New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #9

Señor Arroz wrote:

Did it again today. But the yoga class was a little harder.

Re. Apple watch. Be CAREFUL with that thing. Don't climb with it on your wrist unless you want to replace it soon.

STRAVA has a function for tracking vertical feet and climbs but, let's be honest, GPS doesn't do a good job with either of those tasks. 

That’s true about the watch.  I learned long ago not to wear watches climbing.  I was doing The Line at Lovers Leap around 1986,  I know it was around that time because of the boss Swatch watch I was wearing and my bitchen Vaurnets.  I reached up to sink a jam and felt a crunch and was showered in the face by tiny pieces of glass.  Fortunately my Vaurnets shielded my eyes

Kevin, that's great that the glass lenses of your Vuarnets saved your eyes from the glass watch. I wore Vuarnet Cateyes all through HS, too. We should get some and start a resurgence of that craze around LA.

Lori, clip your watch to a gear loop if you need. But I didn't teach you to hand jam just so you can go around destroying Apple watches with that valuable beta.   

Kind words Erika, thank you. 

I dislocated my shoulder many years ago doing wheelies on a motorcycle, went down, right across the handlebar cross bar.  Kind of ended my pitching career and my roping career.  Every time I would throw that shoulder pack to throw it would pop out.  So slow controlled movement keeps things intact.  

Lori, it's called seasonal affective disorder.  Try dragging a Florida Beach Person to Chattanooga, TN.  Barbara got pretty bad after a couple of years of overcast and drizzle, she really missed the Florida sunshine.  There is light therapy for it, but getting out and playing in the sun is the best therapy.

I quit wearing watches well before cell phones, carried a pocket watch.  For some reason I as always mashing watch faces and tearing watch bands off.  Perhaps there is an arm band or a necklace you can get for it.  

Carl Schneider wrote:

Fuck dude. Respect. I was thinking today of what I used to do in the army, so much confidence and ability but I have always been so much in awe of people that are gymnasts, esp with rings. They have the best looking bodies too. 

Carl

My son and daughter in law are currently visit Sidney and Adelaide. My son sent a beautiful picture of some trees and two days later sent a message back that they were destroyed in one of the fires.

I was wondering if you can send me some links were my wife and I can give a donation to help with people in need that lost their homes and also with the suffering of the animals. Maybe others here on this MP group could also make a donation to various groups in need. You would have a better handle on who might need help than me trying to figure things out from my home in the states.

Thanks

John.

Oldtradguy wrote:

Duncan

My wife did the same thing about 2 years ago when we were climbing at Red Rocks, NV. She was about 10 feet above her gear when it happened. She finally got a cam in and I lowered her to the ground. I had her bend forward and then popped her shoulder back in by pulling on her arm. She had PT for about 2 months to heal it. She was 64 when this happened.

For handstands I hate to say that it is just practice and patience. It takes time to get the strength and balance.

You can try doing a handstand by getting close to a wall and kick your feet up against the wall. Once you do this, try to suck your gut in to pull your feet off the wall. You can also get 2 dumbbells to use instead of palming the ground. This will give you a little more support. The more expensive way to learn is to get a small set of parallettes. Here is a link from Amazon. Scroll down the page to see what is available.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q1W8Q27/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07Q1W8Q27&pd_rd_w=Q9dq7&pf_rd_p=45a72588-80f7-4414-9851-786f6c16d42b&pd_rd_wg=M043m&pf_rd_r=74W4SRSJTVE9HTZGB2NQ&pd_rd_r=a3da89d3-db0b-4ce2-b3bd-050ed6072099&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUU9aQU1CUUYzMVYyJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDA5NTY1Tk9BSkNXSUo5SVUmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDUzMzAyOTNCRE4yTzVRMU9SUk4md2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

I did find an old scanned photo of me doing an inverted cross on the rings. When I was in shape back in college we used to do handstand pushups on the P-bars. My best was 17 at one time.

Normal handstand on P-bars

Good luck and do not blow out your shoulder again.

By the way my Brit climbing friend is moving back to Kendal in Cambria this summer to climb. He will retire in May/June timeframe.

John

John... YES to Carl helping us find a way to donate and/or help!

And... GOOD LORD.  This is crazy stuff.  Don't even know what to think about your athletic skills in your younger years... but it explains how you can still be a great climber today.  WOW!

BF and I gave to the "Help Save Koalas" fund. We didn't see them in Charity Navigator, so it's hard to know if they are a good charity, but we were both distressed by the idea of losing koalas forever. There's WWF too.

Oldtradguy wrote:

Duncan

My wife did the same thing about 2 years ago when we were climbing at Red Rocks, NV. She was about 10 feet above her gear when it happened. She finally got a cam in and I lowered her to the ground. I had her bend forward and then popped her shoulder back in by pulling on her arm. She had PT for about 2 months to heal it. She was 64 when this happened.

For handstands I hate to say that it is just practice and patience. It takes time to get the strength and balance.

You can try doing a handstand by getting close to a wall and kick your feet up against the wall. Once you do this, try to suck your gut in to pull your feet off the wall. You can also get 2 dumbbells to use instead of palming the ground. This will give you a little more support. The more expensive way to learn is to get a small set of parallettes. Here is a link from Amazon. Scroll down the page to see what is available.

