An Age Old Question
Did a little strike mission down the coast to an old home-zone when the East Coast swell drought broke last month.
With a wide open window and scant responsibilities for a few days I had no excuses not to go.
This was a place I spent a decade at during my twenties. I knew where to score, I'd catch up with mates still living in the area, a bit of me time. Tick, tick, tick.
First morning I was already getting texts at sunrise: "It's pumping". I'm not a great super early morning surfer so I cruised a bit before making my way down. Monday morning and the car park was buzzing. Fark, why wouldn't it be? I'd been literal months since there had been anything that could be qualified as a real swell, now it was three to five and offshore. I'm sure the plot graphs on sick days regionally and probably state-wide would show a definitive spike on that day.
I cruised into the line up and started chatting with faces I know. It was cool to find that nothing has really changed. Same OG big wigs ruling the lineup. We're all sitting towards the mid-bracket of life: kids, mortgages, work, accumulating aches and pains etc.
What surprised me was that the OG's we're still going hard!
Margo rocks a white beard and rides a sensible surfcraft yet still mixes it with the yoof (Dan Scott)
I'm self-reflective enough to acknowledge that, while I still enjoy surfing and still partake consistently, it's place in my life has definitely waned over the last few years. I'm incredibly blessed to be able to surf each session almost exclusively solo if I wish, and "going surfing" has become less about the actual act of surfing and more about going out into the coastal environment. The walking, paddling, horizon-gazing, and everything else that comes with the surfing package now seems just as meaningful as actually catching and riding waves.
The catch to this Chicken Joe-style zen transformation however was laid bare when I bumped back into a dog-eat-dog, high-octane environment. While my peers still stalked the lineup, hustling and hassling and flaring, I was stuck floundering in low gear. My surfing has comparatively slipped, because I'd stopped caring about putting effort into my surfing.
So, when slapped with this reality, what to make of it?
I've never been even remotely competitive as a surfer, I learnt to surf competently because I loved it and as a teenager I got a little social kudos for it. Then it became trying to emulate what was happening in the pro scene, drinking the marketing Kool Aid, an identity and peer relationship thing.
And now?
I'm middle-aged, comfortable in my own skin, no longer believing I'm the new revolution. Does it matter that my skill-set is sliding? Is it enough to get a few pits and enjoy the ocean or am I just making excuses for getting lazy?
After ruminating the topic for a few days, I messaged one of my mates, who'd also been out that morning and surfed himself almost to exhaustion, the question: "What keeps you so motivated to still go hard and surf as well as possible?"
His response: "My body won’t be able to handle hucking into heavy waves for much longer so why not give it everything, plus not getting waves very often this year gets you motivated once the swell turns up."
So my question to you Swellnet readership-of-a-certain-age-demographic: Where do you fall on the Animal/Cruiser ageing continuum?
Are you determined to not waste your surfing lifespan and rage against the ticking clock, or are you happy sliding into the comfortable slippers of age-appropriate mediocrity?
//DAN DOBBIN
Comments
ugh, too real.. i feel every word of this alongside a little bit of back pain
good read, Dan, hope you're scoring
Swellnet did an artlice on Alby Falzon recently that showed him still surfing in his late 70s. It’s sooooo inspiring to know I still got lots of years to go. I’m mid 60s
Surfing feels good, and I usually clears the funk from my brain, but, you know what, there are a million activities which do that - and each has its attendant skills and knowledge, and cultures and history.
Disconnecting surfing from my identity has allowed me to be a newbie at other sports - just like I once was with surfing, when the smell of coconut wax and the feel of my first board and the deep feel and awareness of how waves moved all burned into my soul.
Now I get that with other pursuits and it makes life twinkle and seem more than its component parts.
Feeling annoyed when I surf worse than I once did seems a cheap price.
Yeah Dan I'm of the same opinion, I just don't have the heart for hassling/hussling any more. Give me space and time out there and I'm a happy camper. Bali last year really highlighted that, it took 3 weeks to come to terms with the crowd and surf schools, the year before I scored plenty of waves each session, not last year but I finally got over it and settled in.
For a long time since I've been mulling getting a longer board, it's been ordered, but I'm not so sure now that's the answer. More likely positioning and patience will make a difference and getting to know the punters out there while bobbing around. Either way I'm keen to get back, you can't beat warm water and clean waves.
You can cruise the turns, but the Pop-Ups are the tricky bit.
Esp with a few extra Kgs...
100% that's the cage I'm in. If you don't keep hip/lower back flexibility up then you're on a slippery slope. Keeping moving is the bare minimum but being time poor in the middle ages with baggage doesn't help.
At late 60’s I’ve recently sold all my short boards and faced the music of larger wider boards.
I’m the victim of a serious not at fault car crash when young.
Nobody could believe I walked away from it and it was all pretty good until older age….
I used to turn my nose up at longboards and larger hybrids etc but they actually go really good these days and I’m loving the daily surf in a new light….
I’ve even got into taking a 9’0” performance mal out in larger waves for a bit of fun and the things fly…..if I can get it out that is….
My shorter boards now are 7’ 2” 7’4” and 7’6”…..and still perform really well surprisingly.
Getting up with a stuffed back and stiff body is a problem but the wide boards make it easy and you can reinvent your start out of the blocks if you’re persistent.
Once you’re up it’s all pretty good like a young fella…..sorta.
Persistence is key when older and just to be out there and appreciate the beauty and majesty of Gods creation makes me happy.
It’s all about the love…..and if you can find your little spot down the beach a bit the love grows even more….
The bigger boards mean bigger opportunities as well.
Keep at it , it’s good for you.
76 years and still going, just. First caught a wave aged 13 on the friendly and then near empty waves of the Mid Coast of South Australia. Often had to look for someone to go surfing with. Now have somehow washed up on an over crowded Sydney beach with hundreds of overseas visitors who spend most of their water time being rescued by lifeguards and 12 years old local brats who think they're going to be world champs in five years. Anyway, I still sneak down the corner and out there now and then when the tourists have gone and the brats are at school, or they're supposed to be. The pop-up ain't what it used to be but I've bought an eight foot Ben Aipa Hawaiian glider that pretty well gets along by itself. Maybe I can get another year or two out of it before I have to give it to a grand-son and get myself up to the bowls club.
Just keep going Zuma!
Mid 60's here. For years my quiver was a 6'4", 6'8" and a 9' mal which I got second hand. Surfed all 3 of them but over the last 6-7 years more and more on the 9'. Now I don't even bother putting the shorter boards in the car "just in case". I suspect that the zips on the board covers have corroded up and I couldn't get them open anyway.
For my 60th the kids got me a gift voucher form a surf shop in Torquay. After looking at nearly every board in the store I ended up buying a more modern version of my 9" mal.
During a recent solo mid week surf, I wasn't having much success, blowing a few take offs and basically falling off a lot. Kept telling myself, "its better than being at work". My shoulders were getting sore so I though I will catch a wave in. A bigger set came, I took off and (in my mind) I surfed it like Kelly Slater. "Can't give up now" and paddled back out.
I was thinking to myself it is a bit like being a hacker at golf, where you will be spraying them all over the place and then you hit one down the middle of the fairway. "Got the hang of it now" and you then slice the next one 2 fairways over.
