Getting old and surfing

If you're wanting to take the longboard out then do it. Do what you want and what is fun, that's how to keep the stoke.

Agree with kbomb, if the longboard brings the stoke then do it. As an aside, I am a similar age and was quite overweight about a decade ago. I had zero flexibility, ongoing pain in hips and knees, felt like it was the beginning of the downward slope. Ended up making some drastic changes, dropped 25-30kg, worked on my flexibility and mobility and now surfing probably better than I ever have. During my overweight time, I was on 6.10 as a shortboard and an 8 ft mal, now I don't own a shortboard over 5.8. No joke, it was really hard to make the necessary changes and maintain the motivation to see it through but so worth it. Probably the hardest part was getting started.

Stay with performance boards as long as you can because they push your surfing and make you work harder, The rewards are obvious on a pumping day. I was doing my best surfing in my 40's. Good ocean knowledge combined with good standardized models of boards you could rely on and reasonable fitness take you to new levels. Its when you hit the 50's you start going downhill and when you hit 60 there is a cliff edge you drop off. If you have a soft job and no injuries you should be able to keep fit and surf good well into old age. For the ex tradesmen and car crash victims etc. its a much harder road. If you can stay stoked and be all over the good days when they come you can froth on any kind of board....except a standup paddle board in the line up...they are not allowed...You can however ride one 1.5 klms down the beach away from everyone..that is an acceptable distance.

Change your diet, drink less beer, lose weight.
That’d be my number 1.

Start a regular yoga/stretching routine.
Start going for regular push bike rides to get fitter. Do body weight exercises push ups etc
That’d be 2.

Get a high volume short board or even a mid-length. They can be fun.
That’d be 3

You’ve got plenty of years for surfing left.

Move some where with consistently good waves.

Nothing gets you better at surfing than surfing and nothing makes you want to surf more than good waves.

The only reason you want to take a longboard out is because the waves are gutless and uninspiring. Move somewhere with decent waves and the longboard will become a novelty gathering dust in a corner of your house.

You may think this is drastic and unrealistic, I reckon that finding yourself physically dysfunctional decades prematurely demands drastic action.

In the meantime it’s far easier to preserve fitness than to generate it from a decrepit base. A shock and awe campaign is what I find works best https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/481599

At 55 surfersam I hear ya mate. From my experience it's fitness, less grog and managing your mental self talk to keep positive. But above all just surf more. Don't let crowds, average conditions and ripping groms put you off - get out there. My quiver is two short boards and a 7' mid length come mini mal for when it's in the 2 foot range. Keep frothing!

"You may think this is drastic and unrealistic, I reckon that finding yourself physically dysfunctional decades prematurely demands drastic action." Yep, agreed

Yep keep frothing. I'm the same age but live inland so I skate, snowboard and surf. Became a dad at 40 so great to show the boy I'm a frother too.
Used to Lycra but have lost the bug on this little, in the process of putting some fatter tyres on the steel frame so I can ride forest trails. I too need to lose about 4-5 kilos after early fatherhood.

Don't surf beachbreaks. They are too short and snappy for the old arms and worn out spine. My local area is mostly beachbreaks and I am constantly questioning my ability to keep surfing. Every now and then I get to surf this left hand point which is always 6 foot plus and I walk away with restored satisfaction in my surfing abilities.

I think with so many different sizes,styles &shapes of waves on offer it seems silly to limit oneself to just two choices: short board or mal. In some ways its hard to keep the original froth level high, surfing the original waves on the original boards but with an ageing body+ a zillion extra kooks out

I think most of it comes down to commonsense: good diet, right frame of mind, maintain your body.

Few things that help:

- Buy the thickest broom stick you can find at Bunnings or your local hardware. Keep it at work, in your study, or in your bedroom (buy a few if need be). Won't go into all the stretches - though they're pretty obvious - but do that once or twice a day for five mins. Best tool for upper body flexibility.

