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Bouldering - On lower levels, bouldering is easy, and you can make progress using only physical strength until you reach a plateau that requires you to learn te

Bouldering - On lower levels, bouldering is easy, and you can make progress using only physical strength until you reach a plateau that requires you to learn technique. At some levels, you don't even need much strength to begin. Competing is possible with enough practice and fine-tuning of your technique after a couple of years. In addition, you meet new people by discussing solutions to problems (routes on the wall), which is a major benefit for people in their 30s.

thorin 4y ago
0 Chance of competing at a world level if you start climbing/bouldering in your 30s (unless you're already an athlete of some kind). The training and competition in climbing is insane now compared to when I started in the early 90s. I guess the more niche the sport, the better and it would be better if you already have a background in something similar. E.g. good surfers turn to hyrdofoiling, kite surfing, SUP, kayaking etc.
- leksak 4y ago
  > I guess the more niche the sport Maybe highlining? The more niche the sport and the easier recovery requirements the better.
- jon-wood 4y ago
  I had a colleague many jobs ago who’d made a bet with a friend that they could qualify for the Olympics. Didn’t specify what sport, or for what country, just that they’d qualify. He then went and did a bunch of research into what sports are most (and of course least) competitive, landing on fencing as the best candidate. He also took advantage of being eligible for Irish citizenship, where the pool of potential competitors is smaller. I don’t know if he ever made it to the Olympics, but he was definitely heading in that direction.
  - 082349872349872 4y ago
    World-class fencers peak in their 30's; they don't start then. (they probably started ~10)
  - thorin 4y ago
    Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden singer) famously was a top level fencer as well as a commercial pilot and numerous other things, now a throat cancer survivor and still a top level singer in his mid 60s. I saw him 30 years ago and again this year and I think he was better this year! My friend represented Uganda in the World Freestyle Kayaking Championships this year. He's English but has lived there for some time and as long as you've never represented your own country you can do this according to ICF rules.
leksak 4y ago
I'd question the likelyhood of a person being able to compete at a world level if they start in their 30s. However, they might experience almost lifelong improvement rather than peaking in their 30s and be able to climb a wide range of grades but I don't expect to see them competing in Innsbruck.
TheDong 4y ago
> picked up in 30s and compete at world level I don't think there's a single person who has competed in the bouldering world cup or olympics over 30, let alone who _started_ over 30. Every boulderer at a world level started in their teens at least. I welcome you to provide me a single counter example of someone who has qualified (not even won, just qualified) for a bouldering world cup who started climbing at 30.
- humbleferret 4y ago
  Perhaps not possible at a world level, but it's at least possible at a regional level (Depending on where you live).

thorin 4y ago

0 Chance of competing at a world level if you start climbing/bouldering in your 30s (unless you're already an athlete of some kind). The training and competition in climbing is insane now compared to when I started in the early 90s. I guess the more niche the sport, the better and it would be better if you already have a background in something similar. E.g. good surfers turn to hyrdofoiling, kite surfing, SUP, kayaking etc.

leksak 4y ago
> I guess the more niche the sport Maybe highlining? The more niche the sport and the easier recovery requirements the better.
jon-wood 4y ago
I had a colleague many jobs ago who’d made a bet with a friend that they could qualify for the Olympics. Didn’t specify what sport, or for what country, just that they’d qualify. He then went and did a bunch of research into what sports are most (and of course least) competitive, landing on fencing as the best candidate. He also took advantage of being eligible for Irish citizenship, where the pool of potential competitors is smaller. I don’t know if he ever made it to the Olympics, but he was definitely heading in that direction.
- 082349872349872 4y ago
  World-class fencers peak in their 30's; they don't start then. (they probably started ~10)
- thorin 4y ago
  Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden singer) famously was a top level fencer as well as a commercial pilot and numerous other things, now a throat cancer survivor and still a top level singer in his mid 60s. I saw him 30 years ago and again this year and I think he was better this year! My friend represented Uganda in the World Freestyle Kayaking Championships this year. He's English but has lived there for some time and as long as you've never represented your own country you can do this according to ICF rules.

leksak 4y ago

I'd question the likelyhood of a person being able to compete at a world level if they start in their 30s. However, they might experience almost lifelong improvement rather than peaking in their 30s and be able to climb a wide range of grades but I don't expect to see them competing in Innsbruck.

TheDong 4y ago

> picked up in 30s and compete at world level I don't think there's a single person who has competed in the bouldering world cup or olympics over 30, let alone who _started_ over 30. Every boulderer at a world level started in their teens at least. I welcome you to provide me a single counter example of someone who has qualified (not even won, just qualified) for a bouldering world cup who started climbing at 30.

humbleferret 4y ago
Perhaps not possible at a world level, but it's at least possible at a regional level (Depending on where you live).