Ha ha! Love that analogy.
It's a bit like that- sometimes you smash that drive or drain the 10 metre putt.
That's what keeps you coming back.
And what a feeling! I feel sorry for the guys who do good turns on every wave, they'll never know.
Good question Dan - as you note there's crew across the spectrum of OG chargers - cruisers - spectators. I'm 69, and having carried various injuries for the past decade (usual suspects - lower back, shoulder, knee, ankle), I have, by necessity, backed off at various times to recover. In my case, post-65, fitness waned, as did desire. I've never been overly competitive, preferring quieter sessions with a few crew in the water - that all-important equation of more waves than surfers, which can be as few as 3 in a set, or at the other extreme like those recent cyclonic conditions, where fitness is crucial (unless you have a jet ski - not a fan when crew are paddling). Wandering off-topic here, but I am still surfing, and hope to continue for a few more years. On boards - my go-tos are 7'0 and 7'6" round tails, for the ease of paddling / catching waves. Obv. I'm not doing anything radical, just trying not to waste waves. Having started on a mal in the 1960s, I'll likely end up on one - full circle!
I think people underestimate that doing a small amount of stretch and strength everyday will help keep you in the game , flexible and strong, just do it everyday, if only for 20min, every day.
What stretches / strength training do you do? I’ve been looking to start doing this, but I’ve no idea where to start or what exercises to even do. There’s so many self-proclaimed experts, fitness influencers and exercise gurus on the internet/social media all pushing their own program.
This taught me to have a morning routine. Not a bad place to start. Will post some stretches/yoga stuff later. Off to work now...
If you're worried about going longer with boards..
Go to Christian Beamish's instagram for inspiration..
His stoke is infectious
Boards are one thing.
Proper rest and recuperation/recovery and then prep (strength&mobility training, stretching etc as mickseq said) are vital in prolonging ability and fitness as we age.
Where did you find a good strength & mobility program? What stretches / strength training do you do? I want to start doing this, but I’ve no idea where to begin or what exercises to even do. There’s so many self-proclaimed experts, fitness influencers and exercise gurus on the internet/social media all pushing their own stuff, it’s pretty confusing.
Try this one.
20 minutes each morning if your time allows. Easy to follow
?si=rLHA61PKbXumJPwoFrom long experience with yoga, both teaching and learning, I would definitely suggest finding a good, experienced teacher who can break down the postures for you, adjust where needed and get you the right sense of where you should be feeling what and how to modify things for where your body is at. Trying to just jump in and follow the video, espescially with the Astanga sequences and flow is a short cut to injury and a general more-harm-than-good wellness and longevity journey...
Thanks Moonah and Stormy. I completely agree that it’s counterproductive to do any form of strength and or flexibility training without proper guidance. If you end up injuring yourself, it defeats the purpose entirely.
Yeah true true.
Tom Merrick mobility and flexibility work is good - need to modify some of it for old as fuck shoulders and hips
My favourite sessions are done unaccompanied. First in, first out. Usually get my fill by the time the sun cracks the horizon and a handful of others turn up. Backed by quiet surfs between 10 and 2. All harder to come by as the years turn.
Certainly struggled with the difficulty of finding such occurrences as surfing became more popular. A period where seeing a crowded spot made me angry whether I was surfing or not. Something changed in recent years though, if it's not good and empty, I don't bother and I don't feel anything about it. The wisdom of age or the abatement of a particular hormone that comes with it, can't be sure I've not been tested.
Either way, there's little else that feeds my soul like being alone in the lineup on a midwinter morning, no cars around, no humans around, just me and the stars in that special secret time alone in the ocean before daybreak. I still have what it takes to charge heavy water, but certainly not raging against the line-up, the clock, or the "progress" that comes with it any more... and happier for it.
I can very much relate to what you’ve said Sprout. You could be describing me
- except with those tendencies we’ll never surf near each other cause I’m sure we’d both run down the beach 200m if we saw one another squinting through the inky dawn.
This is so evocatively written. I grew up and learnt to surf alone, on a wild, empty coastline, and your comment resonates strongly. When I see crowded line ups, like Snapper for instance, I recoil. It’s like a completely different activity, like surfing in wave pools. Solitude and the connection to nature missing in both scenarios.
"Are you determined to not waste your surfing lifespan and rage against the ticking clock, or are you happy sliding into the comfortable slippers of age-appropriate mediocrity?"
Why not do both?
Cruise and relax and enjoy all the fun in the sun days on mids or longboards or whatever is needed and be ready to have a crack when the surf gets good.
As others have noted, a bit physical maintenance work required but there is so much incredible knowledge out there now about fitness, nutrition and recovery.
Older guys can go harder for longer now, for those reasons. Not to mention they can keep advancing in board design/wave knowledge etc etc.
A good wave surfed at your limits or close to, still feels amazing.
You don't have to surf it like a pro, just be able to catch it and competently ride it to get the thrill.
Agree FR. Any recommendations on where to look for guidance on the physical maintenance side of things? Like you said, there’s lots of information out there, but I find there’s too much and don’t know what to believe. Some peer-reviewed surf-related fitness program recommendations would be great. A Swellnet article on this topic maybe?
I think crowds and competition are part of surfing, and they don’t bother me, it is what it is if you don’t catch many waves,
But if you’re that allergic to them, as@ sprout says, you can avoid them, and more volume definitely increases the number of places and conditions you can surf in .
I regularly surf somewhere that is notorious for its crowds , but often maybe higher tide or light onshore, and you can have a handful of guy’s spread out down the line , and heaps of waves ,
That’s why it doesn’t worry me on the crowded days wether I get waves or not
Confucius once said “ The bigger the crowd, the more people you are sharing the experience with “ !
Thank you, FR. Close to my philosophy/MO.
I mostly seek out solo or quiet sessions, and will sometimes do very rudimental surfing - just going fast or doing big, simple carves. But I'll also find myself really givin' it, with nobody to witness it.
On banner days, though, I'm not holding back. I'll be farthest outside, looking for the best waves, and while far far from the top tier I'm not backing down.
This works if keeping reasonably limber and fit. I don't spend hours every day on it, but do a little something daily, and eat well. Good boards with some volume help too, but I don't rely on crutches these days (did for a while, and it just doesn't feel good).
Kidding oneself is stupid, but there's something to be said for not selling yourself short.
(61yo)
IB, you said exactly what I was thinking.
Still - crowds shit me and it's never as 'nice' when you have to shit fight. I don't mind sitting a while and picking the odd bomb off - but now you seem to have some prick want to paddle straight out or straight up the inside and take it - sorry not on.
My rose coloured glasses just remember more general manners and etiquette. Interesting the sessions with mostly locals is far more relaxed and enjoyable.
Have I become a grumpy old man?
I’ve noticed the same thing regarding etiquette. You’ve got to be way more eagle-eyed and assertive these days to ensure that prick you mention doesn’t paddle up the inside. Sitting patiently in line on the peak and waiting your turn just doesn't seem to be feasible anymore.
I'm well into my mid 60's too. The key for me, as mentioned above is bit longer, higher volume boards and maintain surf fitness. Living on the coast definitely helps. I do think about how many years I've still got to get waves on the good days. 10 maybe? I still get excited by good clean waves whether it's 2ft or 6. Having mates who are older and still going strong also helps.