- From your forties on, reflexes and upper body strength will diminish, slowing the time it takes to get to your feet. It's the first sign of deterioration in older surfers. Fix a chin up bar somewhere inside or out, and knock out a few of them per day - make the location easily accesible so you can do it in passing. Similarly, do a few push ups per day. Doesn't have to be a big routine - knock out ten after playing with the kids or the dog.

- Add an eighth to a quarter-inch thickness under your chest on your normal shortboard outlines.

- Keep your body lean. If it's not, change your diet.

-Keep flippers and a hand surfer (if you like using them) in the car at all times. If it's crowded or closing out, bodysurfing is the zig to the zag. Keeps you connected, stoked, and fit too. Also, bodysurfing puts you at a remove, so it allows you to look at surfers' behaviour in a new way.  Can be funny to see the way they/we carry on.

You mentioned maintaining the stoke and that's mainly mental. Here's a few things that I think work:

- Find out what excites you about boards and get on board. If you've spent decades riding models, then get off models and try something new. Lot of designs get a bad name 'cos they don't work under the feet of a mid-twenties pro, but for a mid-forties lifer they could be just the spark you need.

- Seek new feelings. Get boards that behave in new ways, then master them. A big thing for me was, at the age of 44, ordering an asymmetrical board. That design opened up neural pathways that had been shut for years, it made me think of surfing afresh and revealed that concepts I thought were absolute were in fact fluid. I felt like a teenager all over, made me want to get fit and surf at my best. Doesn't have to be asymms, could be anything, there are a lot of ideas out there.

- Push your surfing. Not just in an abstract way but with goals. Be the first person in the water every single swell, hire a coach to remove lifelong bad habits, go to one of Nam Baldwin's breath hold clinics.

- If longboards work...well, ride them if they give you a kick. Personally, and with no offence intended, they bore me stupid. Surfing for me has always been about speed and gymnastics, and I'm sure the day will come when I'll have to face facts but, like wearing sensible shoes and playing bowls, I plan to put it off as long as possible. There are guys at my local deep into their sixties who ride shortboards and are still contenders, even on the big days.

Talking to my old man (pushing his mid 60s, broken his neck twice, knees and hips going after a lifetime on the tools... still ripping), having a good variety of boards and riding the right board for the conditions is key. It takes him a split second longer to get up and going than it used to, so riding a shortboard when it's small get's frustrating (bigger waves = more time, so the only thing that frustrates him there is a slight drop in flexibility). Solution - riding a longboard or hybrid; something with more volume to get in earlier when its small. He's still on a regulation shorty when it's bigger, though he's always ridden boards a bit longer than most crew.

Keeping super fit helps too.

I lost a lot of upper body strength and grip when i bought my first car with power steering...prior to that everday driving and especially parking was a good workout..
And only use those surfboard volume calculators as a very rough guide....Add more litres for age and Wet Steamer weight

To maintain or improve strength and flexibility, I found this worked for me a couple of years ago : https://gmb.io
The 'elements' course.
It's all body weight, tailored to your ability/starting point.

Good for flexibility.

Stu....I gave your “ 3 waves habit “ a shot . Honestly gave it a shot.

Whilst I truly love being in the ocean , it just started to become a chore. Maybe because you’ve got more obvious options ? You’ve got the point or the beach break and from those you can assess what the waves are like every where around. You know if you’re missing out elsewhere or not.

Whilst here I’ll jump straight in for the “ 3 waves minimum “ at the nearest beach and it’ll be dispiritingly bad. I’ll feel nice for having been in the water but I’ll often come in thinking “ Fuck’s sake . That’s not surfing. “

Next day I’ll eye the same dogshit or another version of dogshit and chase waves at other options. Often they are just as dogshit.

Take the last few days as example. It looked amazing on paper . 6-8 ft. Offshore. Decent period.

Reality : Open beaches are shifty close outs . Protected spots are weak close outs. Swell either too straight/ too south / wind cross shore/ banks are dodgy. I surfed an outside bank alone . Sharky as fuck and cross shore .Came in shaking my head that such good conditions could translate to such average waves.

Today I woke up and just was not interested at all. I literally chose to paint walls than chase garbage again. It’s still 4-5 ft and offshore.....and still shit.

