Work and Climbing – Can you have your cake and eat it too?

Introduction

Many a time, climbers stop climbing once they start work. This is understandable, given the demands of an 8-5 job. Employees eyeing that elusive promotion and accompanying pay raise cannot afford not to give their 100% at work. After a long day, you’ll just want to crawl home for a hot bath and a sit-down dinner with your family. Where to find time and mood to climb?

This scenario takes a turn for the worse when work is on an assignment basis, whereby you have to work overtime to rush deadlines. Often, for months on end, climbing is relegated to one dark corner of the climber’s mind. After a long hiatus, we have to deal with the angst of losing some hard-trained finger strength. It becomes even more frustrating when as a result of baby soft finger-tip skin, you are afflicted with bloody flappers, setting you back even further.

What better way to gain insights on how to deal with this than hearing it climbers who have trodden down this path before? Indeed, many seasoned climbers have ‘climbed’ in a time before ours and are managing the demands of work, family and climbing perfectly! In fact, some of them are still cranking hard. If they can do it, so can you! In this article, we’ve interviewed 3 people in various stages of Life, grappling with the different, but very real, issues accompanying each period.

GETTING THERE

Interviewee 1 – Garick Bay

Introduction

Garick Bay, 28, started climbing since 1998. A climbing competition just doesn’t feel right without his contribution – cajoling aspiring climbers to sample his brand of powerful, no-holds barred route-setting. Besides holding onto his regular day job, he also helms the position of Coach at Temasek Polytechnic Climbing Club. Handling a bunch of testosterone (or oestrogen?) -laden teenagers is no mean feat. We’ll explore how Coach Bay, the man in the hot seat, carry the burden on those oh-so-hunky shoulders of his.

The complexity of climbing intrigues him deeply. To him, it is a sport that is not purely physical. He takes pleasure in the very fact that a climb or a boulder problem can be solved in so many different ways. How beautiful! Most importantly, he enjoys the social aspect of the sport and delights at how one can simply walk up to a climbing/bouldering area, make some friends and start climbing together.

Day Job

Project Engineer(aircraft industry)

Current Family Background

Happily married since January 2010.

Hardest grade climbed

Hmm, rock? 7b+.

If you had one piece of advice for younger climbers, what would that be?

You are only as strong as your weakest link! Enjoy Climbing!

Mr. Bay

How do you Juggle Work/Family/Climbing?It is definitely easier to juggle climbing with school rather than climbing with work. Ironically, the fact that I have less time on hand now drives me to boulder/climb even harder. I try to adopt a disciplined approach for time management, setting aside time for every activity and sticking to it.

Luckily for me, my life partner shares in my passion too. This makes things easier. My commitment to training hard and being disciplined is also driven by the students in Temasek Polytechnic Climbing Club. They are growing so strong, so fast that if I do slack off in my own training, it will be a chore to catch up with them! Here’s a message to the strong men and women of TP: Don’t cut him any slack! Keep him on his toes!

For a long time, climbing has been my hobby and my lifestyle. It is something that I truly enjoy, my way to relax from a week’s work. I also look forward to catching up with friends in the gym and hanging out after a session. I can’t imagine my life without climbing!

BEEN THERE

Mr. Yam

Interviewee 2 – Yam Choon Hian

Introduction

Better known as the God-Father of the very first Boulderactive competition, this man needs no introduction. In his younger days, he was famous, or rather, infamous for his firebrand style of climbing.

At competitions, it is actually surprising to not see him roaring the route into submission or deadpointing to bolt holes with impunity. Now 36, Yam Choon Hian has mellowed somewhat, taking on a nurturing role for the charges under his care. Nonetheless, that will of fire still burn fiercely, and he continues to climb/boulder at a high level.

The thing about climbing that attracts him is the whole travelling experience; people, food, places and doing lots of other non-climbing stuff. As for the actual climbing, he loves the many varied aspects of the sport. The list includes, but is not restricted to, bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, free-soloing (not recommended), deep water soloing (DWS), etc. He loves every single one of them, especially trad climbing. However, due to the inherent risks associated with it, he might only return to that when the kids are older.