I've been surfing boards that are big and small since my beginning in surfing. That continues as I age. So there's not really an amount of foam that is a red line over which pride dies if I cross it. There's horses for courses. A proper noserider is just another type of board to master. It can be tiny and I'm having a ball, or bigger and serious and I have a board that will suit it. Whatever keeps you surfing. Found an alaia to be so much fun recovering an injury last year, wasn't even standing up.
Avoiding injury, choosing the spot depending on your tolerance for crowds - there are still choices to be made.
Some great comments above. Keeping the hip and lower back flexibility is the key for me. Loving riding longer boards, more volume but also more rail to bury when the opportunity presents. Hate crowds would rather surf a lesser wave than put up with the hassle. Was never anything more than (barely) competent so the fading of skills is hardly relevant. Still enjoy every session I can get. Speed runs through a double up rip bowl today. Fun.
You don't stop surfing because you get old, you get old cause you stop surfing.... :)
Good read....
Just keep paddling out....
Correct
My daughter started doing boardriders. I got sick of dropping off or watching for hours, so signed up, and surf the masters division. Been handy, given me some more drive, and I get to surf some good waves (sometimes) with a couple of others.
Has definitely got me keen to rail against the dying of the light, watching everyone get stoked and seeing some of the older rippers.
I think it was Wayne Lynch who once said
“ Some of the best waves he’d caught, he never even turned on “
So trying to impress others has never been a priority, especially when traveling .
But it can be.
The quote was 'The best wave I had I never even turned on,' (Tracks) which was a reference to the type of waves he was riding; fast running tubes where it was simply take off, get to your feet, pull in and straight through the barrel to the end. The quote was in response to the groundbreaking 'high performance' surfing he was known for at the time.
I turned 70 September last year and surf three 5'10" x 23" kneeboards without flippers. I surf whenever I can. When the northerlies blow on the Gold Coast, I paddle from Jack Evans Boat Harbour to DBAH and back for the fitness. I really enjoy the peace and quietness it gives me. I don't bother surfing when the swell is oversized or when there is a horrendous sweep to paddle against. I always keep an eye for surf breaks that may suddenly turn on to avoid the madness on the points. Keep surfing for your mental wellbeing and fitness.
The Jack Evan’s Dbah paddle sounds like a great idea , one which I should take up ,
maybe Hinze dam ?
Guess it depends where you surf ?
The point here has been called "Jurassic point" for years. Mostly older crew (getting older ) , getting infinity busier but still same core group once the size is up. Couple guys mid / late 60,s still going on the biggest ones . Inspirational. Becomes a shit fight when it's small enough for the van packers and when the annual state rounds (wanna be pro kids and their ugly parents are the worst ) and the surf pro comes to town but otherwise still got a bit of old fashioned etiquette compared to many places in the country /world. You will still get tuned for being a snake, drop ins are (mostly) accidental. Sups , drones , hassling tourists get told to fuck off too. Bit of an old fashioned surf scene despite how fast our region is growing.
Enjoy it while it lasts I guess .
I agree with what others have said. Keeping active when you're away from the surf and enjoying everything about the coast when you're back. Push ups and cardio. Living along way from the beach for the last year, I've only managed four surfs. First surf back after a few months, struggling with the pop up. So started doing push ups before the next surf. I've had the usual shoulder injuries through the years, but never a problem with my cardio when paddling, so never thought of it being an issue. Had short breaks when younger and didn't affect me out in the surf. Next long awaited surf was an easy paddle out, but after a couple of small waves I was puffing and struggling to pop up. Was a wake up call on getting old. That's how I felt at the time, especially surrounded by younger surfers. But now I think more a case of being away from the surf for so long and not doing any cardio. For the last month I've been on the exercise bike so I don't waste the next rare surf. Age catches up with you, but still things you can do.
Another thing is your perspective improves with the years. I've been helping with hurricane recovery in western North Carolina since Helene hit. Getting cranky when I can't go for a surf as often as I'm used to or because I had a bad surf, feels indulgent. I'm not living near the beach at the moment, but that's only temporary. Still having said that, I've never been so long away from the coast and I'm definitely less relaxed than I've been for a long time. Not being able to both surf or as you say be out into the coastal environment is hard.
53 years old. Still frothing on it as much as when I was 15. There's a guy round here who's 20 years older than me and he's still surfing well on a short board. It's good to have someone like that to show what is possible if you keep at it.
PB?
I can confirm that Spuddups is in the high froth category.
Affirmative. He's an inspiration for us grommets.
He broke a couple of vertebrate in his neck a few months ago, but he's back at it now.
Good man. Yes, he is doing super well.
My mate Chris up here is 74 and still on shortboards too. I make sure to praise him whenever I see him.
Chris B? Quite a few older short boarders still around these parts ay IB?
Yes. 74yo, still out there!
He's a good man. Ledge master in his day too
As a grommet, I remember thinking that forty was really old... I only knew of a few guys older than this who still surfed.
I've just turned fifty and I feel fitter than I was at thirty-five (though that's more likely due to a better work/life balance). Even now and then I have a surf session that feels as good as anything I had in my early twenties, which was the time when I was surfing the most.
And... high volume boards have definitely saved my life. I wasted way too many years persisting with boards that my body (and skillset) had simply outgrown.
At 53, I've been training the house down for nearly 20yrs. Got into other sports for a while and vanity took a hold too.
Surfing as much as possible on 6'1", 6'4", 7'4". All with fairly high volume - all focused on having heaps of fun.
Feeling the rage at the moment, cause of a MTB shoulder injury requiring reconstruction.
I keep going because I can, I want to and want to continue to surf with my kids.
As for crowds, it's pretty busy around here. Volume helps, so does a smile, a chat and a hoot for others.
Ben would you share what volume and dimensions?
I’m 42 and thinking down the same line, going through the same thing with a few mates who are losing the fire but still riding the same board they were 15 years ago
Where are you based Roystein?
I've been getting boards from Powelly since I moved to the Tweed (though he's now down at Iluka), he specialises in this kinda thing. Check his Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/elusivsurfboards/
Most of my boards have been 6'0 and thereabouts, but the current one is a 6'6 Ding-a-ling and it goes unreal. He's currently making me a tweaked 6'4 version.
Backhand on the big boards is the only real problem for people changing from high performance shortys.
The big boards are fine forehand but there’s no coming off the bottom with your eyes fixed on the lip above ready for a big backhand reo…..the boards are just too long……unless your name ends with ingleby…..even then it’s a chore.
I have noticed personally, that even though I’m a single double vee guy, that a light weight full concave board feels much better backhand in the bigger boards.
4+4 deck and 4 oz bottom with a thruster quad set up and a single concave to me makes a huge difference backhand…..you need a good exit rocker too.
That type of board feels and sits solid in a backhand high line and if light weight can break the line and turn easily.
I’m not going to do an ad but there are companies that specialise in that type of seniors board….
So, I need one board to go thataway and one to go thataway.
Just a personal opinion…….keep up the love.