Perhaps there’s a good bank outside the 40 minutes I was keen to chase waves. Perhaps not.

Surfing is one of the best things in my life but surfing shit waves feels like a job sometimes.

I’ll get down on myself. Chastise myself for not having the discipline to go out regardless. I’ll often question if I even love surfing as much as I believe I do . How could I if I’m not out there everyday in anything ?

But then I find myself amongst a run of good surf . Whether the joint I’m at has finally pulled its finger, out or I’m somewhere better , and I just come to life. Back to dreaming about surfing. Hungry for waves.

Willpower only gets me so far. It’s good waves required or it’s a rocky relationship.

Couple of things to add to the above excellent comments. Obviously easy access to the surf is a must, everything gets harder as you get older including the 15-30 minute drive to the coast. Gyms aren’t necessarily the answer personally they no longer work for me, there are some excellent programs out there that combine yoga and body weight exercises that will greatly improve shoulder health/strength and overall flexibility. Swim. Too much biking tightens hips and legs without proper stretching.

Yeah, I guess circumstances help, like living near at least one dependable wave: rock-lined, wind-protected, and long.

Most dispiriting period of my adulthood was three years spent on Sydney's lower northern beaches. I put all my store in a wave that breaks maybe once or twice a year. Not sure how much longer I could've lasted.

That point and the long-term love affair you had with that other point have saved you .

Whilst around here can get absolutely world class and I’ve had runs of 6 weeks where you literally would not want to be anywhere else , the majority is either “ fun “ or bleeegghhh.

I’ll read the forecast notes comments section and the difference between those who have a decent point / reef with a modicum of wind protection are living a different surfing existence.

I’m not factoring in crowds though. For myself, they are even worse than shit waves.

Should have added having the right genetics is massive plus in life and surfing.

Hi Surfer Sam,
In my mid forties I started riding twin fins and it was a total revelation for me...different lines on wave, speed down the line and so much stoke.
10 years later I only ride a quaddie (5'8")if its bigger, but have a variety of other longer step-ups, but my 5'4' Jed Done twinnie is my everyday go to (I can't get enough of it TBH).

I have totally lost the desire to fling myself over the edge at slabs, risk vs reward. I think that is just a natural thing as you age with surfing...I don't beat myself I just accept that my ability has peaked (and is now waning!).

Have also found flat water SUPing to be really useful for core strength etc.
Also in rippy beach breaks (bread and butter on the MP) I don't fight the rip I just do the "lap of shame" and reset.
Have a good quiver and ride what you feel like riding, I often ride a 7'6' foamie in weak waves.

And finally, probably the most under-rated and neglected skill in surfing is the duck-dive, effectively done saves so much energy, repositions you ahead of the pack, and gets you out of the impact zone quickly.

Blowin…………...yes that crowd factor. I think they negate just about everything a 'good' wave provides. In saying that I've never lived and been part of a top class spot's pecking order.

This topic is highly relevant to me, mostly I'm the oldest in the lineup. A few more points. Don't lose the fitness you have, constantly work on maintaining it, lose it and it will take twice-3 -4 times as long as to get it back. The surfing is good but recovery after a surf and the ability to back up twice in a day or day in day out needs a good fitness foundation and active recovery techniques. Accept you're ageing and adapt - Steve Pezman said it so eloquently in either Litmus or Glass Love. And this one hurts accept more people will look at you as easy pickings for a drop in or snake so make sure you nail your early waves just keep the frothers at bay and also make you sure you know when the next wave ought to be your last for the session before going full monty lobster diving on the one too many take offs.

Just on that point, it was interesting to hear that current world champ Italo Ferriera, who must have steel springs for ankles said that he keeps his surf sessions relatively short- I think an hour or so- to keep his body fresh and avoid fatigue/over-use injuries.
I think there's solid wisdom there for ageing surfers too.

I see it all the time, guys pushing 3 or 4 hours surfs to fatigue then over-use injuries or recovery problems.
Don't push it into the red-line.......unless it's in Indo or something once in a lifetime.

