Getting old and surfing

Steve Austin is an astronaut who is seriously injured when his spaceship crashes. Handsome and athletic, Austin undergoes a government-sanctioned surgery, which rebuilds several of Steve's body parts with machine parts, making him cyborglike. When Steve recovers, his machine parts enable him to have superhuman strength and speed, as well as other powers. With these powers, Steve goes to work for the Office of Scientific Information, battling evil for the good of mankind.

Ringmaster....what was actually wrong with your knee ?

Old footy injury Blowin.

Degenerated to the point where I totally wore out the meniscus on the medial side of the knee. From there I went through the bone cartilage on both tibia and femur so that it was just bone on bone on that side.

The lateral side of the knee wasn't affected hence the partial as opposed to the full replacement.

Now when does Farrah Fawcett make an entrance???

Lindsay Wagner, bionic woman.
70's babes were the best

Victoria Principal floated my boat

I actually surfed much the same waves in my 50's (WA) that I did in my younger days difference was I trained.

Cardiovascular (bike) was the main focus to handle the hold downs (not the wipe out but the 3 to 6 behind it)

A bit of strength work but not too much, must use good technique or injuries come easily and take longer to recover.

Also lots of band work for the shoulders

The two Heathers- Locklear and Thomas.

Plus that gorgeous Aussie girl in the Antz Pantz ad- Tonya Bird,

(sickem' Rex)

btw- great thread and one that's applicable to my weary old frame.

48 years old here. Just came out of six weeks of no surfing due to the lockdown. My longest time out of the water for more than 20 years. Fark I was feeling it when I finally got back in the water on Sunday. First of all my board felt super loose. I thought I’d knocked out a fin or something. My take-offs were slightly off as well which led to me blowing a number of waves. When I came in my ribs were super sore and also my back knee felt pretty tweaked.

The experience brought it home to me,
that at my age you need to be surfing a couple of times a week at least to maintain surf fitness and surfing ability.

The funny thing is that I’m actually as fit as I’ve ever been in my life at the moment as I was getting plenty of exercise during the lockdown. It just goes to show that you can do all the exercises in the world but nothing gets you surf fit like actually surfing.

I’m 51 & have surfed for 38 years. Managing your own expectations as to what you can (or ever could) do as the years advance is key. Getting shitty that you can’t get to your feet as rapidly or get upside down on a backhand reo anymore will lessen your enjoyment of our wonderful pastime. Try different craft & different approaches, including a complimentary sport that keeps you fit for surfing, yet takes your mind off feeling like you have to be in the water every day. I am lucky to work a physical job that keeps me fit & also ride a dirt bike regularly. I also dramatically cut my alcohol consumption - can’t overstate how much better I feel.
I always wanted to be, but never was, a good tube rider & now probably never will be - but the best thing about surfing is every time you paddle out, the slate is clean. I’m still pushing myself, watching better surfers, pulling in & having a crack.

From Big Wednesday -
“Been surfing, Matt?”
“Only when it’s necessary..”

Beer is my weakness. Since this lockdown has been in place I've been drinking more than I normally do. Currently running at a carton of Coopers Pale Ale, a couple of longnecks and a glass or 3 of red on average each week at the moment.

I'd be interested to hear what some of you blokes get up to in that department.

Haven't surfed for 3 days and jumped on the bathroom scales this morning. 90kg!

For the last 30 years I've always been around 87 maybe 88 but not in the fucken 90's! Half an hour later I was pounding the pedals on the mountain bike in the state forest between Bells & Anglesea as some sort of bizzare punishment. I'm not a massive eater so unfortunately gunna have to look at beer reduction but it's soooo fucken easy to enjoy one or 4 at the end of each day.

@ringmaster, I had the same issue and had to change. Baby steps, but stopped drinking anything on a school night (Sun-Thurs) made a big difference physically and mentally too. Slowly bought the weight back. I used to get frustrated at how slow it took to take the weight off, but as the Mrs pointed out, it took a while to put on too. It's hard when you love beer and brew your own.

When I’m drinking regularly it’ll be a night or two of a couple of longnecks with one night of 4-6 long necks per week.

When I’m light it’ll just be the couple of long necks per week.

Back on the wagon again as of a couple of days ago. Except I’ve got a birthday in a few days ( 48 ) which may see the wheels fall off spectacularly.

Homer was right .....

Wouldn't it be awesome if Homer was right!