Tell me more optimist! Being a goof and always seem to be going right, in my mid forties I’m looking for that board..!!!!!! :-)
This is so true about this kind of board, a mate and I fluked upon the design about 10 years ago based on his requests for his local conditions, can agree on the 4oz glass, single concave, prefer the thruster myself but others like the quad, it can be quite a short board, wider, thicker and still go fully vert backhand.
Can I please add to that recipe: vee out the back.
A fine example is the Pyzel Pyzalien 2. Get one. XL dims if you need it.
I was gunna say vee too.
Funny, I've always found single concave boards sticky backhand, particularly once they get wider.
Much prefer single/double with a vee.
Pure single really wants to track up the face, and some probably like that. Add a double through the back, and vee behind the fins, and it becomes much more user friendly imo.
Yes, as you said above, these shorter, single concave boards had a vee panel around the last fin to out the back.
Single to double concave is nice and in most of my other shortboards, the doubles go through an apexing vee which peaks just before the forward fins and fades out into the tail.
It's kinda dicey going from concave to v
Simply because it lessens a flat area which all fin boxes are designed to be placed.
Therfore in a quad for instance having con to v under the fin cluster you are messing with the fin cant....
I had one board with concave to v under the fins I wasn't impressed.
I've never put concave under the back foot of the board v either
If I'm shaping , It doesn't make sense .
Good topic. I thought I'd go until the wheels fell off but as I approach 40 I'm thinking I've got a good 10-15 years left, enough to have some good surfs with my boys, if they're into it. "hand off the baton" if you will. I have no interest in bigger boards and I'm already fit, lean and (somewhat) flexible so there's not much to juice there; I'm just going to do other things.
Surfing is cool but we're all just passing through this existence and a life well lived, I've found, is mostly about diverse experiences.
What do you Class as a Bigger Board ?
Over 7 foot. Although I think my next small wave board will be a mid length, for the first time in my life. I'm over surfing sub 6' boards in weak shit, I think I'd rather a longer, thinner, more rockered mid.
There's a comment saying you should be able to turn a 7'6 board and I've only seen a board that big do a decent roundhouse cutback once in my life and that was at Sunzal in el Salvador by some dude on a single fin longboard surfing it like a short board. Never in Australia though, not even close, not even on our point breaks. Each to their own.
Woolys Channel on U-tube is worth a Look - Over 50 and with some Weight on him.
He's a way better surfer than me! I'm a big fan of the JS Monsta box like him but that's where the similarities end!
I'm partial to his reviews because he doesn't surf undervolumed boards (like the fat east coast dude on 30l or whatever) has a personality and is a good surfer IMO.
Most crew will think it's blasphemous to say, but getting off the grog is one of the best things you can do. I'm 55, average probably only 1 surf a week due to responsibilities. Eating and drinking really clean, daily stretching and active lifestyle allow me maintain a surfing level I'm happy with. One thing I find I'm going to have to work on is breath hold, as I'm finding that lacking of late in the bigger stuff.
Ego plays a massive part in this. The egos in the water and on land are very real and large. I get a giggle out of it these days and stay away from it as much as possible. Not just egos but so many other reasons to stay in the brine and try to stay healthy for those good days....which have been so rare on the east coast for quite a few years now. That makes it difficult in ya 50's. Mind you...plenty of other activities to stay healthy and motivated/happy.
Ego is a big part of people hating crowds,
If someone gets 10 waves and you don’t get any it crushes your ego,
But if you’re not into hassling you can still paddle out and get some exercise and sit back and watch the show and maybe score some world class waves , and maybe not.
You dissolve the ego there is nothing of the sort
Only happiness for others
Most certainly easier said and done for some than others
Of course: there are carnts out there but they will barely bother you either
I remember feeling sorry for the old guys in the senior mens division of our club, the poor old bastards were 28 years old, in their twilight years.
Now I keep telling myself that at my age I'm happy just to go for a paddle and if I catch a wave or two it's a bonus. Then I paddle out and desperately fight and scratch for anything that moves.
It's all relative, to a 90 year old I'm a spring chicken.
The thing is you have to exercise as you age. If you don't you're looking at clocking up injuries and illnesses that will accumulate and do you in. So I choose surfing - assuming you're doing strength and flexibility work (20 mins a day) then crowds are the big problem - you can't get a wave count high enough for it to be a work out. I'm lucky enough to live near a wave pool so I'll do some training there and pick my ocean days when and where I can dodge the crowd.
Anyone got a good strength and flexibility routine they can recommend? I’m 43 and starting to feel it.
Hey mate, I’m 41.
?si=GQWle_T4Eb3zwkl4I do this quick yoga routine early in the morning most days. Only takes 20 minutes.
I’ve found it great for my lower back and stretching out the leg muscles.
Also I try to get 2-3 cardio sessions in a week. Surfing can be counted as a session.
(I rarely surf 3 times a week these days)
And finally if you have the time try and do basic body weight exercises.
Push ups, pull ups, dips, leg raises, squats.
I’m time poor - small kids and run a business so what I get done varies from week to week but I’ve found just trying to have some consistency will see results.
Also a big factor for keeping me motivated is booking a surf trip even once a year and having that to look forward to and stay in shape for.
But yeah it’s hard to do everything, life’s busy.
Check out foundation training. The original 12 minute founder, free on YouTube. Has been a game changer for many people I know. Myself included. You can go to subscribe to their program if it works for you.
?si=U5bSEuh4maw2DOP-For exercise, I think you simply cannot beat kettle bells. Posterior chain strength, mobility and efficient movement. Cheap, don’t take up space.
Mark Wildman has an excellent 100+ episode series free on YouTube. Starts here :
Awesome, thanks both!
No beers, durries or sugar.
Even water with heavy mineral content helps
Remember how active the youth you were was.
I'm either active or laying down
I try not to sit too much.
Great topic and happy to chime in as these thoughts increase in frequency as does the rage against the dying of the light. 64yo. I wanna surf and stay connected to the ocean until I die. It’s not the be all of a life lived, more like a major organ providing good health, stability, wellbeing and homeostasis. Yeah ok its an addiction, a life enhancing one. Agree with the keep healthy, stretch and stay fit sentiments-shit I’m drinking mids and cutting down on those for surfing’s sake. As for mid lengths and their capacity to incorporate current design principles and acquired knowledge- it’s like we’ve been handed a free pass gift from Huey to forever enjoy the playground. HI mid 6 7’0”-glad old mate mentioned his backhand issues and complimented Harley’s surfing. You’ve gotta transition to them-move your feet more, body and weight positioning and stop trying to surf it like a shortboard, embrace the extra rail and length. There are compromises and maybe 12 o clock backhand reos are one but play around with fins and watch HI and Margo et al for inspiration, you’ll defs be catching more waves to practice. Compromise is a learnt life skill. As others have mentioned here contentment is actually a happiness high achieved.
I’m also really enjoying sup surfing (shock, horror). Came upon it by river living and working on remote islands sans surf and then decided to give surfing it a go and thought fuck this is so different to surfing, but surfing nonetheless and it’s great fun. Whole new perspective and capacities on the ocean and waves and surfing and the cup still gets filled every sesh. It’s not a replacement, it’s an add on enhancement that’ll keep me surfing and stoked until the light goes out. I still surf my HI as my first love and daily when Huey permits but am so glad to have this in my surfing life. Surfing mates who now also foil express similar sentiments. I know these comments may cop some flack from short boarders (aka shortmindedboarders) but this is a significant part response of DB’s age old question-explore and expand the possibilities. BTW Swellnet I still have a quiet giggle and a nod and wink re JC, FR’s predecessor.
