How old were you when you slowed down?

General Discussion
1

Obviously it is impossible to improve our skills forever, right? 

There must be a point that one reaches the “peak” in their surfing skills, and from that session onwards, never achieves to the same level again.

It is a fact of life, one that all professional sports people deal with.

But how 'bout for the average Joe/Jane?

It has been said that one of the most addictive aspects to surfing is the fact that every session only ever gives you a taste, that a higher high and greater achievement is always to follow.Thats why we do it for life. A seemingly inexhaustible supply of progression.

But what happens when that progression ceases? When might that happen for average guys like me?

 

What do you guys think?

Of course the peak in a person’s surfing ability depends on many factors; fitness, time in the water (usually dictated by life’s commitments!), accessible wave quality, and many, many other dimensions.

But like Occy, a comeback can be staged…

How long can I expect to improve??? How heavy is the blow when you realise that your best is behind you?

 

For all the time i’ve been surfing, it’s just been a given that I would improve. I’ve spent a year out of the water before, but knew that I’d catch back up and continue progressing when I got back to the coast. It is definitely one of the things that keeps me stoked.

I’ve been surfing for 17 years or so, and definitely should surf better than I do… most of us likely think that :slight_smile:

At 32 years old i’m still sure i’m gunna keep improving… I by no means think i’m old, but choices that you make in life have an impact on the activities you love, even at a young age.

 

The background to the thread is this:

I love travelling, and quite conveniently surf travel is the best there is!

I just got back from my most recent round-the-world mission, and can’t help thinking that i’m still not surfing as well as I really want to be!! Anyone else have that feeling?

I look at people around me, those with serious commitments, families, jobs, mortgages, and with many I sense them thinking “I’m never gunna surf as well as I used to…”

This may not be the last time I take off on an intensive extended surf trip, but eventually there WILL be a last time. A last time where I get to surf perfect waves and work on improving, rather than just maintaining my skill.

Maybe i’ll find a lifestyle where I can surf my local break before and after work, and improve more that I would on regular Indo surf trips. Maybe not.

 

I guess the surfing experience changes as you get older?

Maybe surfing with your kids is better that any tropical surf adventure you’ve been on? Does the stoke stay the same just because you’re pushing your personal limits, even if those limits are not what they were?

 

I’d love to hear opinions from all ages, about what it means to surf for a lifetime?

 

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     Howzit Herb, Yes I did those things and it is very possible we were close but didn't know each other but if we looked each other in the eye I would have said aloha or Hi or maybe even Howzit since I was like that when I looked somebody in the eye. I was a safety at Saltlake park and got a citizenship award with Tom Hawk one year and don't forget playing in the dump by the rec center and going to the fair that setup every year next to the dump and the rec center. We stomped on the very same grounds for sure and yes the heat by the Bethleham steel mill was very hot even if you drove by it going to Maywood. I also played baseball at Salt lake Park which had 7or 8 diamonds and even watched them build the rec center when I was 7 or 8 years old. Aloha,Your friend Kokua

3

A short answer to a very long question is… 40. That’s when progression ended for me. I think one of the great things about surfing is experience can keep you progressing long after your physical prime. Unlike a lot of other sports, which are purely physical, decades of wave knowledge, coupled with the ability to fine tune your equipment for yourself, keeps you in the game longer. If you really pay attention, and learn as you go, building boards and riding them can really help extend your peak.

I’m 47 now, and I still get the feeling that every session could give “the best wave of my life.” Is it really the best wave of my life? Maybe not… but at that instant, it is. In reality, maybe I have surfed the biggest wave I’ll ever surf, or get the longest tube ride… but I can’t help but feel like every wave could give me that feeling… the one I like to call, “that moment of Zen Perfection” that transcends reality. When the ride is over and you’re paddling back out, and you say to yourself, “what just happened?” Sounds corny… I know. But I don’t know any other way to describe it. So I’m not after progression any more, at my age. I’m after those moments of simple perfection when I sort of disappear.

