Hi,
I keep seeing stories about climbing and being over 30. Please have a thought for us that are on the wrong side of 40! Fortunately there are climbers in their 50′s leading 9a, which makes me feel a lot better.
Here’s my experiences of being a 40+ climber:
- Any muscle imbalances you had 20 years ago are now loads worse! To stop injuries occurring as a result make sure you train your wrist extensors, shoulder rotator cuff, lower traps and core. I’ve found training all my antagonist muscles and core with slings has helped me train harder.
- Weight doesn’t fall off you anymore! I used to eat what I wanted and was always 10.5 stone. My normal body weight is now 11.5 stone and have to watch everything I eat and do loads of cardio (intervals) to get my weight down to around 10.5 stone. Obviously the lack of food also makes me really grumpy!
- Your fingers feel really creaky, especially in the morning, when crimping a lot and when using a keyboard. I try and overcome this with lots of stretching of the fingers and finger/forearm massage daily.
- You lose a lot of flexibility. I now have to stretch my hips and legs daily, to try and overcome this.
- Your back hurts and has a habit of pulling in the morning when you put your socks on! Do lots of core conditioning to give your back a good basis for your training and get a foam roll to get yourself out of your hunchback posture.
- You have a lot less time available for climbing. As a result I spend more time focusing on short high quality training sessions, tailored towards specific route goals I may have.
Ok, so it sounds as things are heavily stacked against me! On a positive note I now know how to train a lot better and don’t just ignore any signs of over training. As a result I’m in better shape than I was when I was 20. The only problem is that getting into that shape involves so many more sacrifices than when I was younger. May be with all this wet weather I should just enjoy chocolate and cakes until things dry out 
Hi, I have just started climbing at 49 and must admit it’s a lot harder to do things than when I was 20 years old. But within a couple of months I’ve managed a few 6C+ and I’m happy with that. I have not lived the healthiest lifestyle in the last 49 years but must admit since I have started climbing I feel great. I do get the finger aches a bit in the morning but nothing too bad. I try to go 4 times a week now.
I know I’m never going to do Everest, but have no desire to. It’s a great sport and great for meeting new people and socializing. I think everyone no matter what age should give it a go
Hi Cliff,
Sounds as though you are making great progress through the grades for an old fella
Seriously though, what I was saying is that there is no reason why you can’t being climbing 8a of above even into your late 50′s. We just have to be more clever with our training than when we were younger.
Enjoy your climbing!
Good to hear your stories. I’m 41 and gearing up to see how I fare on the rock. I’m about 20 hours into a fairly major home climbing wall project which I hope will be good training for some trad climbing sometime soon. So keep up the good work!
Great to hear you are building your own wall! Its a brilliant way to get strong. Tops tips are play some loud music for motivation (I play Iron Maiden…which for some reason doesn’t motivate anyone else!), a fan to cool those tips in between goes and wooden holds for ultra strong fingers (guys like Magnus Midtbo think the reduced friction gives you stronger fingers)
This year i announced to the world that i was officially 50 and therefore old.But having climbed and exercised through most of my life i do not suffer from strength related stress and strains for some reason.But i will point out that i have great problem with fitness/cardio.Guess it depends on how you have lived your life .
Still great success and to hear you still enjoy the great sport of climbing.
Great to hear you are still going strong Stuart. Look at Stevie Haston, that’s where I want to be in my 50′s!