Thanks for the self-reflection opportunity Danbob and fwiw a good mate of mine who works with you says your as fantastic a bloke as your writing;-)
BB, have you had a look at downwind foiling? Using a SUP? Sounds like you’d be a good fit. I’m in the early stages of working it out and the small morsels of success of I’ve had have been mind blowing.
Infinite energy on any given windy day, and even if the entire country took it up crowds would still never be an issue.
It’s as hard to learn , and therefore as satisfying, as surfing.
The endurance/expedition aspect provides a similar feeling to surfing big waves.
Foiling itself is unbelievably fun. Hover board/ magic carpet vibes combined with your favourite surfboard.
I tried to ride one of my high performance shortboards recently after surf(prone) foiling for the last 4 months. I couldn’t remember for the life of me why I loved that board so much.
At 46, after exclusively surfing shortboards for 35 years, I might have to admit I’ve changed direction. On the plus side, I feel like a grommet again.
If you could maintain your surfing to the point that you can still get barrelled when the chance arose, can have your cake and eat it too.
Hey nardi with the advent of technology and builds the possibilities are endless and downwind foiling (also with wings ) are mind blowing. A good surfing and surfer mate describes it as getting into an endless surfing trance out of body like state and he’s a straight bloke. It’s something I’d love to try but am aware of the time energy and funds needed to do it justice and be safe out in the big blue. I’ve got a 12ft surfing sup that I can downwind on and it’s a challenging buzz and out there element of surfing. Foiling is a skillset I’d love to develop and I’ve developed sup surfing as an older bloke so ruling nothing out. We’re in a golden age of new developments and stoked your reaping the benefits. Yep sold all my shortboards and just been to the ments with a mid length and sup and had a fkn ball. Tapping into all the oceans got to offer -go for it
I’m 43yrs old and decided to learn. Bought an 8ft Spooked Kooks Dead Hippie. Have dropped 7kgs so far coz the bloody guys gets in the way of learning a good technical pop-up (so I’m told).
My paddling is sweet! (Been a Bodyboarder all my life so that helps)
Once I’m up standing I’m sweet!
The damn pop-up! Once I master this damn pop-up I’ll be…well…sweet!
I want to think that I am worthy of sets and can keep the crowd honest with positioning, competitiveness, froth and commitment, though as the years go by, it becomes more of a frustration than anything I get value out of.
I am lucky to surf mostly solo these days, which I figure, dulls the edges a bit.
That said, having the animal within certainly helps when you head OS and surf spots full of mad frothers from around the globe.
The animal lives on :-)
The last time I headed OS it was to a
surferless zone , with perfect waves , maybe that’s why crowds in Australia don’t bother me too much.
Gday What up….hard to answer your question without knowing what your riding and what waves your surfing.
When I was younger a single concave board with a good kick in the tail rocker was a favourite for getting back to the lip quick backhand. . The same applies to old guy bigger boards…….if that helps go look for one of those.
Also quads are really good backhand I’ve found ….especially on steep waves and it’s the same on bigger old guy boards…..
You need to get your front foot heel on the rail backhand too don’t forget and your board will naturally go up toward the lip for pumping….. back hand is as easy as forehand when you get the knack.
Also, if your a big fella, use bigger quad rears so FCS plugs are better as your not limited to fin sizes in the rear……
For bigger older guys, I recommend one size down but identical model to your front fins……flat inside foils are faster and turn quicker.too I reckon.
Hope that helps.
56 and have dedicated my whole life to surfing and now I'm off it, for the last 2 yrs we have barely surfed cause the banks have been so bad and the water brown and now 30,000 people moved here cause of covid, I no longer can surf by myself, cause people r still coming out of the woodworks at 11am, hate this new work from home movement, so I'm so desperate to do some exercise, today I bought a skateboard and am frothing to do that now. never thought I would hate Huey so much
One piece of advice - start foiling. You won't believe how it will bring back the stoke. You'll feel like a kid again.
At 62 its getting harder to keep as fit as possible. A desk job and living in town. Although that being said, I can pick and choose the days and the place, always surfing offshore, with many a mid week session, to back off the crowds. Just had a mid-length made and I cannot get used to it, perserverance I suppose. The East Coast was great this weekend, Gunnamatta excellent with good left banks, the 6'2" MC was cranking. Weekends like that, make it all worthwhile. Just gotta keep paddling for another one :) Perpetual motion is the key and experience helps.
Yep Im raging against age :)
I'm 65 got a Grace 6'7" mid length and find it really hard to surf however he surfs them really well in his 70's. No one has mentioned it here, but I am surfing twins with a guitar pick stabiliser and keel fins and they are so fast (no jumping up and down) and just loose enough. Got a new one through Bean a 6' bit of volume and it is really easy to catch waves on. Surfing a 5'6", 5'9", 6.0 and a 6.4 - a thruster. No one has given their dimensions I see I am 5'6" x 64/65 kilo.
Hey mem - 62 years old and 80 kegs.
6'2 x 20 1/2 x 2 3/4. Maurice Cole metro iD. big single concave. Love it, super fast, and my go to for everything.
6'9 x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2 Maurice Cole Protow. Reverse V. Step up, perfect for bigger waves, bells, winki, Big EP etc.
9'3 McTavish 66 model Mal - for when there is nothing else to do.
The 7'3 x 22 x 2 7/8 - Shiva. set up as a thruster but trying it as a twin with a stabiliser. Brand new 1 week old and surfed it a sloppy Eastern Beach and tiny 13th. Picked up waves so easy but getting used to it is another story :))
Once I can’t stand
I will kneel
Once I can’t kneel
I will ride a mat
Once I can’t get to the waters edge
I will get carried
Only after that I will close my eyes
And leave the planet
Surf like it’s your last surf
Every surf
Love it
I think I'm very lucky as I'm a 64 yo Z grade bodyboarder, and never been an "animal". I get as much joy talking to people in the lineup down here on the Bellarine as I do snagging an "enormous" clean three footer. Comparing yourself to others or wishing you were still young is a certain path to misery. I hope to be the oldest bodyboarder at 13th, even if I am also the most hopeless! I will never be in a Steve Arklay wave of the day, but I will be smiling. Keep enjoying the ocean, Dan, it keeps you young, despite the bod sometimes disagreeing!
Gold Mecco, may the rest of your days in the juice be as memorable as your previous.
OI OI
Great topic. 54 and 44 continuos seasons in and I'm frothing more than ever! Long ago I made a choice to locate south where the majority of my sessions are either solo or friendly local crew who enjoy the stoke and share waves. I thank Torren Martin for the mid twin inspiration around 5 seasons ago. Now ditched the mids and gone back to 6/0 and 6/3"s whilst I can. I want that to continue for at least a decade. Diet is everything, ditched the carbs, a lot of sugar, bread and cereal and it made a profound change to my body and mindset. a great part of me is comfortable feeling that I'm surfing better now than I did in my 20's, particularly in barreling surf which is a regular part of the surf diet here. Also now dedicate more time to and resources to sessions with my 13yr old son who has embraced the deal and looking forward to regular indo travel with my dream quiver which I now have resources for. Can't imagine not doing this to the day I die. Inspired by Michael Ho at big pipe. Yew :)
South as in Southern Ocean, Gilligan, or are you still talking the Tasman?