I tell my friends one of my fears is that one day I’ll go down to the beach, all geared up, and say to myself… it’s too big. I can’t do it. That hasn’t happened yet, but one day it will, I’m sure. I wonder how I will feel… when the spirit is willing and the body is not. Will I be OK with that? At peace with it… or tourtured by it. Hopefully, it will be a very long time from now.

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I am only 41 but I feel I am surfing better now than ever. I attribute this very clearly to two factors:

  1. About 6 months ago I commmitted to a strict exercise (running) program and have lost about 25 lbs with vastly improved cardio (dropped from 205 to 180). This also made me more flexible and nimble.

  2. I design and build my own boards exactly how I want them to suit my style and desires.

Eventually I’m sure these two “improvements” won’t keep me progressing forever, but I am pretty pleased with the results so far.

 

Another thing is to really focus in on specific techniques that you’d like to improve, rather than just want to “generically” improve . You know how groms study/rewind surf videos to learn tricks? When I started focusing on specific technique adjustments I found my improvement was faster and quantifiable (ie: shoulder rotation to initiate a roundhouse cutback or angling down the line on takeoff to get under the lip immediately). But this type of specific improvement would probably not be possible without the aid of 1 and 2 above.

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I'm 41 and have been surfing since I was 12.  I would say 35 was the age where I stopped progressing.  Not so much stopped progressing as leveled off.  What did become a problem after 35 is injuries and a loss of paddling endurance.  When I'm up on a wave I feel like I surf as good as ever but I struggle with getting waves in the ever more crowded lineups.  I started having neck problems from paddling in my early 30s and it has really held me back killing overall paddling power and endurance.

At 40 the hips, knees and shoulders all began giving troubles as well.   Getting old is fun......  I just built a 6'6 x 23" x 3" thick board to try to keep me on the shortboard when the waves are chest high or smaller and for extra paddling power if needed down the road.  I refuse to give up and go over to the dark side (Longboarding).

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KK, i have often thought of the same. Recently turned 31, wife, two kids (4 & 2), career, mortgage and live in Florida. Just a few short years ago i would surf every day there was a ridable wave and would take a couple trips a year to surf quality waves. Lately i can just never line up a surf in the two hour window when its good and have so much going on i dont even bother on the subpar days, which here are more often than not. I dont know when the backslide of progression will begin but i do know i want to spend a lot more time in the water in quality waves while my body still can. I have been seriously debating a move to a location with more consistant and better quality waves just to be able to surf more. (Anyone need a Project Manager in a wave rich area).

 

Like nj surfer said i think your water/wave skills would probably always progress but at sometime you will look at mother ocean and realize you have given her your best. I hope i can stay healthy for a long time and see the inside of many more waves, feel the glide down many more long lines and when the day comes and i know i cant go, i hope i can stand on the beach and think..........It was a good ride.

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KK,

I'm 61 now and still think my best wave is in front of me. Your initial comment is right on, a greater achievement is always to follow. Sometimes it may only be self-percieved. I may have looked totally kooked out from afar,but I just had what I thought was one of the best rides of my life. So I think part of the answer to your question is processed internally. Maybe our progress is not entirely measured by external factors.

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KKsurf- you’re never too old to learn or grow! Life is a journey and you’ll learn and grow to the day you die… Just believe it. The only peeps who stop learning either are too arrogant to know the dif, or they’re dead. Sure there’s an apex of where you’ll be your best as far as strength and endurance goes… But @ 43 awile back I slowed down a bit. But I still can surf, go on dates and prob do it better then when I was younger cos I have exp now… Exp is something that you can’t overlook or forget.it sounds to me like you just hit a rut. Regroup and empty the cup to empty or half full… Afterall your own perception to reality is you own exp… So figure out what you want, where you want to go with it, and from here just do it. What you come up with will have meaning and extreme value as believe it does. To me value and worth-even if a old design- still has merit and value if it has a purpose.
Anyhow, I’m a 47 male who looks and acts as if I’m 21 yrs old… Just have a few gray hairs is all… Lol. I think attitude is about 70% of what a guy/gal could accomplish @ just about any age… Its all about desire and dreams man! Grab a good beer, kiss that wife or gf, surf ur magic board and just re-awaken the dream… Life is a dream if you think about it.
Also, nothing wrong with pacing yourself, or even slowing down + times… Maybe even taing a break? Things come our way when were ready for them I think? And each day e get older- we may be getting younger for all we know? Life is a mystery, and it may even bee eternal?.. Just have fun in board building, surf and in life! Treat people the way you want to be treated also. Above all enjoy your projects!

