Climber Weight

[Mick!]

So now puking is healthy. That must make bulimia the ultimate health trip.

My point was that vegetarians are all about: " The pooooooooooooooooor animals"

I've killed my share and then some, just didn't eat any of them.

Don't mind me, Mick.
It is New years ewe.
The wife is working, so I'm sitting at home with the horses and dogs.
All I have to do, apart from reading a book, is getting a bit bitchy here.

Sorry Stig, you used the winking emoji, I’m now officially triggered.

 

[Tree09]

My point is even if you took those calves and fired them gleefully from a catapult into a pen full of velociraptors...

Lol I love this forum!

 

[treebilly]

Lmfao. I’m going with my Irish heritage today and getting a bit of a buzz on. Hell I might even go light up a bonfireib this balmy 12*f weather. German side of me can’t walk in the house cause of the kraut I got cooking plus the pork tenderloin. Stig I know you don’t choose to be a veg. I don’t hold that against you

 

[stig]

No the puking is unhealthy, ergo health reasons.

My point is even if you took those calves and fired them gleefully from a catapult into a pen full of velociraptors, you didn?t eat them or any other meat, so you?re a vegetarian.

What you think about it is as a philosophy is irrelevant, what you actually eat (or don?t) is what dictates your dietary ?status?

Oh, bummer!

I did know that, it has just always irritated me to be lumped in with a bunch of "better than thou" vegans.

 

[stig]

Lol I love this forum!

Kings and queens of the derail, we are.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Stig, you're a vegetarian. And if you don't drink milk, you're a vegan.

What about your diet makes you think otherwise?

 

[BOTS]

Hello all,
New here to Treestuff and looking forward to everyone's insight here on the forum..

A little about me and then to my question...

I am 30 years old and own a landscaping company. I do a fair amount of tree work and have had a lot of bad experience keeping an experienced climber on staff due to not having a huge demand for climbing. It seems like most climbers just want to climb and I get that.

When I was 18 I went to work for a tree company and did a little climbing when I was allowed (basically low risk stuff due to my experience). My boss was far from someone I would have considered a mentor and most of his instruction was telling me to hurry the f*** up and get the tree cut. I worked with this company for almost a year before they went out of business.

12 years later I have put on a lot of weight, but interested in brushing up on my climbing so when I have the demand for a tree to be climbed I can rely on myself to get the job done and safely.. I am 5' 11" and weight about 280. About three years ago I has surgery on my right knee for a meniscus tear that is worse now than it was before the surgery.

Ultimately, should I be climbing?

It has been a long time since I have climbed and I am sure that I have forgot most of the little bit that I learned when at the tree company. I called around to a few companies that offered climbing classes and they would not allow me to enroll due to my weight and told me to lose 80-90 lbs and try back. The main reason for wanting to attend that classes was for safety instruction and rigging technique. I am a bit more mature and safety conscience now than when I was younger.

Your opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks

First, welcome aboard!

Id say go for it but start low and slow and stay away from weak species, small trunk trees and make sure your tie in point (TIP) is around two branches minimum of good size because of the weight factor....due a lot of rec climbs to know your limit.

As your weight goes down climbing will get easier and you will have more endurance for lengthy prunes.....

 

[MasterBlaster]

One thing is minor slips while working aloft. One of those caused me tear my bicep, but I recovered and maintained my footing. If I'd have been packing another 80 lbs (-20 cuz that's my overweightness), I never would have recovered.

When I fell and hurt my knee if there woulda been another 80 lbs on me I'd probably have been crippled.

A morbidly obese person hitting the ground is going to suffer a LOT more injuries than a leaner individual, IMO.

I'd like to see any studies on that.

 

[Tree09]

Kung fu panda says differently

 

[MasterBlaster]

This is true!

 

[stig]

Stig, you're a vegetarian. And if you don't drink milk, you're a vegan.

What about your diet makes you think otherwise?

Nothing.
I just don't like the word.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Nothing wrong with being vegan.

 

[squisher]

Nothing.
I just don't like the word.

Than its simple. Just eat some meat.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[TreeMuggs]

Stig, why do you give a shit if a fat guy wants to climb a tree? I don't get it. Nobody said that he wasn't overweight, we can all agree that he is, and he knows it as well. Fat guys climbing trees does not take anything away from Mr. Stig.