“I’m also keen on DWS but will invest in a groin guard before I embark on such an exciting endeavour “, he quips.

Day Job

I’m a secondary school teacher. I teach various levels of Art, including N and O –Level, plus Math. I’m one of the teacher ICs for the school’s climbing club and am also involved in various school committees.

Current Family Background

Been happily married for 10 years now.
Taking care of 2 children at home and hundreds more in school.

Hardest grade climbed

For sport climbing, it’s about 8b. For bouldering, it’s about V11. I use “about” because I have not done enough of those to be confident for the grade. To be honest, I sometimes wonder where my true limit lies if I am able to dedicate much more time and energy into the sport. I’m sure many Singaporean climbers have had this crossed their minds too!

If you had one piece of advice for younger climbers, what would that be?

Let not all your motivation come from competitions. There are endless enriching experiences outdoor climbing has to offer!

Here’s my favourite quote from Einstein. The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.

How do you Juggle Work/Family/Climbing?

To be honest, it’s a struggle. Right now it’s almost 8 in the evening and I’m penning these thoughts down in school after my work. Btw, it’s the June “hols”.

Normally my day starts at 5 plus when I gotta get my kids ready for school. Breakfast, lunch box and other nitty-gritties. After which I gobble down my breakfast and get changed (normally at the same time) and head straight for school. If I have CCA on that day, which normally ends around 7, I will attempt to do some climbing. I may also climb on certain Sundays. Of late, my climbing has been rather haphazard and I only climb when there’s time. Hence, it is hard to plan and carry out any proper training. Also, structured and progressive training can only be effective if proper rest is in the equation. When I do climb however, I try to give my best and I try to squeeze the most out of whatever energy I have left at the end of the day. Most importantly, I tell myself that I’m pushing hard on plastic because I want to climb hard on rock if and when I do go for a rock trip.

So when people ask me how I balance these three areas, I tell them I don’t.

I simply try to manage all of them the best I can without fumbling too much. I’m still working on my many imperfections as a person. Hopefully one day, I’ll be a better teacher, a better parent and a better climber.

DONE THAT

Mr. Chua

Interviewee 3 – Chua Teck Jin

Introduction

Chua Teck Jin, 54, is a regular face in the climbing community. Ever since his son introduced him to the sport 7 years ago, he’s been hooked.

Convenience and a reasonably-priced entrance fees, plus being able to do the sport regardless of rain or shine, were among his main reasons for giving the sport a shot. Nowadays, he enjoys the company of friends from various age groups at climbing sessions. Because of the need to mingle with young people and having to venture outside his comfort zone as a result, Teck Jin takes it all in his stride.

“Climbing has helped me to lead a healthy lifestyle”, he says. “Because of climbing, I’ve started watching my diet and jogging regularly. My weight dropped from 71 to 64kg as a result!” Now how’s that for a weight-loss advertisement!

Day Job

Aircraft Engine Maintenance (Quality Assurance)

Current Family Background

Happily married for close to 30 years now, with 3 children. Eldest son is married, and I’m looking forward to carrying a grandchild in future!

Hardest grade climbed

I just climb because I enjoy the sport, but if you must know, I’m able to pull hard on the 6c grade.

How do you Juggle Work/Family/Climbing?

Having been in the aircraft maintenance industry for over 35 years, I’ve grown accustomed to the rigours of working life. Being an administrative staff with fixed working hours, as opposed to a shift worker with erratic hours, helps with the predictability. All my children are grown up already, so my worries are lesser now. Currently, I’m gearing up for the next phase of my life. No, not to climb the corporate ladder, but for retirement! I hope to continue to be able to climb 3 times a week.

If you had one piece of advice for younger climbers, what would that be?

Climb safely and gracefully. Don’t be too gung-ho and end up injuring yourselves. Take it from an old man like me. You’ll regret when your injuries come back to haunt you in the later stages of your life. Fall carefully, especially when falling from a sizeable distance above ground during bouldering.