I did find an old scanned photo of me doing an inverted cross on the rings. When I was in shape back in college we used to do handstand pushups on the P-bars. My best was 17 at one time.

Normal handstand on P-bars

Good luck and do not blow out your shoulder again.

By the way my Brit climbing friend is moving back to Kendal in Cambria this summer to climb. He will retire in May/June timeframe.

John

John, many thanks — and more great photos. The ability to do this kind of stuff stays with us, in part, forever. Just needs rediscovering. Not exactly the same manoeuvres perhaps but I hope you get back into ‘the swing’ of things.

The shoulder came out as I swung onto the victory jug on what would have been my hardest lead for a couple of decades. Close but no cigar! I was also somewhat above gear and had to jump off. 

I had a paralysis of my Deltoid (a common complication) but fortunately it recovered and after  three months of physio. I was back on rock.  Touch wood, it now seems to be as strong as ever.  The experience is not one I care to repeat and it’s slightly put me off climbing in counties with developing medical services a long way from the cliffs. 

I’ll persevere with the hand-stands. Wrist  strength doesn’t seem to be an issue - years of planks and push-ups in them - but the shoulders and the blood pressure control need training. You’ve also made me realise I also need to practice out-facing hand-stands. 

Oldtradguy wrote:

Carl

My son and daughter in law are currently visit Sidney and Adelaide. My son sent a beautiful picture of some trees and two days later sent a message back that they were destroyed in one of the fires.

I was wondering if you can send me some links were my wife and I can give a donation to help with people in need that lost their homes and also with the suffering of the animals. Maybe others here on this MP group could also make a donation to various groups in need. You would have a better handle on who might need help than me trying to figure things out from my home in the states.

Thanks

John.

Yeah it's all quite horrible. Half of kangaroo island has been burnt and a large area around where I live in the Adelaide hills, WAY more has been burnt in New South Wales and Victoria.  Looking at some of the videos you can see that the fires would be absolutely impossible to stop.  Many homes have been destroyed, with many people under insured (it cost more to rebuild as one needs to clear the land first).  many businesses are suffering, especially those based around tourism.  Probably millions of animals have died.  This may be the start to the end of the Koala in new south wales and Victoria.  I would not be surprised if the Koala was extinct very soon. It's all rather depressing. Each day I travel through a blackened landscape to travel to work

Try this link:

https://southaustralia.com/travel-blog/how-you-can-help-with-the-bushfires-in-south-australia

dragons wrote: BF and I gave to the "Help Save Koalas" fund. We didn't see them in Charity Navigator, so it's hard to know if they are a good charity, but we were both distressed by the idea of losing koalas forever. There's WWF too.

Yeah it's terrible.  They are such a lovely little creature. Very cuddly. However, they rather disgustingly have huge incidents of chlamydia I believe. I really don't know how they would feed them with no eucalyptus trees, the trees having been burnt.

You might also consider donating through the San Diego Zoo effort. I have more faith in them to get boots on the ground than some unknown charity with a nice name. 

San Diego Zoo helping koalas

I’m giving some thought to Sugar Loaf between snows. Does anyone know about the approach and do you have favorite routes?  Sheister?

This route should be in your range it's a good.
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105735647/pony-express  5.8

​https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105911320/farley  5.9

Both very good routes

Is anybody gym climbing?  Just wondering how you all are doing... any new routes? Feats of wonder?  Pictures? (dragons?)

It seems Ryan cooked up a fresh approach to getting me un-stuck in my indoor climbing.  I have stayed at 10c-d for a long time and it's always at the top of these routes when I crap out.  So, now we're practicing focused active resting.  I mean, full-stop rests on the wall, wherever possible.  As often as we've discussed this, I don't think I really understood that effective resting is as much a part of climbing as climbing is.  Now I'm onto it.  So... is anyone else paying attention to resting on routes? 

In fact, these last few weeks I am looking at a route before I climb it to plan where the rests are, well before any crux.  It has made a lot of difference.  I rewatch my little shoe-videos, and looks pretty weird... taking naps on these hard routes. But those moments revive me and the energy is there when I need it.      I think rgold has discussed this before... (of COURSE!)... considering energy stores as a gas tank, and gauging when you're at 50%.  

I have NO idea how this might work outside.  

is anyone else paying attention to resting on routes

Absolutely I look for every rest I can find.  Large Knobs and corners are good for no handers.

Lori, one of my favorite vids shows much, but still not all (!!!!) of the time spent resting.

https://www.climbing.com/videos/raw-video-margo-hayes-redpoints-biographie-realization-5-15-9a/

Off to a TRX class, more later! Helen

Lori, remember my friend Cliff doing that bat hang off the Torch to rest? That's a really dramatic illustration, for sure, but that guy finds EVERY rest on a route, indoors or out, and sport climbs as hard as just about anyone I know. Your new watch must track pulse. It's a great eye opener to start paying close attention to your pulse rate and corresponding exertion zones. When I started riding road bikes in earnest it was a wonderful realization to learn that if I'm at 90% HR I've got about 10 mins, max, but at 75% HR I can go for hours. Good reason to be aware of not over-revving. 