Before this COVID nightmare I could pretty easily go Monday - Wednesday with minimal or no consumption. Now that I'm working from home and a fair bit of life's structure has gone out the window it just seems like Groundhog Day and everyday is Friday.

beers is my weakness too.
pretty much stopped though, except for special occasions.

that makes a big difference.

Here you go ringmaster.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/1a355b1f-4ac5-4819-91f8-107580282168

Spagetti and Red wine...they go so well together and unfortunately I have made a massive batch of sauce, so its a daily thing for a while.
I also read Blowins go away and get fit post again from last year. I do that a few times a year when my wife goes to the city to visit her mum. Trouble is, when I go away alone to my surf mecca, I book in, I surf three times a day, eat well, but always seem to end up at the local club that night fixed to the end of a scooey of pale ale and telling and hearing weird and wonderful yarns from the local crew and eating a burger large enough to possibly inflict a mild heart condition. Don't seem to lose weight but my mental health is always awesome afterward.

It’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only one struggling with surfing as I get older. I turned 50 recently and the downward spiral has already started. I find I get injured more easily and frequently, and it takes longer to recover. I copped a chunky lip in the back of the head recently, which caused me to flinch and pull a muscle in my lower back. I did even more damage trying to get out of my new chest zip steamer! I’m still in agony when I move the wrong way. I agree that too much booze saps your strength, stamina and motivation. I’ve cut back on my beer drinking and steer more towards the old mary jane nowadays, and that has made a huge difference to both my physical and mental health. On the days that I don’t surf, I find long walks in soft sand followed by a bodybash are an effective way of maintaining some fitness. I think accepting the realities of getting old is important too. I’m inspired by blokes in their late 60s and early 70s who still surf.

I’m 39 so not particular old but not a young pup either - here’s what helps me. CrossFit style training is good when the surfs shit - combining quick high intensity workouts,
Mobility training and also sessions with heavy weights. And then stay lean on whatever eating plan works for you. Honestly though if I all I did was surf 3-4 times a week, do some stretches and eat right I’d be fine as I reckon lean body weight is the key key and that’s all about diet

Ringmaster....I hear what you’re saying about structure helping maintain discipline. I’ve been in the structure- less situation for a while and I find that the rhythms of my life are able to play out better when allowed to occur without the artificial constraints of work.

I believe that life follows a larger rhythm than just the circadian. There will be times for discipline and times for sloth , times for productivity and times for leisure. I’m not talking rhythms spanning hours , I’m talking waves of activity/ inactivity sometimes with weeks between peaks.

Sometimes I’ll feel like I should give up the beers but not be able to . I’ll try but invariably end up failing . Then without reason I’ll not be able to entertain the idea of a beer. Not from hangover or ill health , just a desire to be on high function.

I like it best having that separation of powers ....either be a drinker or don’t. None of this hand wringing over whether to neck a couple.

Gee whiz, look at the time!

All this talk about beer...

Zen checks his watch ( 7:37AM )

Heads towards the fridge.....

I myself gave up beer quite a long time ago, I now sup on vodka and water with a splash of lime. Very few calories. No hangovers. I work Sunday to Wednesday, I Don't partake.
So its my "Friday " today Yiippee!! Bottle of 42 Below, Vodka from NZ. very smooth.
I know I can trust the dog to lick my face at 6am and we will be off walking, doing the surf check, in the best part of the day. (warmer in the water than out going for a swim with the dog and pushing her into a couple of shoredumps is as much fun as it gets)
Home and brekkie.
Oh I'm 60 78 kg and as fit as I have ever been. Favourite board atm, 6'2" double flyer swallow tail. Single to double concave with slight vee through last 8", Twin Fin.
I use the Rasta keels in mostly. Also have Futures EA uprights in solid fibreglass when its punchy and hollow on my backhand.

"I now sup on vodka and water with a splash of lime".

I knew stand up paddleboarding was boring, but I didn't realise alcohol was a key factor for enjoyment.

Ive been avoiding even commenting on this thread, surfing and getting older sucks and im only in my 40's.

My biggest obstacle is paddling, it's always been my weakness and now with more life commitments and less surfing, it's easier to get unfit and put on a few kilos.

The whole volume things is also a bit of a head fuck, in my mind i still want those same dimensions i use to ride, it's just so hard to accept that i need to go longer, wider, thicker and it seems no matter how much longer, wider, thicker i go, its still not enough volume and im only 80kg

Also suck's and depressing to not be one of the better surfers in the water like you once often were and all these grommets doing all this crazy crap around you, and being in their eyes an old guy, the same old guys you use to look at and think that would suck.

On the flip side the three things that keep me going.

