Senior Athletes : Bob Culp 2010 |
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Bob Culp Climbing School |
Bob Culp Questionnaire
A. 1.
Year of birth:
B. 1.
Type of rock climbing or bodyweight athletics you now enjoy:
C. 1.
Any injuries or illnesses since age 65 affecting your
climbing/exercising?: How
have you coped? NSAIDs or other
medication? 4. Water or fluid intake? High? Low?:
D. 1.
What is your current philosophy of your sport? Has this changed with
age? A 1 - Year of birth: 1937 2 - 6' 2" 160 lbs - now 3 - 6' 2.5" 160 lbs - 1963 4 - Started climbing in 1959 5 - Retired from retailing - still working as a climbing guide 6 - My family (son) is very supportive. Parents were less so. 7 - Somewhat important. Mostly I climb for myself although I do enjoy guiding and teaching. B 1 - I like all types of rock climbing as well as ice climbing and mountaineering. 2 - Same, although I didn't get into ice climbing at the beginning. 3 - I weight train and trail run. 4 - I probably average exercising every other day, although sometimes several climbing days will be in succession. That has varied a lot over the years. I don't do two successive gym days. I would like to run every day I don't climb, but I don't get out regularly in cold weather. In the early sixties I climbed or bouldered almost every day. In my middle age, because of work, I didn't get out as often but I have never gone very long without climbing. 5 - Some climbing days are all day, some only a few hours. Gym workouts are one or two hours depending on what I feel like doing. Runs are usually an hour. Every now and then I like to throw in a long one. 6 - I usually recover from a climbing day that night. A hard day might make me want to take a day off to rest. An exceptionally hard day (or days) might require a couple days rest. 7 - If I am climbing a few days in a row and feel in climbing shape I seem to climb at about the level I always did. The key word here is "seem". I'm relying on fifty year memories. This does not include bouldering since I don't boulder very hard because of troublesome finger joints. 8 - Grip strength is good - probably not as good as when I was bouldering. I am currently lifting weights at a much higher level than ever. Some things come easily - others not so much. For example I can't do as many chin ups as I once could (although I don't train for that as much as I used to). Legs are amazingly strong, much more so than when I was younger. C 1 - No major injuries. A few minor ones such as a tweaked rotator cuff and occasional tendonitis. I have been able to manage these things with some rest followed by rehab exercises in the gym. I take Ibuprofen whenever I feel the need. 2 - No special diet. I used to take massive doses of vitamins and minerals, but I can't honestly say they did much for me. I started taking Glucosamine and Condroitin years ago when my knees were bothering a bit and it seemed to help. I have continued taking them and don't have much in the way of knee problems. Whether the supplements help or not I can't say. I think regular exercise is the most important. 3 - No special food after a workout. A beer or two after climbing is always good. 4 - I think my water intake is low. At least that's what my friends are always saying. In my early climbing years I had the idea that I could discipline myself to not need as much water so I went thirsty a lot. It became kind of a habit. D 1 - I don't really have a philosophy as such. I climb because I love it and its fun for me. If that ever changes I will move on to astronomy or something. 2 - I don't make goals. I like to do as much as I can as long as I'm enjoying it. In my younger years I was more into reaching certain skill levels or doing certain climbs. That does not seem to be as important to me as it once was. 3 - Genetics, training, and activity are all important. I think it varies a lot with the individual. Those who are more physically gifted don't have to work as hard at it as some of the rest of us. I think genetics can set limits that no amount of training or determination can overcome, but its also my observation that I, and perhaps many others, don't do nearly as much as we could. Its important to keep a positive mental outlook and persevere. What is possible is much more than conventional wisdom suggests. You also have to recognize that a little luck is called for. If you are waylaid by injury or illness it's another ballgame entirely. 4 - In general rock climbing, in my opinion, will become ever more popular in all its forms. With more people involved, better athletes are bound to emerge. You see it happening all the time. Climbing is one of the finest activities and will always attract people. In terms of the details, that's probably impossible to predict. |