Hamishbro Tasman mate. Jervis Bay
Cool, nice spot. I see why you say you are getting lots of barrels down there given where it’s close to.
When women work on my body, afterwards they fall into a trance
I agree with almost every comment made already. My motto is move it or lose it. I'm pushing 73 and some days I'm just glad I could get out the back, especially with an 8ft. board. (Note to self: take the 7'2" fish out more often). Used to have the goal of still surfing at 70 y.o., but revised that to 80. Avoiding the crowds helps me to get more waves too, there's no way I can out-paddle all the youngsters out there now. So now it's more often than not an uncrowded bank out the back somewhere with the occasional venture to a point break if I can see it's not too crowded. Regarding the pop-ups, I had the same problem, but after reviewing my technique and a lot of practice and stretching on dry land I've improved.
Swimming (especially backstroke), skateboarding, core and mobility work plus strength work. Keep it fresh, be inspired.
Don't be too cool to mix up your surf craft. Have a proper board for the big days.
If you can, walk/skate/ride to the beach with a board under your arm...embrace every aspect.
I gave up skateboarding, because I fell flat on my back after the board shot out,
and ended up with chest pain for the rest of the day. . And the next day all my fingers and toes were numb and tingling.
So I thought I didn’t need those worries .
once i pushed through my 40's i branched out into different boards. wave types/size and crowd size factor into my board choice. e.g. crowded weekends i'll often use a 6'6" mini mal and find myself catching heaps (compared to others) and waving others in to waves lest i be greedy...
i dealt with lower back pain a few years ago that slowed down my pop up (especially in smaller stuff) and caused me to continually put my feet in the wrong postion. started to feel like a kook. key is to stretch those hammys and butt cheeks.
with age i no longer try to land close out floaters and big end section moves. i'm all about smooth, fast, positioning.. as best i can anyway... and not getting injured! my surfing has definitely become a lot more lateral unless the perfect section presents itself.
i keep sessions to 1 hour or 90 minutes tops... any more and i'm not surfing the next day especially if the size has dropped.
broadly, as i get older i find crowds are the killer of my desire to surf.
lastly, more than ever now i love sitting in a spot by myself just away from the pack where only a specific, infrequent set wave will break... i don't mind the wait.
A message from the older joggers and hard trainers...
My partner is the youngest child, by quite a long way on her siblings... so they are up to 65 in age. Her mum is well into her 80s.
We know quite a few of the people who were out pounding the pavement, doing triathlon and generally being extremely fit through their 30s, 40s, 50s - now they are at the stage of knee reconstructions and these are no fun in rehabilitation. I wonder if going a bit more gentle on the joints in those years means more use out of them later?
Wearing the gear out .
Yeah I remember Slater commenting on his longevity a couple of years in an interview, saying he didn't train extremely hard (surfed plenty, yes) because his view (and that of many health professionals) was that centenarians and the long-lived are generally not extreme athletes beating the shit out of their bodies. They eat right, and keep up mobility, but don't smash themselves to bits. Something in that I reckon.....
I remember the exact wave during lockdown when my relationship with surfing changed. Out at my local, 6.30am, 100 + people out. I took off on one & there were at least 6 people down the line. Yelling had zero impact. Suddenly, surfing was all anyone wanted to do. I’m a relatively fit 56 with no major injuries aside from occasional back spasms. Scans aren’t anything out of the ordinary - pretty stock for a guy my age. So, physically, I still can.
I have walked past my local so many times with the wife & dog in the last few years & thought “It’s worth surfing that - except for the crowds”.
I also ride hard enduro on my dirt bike with a great, tight bunch of mates. That gives me more satisfaction these days than surfing. In the bush on my 300 it’s still a challenge, always offshore, the swell is always from the right direction & it’s never crowded.
Having said all the above, I am still frothing for another trip to Sumatra in September with my mates! Haha! It never really leaves you - the stoke. For me, a line from Big Wednesday sums it all up - “Been surfing much, Matt?” “Only when it’s necessary..”.
Well done I ride soft enduro and adventure on various bikes (no big pigs) and finding it the same as you: "still a challenge, always offshore, the swell is always from the right direction & it’s never crowded." Just come back from a lap of Tassie on dirt roads, nothing super serious and had a ball.
Good to hear! I will eventually get a 690 to go ADV with some of the boys.
Yeah my mate has the GAS GAS version great bike just watch the fuel pump they are shithouse.
I putt around on a 230 on the odd weekend
My wife has ridden her whole life and comes from a motorcross/trail family ( everyone rode).
It's interesting though, so many people out on raptors, quads nowdays .
Mountain bike is also good cross training no.jumping or stupid tracks though
Gota becareful,
I’ve been a non -local, since I started traveling decades ago, and I don’t resent crowds because I avoid them if I want to.
Do the maths , if there’s too many surfers and not enough waves, paddle in before the frustration.
It's a great topic of conversation.Surfing is a great way to relax though a constant pressure to preform and progress drives a lot of us.At 46 I'm still riding a 6,2 and at times feel like maybe I should be paddling on a Malibu,I wouldnt have it any other way when flying down the line and surfing progressive and powerfully.
The body does hurt though.Ive recently stepped down from 30 years in the plumbing industry which had taken it's toll.Stretching,exercise and weight loss of late have been doing wonders and getting lots of fun surfs has got me feeling great.Thats until, when hoping into bed I pulled a muscle in my back/glute not for the first time and have spent two weeks out of the water right before cyclone Alfred swell arrived.Barely able to bring myself to watch the swellnet surfcams I've come to the realization to be thankful for the waves I do get and now on the mend, Im hanging to get back out there more psyched then ever.
Surfing’s just good for the mind when you’re older minus the hassling The exercise is good and paddling for a few hours against a sweep is a good work out . The thing i struggle with is seeing old blokes my age 56 or there abouts hanging onto the pride and short board roots and people paddling rings around them and they look cranky and not happy not getting waves they once could . Nothing wrong with a bit more volume for paddle power i still love it as much as i did when i was 18 and all your dramas just go away when your having a paddle
Not 100% on topic but kind of relevant....
https://m.
Geez he is a funny bugger.
Experienced surfers know when & where to catch the best waves... . compromise for everyones enjoyment or....watch & wait.
Having a board that is longer, lighter, faster & fluid makes turning easier. eg. Vee between the feet & tail lift. https://pyzelsurf.com.au/products/padillac https://pyzelsurf.com.au/products/tank
Relaxing the mind & muscles reduces injuries; so yoga, Qigong & TaiChi are worth exploring with an good teacher. Enjoy the session & nap.
https://rest.works/en/article/famous-nappers-in-history/
During the Covid cash surf craze, snorkling was fantastic. The fish were relaxed when I drifted with the current like an cruising turtle.