How old will I slow down? It will be when my body aches and I need rest etc…but prob won’t be until I’m around 60+…I’ve got too much stoke and energy to even contemplate calling it quits…
T c- JIm n oregone and also parts of central cali…:/? :))

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First of all, good to here from you tkelly. Hope you and the family are well. How’s the Cliffs been lately?

Good to have you back too,KK. I turn 50 this year. I have a wife and kid and mortgage. I’m a weekend warrior. I live in one of the most crowded (and inconsistent?) surf zones in the world. But I’m still as stoked as ever about surfing. I dawn patrol every Saturday and Sunday to make sure I get that hour without the crowd. And I’ll go out in just about anything. If there’s a rideable wave out there, I’m there…

I’ve begun to realize that the greatest error one can make, as average surfers, is to pay too much attention to the surf media. In the last Surfer Mag design issue about 85% of the boards were under 6’-0". I used to like the design issue to get ideas about boards, but I realized that NOTHING in there is what I want or need. probably 75% of the pics were of surfers doing airs. I can’t do airs. I will never be able to do airs. I am not interested in doing airs. I don’t enjoy watching groms try to do airs and flail. In real life I can count the times I’ve seen someone pull off an air on my two hands. Sure Dane Reynolds is insane, but do you really think you can surf like him? If not, is that 5’-9" really the board you want?

I’ve come to the conclusion that what I like and what I am capable of doing is- #1 catching waves and making the take off (Yeah!), #2 pulling in if the wave allows for it, and #3, doing smooth turns with passable style.

Maybe you don’t progress, but you start to refine.

Oh, and I’ve said it many times on this forum, one thing that gets me through just about any surf session was a quote by Mickey Munoz when he was asked how he, having surfed in an uncrowded era, deals with the crowds. And he said, “all it takes is one good turn to make you forget about all the negative stuff…” (paraphrased).

One good turn.

ps I also remember a quote by Peter Cole, probably the oldest guy charging big Sunset Beach, Hawaii, about how it was he keeps going out, while others of his generation stay on the beach. He said (paraphrasing) “At a certain point you have to resign yourself to the fact that you’re becoming a kook. I’ve got no problem with that.”

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I’ll be 65 in a few months, but until I blew my left knee out at 54, I had climbed to the top of my game, never surfing better or harder.

It was over a year before I could go out and surf, but still there was a great chance of injury again and that was a real hold back.

In the last 4 years or so, I have gotten back to about 60 percent of where I was, but time is NOT on my side, my shaping load is as big or greater than ever, so only Siren call days of surf get me out to the waves, but I am looking every day for that opportunity, maybe today will be one of those.

Horrific injuries only take a thousandth of a second, it’s over before you new it happened, I can still hear my knee make that God awful POP and searing heat

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llilibel03- agreed about board design! Who cares what’s up to date as it may not even fit a guy/gals real needs… As for airs I tried it 2-3 times about 23 yrs ago…lol. I think I only pop my tail out of the water once- about almost a foot high…lol. And I prob still I didn’t fully ‘catch air’, but I thought I did… So I just stopped trying as it wasn’t all that fun anyhow. All I remember was cranking a bottom turn aim board for lip and try ‘ollie’ ing" it like skate boarders do… Managed to get a little air-finally after about 25+ dunks…lol. Finally I said screwit all and just wanted to ride my wave to the sand… Now I’m shaping a floatie 6’4" fish twinnie I cuz I like the free feel the twin fish offers ve tris , quads etc…
I may even exp with a single fin w/long noarmal box as well. Remember value is all relative to a guy/gals prefs, needs or part of their goals. And rulz can be broken-especially rulz in regards to fads etc… Dunno, but I don’t believe I’d ever want a 5 fin board as feel its too much dead weight back there…also, if you have to have 5 fins to surf you prob don’t realize you can do that and more with one or 2 fins with a good design. Just my .o2

