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you can not fall after 60.
it might mean a hip.
so after 60 climbers are the safest, right?
or at least, more safe.
slow and easy, enjoy the rock, speed climbing is for them young whipper snappers.
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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"...If you just like interacting with a lot of people, you will probably switch to bridge..."
No. Bridge is too difficult.
Curt
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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52d LOL
What is ; 6 days from your birthday?
ddddddd+++++?
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
In the mountains... somewhere...
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I'm almost 58 and still climb pretty hard. I am about a number grade short of my best but I can guarantee I have more fun now. Part of the deal is I work 2 minutes from Stoney Point and I love to boulder. So every Tuesday and Thursday that the body doesn't have other plans I boulder. I am still competitive and so things hurt a lot, but bouldering with the 20 somethings is pretty rewarding so long as I manage to not overdo it. Climbing routes is a little more relaxed most of the time and spent just to be outdoors and hanging with friends. The only time I seem to get in really deep is in Tuolumne in the summer. There is just something about pulling on 11d knob routes that I find irresistible.
So, never give an inch, keep training, keep climbing, keep at it because if you stop it all goes away soooooo fast. And it is really hard to get back.
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Double D
climber
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Good times, pulling off a stiff grade with good partners... A+
Good times, pulling off a stiff grade without partners..... A
Good times no grade with good partners..................... A-
Good times no grade without partners....................... B+ (but still beats going to the gym!)
Just getting out there and being able to cruise is a blessing and for some of us... a miracle!
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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If you just liked coordinated muscle activity you probably will never stop.
A comforting thought :)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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I'll interpret MH2's question slightly differently... as having climbed with him he exhibits all of the great qualities of a very long time climber, especially enthusiasm for getting out and climbing. I have enjoyed the few times I've gotten to climb with him and would do it a lot more if I lived anywhere nearby.
But there are changes in peoples bodies, both physical changes and physiological changes that are due to age.
A person's maximum strength is achievable in their mid-twenties, strength declines
after that...
here is a chart of record holders in various classes, the youngest record is the "world's record" and the others are the Master Age group records (M35, M40, M45, ... M100)
which demonstrates that highly motivated athletes see a continual drop off in performance with age, presumably related to their strength.
Now in climbing there is technique to get you through, but strength is still an important part of it, as is flexibility. Flexibility also reduces as one ages, and is related to exercise...
In addition, the metabolic rate decreases with age, and so it is harder to "work off" extra weight. I read somewhere that muscle converts to fat at about 2% per year, which is a lot, your weight stays the same... you are just weaker...
the mineral content of the bones changes
the cartilage changes
ligaments and connective tissues change...
So some reduction in aspects of climbing for aging climbers will be limiting.
Than again, maybe you were just having a bad day?
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MH2
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 9, 2009 - 01:34am PT
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Thanks, Ed!
I have nothing to lament or seek sympathy for.
Just trying to be objective, although like many a good scientist I have nudged the facts a little to better fit the hypothesis.
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Jesus,
Things go pretty much to hell after 70--better live for the moment.
Curt
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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I'd be happy to just be able to pick up a shot put at 100 let alone hurl it five meters.
EDIT: I hurled a weight with string attached over a branch tonight in advance of hanging a bird feeder in a tree. The weight was a fair-sized rock inside a few plastic grocery store bags. Almost killed myself with the first toss as I didn't notice I was standing on the green-colored string in the grass - that baby went about twelve feet and came back at me fast, just missing taking my head off. Shot putting, indeed - clear the area...
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Ed, please soften the "x" axis by stretching it right a bit. Those drop-offs look pretty steep!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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I thought I read in Climbing mad a while back a 60 year old dude led 5.14.
Kind of makes 5.11 at 60 seem mild.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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refresh your caches... made the changes and added a quadratic fit to the data...
still falls off very quickly!
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Why do I get the feeling that chart could also be used for the effect of aging on a pissing distance...
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Or angle of erection--absent Viagra, of course.
Curt
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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curt, I don't know about living for the moment, just appreciate each moment and make each moment count, it gets you ready for the next moment.
33 days, Ron
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