Yesterday, February 14th, the climbing world celebrated the 62nd birthday of the man who literally wrote the book on modern training: Eric Hörst.
While most people his age are slowing down, Hörst is busy proving his "60 is the new 40" mantra. In his latest 2026 training updates, Eric highlighted a crucial shift for the "aging" athlete (which, let's face it, includes anyone over 40): the move from subjective feel to objective data.
"You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure"
Hörst has been a vocal advocate for the Force Board through his brand, PhysiVantage. At 62, his philosophy is simple: as recovery capacity decreases with age, every single "hang" or "pull" must count. You cannot afford to waste energy on "junk miles" or "guessed intensity."
Why Eric Recommends the Force Board for 2026:
- The End of Guesswork: For a masters climber, "pulling hard" isn't a metric. The Force Board provides a real-time digital readout of exactly how many kilograms of force your fingers are producing.
- Injury Prevention: Eric’s 2026 protocol emphasizes "CNS readiness." If the Force Board shows your peak force is down by 10% today, it’s a signal to deload before a pulley pops.
- Isometrics for Longevity: Lifting heavy iron becomes risky for the joints over 60. The Force Board allows for high-intensity isometric pulls—maximum recruitment with zero impact on the spine or knees.
Stop testing your limits on the rock where variables are high. Test them on a digital scale, track your data, and climb like you’re 20 years younger.
Happy Birthday, Coach! Thanks for showing us that 62 is just a number, but 200 lbs of finger force is a fact.