Lori Milas wrote: Is anybody gym climbing?  Just wondering how you all are doing... any new routes? Feats of wonder?  Pictures? (dragons?)

It seems Ryan cooked up a fresh approach to getting me un-stuck in my indoor climbing.  I have stayed at 10c-d for a long time and it's always at the top of these routes when I crap out.  So, now we're practicing focused active resting.  I mean, full-stop rests on the wall, wherever possible.  As often as we've discussed this, I don't think I really understood that effective resting is as much a part of climbing as climbing is.  Now I'm onto it.  So... is anyone else paying attention to resting on routes?

In fact, these last few weeks I am looking at a route before I climb it to plan where the rests are, well before any crux.  It has made a lot of difference.  I rewatch my little shoe-videos, and looks pretty weird... taking naps on these hard routes. But those moments revive me and the energy is there when I need it.      I think rgold has discussed this before... (of COURSE!)... considering energy stores as a gas tank, and gauging when you're at 50%.  

I have NO idea how this might work outside.  

Well, I had a humbling day at the gym Tuesday. I went by myself to do some autobelaying and there were Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, Bobbi Bensman, Hilary Harris, and friends swarming up the 11s and 12s on the highest, steepest wall. Gym climbing in Boulder offers inspiration, but can make one (at least this one) feel almost embarrassed to climb in the same room.

As for resting on climbs, absolutely. I know many climbers deal with fatigue by climbing a strenuous route as fast as they can, and it works for them. But on anything steep and juggy, I often do a straight arm hang on every move. And I think resting is at least as important outside.   

wendy weiss wrote:

Well, I had a humbling day at the gym Tuesday. I went by myself to do some autobelaying and there were Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, Bobbi Bensman, Hilary Harris, and friends swarming up the 11s and 12s on the highest, steepest wall. Gym climbing in Boulder offers inspiration, but can make one (at least this one) feel almost embarrassed to climb in the same room.

As for resting on climbs, absolutely. I know many climbers deal with fatigue by climbing a strenuous route as fast as they can, and it works for them. But on anything steep and juggy, I often do a straight arm hang on every move. And I think resting is at least as important outside.   

That's funny, Wendy. I showed up at my gym a few weeks ago and Brooke Raboutou was there, just killing. I know how you feel.  Since we're on the crossroads to everywhere it's totally normal to come in and see Honnold and Chin doing some laps on the wall. Or Danny Wood. Or Sharma. Makes you realize what is possible. 

wendy weiss wrote:

Well, I had a humbling day at the gym Tuesday. I went by myself to do some autobelaying and there were Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, Bobbi Bensman, Hilary Harris, and friends swarming up the 11s and 12s on the highest, steepest wall. Gym climbing in Boulder offers inspiration, but can make one (at least this one) feel almost embarrassed to climb in the same room.

As for resting on climbs, absolutely. I know many climbers deal with fatigue by climbing a strenuous route as fast as they can, and it works for them. But on anything steep and juggy, I often do a straight arm hang on every move. And I think resting is at least as important outside.   

Nice to see that the Rifle Wolfpack is still alive and well. :-)

A couple years back, a new route setter commented to my wife on how many strong 40 year-old women climb in our gym. My wife didn’t have the heart to tell him that the youngest in the group was in her early 50s. 

Señor Arroz wrote: Lori, remember my friend Cliff doing that bat hang off the Torch to rest? That's a really dramatic illustration, for sure, but that guy finds EVERY rest on a route, indoors or out, and sport climbs as hard as just about anyone I know. Your new watch must track pulse. It's a great eye opener to start paying close attention to your pulse rate and corresponding exertion zones. When I started riding road bikes in earnest it was a wonderful realization to learn that if I'm at 90% HR I've got about 10 mins, max, but at 75% HR I can go for hours. Good reason to be aware of not over-revving. 

Oh you athletes!     I'm in such awe of what you and almost everyone here just knows from years of doing.  Yea... I have the new-fangled watch... now I have to figure out how to run the right apps.  That's a great idea, to check max exertion with pulse rates, etc.  What I can casually observe is my breathing, and where it goes when I'm about to drop.  When I'm panting, I try to remember to stop until I have it under control again.

Helen... I love this video!  I think this is the same send she did for Reel Rock... but the Reel Rock film was so edited, I never saw her rest.   All Margo does is rest on this route, it seems!  Thank you for posting this, I learned a lot from watching!

As for the bat hang... I keep asking, and Ryan keeps laughing.    

BTW, Tony is convinced that 'these numbers' mean nothing (grades) and it's all in one's head.  He is CERTAIN that if I didn't see the grade on route, I'd climb a 5.12 as easily as a 5.9.  I wish I could explain.  I'm tired of trying.  It is amazing to me how closely the grades stay consistent (within each gym or outdoor area).  Whether I ever saw the grade or not, once on a route it's pretty easy to tell the level of difficulty.  Having said that, we all have to pay attention to getting psyched out based upon knowing that a route might be hard.