Getting into climbing can be scary enough, and I know some people may be hesitant to do it because of their age. I’ve written the following guide to help ease some of those concerns.
So, can you start climbing at age 40? Yes! You can begin climbing at age 40 and still become a very good climber. You shouldn’t worry at all about starting too late.
Now, I do want to start off with some realistic expectations here. You’re not going to become a world-class climber if you decide to take it up at 40; you likely won’t even become the best climber at your local gym. However, neither will most of us! I myself will never climb more than recreationally, and that’s okay — I do it more for the enjoyment of the activity than to prove myself. So, if you’re past forty and considering whether or not you want to get into the sport, I would highly encourage you to give it a try.
Climbing At 40
Now, I would love to start off this article by saying that you can start climbing at age 40 as easily as you can any other age, that wouldn’t strictly be true. There are both mental and physical barriers that you’ll need to overcome to get into the sport.
However, these barriers are far from insurmountable. If you have any doubts of the practicality of starting climbing at age 40, I would suggest reading this great article that gives real-life examples of people who have started climbing later in their lives and have grown to love the sport!
Mental Considerations
First, let’s start with the mental aspect. Being a beginner climber at age 40 is just like being a beginner climber of any other age. While it’s exciting to be learning a new skill, you feel nervous and somewhat out of place every time you go to the gym, because everyone there seems to be more experienced than you.
With that being said, the factor of your age can add even more complications to this already-nerve-wracking process. Some of the questions you may have include:
- Will people judge me when I go to the gym?
- Am I told old to learn a new sport?
- Do I have the time to go climbing?
Let’s break these down one-by-one.
Will People Judge Me at the Gym?
Fear of judgement is something that everyone worries about going to the climbing gym, or any time you enter into a new niche. What I can say is this: the people that I meet at climbing gyms are consistently some of the nicest, most welcoming, and most helpful strangers I’ve ever met.
Whether it’s a question about your equipment, beta (advice) for a specific route, or just a friendly face to chat to, most people will not mind you striking up a conversation. Furthermore, no one will have a problem with you learning the ropes — if anything, they’ll be excited to see someone else learning the sport they love!
Now, I do have to say that there are some assholes in the world, and you may run into one or two people who judge you for your lack of skill or your age. That happens everywhere you go, though, and it’s not exclusive to the climbing world. Do your best to ignore them and go on having fun with your climbing session!
Am I Too Old to Learn a New Sport?
Again, I would refer you to the article above. While your body may not be quite as spry as you were twenty years ago, you’re still more than capable of picking up climbing, and with the proper training you can become a strong climber.
Now, there are some things you should be aware of (which we’ll get into later), but on the whole, I wouldn’t worry about your body failing you. As long as you take it slow, you still have the ability to pick up new skills and strengthen your muscles in new ways.
Do I Have Time to Go Climbing?
I’m not quite there yet, but I’ve heard that life can get a bit hectic as you grow older. Trying to balance work with kids means that recreational activities, like climbing, sometimes fall off of your priority list.
However, that doesn’t mean they need to disappear completely, and it shouldn’t stop you from giving climbing a try! Even if you can only make it out once every two weeks, I would still encourage you to do so. You won’t get as good as you would with more practice, but you can still have fun, and that’s what the sport is all about.
Or, if you want to go climbing more often, make it a family activity!
Physical Considerations
In addition to any worries or concerns that you may have, there are also some physical limitations that you should be aware of if you start climbing at age 40. These will not prevent you from taking up the sport; they’re simply things to keep in mind.
Tendon Injuries
As someone currently suffering from a tendon injury, I cannot stress enough how much you should try to avoid one. Unfortunately, they’re more common for people who start climbing later in life.
The science is a little more complicated, but the short of it is this: your forearm muscles build strength faster than your finger tendons do. If you climb too hard, too quickly, you risk tearing a tendon in your finger.
This is especially risky if you’ve built up forearm strength from other sports but have no tendon strength. Take it slow, don’t climb hard for the first couple of months, and consider some finger strengthening exercises.
Attention to Form
Good climbing form will be important when you start climbing later in life. It will prevent you from needing to use pure strength to get through routes, and it can help you climb harder. Remember, you’re not a 13-year-old kid who weighs 80 pounds anymore; you can’t rely on only your muscles to get up the route.
Footwork drills are a great way to build up your form. Also, gradually increasing the difficulty of your climbs — like discussed above — will help you learn proper technique and body movement.
Warm Up
Warming up is especially important when you’re older to prevent any injuries. This involves two types of warm-up:
- Finger warmup: Another way to prevent the much-dreaded pulley injury. Spend 15-30 minutes climbing easy routes with big hand holds to properly warm up your fingers.
- Stretching: Climbing sometimes involves contorting your body in weird ways. This can put pressure on your knees, hips, and especially your shoulders. Doing a good active stretch before you jump right into it can prevent you from tearing anything.
Will My Body Type Prevent Me from Going Climbing?
This is another worry that a lot of people have when they get into climbing later in life. As I said earlier, life can get busy sometimes, and it may be the case that you’re not in as good of shape as you used to be.
In the same way that I wouldn’t let age prevent you from getting into rock climbing, I wouldn’t allow your body type to stop you from taking up the sport. However, as with age, there are some things you should be aware of and consider.
On the most basic physical level, the more you weigh, the harder it will be to go climbing; you’ll need to expend more energy to pull yourself up the wall. This also puts more strain on your fingers and joints, which can increase the risk of injury.
Now, none of these things should stop you from taking up the sport, but they are things to be aware of. You can overcome them by watching the type of routes you climb on (slab and vertical routes will be better than overhangs!) and progressing slowly, to allow your body to catch up.
While it may be scary and it could make you feel self-conscious, don’t be afraid to give it a try!
How to Begin Climbing
Now, finally, I just want to round out this article with some practical advice about how to get into climbing. There are entire guides written on this topic, so I won’t spend too much time here, but I do have a few pointers:
- Find a friend: One of the best ways to get into the sport is to go with someone who can show you the ropes (physically and metaphorically).
- Take a lesson: If you don’t know someone who rock climbs, consider signing up for an introductory class! They’re open to all ages and will be great for teaching you the basics.
- Wait before you buy: When you first go climbing, there will likely be some pressure to buy all of the gear up front. I would wait until you’ve gone a few times and you know you enjoy it before investing the $100-$300 it will take to get all of the necessary gear.