Who smokes cigarettes and how hard do you climb?

60's hardmen always had a ciggie hanging off their lower lip.

I used to smoke a pack or more a day, and I didn't realize how shitty I felt until I had quit for a while. After a few months I started to feel a lot better, and get sick way less.

What about the herb? Can anyone attest for that helping or hindering hard climbing? I get paranoid when I smoke, so I don't climb and smoke. That said, I boulder pretty hard when high.

Andrew Haag wrote: Besides, If we all keep smoking in another 500yrs or so humans just may be immune.

I smoked for 15 years. I averaged a pack a day. I tried to quit a few times, but never for more than a few months max. In my late 30s I had a "moment of clarity." The reality of what I was doing to my body hit home and on Thanksgiving Day 2005 I quit cold turkey. I have not smoked since.

During my 20s while smoking I could still run 6 minute miles and climb at a pretty high level. In my 30s, despite working out regularly, my endurance started to go to shit. You can always find a few people who perform physically at high level despite smoking. However, at a certain age, it will most definitely catch up with you.

I don't preach about too many things, but smoking is something that I am pretty vocal about. It is very addictive and destructive. Don't start!

Why are donuts and philly cheese steaks good? Because they have chemicals that react with your brain making you feel all warm and fuzzy!

NC Rock Climber wrote:....quit cold turkey....at a certain age, it will most definitely catch up with you....

I wouldn't tell someone how to live, but since you posted on a public forum here goes. Smoking does irreparable permanent damage to every major organ in your body. How could it not affect your climbing? I doubt you would hit yourself in the head with a hammer, just because the pain and damage are not immediate does not mean it isn't happening. You are also putting money in the pocket of some billionaire for the privilege of dying sooner. You should quit now and enjoy climbing harder and living longer!

We once did a calculation of how much money my buddy would have to spend on climbing if he gave up chewing. I'm sure the same would hold true for smoking.
He could have purchased a new trad rack every year if he gave it up. Think about the trip you could do with that cigarette money. THAT would make you a stronger and more seasoned climber.
That is my argument for climbers to give it up.

Andrew Haag wrote: Nice, This is all obvious. Although not entirely true. It is also all part of the problem without a single sentence the pertains to a solution. By the way many of our organs have the ability to heal themselvs. not all of them, but most of them. Just have to quit smoking first.

Killis hit the nail on the head SOLID. I got pissed that I felt like shit and that "I was to weak to give 'em up". I said eff that... I'm not gonna be a slave to tabacco and was done. I thought it sucked for a bit while longer than a week... kinda like a month, but the sucking isn't permanent.

Give it up... or are you too soft?

The Dread Pirate Killis wrote:[cold turkey]is the only long-term method that holds water.

Jake Jones wrote:Goddammit. I knew someone was gonna call me out. I'm soft. Soft as a freshly squeezed hangover turd. I'm workin' on it.

i finally quit when i finally truly wanted to. i did it for me. i would not want to start again, because i never would want to quit again. Sure, i miss it at times, but i miss the quit so much less. anything other than cold-turkey just delays the withdrawal symptoms.

i smoked for over ten years, thru all of my twenties. A few bags of Bugler or Drum per week. i have been nicotine free for almost 2 years. one of the things that made me quit was to see if it would help me send my project. I wish i could say that it worked, but being nicotine free feels better now than that FA.

i wouldn't say that i am climbing any harder now than when i was smoking, but it certainly does not 'feel' as hard... ;)

Andrew Haag wrote: Indeed, if I ever want to send 13's I know Ill have to quit.

Andrew Haag wrote:I have smoked the vaporizer smokes, and they are good. They hit the spot and kill the craving, however its just a trade off!

finally, here is some interesting reading in case no one linked this yet:
WHY QUIT?

a bit repetitive, and takes a while to read, and i actually smoked while i read it. in fact the first time i read it i had no intention of quitting.

I'd like to get a penny for every cig I see on the ground.They should have a recycle program for those nasty things.

If you smokers need any additional motivation to quit, don't forget that you are all going to Hell as well. Burn you sinners.

I just never really liked ciggies, but would share a butt with a cute girl in a bar when the opportunity came. Now, meh. You can have the whole ciggy, lady.

I did have a smoker girlfriend for a year back in the day. She never smoked in her car or apartment and always did the Banaca spray afterwards. She liked menthols, too, which didn't make her kisses taste too bad. In fact, I can't recall it being unpleasant at all. I hope she quit by now, though. Cool girl.

Stich,

You must go to that church in the springs where Haggart (sp?) preaches?

yeah Jake!