The Surprising Link Between Climbing And Living Longer
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Could Rock Climbing Help You Live Longer? A Look at Grip Strength, Aging, and Longevity
A few weeks ago, I was listening to Tim Ferriss interview Dr. Peter Attia. It was one of those moments where I found myself stopping mid-walk, rewinding, and listening again—because what they were saying was too important to miss.
It turns out that grip strength—something every climber spends hours obsessing over—may be a key predictor of how long you’ll live. Not just a sign of athletic ability or training, but actual longevity. This wasn’t just a throwaway comment, either. Attia was referencing serious research.
A Simple Test with Big Implications
Here’s how the study worked: Researchers asked people over the age of 65 to squeeze a hand dynamometer—essentially a device that measures grip strength—as hard as they could. They took the highest measurement and tracked how grip strength correlated with future health.
The results? The people with stronger grips—18.5 kg or more for women, 28.5 kg or more for men—weren’t just stronger in the moment. They were healthier. Not just now, but years down the road. Higher grip strength was a reliable predictor of lower mortality risk. In other words, if you could squeeze harder, you were more likely to live longer.
That’s when the real question hit me: If grip strength is a biomarker for longevity, what does that mean for climbers?
Why This Matters for You (Even If You’re Not 65)
It’s easy to brush off research like this as something that applies to people decades older than you. But the reality is, if you don’t have solid grip strength now—or at least build it within the next decade—you may never have it.
Strength declines with age. That’s just how biology works. But here’s the part we often overlook: You don’t have to wait until your 60s to start worrying about it. The best way to ensure strength later in life is to build it now.
And climbing? It’s one of the best ways to do it.
More Than Just Grip Strength: Why Climbing May Be the Ultimate Longevity Hack
Climbing isn’t just about grip. It forces you to use your entire body in ways that few other sports do. The constant problem-solving, dynamic movement, and engagement of fast- and slow-twitch muscles all contribute to overall strength and mobility.
And it’s not just physical. Another study—this one on neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s—found that skilled movement patterns help slow cognitive decline. Climbing isn’t just about holding on tight; it’s about making hundreds of micro-decisions in real time, all while coordinating strength, balance, and technique.
Which means that every time you step onto a climbing wall, you’re not just training for your next project. You’re reinforcing motor pathways, improving neuromuscular function, and quite possibly increasing your chances of staying strong—and sharp—into old age.
Eric Horst, one of the most well-respected climbing coaches, has a saying:
"Pay the tuition today so you can have a lifetime of climbing (and health)."
It’s stuck with me. Because climbing isn’t just about pushing limits now—it’s about making sure you can keep doing it for decades to come.
The Takeaway: Climb Today, Thrive Tomorrow
So what does this mean for you? Simple: Climb more. Train your grip. Build strength while you still can. Because the benefits aren’t just about sending harder grades. They’re about investing in a future where you’re still climbing, still moving, still strong—long after most people have given up.
A few extra sessions on the wall today could be what keeps you bouldering, crimping, and pulling on for decades. And if science has anything to say about it, they might just help you live longer, too.
Sources:
- Bohannon, RW. Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker for Older Adults. Clin Interv Aging. 2019 Oct 1;14:1681-1691. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S194543.
- Chung SJ, Kim HR, Jung JH, Lee PH, Jeong Y, Sohn YH. Identifying the Functional Brain Network of Motor Reserve in Early Parkinson’s Disease. Mov Disord. 2020 Apr;35(4):577-586. doi: 10.1002/mds.28012.