The Numbers Game – Age and Training for Climbing

It’s no secret that young kids are climbing harder and harder. However, if you look more closely, there are also a large number of people climbing hard into their fifties and beyond. Despite all the impressive ascents made by climbers on either end of the age spectrum, age does matter in climbing.  Young climbers in their early teens and seasoned veterans moving into their fifties have different physical needs and will respond differently to the stresses of climbing and training.

Here’s an article from Rock and Ice by Neil Gresham that tries to answer the question if climbing training can be more effective if we play to the strengths of our ages.

“Can we play to the strengths of our ages? Should we work more on power when we are young and endurance when old? How does our susceptibility to injury change over time and to what extent should we allow it to affect our climbing and training?” – Neil Gresham

First, Gresham discusses the fact that men reach their maximal explosive strength potential in their mid-twenties and women do the same by the age of 30.  However, Gresham is quick to point out that this simply represents your capacity for a lifetime best and that it is still possible to make gains even in power and explosive strength past these ages.

In an effort to help climbers of any age understand how their age effects their climbing and training, Gresham then breaks climbers into six age groups and discusses the specific climbing and training requirements for each one.

1. Juniors: 7-12
2. Juniors: 13-17
3. Adults: 18-25
4. Adults: 25-40
5. Adults: 40-60
6. Adults: 60+

Take a look and see if what you’re doing is inline with what he thinks for your age group. Remember though, while age matters, hard work and dedication will lead to improvement. This article is simply another reminder that while it’s always important to work hard it’s also important to train smart.

Click Here: The Numbers Game – How to use Your Age to Your Advantage

(photo courtesy of rockandice.com)

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