UKH

During the covid era I have not only aged about 2.5 years chronologically but seem to have aged physically in all sorts of ways by a greater amount. I have never really gone in for gym work as I find such things very tedious and have relied on an active lifestyle to keep me fairly fit. I have, pre-covid, managed to spend some time at the climbing wall, but never with much enthusiasm, and have not returned. However, I’m beginning to think I should do some regular strengthening work, and am wondering if anyone can recommend how to go about this. Are there programmes I could play on a laptop or TV that I could do every other day? I’m not sure if I could go to a gym that regularly, if only because of the price  of petrol.

Lattice training have a whole stack of programmes.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiZDfsSZ2zD2z9XLQVcnrNboWW_OvgO0u

Maybe this one to start off with...

youtube.com/watch?v=QNgqDt_nMVQ&

Nah! I'm in a similar state to yourself by the sounds of it. Just stay inspired. I read lots of guidebooks, make wishlists and think a lot about how brave and strong I am. 

Seems to be working so far...

The internet is positively awash with video's of individual exercises, and complete programmes of activity to make you leaner/stronger/faster. Many of these require a gym, but there are lots of bodyweight exercises as well. Try bodybuilding.com as a start and be amazed...

If you want a gym, I'd recommend Kendal Rugby Club; only £20 a month and no steroid-induced monsters. Kendal Wall's pretty good too...but you know that!

I would recommend Breathe & Flow on YouTube. Just need a yoga mat and they’re proper but very simple full body workouts. Found a lot of their stuff quite hard to begin with but persist through the shakiness and sweating and it’s really good conditioning. Just have to ignore / embrace their slightly hippy pseudoscience vibe a bit! 

Thanks. But you’re only 28.

Bodyweight conditioning and flexibility/mobility doesn’t have an age limit... if anything it’ll be a fair bit safer with age compared to hauling weights around. And arguably much more climbing-specific. But if that’s not your thing then I’d also recommend the Lattice videos. 

Speaking as a 75 yr old who fell out of the green bin yesterday, tripped and landed on my head whilst running a month ago, who came out in enormous blotches whilst pruning the climbing  hydrangea (?) I am, like you, finding it difficult to return to pre-covid fitness, strength and confidence. I got over having a new hip (but the other one needs attention - recall to hospital next week). I haven't gone back to the gym, but I do some push-ups in the morning, I wind a heavy weight on a cord around a broom handle (it must do some good) I've done easy soloing . . .

   . . . I saw that video of Rob M climbing on Dow. I did that 10 years ago. I'm pleased with that - but I'm not going to be in that shape again (whatever 25yr olds might advise!) I'm taking a protein drink every day - it might help, but as you well know, climbing is a mind-game, it's a mixture of strength, suppleness, ability and confidence blah, blah. . .

  . . . you just have to keep doing something, and hope for better days ahead . . . haha

Oh yes . . . .  DO NOT refer to  yourself as AN OLD GIT - it doesn't help!

I don't quite get the antipathy to climbing walls. I know people are different and so on, but a climbing wall has to be pretty bl**dy rubbish to not be better that doing bench presses and running on a treadmill in a gym - and you can (I can, anyway) feel the effects of a good session on the wall the next time I go out to a crag. And then there's the crack with like minded punters...

Each to their own, but regular access to the Kendal wall over the last 12 months has left me much fitter than I've been in years.

JLS's training vids look good.

I exercise at home 3 days a week with rests using a pull up board and weights. Plus cycling and three days at the bouldering wall. My main thing is warming up and listening to my body. Injuries take a lot longer to go away at my age so i try and avoid getting them. Sudden pain? Stop.

You could get enough supplementary strength work done in 2x30mins or 2x45mins per week which is not very much time in which to be bored. And once you’ve started and got the hang of it, trying a few reps of something you find difficult is challenging and really fun, even if the movement is basic. You really have to concentrate but not for very long. 
 

Also, the wall… since when has bouldering been rubbish? As someone said above, modern walls are great and a good setter can provide loads of great movement. I think sometimes “stamina guys” find the bouldering rhythm, with its short and intense efforts with big rests, rather alien. So if that’s you then bear in mind that it may be working against the flow a bit. But stick with it - surely an advantage of age is being able to tolerate a bit of what does you good? Tho hopefully as a climber you will eventually find climbing fun

what’s the advice for us old gits mixing strength and endurance training? Mixing in each week or separate campaigns?  If so how long on each?

I don’t really feel qualified to answer this! Searching the internet gives answers ranging from “mix them up all the time” to “strictly keep them separate”…. so you know, take your pick. I think the main thing is to do some strength training constantly but I enjoy it, so I would say that. But general athletic advice as far as I understand it is that the people who need strength training, ie women and older people, are the ones who don’t do it. 
 

Thanks Sean. I think a big issue for old gits is needing longer recovery times, not sure how this factors into the answer

Maybe worth splashing the cash on a coach or at least a training plan? Or at least follow some kind of plan for 12 weeks and re-evaluate at the end. 
 

My own favourite is to do a combination of some bouldering/strength and some aerobic capacity type work, with the later at a really really easy level. So no pumpy circuits for most of the time…

Hopefully someone who really knows what they are talking about will post rather than me, as I am neither particularly old nor particularly skilled in training.

Yes, there are plenty of plans on the internet you can use but ideally you need one tailored for you and whatever it is you want to achieve. Have a look a this piece I wrote for Climber: 

http://ianwyattwriting.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Punter-Paradox.pdf

By the way, I write as someone who will be retiring (only a little early) in less than a fortnight.

I second that. Starting any exercise is a period of danger from pulls strains or worse. Most climbing walls will have climbing specific strength and conditioning classes which can be joined inexpensively. They are good socially too. Alternatively if you are unwilling to engage in public exercising then engage one of the exercise leaders privately. This is my choose route and I feel stronger than ever. My focus now is on making the training time specific to my climbing goals. 

That certainly chimes with my experience.

Come and work with me for a couple of weeks.  I'm a drystone waller and hedgelayer.
Improves your hand/arm strength & grip no end. Lifting heavy stones is good for your back muscles and leg muscles.  Hedgelaying with the an axe is excellent for grip stremgh too.  I'm 72.
Go and find a waller near you - ask if you can work with one for a while.  I can give you a name or two if you like.  Or try https://www.dswa.org.uk/region/cumbria/

Yes, the main benefits of climbing walls are that they enable you to keep climbing fit over the winter, build up more strength, and even get used to using smaller holds. So that when you go back on to real rock in the spring, it all feels quite easy on day one from the word go.

You'd be astonished what you can get done with a kettle bell and a pull up bar. 

I'd recommend these tools! 

That said, if you're Kendal based, use the wall AND the wall's training room! (Tbh, the stairs to the bouldering floor are a great training resource in themselves....) 

Best of luck and DFYU,

BB

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0016xq7?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=sha...