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Kksurf- I’ve had similar exp with feeling out of touch w/ surfing exp… Or feeling as if I’m not surfing at my best. Anyhow, it can be one of a few pos things going on. One you may be riiding the wrong board… B. You may need to work out and build up wind and strength for optimum fitness levels. C. Your diet can use a uplift!
Trust me I’ve eaten terrible junk food didn’t drink the best water etc… The end result: tired, depressed, slow and even weak mental and physical cond hit… Then I did something about it; I ate well, quit junk food to a degree(not totally), drank good boiled or bottled water instead of just pop…quit hard booze and just drank an occasional glass of vino or beer… Work out every other day or 2 times a week. Take long walks and explore… Have fun and visit friends and family etc…
But do re-think about shaping something you think you want! But make sure it floats you well, has nice rails you like, has maybe abit more length if you felt you slowed down a bit…also, maybe abit more width to help speed paddling? Lower the rocker a bit? Just ideas. Hope this helps?

13

I really like the point about experience always increasing, thanks NJ_surfer! 

As llilibel said, maybe you don’t progress, but you start to refine.

I do believe that a wave can be ridden beautifully without even doing an extreme turn. Think of a tube ride, it’s all about positioning, timing, poise and style. Being 18 and a human rubber band doesn’t automatically make you capable of pulling off a magic barrel. Experience can get you there though. Maybe when you get swatted by the lip you may wish you bounce like you used to :slight_smile:

At the moment I’m definitely surfing the best I ever have, and i’m far and away the fittest i’ve ever been.

I’m currently training for a marathon, and 3 months surfing in Indonesia means i’m the most paddle fit ever. I love this latest board I’m riding too!

I do wish after all the awesome waves I got last year that I suddenly surf like a pro, but we all know surfing is harder than that! Guys who live by perfect waves still take years to get it. Obviously there are the freaks of nature out there.

I definitely made a leap in skill, but not the revelation I’d imagined.

“Dude, you must be ripping after that long in Indo” is something I’ve heard from several mates since I’ve been back :slight_smile:

It’s actually knowing i’m at the top of my game that made me wonder when the slippery slide may start?

Hopefully it won’t be from injury.

 

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Hi KK

I’m 44, with 3 kids, a dodgy knee, prolapsed disc, long hours in the day job, and live in Wgtn, which isn’t known for its waves.

But I focus on extending my plateau.

Key things are:

-stay fit - do other activities - swim, cycle, SUP etc

-stretch to prevent injury

-keep the weight down

-eat well so you have lots of energy

-make different types of boards to keep the stoke in all types of waves

-customise your HP boards to account for slow down in reactions times.

 

I was only every very average in skills, but I’m riding the thinnest, lowest volume shortboards ever, which helps keep the perception of performance.

 

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I think it’s all a mater of having enough water time, getting a lot of waves when you’re in the water, and riding good equipment.

I’m 52, and I’ve slowed down a lot, but it’s because of the factors above. I’m on a mission to go back to better boards, and tuning up my ability. Riding my home made 7’ - 8’ single fin boards hasn’t helped me get better, just have more fun. Going to go back to shorter more progressive boards, and try to get a little more serious about going vertical.

I don’t expect to be as good as the semi-pro kids tearing it up, but I think I can get back to a more intense style.

The worst thing swaylocks has done for me is get me into making these crazy one off boards. Time to bust out the Griffin 5 fin and the quads.

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As I mentioned above, perhaps you should try focusing on just one or two things you want to get better at, rather than just try to experience a “general improvement”. Sounds like you’ve got the fitness, water-time, and board thing down, so just pick one or two technique elements that you want to improve, and focus on them exclusively for the next few sessions. I’ve spent alot of time around pro snowboarders, and while they try to appear casual and non-focused (same w/pro surfers), the truth is they spend entire sessions trying to perfect one “trick” or move, at the expense of the overall enjoyment of the session. However, the enjoyment pays back in spades once they learn the new trick.

