Revisiting the inspiration of “Earthrise”, we welcome diverse perspectives from across all dimensions of the arts and the sciences, to explore novel solutions and new normative values. At the same time, our agenda seeks to equally consider our social and spiritual ecology as it does natural ecology. This underscores the imperative for creative ecological solutions to challenges in all systems, on all scales with advancing global urbanization in the digital age-for personal, environmental, economic and societal health alike. Project Earthrise is our contribution to this important process. While ambitious integrative efforts have never been more important, it is imperative to apply these with mutualistic value systems as a compass, as we seek to make wiser choices. This is accelerating opportunities for greater collaborative action, as many groups now focus on the necessity of a “Great Transition”. The acute catastrophe of the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn greater attention to many other interconnected global health, environmental, social, spiritual, and economic problems that have been underappreciated or neglected for decades. This builds on the emergent concept of planetary health, which provides a shared narrative to integrate rich and diverse approaches from all aspects of society towards shared solutions to global challenges. Taking inspiration from these events 50 years later, we initiated Project Earthrise at our 2020 annual conference of inVIVO Planetary Health. It triggered a profound shift in environmental awareness and the potential for human unity-inspiring the first Earth Day in 1970. Over the years, many climbing coaches have accepted these depressing stats and been prophets of doom about strength training for older climbers.The “Earthrise” photograph, taken on the 1968 Apollo 8 mission, became one of the most significant images of the 20th Century. A compounding factor was that many older climbers became injured back in the late 1980s and 1990s by training strength, leading me to write an article for this very magazine around the turn of the century advising them not to use hangboards and campus boards and to default to endurance training. Over the years, many climbing coaches have accepted these depressing stats and been prophets of doom about strength training for older climbers. Additionally, we’re warned that when older athletes stop training, their fitness deteriorates more quickly than before, while regaining it becomes harder. In brief, we are told to expect, from age 35-40 onwards: a significant decline in muscle strength and power to be able to handle lower volumes of training and to need longer recovery between sessions.

Most veterans will have come across the depressing stats about age-related performance decline.

Historically, a host of factors, from anecdotes to misleading literature, have conspired to make older climbers fear strength training. Take it from me: I climbed my hardest sport route (a new 8c+ / 5.14c at Malham Cove in the UK) at the age of 46. The picture is extremely optimistic, especially for doing steep, hard sport climbs. Your only certainty is that you want to avoid injury.

You’re in your late 40s, 50s or 60s, keen as ever to crank, and unsure of whether to focus on strength or endurance.

Alexa jean fitness ab sore to the core