1. Kelly still ripping he really does surf as good as he ever has and he is a few years older than me, just the inspiration from that.

2. The old guys that use to take me surfing are now in their late 60's and still surfing locally and still doing OS surf trips, to see this is inspirational.

3. Getting barrelled, as long as you can still make take off's, jam on the breaks and get pitted is easy (well forehand at least) so hopefully this ability will last some time

I'm 48 and in good shape. Been on the core strength program for a couple of years now and it's great for your surfing.
Flexility is declining which sucks on smaller waves, especially on the backhand, so it's more mal surfs for me when it's under 2 foot.
I was in G Land a few years ago and there was this mad 60 year old with ADHD who was out for 6 hours a day and super social around camp. He was so much fun to hang around with so much energy, but I don't think his teachers would think the same thing.

" 60 78 kg and as fit as I have ever been."

Sounds like it's the elixir of life too

I'm 63 next month and yes it gets a bit more difficult every year but I'm still on shortboards - 6'0 fish and 6'2 swallow tail (getting a grant miller v skate shaped at the moment) although I've had a bit of fun on my daughter's 6'10 mini mal in the last few weeks in small waves, I'm 78kgs and fit for my age
As others have commented I think accepting that you are older and that you can't do what you used to as easily is a bit of a reset. Once you actually accept this and look at it from the perspective of having the best surf/fun i can on the day, then you can get out of the water feeling good.
Injuries flare up a bit easier (especially tendons for me) and you might not make late drops as easy as before but if you keep up the fitness/flexibilty it helps heaps. I swim laps, do yoga, walk lots and generally keep active when not surfing. Eat well and stay moderate on the piss - i love good wines with meals.
I'm going to keep at it as long as I can!!

Surfed with a guy in January at point lonsdale. He was seventy two and keeeeen as. That was in the morning, he then had an arvo surf at ocean grove.

He studied some yogic stuff, the Bhagavad Gita or something, and did breathing exercises/meditations/techniques based on his studies. Said that was a big part of how he fueled himself.

He rode shortboards. His energy and enthusiasm were inspring. I was pretty amazed hanging out with him, it was cool to know him.

Hey Vic was the guy a big tall bold bloke named Pauly?

Hey Vic was the guy a big tall bold bloke named Pauly?

I'm pretty sure it was Pauly. Big unit, Port Adelaide fan, goofy footer.

Lots of good advice here on channel blowin. Nothing to add except stretching before a sesh is a good idea (amazing how few seem to do it).

Classic yeah that's him We both went there together with my brother and other mate also my future wife 20 odd years ago.He is a legend locally here loves a chat and still having a red hot go at the local reef which isn't that user friendly ...godfather to my groms great friend.

Classic Fraser G. Pauly is a hoot. Got on with everyone in camp. We watched the Western Bulldogs beat Port in a close one. Passionate man!!!!

Top thread guys. Yep, i'm feeling it to at 47. Old injuries are haunting me. The extra kgs and the slowed reaction speeds on takeoffs are frustrating me. Then i look at old Donny Allcroft stoke into a solid 5 ft bomb at winki and i just tell my self to shut my whinging up ,marvel at the old boy, and to pull my finger out and get fit!! He is an inspiration for any ageing surfcoast surfer.

I'm 64 and riding a 63 litre 8 footer. I figure I'm going to add a litre and an inch per year from now on. The most noticeable change is lack of paddle power, but with yoga stretching and core work I intend to hang in there till I'm riding them in on my guts.

It's not just manual labour that can take a toll, I'm an office worker, but team sports and aussie rules have affected my body. I only played 120 odd games of senior amo's and feel a little broken from the whole experience 15 years down the track. Was fun at the time.

Great thread for some of us in our 30s first starting to get those injuries that hang around for a few weeks for no reason! Being able to surf until I'm a very old fella sits at the top of my list of important life goals so I've appreciated all of this.

For what it's worth, I've been doing Ashtanga for a few years now and it's been amazing the subtle and slow changes I've seen to what my body can do. I'm not as rigid as others are in the practice, but I find the structure of it suits me and see lots of overlaps with my surfing life. And I second Stu's bodysurf advice. Fins are always in the car with me now, and most sessions will end with a 30 minute body surf session which leaves me totally rooted.

Boozehounds - not sure I recommend this approach, but I gave up weed, booze, and a progressively worsening ciggie habit in a clean sweep about 10 years ago. All it took was being unknowingly drugged with intense hallucinogenics in Lombok and a long unfolding psychotic episode and drug-induced paranoia. Didn't cost a cent!