Have fun.
for no foamo fanatics
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/careers-and-recovery/202009/fear...
thank you Dan for posing the question. I slipped into the comfortable slippers of age-appropriate mediocrity about 3 decades ago. Now at 65, I am incapable of not surfing. The ocean is my mother. I need to get the gills wet regularly. Surfing is not my identity, it is my ecosystem. I can't live without it.
57 and been surfing for 50 years - been in SW Sydney for past 10 years - parents were in the Gong so regular surfing there while they were alive. Got frustrated on my 6'4 bought a 7'0 O&E soft top and put real fins on - so much FUN! Bit tricky when hollow but paddle hard get in early still the trick. Funny as I have come across other soft top riders (who were good surfers) and we have shared a (guilty) laugh about the enjoyment of this equipment. Had a 6 foot day caught a screaming backhand on the "stable table" finished with a clean roundhouse and kick off and this teenager who was hanging at the end section said "that looked unreal" That kid will never know how much those few words meant to me.....
Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do!
Beats which one are you on ?
Hey Simba, its called Ezi Rider and put in FCS fins - the rubber ones they come with aren't much chop
I feel so lucky to have grown up surfing in the 70's.
It was an even playing field, no longboarders sitting way out picking off every set, in fact being such a young sport you rarely saw anyone over 30 surfing. Noones parents surfed. Life was simple.
These days you drive along the mid and it looks like all the nursing homes are having a day out, more fossils than Jurassic Park. Every day is pension day.
I feel sorry for the few rare grommets who aren't at home glued to their devices, who want to get out into the real world and catch a few waves. I would have been spewing and telling us old bastards to fuck off.
So good ! LOL @ olddog
Surfing grew up ! I've grown with it's journey
I've gone from being a super young grom to elder.
I'm happy to share wisdom, or be the super young grom nodays ....
Surfed with the gromets on the weekend, while they were waiting for their heat in the local comp.
The comp was on the best peak on the beach; they had that peak all day, with their sharpboards.
Anywayz... after dodging and weaving kids & parental coaching for an hour, I finally got one barrel...
kaybeegee I liked this "Disconnecting surfing from my identity" in relation to getting to the middle aged where work kids etc starts to take over.
But for me it's only on an outward facing level, internally surfing is still no 1.
I cant help but push myself to physical exhaustion every surf when it gets good.
The burning drive to push over the ledge and throw more spray keeps me from becoming a total "life be in it" Norm!
I say go out kicking and screaming.
Assert your place in the lineup, make the next generation wait their turn.
Show the young fellas that with physical bulk and years of wave knowledge it's our turn to own a lineup!
Go home frothing after making that one late drop or man turn that you had to dig deep to perform.
Then book a physio appointment to try and get ready for the next swell ha ha ha.
Go hard till you can't and hopefully it keeps us hungry and younger for longer?
Yeah Boy... Keep chargeing Charger...OI OI
Great article and question and heartening to hear of the people 50+ and even into their 60's and 70's still frothing.
I can't really add much- just turned 57. I have to agree with strength training, stretching and cutting down if not out altogether the piss.
I love surfing so much and even just one turn or a nice little speed section or a little shade and my day is made.
But, I have other things in my life- snowboarding, hiking, golf but surfing will always be my first love.
I can cut the piss out easily. Weed on the other hand… (though never smoked anymore)
Ha ha! Man's not a camel durutti.
Gotta have some pleasures in life.
Yeah I'm on the vape with weed. When I was overseas I felt smoking weed cut down on my lung capacity even though I've read it's fine.
it can stay your first love if you take time to watch the guys who are still ripping , I was suprised Rod Baldwin , our current and repeat 60 plus Australian Shortboard Champion wasnt mentioned in this article . If you watch him surf you realise his style is low and flexible , always bending his knees so flowing between turns . Scott Schindler our current 55 plus is very similar . If both these guys were out at your local break you would be shocked how well they surf . Ad Jye Gofton , Paul Parkes etc , man stop with the excuses these guys are ripping at a world standard .
Jesus , must be getting old ,just saw your article ( miss a day or two lately)LOL
I hit 69 this year and but for the effects of gravity on a joint here or there I would not feel a thing.
We will all deteriorate in some way or another BUT we also have the ability of the strength of mind over matter when we are HAPPY.
No better way to tap into life's fountain of youth than to surf.
You still have to consider what you are working with in regard to an ageing unit but if riding a shot board in comfortable sized surf is still on the cards do what you can to hold onto that happiness .
I currently ride and love my 5' 4" Machardo Two Fish.
Volume not length = FUN for me (everyone is different)
Growing up in Cronulla and now living in Noosa crowds of different intensity has long been posing the question of going to the dark side of reinventing the early seventies(surfed since 1969) but a Hipster,no thanks.
Instead I utilize the the feeling of Froth rather than capituation.
I know ,for at the age of 50 I had bought a 6'4" Nugget (getting fat and resigned to the regresion) and the fun was already on its way out the back door ,could cath heaps but I felt OLD.
Took up Pilates ,fixed my back, lost weight and regained HAPPINESS and started the reduction of length in my boards.
We give far too much homage to a number being the definitive power over what we surf .
So ,the more we move and the quicker we move the longer we surf.
HAVE FUN!
Cheers Gordon, Appreciated your words.
57 - Mornington Peninsula, great topic and something that is consistently on my mind. I've never been super competitive in the water in terms of raising the performance bar etc, - i've always put my enjoyment down to the whole experience (being in the water, the exercise, the thrill, laughs in the carpark etc) .....for me the slide into mediocrity has been that hardly any of my mates surf anymore and as a consequence i'm not going anywhere near as much as i would/should do
TBH I think a lot of guys riding short boards would have more style and flow and improve their surfing if they stepped up to the right longer board , A well known shaper once agreed with me.
If you can’t crank a turn on a 7.6 there’s something wrong .
Both shoulders reconed both knees also.
43 on a cheat code with zero shame.
Whatever it takes to get you out there is ok.
Don't stop can't stop.
This article hits hard, especially after today. I'm 60, 6'1" and around 93 kgs. I'm actively raging against my failing body, doing as much as I can to tune it up. Sometimes I get carried away and do too much. I'll ride anything from 9'8" mals all the way down to the occasional booger slide. My daily driver is a 6'4" fish at around 43 ltrs. I had a bit of a brain fart this morning and pulled my barely used performance thruster out this morning and gung ho'd down to the second most famous reef in these parts. Now think of the worst surf you've ever had. This wasn't it, but it was close. Creaky knees aside, my timing was off, my take offs slow and the one wave I stood up on was an embarrassment. I lasted half an hour, too dispirited to paddle back out after another failed take off. But you know what? I'll shake it off, check the surf daily and go back and do it again- and again. If there's no surf tomorrow, I'll prepare for the next day or the next after that. I think the article got in my head too much and I got my aspirations mixed up with my waning ability - I also blame board choice. I think I'll sell it.
I don't know your body type, how much muscle etc, but here's some well-intentioned advice: fix your diet, and see if you can drop 10kg - or possibly a bit more?
I'm 61, 6'1, and put on a bit of weight last year. Felt like the surf you described, and was leaning on bigger boards. Someone said "drop 10 pounds..." and I thought I couldn't, but then easily dropped almost 20 pounds (83kg to 75).