"There are only two things I can't stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures... and the Dutch." - from Austin Powers



Oh, and I also have red hair..........

 

[Bermy]

Ok, so here's what I can summarize from all this.

Treesplease has a landscape business and from time to time he gets a request to work on some trees
He is not and does not want to be a 'production climber'.
He wants to be able to climb and do some occasional tree work safely
He KNOWS he is overweight
He KNOWS he needs to have some climbing training
He knows he has a bum knee that might hamper him a bit (in addition to his weight)

In essence we are telling him:
Lose the weight, starting now.
Rehab the knee along the way
Learn rope climbing before spiking
Brush up on your pruning skills

The guy is self motivated, I say give him a chance. He's not looking to be an every day production climber. He is aware of and acknowledges his current limitations, and they are things that can be overcome.

I have a wonky knee and a bit of a sus back, I would rather be climbing than pushing a mower or weeding and planting (did that full time for 15 years before arb work!)
I swear my back acts up more when I haven't been climbing for a while!

 

[MasterBlaster]

That makes sense.

 

[pantheraba]

Good recapitulation, Bermy. That is precisely my understanding of the situation.

When I think "production climber" I think of Rich, Reg, Jed, August, BOTS...guys that make their living being in a tree MOST of the time. I am certainly not that guy...don't climb and cut often enough to be that good.

I think Treeplease wants to do the occasional job that can be within reach of a limited skill set...maybe go rig down a hanger or bomb conifer limbs, dump the top and drop the spar. Certainly can be dangerous but doable with some basic skills. Knowing when one is getting in over one's head is the real skill.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I was under the impression that he was going to start climbing.

 

[pantheraba]

I think he was but I assumed he was asking for input on how to approach it. As said by others...low, slow, consistent, safe, etc.

 

[Bermy]

He wants to start climbing...in order to maybe take care of the OCCASIONAL tree job that comes across his bows during his landscaping job/business.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Quite possible, just tricky.

 

[TreeRhino]

So I'm 6'3" and have ranged from 220-250 over the last 19 years in this business. Right now I'm about 230 which, coincidentally, is what i weighed when i graduated from high school where i was an athlete. Granted, I was an offensive lineman and the weight was an attribute. I've been lighter and heavier over the years, usually in direct proportion to how much i was working and how much beer i was drinking. I have always been able to keep up with most everyone I've worked with, and I've worked with some no-bullshit, bad-ass climbers. While I'd like to say that my weight has never held me back, it's hard to say because I've never not carried the weight. My advantage was being smarter than the average bear and creative and resourceful in how i approached my work. Over the years, I've had my fair share of injuries. Mostly knee problems and a nice new case of pretty wicked arthritis in my hands. What I've come to understand is that more than my weight, it has been my age and conditioning that have been the greatest limitations. As i have aged and my physical conditioning has gone back and forth, I can still do all the things i used to do, just not for as long and the recovery time from an injury or a hard day is much longer.

So, to the OP. Could you be an occasional climber performing simple pruning and maybe some straightforward removals? I certainly don't think that your weight alone should preclude you from it.

Should you lose weight? Of course. if not for the climbing then for your heart. And climbing might be a good way to help you along the road to better conditioning. The more i climb, the better i feel both physically and mentally. My wife always knows when I've been out climbing a big nasty tree all day because I come home all pumped up and bouncing off the walls. Conversely, when i get stuck in the office for a day she knows as well--I'm all tired and mopey.

Will you ever be a "climber," in the vein of a full time production climber? Probably not. But that doesn't seem to be your goal.

I think it would be presumptuous of any of us to give a definitive "NO," on the question and, frankly, a bit arrogant and elitist as well.

 

[Bermy]

Well said Rhino.

As for arthritis...I know it's anecdotal at the moment, but I have been taking TumeriX, cod liver oil, and glucosamine for about three months now, and I have to say the aches and pains in my hands have calmed down. Cutting back on sugar (can't do without it completely, and anyway it's in beer...) and bread as well.
I do believe arthritis relief is better served in the long run by diet changes than a reliance on pain killers and OTC anti inflammatory drugs (not that that's what you are doing!).

 

[MasterBlaster]

I think the OP has flown the coop.