Boozehounds ...Classic ..really need to hear the Full Lombok story..

Great Thread. Doesn’t seem that long ago I was the smart arse kid hassling for every wave, dropping in and showing off doing 360’s. Now I’m approaching 59 and just glad to be out there getting my share. In my 40’s and early 50’s I did the super fit, stretch and eat well thing. Unfortunately mother nature rules. My explosive power and speed still diminished and I’m just that bit slower and stiffer. I’m lucky that I can surf most days and make a point of being surf fit and flexible (a constant struggle).

IMHO gaining that extra bit of weight and reduced hip mobility are the two most common things that hold back aging surfers. It doesn’t matter how fit, strong, flexible or fast you are because if you don’t have good hip mobility it slows down your take-off and first turn.

Over the years my shortboards have grown wider, with more volume, wider tails and flatter rockers. Funnily enough they’ve got more fins too. Generally I ride quads when it’s under four feet because the initial pop and pumping to get a thruster going is more of a memory. Like many, my quiver has grown to include fishes, HPSBs, mid-length, Guns and a malibu so I can ride the board that suits the waves and my energy level on any given day. Eventually we all realise we’ve aged and adapt accordingly. Performance and expectation changes. The dream is always there, and every now and then I’ll totally shred a magic wave and paddle back out thinking fuck I’m good. It's a great dream :)

Vic & Fraser, yeah, how's Uncle Paul? Everyone that knows G-Land knows Peds. Special unit. Energised! And fit! Lugging rocks forever is one helluva training regime it seems.

Being a Power supporter would be good for mental health resilience too, I guess.

Especially if you've been a Port Adelaide supporter forever. From the highs of the SANFL glory days to the lowest of the low grand final loss to Geelong in 2007. History in the making, indeed!

Haha.

Personally, in the old injury department, I'm falling apart like a cheap suit in the rain.

Big Lifty, come back, all is forgiven. Give us the real good oil!

I just turned forty and feel like I'm at my peak of surfing health and fitness.

for periods of 2-3 months, or in-between Indo trips I skip the booze completely and eat a predominantly green diet. When I'm there I usually surf twice a day and dine out and drink most nights.

2 of the best things I have found apart from the consistent long breaks from booze is IMO

skip a meal: your body won't like it for the initial 2 weeks, but after that, you will wonder why you ever ate dinner at all - also the change is quite dramatic such as weight loss and increase of energy (as well as mental energy) for me anyway

Also, the consensus around anti-ageing is not the same as it used to be. I follow a lot of David Sinclair's work and take some of the supplementations regularly that is part of lifespan.io

Of course, this costs money and many will never be able to justify the expense for the results that could or could not happen, but there is also a lifestyle change that you can implement more regularly to help slow down the effects of ageing.

From what I have researched and learned, ageing is not what it used to be and it is never too late to implement lifestyle and diet changes to help slow down the process, there is also a lot of exciting papers now being released that are showing great results and we could see new drugs as soon as in our lifetimes.

this thread seems to be relevant to many on this site judging by the replies - and the way it has stayed on track.
i am late forties and have:
1. reduced the booze and carbohydrate intake to reduce weight to 90kg from 95kg which has helped getting to my feet and general fitness.
2. gone up 3-4L in board volume over the last 3 years - but not length. board shops love me. this has been a staged process which will continue i am sure.
3. got rid of my chest zip wetsuits - too many pulled shoulder muscles getting them on or off. give me a good quality back zip especially when rushing before work.
4. making excuses to surf when it is crap - eg. the southerly will be blowing for the next three days, or i wont be able to surf until i get back from lithgow in three days, etc. i hate missing out on good surf like anyone and will take second prize if that is all that is on offer.
5. trying new things - be it different fins, or trying to work on that twinny on my backhand. i dont need to explain the stoke of achievement - however small.
6. setting low expectations when it is crap and trying to top them - such as trying to get at least one good turn in on every wave - usually i find the lower my expectations the better the time i have because i am enjoying some of the other reasons why i surf such as the smell/taste of the ocean, the play of light on the water, and even the feel of sand or rock beneath my feet. Getting that odd good wave just tops the experience.
7. living near a consistent - if not particularly good (which are usually crowded) - beach or reef. i try to surf at least 3 times a week. but i notice that the more i surf the better i surf and the more i enjoy it.
overall, i have focussed on the mental side of getting out there. 99% of the time i get in the water i am glad i did.

Get back in the Water Surfer Boy
https://the-re-turn.com/