I'm off the crutches and back on good boards, incl a proper HP shorty, and loving it. Still have shit surfs, but as you say, shake it off.
In my case it was + protein, + good fat, -carbs, no sugar, no beer. Heaps of green veg and nuts. You might have different tolerances, but judging by what others say, it's not a bad place to start.
All the best, mate.
Fair call IB. I have a couple of bad dietary habits (beer / sweet tooth) that could help me lose some kg's - 10 kgs might be excessive, I would have to strip muscle bulk to achieve it. I'm probably in between an edomorph and mesomorph. My biggest problem seems to be energy management though. Once I get going, I find it hard to quit. This is everything from gardening to formal exercise and it can knock me up for a couple of days. It's a mindset that I need to snap out of.
mediocrity = death
Try hard equals styleless injury
Cruiser equals relax equals enjoyment
If you’re still trying to impress others in your sixties, what happened in your twenties ?
and now here the newz ....
Interesting article and I can resonate with most of the comments. 60 and short boarding still and love to mix it up with the higher performance crew but volume has had to go up a little in recent times. Probably did my best surfing at 48 or so from video clips that I saw. But thought I was on the downhill slide from 35 at the time. I think the seniors age group started at 28 way back then and masters was 35. Enjoy the local board riders comps in 40s and 50s. I still find myself gravitating to where the best surfers are out hence still surf the inside point in raglan a lot as it's easy to get waves when everyone is taking turns and there's some ripping going down. I enjoy that a lot and it feels like it gives you a push a bit more. Have quite a few surfs these days where something is off though and the timing isn't quite right but still have some days where the turns can still be cracked. At 89kg I think i'll go lose a few kg and that will help. The most frustrating times are when the point is over run with mummy's on mid lengths or tourists on all sorts and it's hard to compete on a short board then. Beach break time for me. Have tried a few longer boards but keep coming back to a volumed up shorty around 6'1 or 6'2. Used to be 36 litres 5 years ago but have crept up to 40-41 now. Makes wave catching sweet and can catch the same waves as most of the hotties but without that extra volume I was grovelling so needs must
https://m.
&pp=ygUKam9lbCB0dWRvcg%3D%3DYouTube vid by Joel Tudor discussing longevity in surfing and greats like Skip Frye surfing in their 80s. Basically he recommends letting the ego go and not being scared of volume.
There is an old boy at my local, loves to sit out the back on 6’2 potato chip, and misses more waves than he catches. I have so far resisted the urge to convince him to get a longer board. It’s his life but at the end of the day doesn’t everyone want to catch more waves?
And I agree cut down or cut out the drinking. It’s pro inflammatory, packs on the weight, hops contains a potent phyto-estrogen, and after 40 years of age our livers just aren’t as effective in processing acetylaldehyde (a serious toxin).
Over 50
7'0
Yew
Interesting article and comments. In my mid 50s I'm loving surfing as much as ever. Can totally relate to the line in the article about going surfing being as much about getting out into the coastal environment as much as it's about actually riding waves. The whole experience is great - seabirds, marine mammals, the sound of waves, familiar faces in the water - some nice rides are the icing on the cake. As for the animal/cruiser continuum, there are actually two elements that need to be disentangled: your own physical effort vs the competitive battle for waves. I'm a cruiser when it comes to crowds - I try to avoid them as much as possible - at my age and ability there's no way I can compete with the talented "yoof" so I don't even try. But when it comes to pushing my own limits in terms of wave size and power, of course I go as hard as I can, why wouldn't you? The adrenaline rush hits you just as sweetly when you pull off something that got the heart thumping - irrespective of where you sit on the ability scale.
Definitely the first.
At 66, post kids and stuff, I'm surfing with a group of 30 year olds and loving it!
if you want to stay fit, don't stop!
so of the best moments were the last ones
I am 65 , been surfing for 51 years ..still riding a shortboard 5'11''.
I know I can't keep going forever , so this motivates me to stay in shape so that I can still surf .
Every day I either surf or exercise or both , and I keep my weight down by carefully watching what I eat and drink.
The bonus is that I haven't been to a doctor for two and half years , and that was only because of a sore back after being ragdolled under a mountain of whitewater.
Surfing and being healthy go hand in hand.
Some great ispirational stories for keeping up the surf fitness. ' it,s just hands down one of the best things in life to have the privilege of being able to catch a wave. i,m only 53 but have lots of old sporting and work injuries and a couple of medical conditions' but the one thing i,ve found that keesp me agile enough to do the pop and get to my feet quick enough to get moving down the face is hip flexor stretches'.
Will be 71 in a couple of weeks (6'4" and 86kg) and surfed continually since 1966. In many ways surfing has guided many of the big decisions in my life - from careers to where I have lived and travelled. Started on mals, surfed through the change to short boards in the late 60s. Went back to, and competed on longboards for a while in the mid 80s (won the State masters title in '89 and Snowy old mal title '91). Returned to short boards in the 90's and have stayed with them since. Was surfing 6'4" when I was 64 but now riding 6'8" (Lost quiver killer). I agree with the many comments above. To keep surfing you have to stay flexible and strong. It becomes harder as you get older but when you paddle into a wave of consequence and draw some nice lines (for me at least) it is a small price to pay for the joy you gain. Keep waxing up........
53 and 41st year surfing. Loving it now as much as ever in my life. Have been surfing the dawnies pretty much everyday for last 3 years. Only problem is I am out of the water with shoulder bursitis now. It’s been sore for ages and you keep ignoring it but you shouldn’t. Had a cortisone injection this week and hopefully back in water next week. Listening to all of you is inspiring and one of the things I find hard is listening to the body (especially when it’s clean and offshore). We’ve got a great crew at our local around same age but in last year we’ve had heart attacks, hamstrings, head injuries and an ACL. One of things that makes me most me happy is that my 14 yr old is now sharing the passion with me. Plan to keep going to I at least reach a ton
Just turned the 70. Still surfing but as said many times above, the pop up is the real problem, particularly after 2 new knees, 2 new hips and radical lower back surgery. But, giving up isn’t an option. There is great stoke in just going to the break, seeing old and new mates and getting the odd ok wave in the lineup. Keeps me mentally and physically younger than I would otherwise be. Also morphing to sup surfing preparing for the later years, no pop up necessary but it sure takes some learning.
Nice one, mate.
I have always said when I reach 90, I will get a SUP and bolt a deck chair and an esky full of beer to the deck and paddle off into the sunset. I can't see much point in trying to ride waves on it, you'd make too many enemies.
I’m 64 and have been surfing for over fifty years. Five months ago I went in for surgery that didn’t quite pan out so was in again eight weeks ago. Five months out of the water gives you a lot of time to consider your relationship with surfing. I realised that, after most sessions, I’d come out in a worse frame of mind than going in. While crowds played a part, the main reason was that I was still holding myself to a standard that had well and truly passed. I’d just get angry that I wasn’t hitting the high notes anymore while the much maligned kooks around me were having a ball. They didn’t seem to care if they fell off every wave or only got one crappy close out.
I’m probably about 4-6 weeks away before I can have my first surf since last October. I’m gonna try and just enjoy being in the ocean and have zero expectations. I reckon that might be the secret to surfing longevity.