Old Surfers and Big Waves

I am approaching 50 the next few months...Iam not afraid to say it...but, I will not go out in "TRUE" DOH in the winter anymore in my area...if the water is warm or if I was at a nice point break, would give it a go...I have 2 herniated discs in my neck and at times a bad back and my bones just cant take a very bad wipeout... Once it reaches that DOH, which very rarely reaches that mark where I surf, I just opt to wait some hours until it drops below that range.

The funny thing is, I am probably in the best shape. I lost 50 lbs a couple years ago and am currently at my high school weight.

What I do...I do alot of skateboarding with the carver, ride my bike, and probably more importantly surf alot, even if its small...and I am not one to just sit there and float like a bobber, I am constantly paddling and moving...I feel great, but bones just do not. I have to be careful not to tweek my neck, or Iam gonna feel it down my arm for a few weeks...and if the back goes, I could be out for another couple weeks...sucks getting, but no one is getting younger.

If you truly have the ability to surf DOH, I would say, keep the weight off and do alot of cardio and breathing exercises (holding) and always..ALWAYS, remain calm during a bad wipeout in the heavy stuff. Freakin out will get you into some seriuos trouble, seen it before...with breathing exercises, you would be amazed how long you can hold your breath, a must for the big stuff.

Also, Excess weight is horrible for surfing.

 

I'm 60. I can't do winters anymore due to too much abuse to my ears. There hasn't been any waves around vb except the crowded areas. It's been over 2 years since I've seen 0verhead waves my ears could take. Maybe this spring, it'll start small and work up to doh. I'd go anyway, if there's no acclimation. But if I get hurt, I'd have to hear the wifes "I told you so". It's been 15 years since I've been laid up by surfing accidents, so I'm due.

 

I'm only 34 but my body feels like it's 60, I can relate with the shoulder issues, you might remember my bad wipe out in PR a year ago where I badly dislocated my shoulder needing to go to the ER to get put back together, well it's popped out 3-4 times again since then, most recently a couple days ago. Luckily i'm able to pop it back in most times, but it keeps me from getting over that hump of being able to paddle out on these type of days. At the moment I won't go out in anything over 7-8 feet, and even at that size i'm a little gun-shy. I'm hoping to avoid any further issues for a while and get back out there on the big days, so I'm all ears / eyes on this topic.

 

I will be 65 next month, and I am still going out in larger waves. I do work out with weights, 4 out of 7 days, but only light weights, lots of repetition. Work paddling muscles, as well as others. Weather permitting, I ride my mountain bike for about 1-1 1/2 hours (not during winter). I walk a lot all year round. Days when I do not use weights, I do push ups, 2 sets of 30, but I have a lower back problem, so push ups have to be only from knee up, cannot do full push ups without screwing up my back requiring pain killers. During summer on flat spells, I use my long board and paddle 2 miles in the morning. I also work with latex bands to work rotator cuff muscles.
This works for me.

 

When do you start to feel the effects of aging?

 

conception

 

lol...that was good

This thread will help us round out the senior heat for the SI Challenge this spring.

It sounds like some of you are in a helluva a lot better shape than me. SIS, not sure what else you can do...your regimen sounds solid. I have knee, back, shoulder, and neck issues. I think swimming has been the best thing for me.

As for out in the line up thoughts even at 43, I practice when it is bigger. I try to pick quality waves (I know we all try to, all the time,...and well) but I mean putting in extra patience for the good ones (always tough for me b/c I tend to stay very busy out there. I feel much better when it is solid if I get a few really good ones versus totally wearing myself out trying to get wave count up. Also, take time to watch the surf for some time and have a strategy before going out (I do this even when it is small). The little things like rips, crowds, kooks, patterns with sets etc....really help me to not waste energy (which is my point here). Let's face it...when it is truly solid, you really don't have a ton of opportunity or time to get your waves...especially as we age. Finally, at 56 I hope I am able to also ask this question with such confidence. Work smarter not harder!!!

 

Have you ever tried an inversion table? I don't have as many years but I did/do have some neck/shoulder pains I'm dealing with. The inversion table has resolved my neck issues and allowed me to trace the pain down to my tight hips.

I use the inversion table and deep stretches about 3 times a week and I've noticed a big difference. I also do Insanity Max 30 about 4-5 times/week. It's great. It is as intense as you make it with no weights. I do it at work with a handful of other folks during lunch, it's 32 minutes long. I don't think I'd do it if I didn't have a group to work out with.

 

nasty two/three day hangovers from booze in your late twenties, everything else in your thirties

 

I still paddle out in big surf, whether I take off on anything is a different story. HA HA Some days I paddle out in big surf and I take off on anything, other days I am very picky. I've noticed this more and more as I get older. When I was young, I would paddle out in anything. I remember one day a buddy and I checked the surf, it was huge and breaking all over, I paddled out just to say I paddled out. Then it seemed like it took me half an hour just to get back to shore. I like bigger surf, but I think I would prefer a 3-4 foot day all day long, with some bigger sets tossed in. Oh yeah, cardio is my biggest enemy right now. I go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week, but I need to add some cardio in there. I feel it every time I paddle out. HA

 

My buddy swears by that thing - inversion table...I may have to give this another thought.

 

I have this same issue with my neck and having trouble turning it after a long session. It even happens from a good sessions with no wipeouts or hold downs. Is it just old age causing this or lack of stretching?

 

Prone Decompression dawg...Slater approved

 

I have the invertrac. It's great, I haven't used the ones that hold you from your ankles. Mine looks just like this



It is pretty compact and I can store it in a closet or under a bed.

 

I'm almost 50, and I'll surf most any size around here if it is clean. On big days I won't take waves that I don't feel like I can make, no super late drops, or close-outs. It's not about quantity, it's about quality. I don't get stressed about taking waves on the head - it always seems more intimidating than it actually is. But mostly I find that the more I surf big waves, the easier it is mentally to surf big waves. I've come back from surf trips where I really pushed my limits, and then 'big' waves here seem almost laughable. But then I've gone long stretches with nada, then a big days appears and I'm scared all over again. It's like the best way to get over your fear of speaking is to speak in public *a lot*.

Fitness-wise, I go to the gym during flat spells, which is to say, I go to the gym a lot.