17

Hi

I only started surfing when I was 48 (I am now 55). I am having the opposite experience of everyone else it seems ! I am still improving and definitely expecting the best is yet to come.....probably still a kook but improving in technique all the same. I am fit and have exercised all my life.

The one thing I want to say is its all about JOY. The absolute delight in being able to enter natures sphere and appreciate something so much greater than ourselves. Our life turns into a gift when we surf..........

 

Thanks for the thread

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The following is a comment that appeared on our Surfers Over 50 blog, in response to a quote by Tube Steak that "surfers over 50 look silly."  I liked it so much, I copied the comment, and entered it as a blog post.  (BTW, anyone who wants to be a contributing writer to the blog, pm me, we're looking to add some more writers)

"I'm 61 and I still ride short board. Well, it's a 6'0" fish. It's not always easy because I don't paddle as well as I used to and I get out of shape really fast, but when the stars are aligned correctly I can still get some fun waves. I refuse to give up on the feeling of pumping down the line, coming off the bottom and hitting the lip that only a short board offers. I have little interest in long boarding, except as a defensive weapon to get some waves on crowded days.

"I just returned from a 3 week trip to Puerto Rico. The crowds were insane. Long boards, paddle boards and lunatic kooks in surf schools made getting waves at the popular point breaks impossible. But when I went around the point to shallow, harder breaking wave with an urchin covered coral reef bottom I was able to get all I wanted. I took my lumps, no doubt, I admit.

"I don't ride big waves anymore. I don't think I could handle the hold-downs and the paddling. There are days when my back is so bad I can't even get to my feet or if I do, it ain't pretty to watch... and then I do "look silly". But, so frigging what? One zippy little barrel or a nice backside off the lip makes all the frustration well worth while. I feel like I'm playing with house money at this point anyway.

"All the little things about surfing I took for granted or was annoyed by for so many years are a joy for me now. Just paddling out, duck diving through waves, scratching for the horizon when a big set is coming, walking back to my truck in the evening after a session, feeling that wonderful exhaustion that only surfing has ever given me are things I treasure.

"The thing is, don't sell yourself short because you're older. Make the effort to get in shape and stay there. Just surf a lot. Screw those obnoxious little groms- some of them aren't so bad anyway. I had a kid paddle up to me and tell me how good my turns were. Made my day. I mean, let's face it, most of like compliments. And any encouragement we get at this point is welcome, no?

"Most of all, ignore the old man that is in all of us. Ignore your buddies who try and discourage you because they can't or won't surf anymore. Misery loves company. Listen to the little kid who still mind-surfs every wave he sees, no matter how small. Just do me a favor and give old farts like me on shorter boards a wave once in awhile." - W.R.

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This arrhythmia I have (V-Tach) didn't slow me down... at age 55, I was brought to a grinding halt.  Medical issues can do that be they cancer, injury, or some other disease process.  All it takes is one test result and there it is - staring you down.  I had a long tortuous procedure last year at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara that didn't do a thing to help.  Every time I've been surfing since that procedure I've had an episode.  At this point I've basically been dry-docked.  After surfing for 44 years I may be done.  I'm going in for procedure #2 later this month and time will tell. 

Is there a cardiologist in the house? 

 

 

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John I really hope things go well for you! Thats pretty heavy man, fight hard!!

 

I wasn’t really thinking too much about how to improve my surfing, despite mentioning that, it’s more the thought that one day I may not be able to improve anymore that I was thinking about. An whether lack of progress would change the stoke level significantly.

Thanks for the awesome replies that show that surfing is much more than just a sporting challenge.

Now John brings up the very sober point of what happens when you actually stop surfing, for whatever reason

I know there are people on this site who have surfed their whole life time, but don’t anymore. For some it’s age, others health, or circumstance.

I don’t want to reopen old wounds for those who were forced to stop surfing, and I’m sorry if I have!

I also don’t expect anyone to identify themselves as no-longer surfing, but i’m interested to hear from anyone who stopped surfing just as part of the natural progression of their life - for example, one day just decided that they wouldn’t paddle out again.

Or maybe you didn’t know that was your last surf, intended to go again, but never did?