I surf good waves, crowded waves and I'm much, much happier picking up one or 2 or 3 set waves then 50 shitty beachbreak close-outs.

but in spring/summer I will do 3 waves a day in whatever slop mother nature serves up. ride a foamy, whatever. Only 2 rules; 1:ride 3 waves, however you want: belly bog, kneeboard, stand-up. and 2: sprint paddle for 20 seconds at absolute max power 3 times. It's amazing how that keeps the blade sharp.
Yes, sometimes it's a chore. But it takes 5-15minutes, no excuses. It's just a simple binary decision. Did you get your go-out, yes. or no.
As you get older it's top end speed and power that you lose. If you can keep that you can hold your place in a line-up. if people know you are going to catch the wave you paddle for and make the drop, you'll get space. As long as you aren't being a cunt.

Ride whatever you want. But it's use it or lose it on a shortboard. If all you ride are mal/mid-lengths you'll quickly lose the skill set /paddle fitness required to ride a shorty.

About to hit 50. I used to smoke a fatty in the car on the way to the beach and sometimes lost motivation to put the wetty on. Now I put the wetty on first then smoke the fatty. Problem solved.

Avoid surfing with grommets, Those little buggers smell any weakness and will work you over like a pack of laughing hyenas.

Started wearing an impact vest when over 8ft or solid slab beaches and big Indo as well.Definitely helps when you slap hard.Keep active keep moving I'm lucky with having two grommets that are like kelpies.50 this year still trying to keep up with them haha.

That's the way Stylemaster. lol.
Once you've got the wettie on you gotta go out

Hard to argue with a couple of hundred years worth of accumulated wisdom above so I'll add my bit.

It pretty much became a cliche at one point but in my opinion jiu jitsu works well with the ageing surfer.

- it's an intense workout and I virtually guarantee you'll lose weight; nothing pushes you to keep going like the threat of physically submitting to another human
- good for flexibility
- excellent for core strength especially if you throw in a few dozen sit-ups as part of your after-session warm down
- can't recommend it highly enough for building explosive strength i.e. good for assisting with getting into waves and getting to your feet
- great family sport and great for kids
- infinitely less boring than a gym, the intricacies and challenges will keep you going for a long time

Had never thought about impact vests Fraser G but will look into them. I've bucked off a few waves in the last year or so that have knocked the wind out of me and I'd come up very sore a few hours later. I near knocked myself unconscious hitting the water at speed surfing Impossibles a few years ago. What kind of vest do you use?

Andy...how old were you when you started JuJitsu ?

Late thirties, 10 years ago.

Great advice all and thanks to Surfer Sam for kicking this thread off. I was in a hole after last year sorting out a lower back issue and a hand op . 66yrs , 10kg overweight, H grade surfer at the best of times (using Blowin's scale) ,had enough after emerging from end of year indulgence and for motivation resolved to surf P Pass this summer. Then came Covid. Beaches and Gym closed. P Pass closed for foreseeable future. I will push on notwithstanding - maybe post something in Good News in Dec re progress.

make a start and keep going mate, set a low bar so you can get over it every day. it adds up quickly.

Patagonia mate wear it under wettie or under 1mm rashie in Indo it's got loop holes to tie onto boardies.Works really well like landing on a bean bag takes the sting out.I don't really notice the extra flotation will be good for landing on shallow reefs at high speed

Foam is your friend as you get older. Also a bit of MTB riding (no jumps) helps with cardio fitness. I'm 65 and love my 38L 6" Black Baron twinny or 7' Bonzer

Thanks FR . What sort of Bonzer MRsinglefin? Have been thinking about a Campbell Bros egg. 7'+

I just turned 56 and had the 100,000k service in the last 1/4 of 2019. Partial right knee replacement and tri focal lens replacement so I don't need glasses/contacts for long and short vision anymore. I was out the water from October to Christmas but fucken well worth it with the end results! Given me a new lease on life but still recognize I can't do the same things I could in years gone by.

