Getting Old

[Mark Bolam]

The thing that will age you more than anything is thinking you are 25 forever.

 

Use your brain, experience and machinery, and keep training.

 

Nearly every active arb I know who is past 40 does some form of training.

 

It sounds counter intuitive, but work itself isn’t enough.

 

Dempsey is a classic example of the exception proving the rule, but he keeps his wrists and forearms in tip-top shape with an extra large wine glass.

[Stubby]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:13, Mark Bolam said:

The thing that will age you more than anything is thinking you are 25 forever.

 

Use your brain, experience and machinery, and keep training.

 

Nearly every active arb I know who is past 40 does some form of training.

 

It sounds counter intuitive, but work itself isn’t enough.

 

Dempsey is a classic example of the exception proving the rule, but he keeps his wrists and forearms in tip-top shape with an extra large wine glass.

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The thing is Mark I was playing squash 3 times a week ,  judo at the local club , cricket in the summer evenings , clay shooting , going beating in the winter etc etc at the age of 50 . ( i thought of myself as a 30 year old 50 ) Then that myopic woman knocked me off my Fire Bade and my life changed completely . My age caught up with me and my Peter Pan stuff dissolved . Yes I was bitter and if that did not happen I would be  still competing at a lever slightly above my age coz I was a fit fcuker . But hey ho . Sorry mate . Don't know what just came over me . I am a silly old sod .

[Rich Rule]

  On 28/03/2025 at 16:17, Mick Dempsey said:

I’ve always maintained climbing is largely beneficial for your back, or at least not detrimental. 
 

Bending over and picking up sticks or branches to stick in the chipper is not good for the back however. 
 

I have a new climber being trained up at the moment. So I’m grounding more than usual, often on easier things like lime repollards, where you picking up hundreds of bits. 
Feeling it in the evenings. 
Lots of Vitamin I(buprophen)

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 I would pretty much agree with all of that.  Climbing isn’t a bother to me or my back.  Years of dragging brash at awkward angles or lumping logs (that should have been cut in half) into trucks is what has largely contributed to an aching back.

 

Bear in mind that I am 6’4” so it’s a long way down there and feels an even longer way to get back upright.

 

We have a bit of a running g joke amongst the guys working.  As we are getting older there are only so many “bendy downs and picky ups left” so be wise, work smart and don’t waste them 😜

[topchippyles]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:26, Stubby said:

The thing is Mark I was playing squash 3 times a week ,  judo at the local club , cricket in the summer evenings , clay shooting , going beating in the winter etc etc at the age of 50 . ( i thought of myself as a 30 year old 50 ) Then that myopic woman knocked me off my Fire Bade and my life changed completely . My age caught up with me and my Peter Pan stuff dissolved . Yes I was bitter and if that did not happen I would be  still competing at a lever slightly above my age coz I was a fit fcuker . But hey ho . Sorry mate . Don't know what just came over me . I am a silly old sod .

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What age were you when you stopped climbing stubby ?

[Stubby]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:30, topchippyles said:

What age were you when you stopped climbing stubby ?

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I never climbed for coin . My mate was the climber . I have been up on occasion (  Willans T 22 , and 3 core , peeps will know what that is if they are old enough ) But mostly groundy / forestry stuff .

Edited Friday at 19:36 by Stubby

[Mark Bolam]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:26, Stubby said:

The thing is Mark I was playing squash 3 times a week ,  judo at the local club , cricket in the summer evenings , clay shooting , going beating in the winter etc etc at the age of 50 . ( i thought of myself as a 30 year old 50 ) Then that myopic woman knocked me off my Fire Bade and my life changed completely . My age caught up with me and my Peter Pan stuff dissolved . Yes I was bitter and if that did not happen I would be  still competing at a lever slightly above my age coz I was a fit fcuker . But hey ho . Sorry mate . Don't know what just came over me . I am a silly old sod .

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No apology necessary here mate.

Tough hand you were dealt there.

At least you haven’t given up and bought some massive elastic waisted trousers!

 

Many would have.

 

Mick’s Clint Eastwood analogy is a good one.

Don’t let the old man in.

 

Don’t start wearing leather trousers to the pub, like.

[dan blocker]

  On 28/03/2025 at 20:07, Mark Bolam said:

No apology necessary here mate.

 

 

Don’t start wearing leather trousers to the pub, like.

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Mark, you’ve clipped the sentence, so here’s the end. “,like I do”?

[sime42]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:13, Mark Bolam said:

The thing that will age you more than anything is thinking you are 25 forever.

 

Use your brain, experience and machinery, and keep training.

 

Nearly every active arb I know who is past 40 does some form of training.

 

It sounds counter intuitive, but work itself isn’t enough.

 

Dempsey is a classic example of the exception proving the rule, but he keeps his wrists and forearms in tip-top shape with an extra large wine glass.

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Likewise, thinking you're 25 years older than you actually are is a sure fire way to age yourself more.

 

[spuddog0507]

Still a few of you older boys climbing and every credit to you for still being  able to do it, my climbing days are long gone, not as I ever did that much, but did a hit here n there, climbing today consists of getting in n out the cab of this Ex MOD truck and getting myself up on to seat to operate the crane,, 

Edited Friday at 21:38 by spuddog0507

[Dan Maynard]

  On 28/03/2025 at 19:13, Mark Bolam said:

Use your brain, experience and machinery, and keep training.

 

Nearly every active arb I know who is past 40 does some form of training.

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I can say yes to first part, although haven't bought that loader yet. Srt, ascenders, ladders, efficient movement and planning.

 

But I never do extra training. I do however go to a sports physio every 6 or 8 weeks, that's helped the aches and soreness a lot as the old tweaks and tears leave marks as scar tissue in the muscles.

 

And if you're even thinking that lump could be cut in half before lifting, get the saw and do it.