Apart from the obvious re: staying fit (cross train/MTB/regular stretching etc) and making sure you keep getting out whenever possible I reckon you have to be proactive addressing lingering problems like shoulders/back/hips/knees etc. as you get older. The more these type of long term injuries annoy you, the easier it is to make excuses not to surf and then you're on the slippery slope. They WON'T miraculously fix themselves so make the effort to get them sorted and part of that is doing your research so you can get the best outcome for YOUR particular problem(s).

Surf the right board for the right conditions based on your surfing and NOT other peoples. As soon as it gets over 4 foot around here (Vicco Surfcoast) and there's a few crew out I've got no problem with paddling out on my 6'8" because I know I will still get my share of waves as opposed to my 6'1". It's all about catching waves and the more waves you catch the more likely your own surfing level will stay on an even keel for longer. Who cares if you're not surfing as 'rad' as some younger punter on a 5'11". All that means jack shit when you find yourself in Indo or somewhere with pumping 6 foot tubes and you're still able to cash in because you've done the work.

The beatings in bigger surf wear you out more and can shorten your session unlike years gone by and also make you re-calibrate what you want to paddle out in. My limits have definitely been reeled in the last few years but funnily enough I don't really care. None of us are Peter Pan and honestly, in your day to day surfing how often are you faced with surf bigger than, say, 6ft anyway?*

*W.A crew excepted

When I was a young surfer I would occasionally come across an older surfer called Skeg on the Cott reefs. He was really the only older guy I saw out there. He was happy, personable, eccentric and had some tips on how to keep surfing. I remember a couple. One, lie on the board on your back and paddle backstroke style back out into the lineup. This will make sure the shoulders don't overload with only one action. Two, sea grapes. Take the weed that includes the little air sac bubbles, and eat them. They have salty taste.

It seemed to work for him. He was so full of stoke, character; loud and happy. I try to pass on this wisdom to any younger surfer who will listen.

Edit: often they don't! But the point of the post is that surfing still has some wonderful eccentricities and interaction with nature - this is a reason to keep in good shape to keep going.

Age can definitely be a state of mind too . The minute you believe you're finished , you are. Most of us older guys aren't surfing to impress anyone , except ourselves , and maybe your kids if have them. {All surfing Dads I know demand legend status from any offspring that takes to the water}.
One word ... STOKE ... No matter how old you get it's still out there.

hows the cold water treat you as you get older Ringy?

Hey Ringy, how'd ya go with a partial knee replacement,i thought they weren't doing partials any more....? Agree with pretty much what you said,you have to surf for yourself no one else so ride what feels good on the day cause its all about keeping the stoke alive.

Not a worry at all FR. Wetsuits are so good these days. (I would definitely struggle if I had to wear the wetties we had 40 years ago!)

I know Ive got good circulation and am in pretty good nick for my age so that helps but the best gear is most important. I don't sacrifice quality in wetsuits to save a few $ cause they can make or break your experience down here in the guts of Winter. Gotta make sure you start warm and stay warm. A full face/neck covering hood is also a must in Winter and it means I don't need booties ever which is great cause I hate them.

Also, probably don't stay out as long. Sometimes if Im having a good session and I get a cracker, Ill just come in on it even though I could have stayed out longer. 3 hour sessions have become closer to 2 when its good and often one good surf is all I need for that particular day even though there's time for more.

ringmaster is the USAF Colonel Steve Austin of the surf coast. Anyone under the age of 40 might need to Google "USAF Colonel Steve Austin" if you don't understand. Hint, it's got nothing to do with wrestling.

6 million dollar man?

Partial knee ops still all good Simba. Far less invasive than full knee replacement and much better function but your injured knee has to meet certain requirements as does your lifestyle and state of health, activity and weight.

The only knock on partial is how long it will last which the surgeon discuses with you. I won't be able to go for a 5k run or play tennis for example but I never did that anyway. If it wears out when Im 70 so be it. I'll get a knee replacement and cop it sweet by then if I'm still alive.

Spot on free ride. ringmaster worked for NASA and was badly injured then his rocket crashed, and the medical team rebuilt him, stronger and faster than ever.

we have the technology