If you want to try this product I invented at Mobygrip.com I’ll send you a sample for free. It’s super soft traction pad made specifically for short boards for the leading foot, but can be be used under your chest area on any length surfboard. I’ve got thicker ones as part of our research project that I can send you.
The young guy that test my products Kyle Grondzik that this material would be perfect for exactly what you are talking about sewn into a rash guard for that extra cushioning.
Definitely interested in the thicker pad you mention. How thick do you make it? Was thinking about using the closed-cell foam used for exercise mats.
Thats Roy!
I remember back in the late 60’s camping and surfing with my family at Doheny, there was this ancient old dude living in an old Dodge van and surfing every day. His skin was like an old brown leather jacket & he would sit around the campfire and tell us all kinds of stories of surfing and gold mining. The old dude was Pop Proctor, a legend around those parts. Pop surfed into his 80s, maybe his 90s, although he didn’t stand up, he paddled on his butt with his feet out in front of him and rode the waves the same way. Pop’s dream was to surf until he was 100 years old. Pop lived to be 99 and died in 1981. I want to be like Pop Proctor, my hero…
Have you noticed the over 70 elders still surfing seem to have one thing in common - a big smile on their face, beaming beacons they are still out there, fully slotted into the joy of surfing, having moved past all the inside chop younger surfers usually paddle through.
The fact they are still out there mean they have been fortunate to have encountered no surf ending injuries or serious illness, or have successfully battled through them.
They kept themselves in the physical condition necessary to be able to continue surfing.
They found a way to live on the coast, which is almost always the most expensive place to live.
They have usually long moved past territorialism and crowd anger, and are just happy to be out in the water getting a few.
They appear to exemplify the ‘be here now’ groove that is central to graceful aging and overall health and longevity, reflecting a very wise proverb - “If you live with depression you’re stuck in the past, if you live with anxiety you consumed by the future, inner peace can only be found by living in the present.”
Old guy walking to the beach with board under his arm, big grin on his weathered face. Someone walking in a group nearby points and remarks 'can you believe that old guy is still surfing…?
Yea, he still does, and ain’t it bitchin…
Great quote/poverb lcc.
Has anybody had to deal with borderline diabetes?
Cleanlines , My brother had to a number of years ago. He gave up on any sweets, salty snacks and went to a largely vegitarian diet. He lost weight untill he was down to the same weight as he was in high school. He no longer has a problem !
I need to go that route. I am 30 pounds overweight and my diet sucks. I look at this thing as a turning point.
At 63, I’ve found that supplementary work-outs/cross-training are
more essential than ever for maintaining “surfing quality of life” (especially if you’re still trying to ride waves over head-high).
Whatever strength and stamina a person is capable of at this age
requires regular exercise to acquire/maintain. If you slack off, you lose it
quicker and it’s harder to get back than when you were younger.
Maintaining
good, overall muscle tone also seems to relieve some of the pressure on
old, worn-out joints. I surf, on average, every other day or every
third day. Have got L-5 issues, but if I keep my abs toned, the ol’
back isn’t as prone to flaring up. A lot of the cartilage in my knees
is gone, but I keep my legs toned with bicycling and Total Gym work-outs
(running, especially on concrete, is too much repeated impact).
Push-ups work the pecs and the Total Gym keeps the ol’ biceps, triceps,
shoulders and upper back toned. I usually take a couple days a week off
from both surfing and working out just to rest and relax. Excercise essentially breaks down muscle protiens, but also stimulates the rebuilding of same once the exercising ends: it’s great to work out, but you also have to give your body an opportunity to to rebuild. A few years ago, I was doing a lot of long-distance cycling and found that if I rode every other day or every third day, my strength and stamina were greatest. If I rode every day, on the other hand, I eventually became fatigued and burned out.
BgSurfer was asking about padding to alleviate chest pain from prone paddling. I had that problem after recouperating from shoulder and hernia surgery, but found that it ceased to be an issue once I was recovered and able to re-bulk my pecs (“naturally padding”). Get with the push-ups, lad! Sticking traction pads under where your chest is positioned when you paddle also helps with that.
There is also a medically established connection between diabetes (which was also mentioned above) and a sedentary life-style: live to surf and surf to live!
Thanks Huck for this thread, really enjoyed it, @ 59, have felt more pain than others hanging in the line up. Began surfing in 1969 on an old Con Butterfly, wished I still had it, rode the following years on Skip Fyre special orders/customs when he shaped for G &S. My favorite was the “Frye Fish”, then other shapes and sizes through the years just wished I didn’t sell or trade them knowing the value today.
Anyway, long story short, later part of my 40’s/early 50’s professional career so close to retirement got in the way of surfing. The end of the rainbow was looking forward to retiring to have the time for surf travels. Then 6 months before retirement faced with a major opperation, Doc told me I might come out of it @ 75% to maintain my lifestyle much less surf again.
It was a tough decison, go out in a bang without it or live the remaining years missing or not able to surf ever again. I spent 8 plus hours on the table, lost the right side of my 6 pack not to mention nerve damage to other areas. I was one sick puppy for the first year, the second year thought be able to hang on a boogie board, it was hard but helped me physically & mentally. I told my wife, can’t live like this, have to get back on the board again.
The team of Doctors told me don’t do this, remember you don’t have any muscle on your right side to protect you. I told them I followed your recommendations to live so let me live my life on my terms. Well, started rehab program, joined a gym 3x a week, biked 10 miles x2 a week, changed my diet to lean,mean & green. I felt I was ready except all my “sticks” were gone.
Shortboards were out of the equation, so split it with a 8’4", needed for float, up it to 9’6". That helped but being a Goofy Footer and lost of right half of my 6 pack, could not get my right foot forward. In the mean time, used Ausie pop up left foot then right foot, wasn’t great but it had to do for now.
So another year, reseached all I could to re-engineer my core to pop up goofy. I used a cut out of my 9 6 on the floor to practice pop ups, crazy idea but it works. I finally got there after a total of 3 years from boogie to LB. I hope some day to ride a “old guys” Fish like your picture. Its not easy @ our age, we really have to work @ it to stay in shape to enjoy each session just wished I didn’t have triple duty but it was worth it.
Good on ya, GoofyFooter!
[quote="$1"]
Thanks Huck for this thread, really enjoyed it, @ 59, have felt more pain than others hanging in the line up...I finally got there after a total of 3 years from boogie to LB. I hope some day to ride a "old guys" Fish like your picture. Its not easy @ our age, we really have to work @ it to stay in shape to enjoy each session just wished I didn't have triple duty but it was worth it.
[/quote]
Hey GoofyFooter, great post, lotsa obstacles and determination! People like you are an inspiration. I totally understand the drive to get back out there. Thank you for appreciating the thread, not everyone faces the same obstacles, but one way or another, it gets harder the older you get, and all the more so after 50.
I don't ride that fish in the first post much (really, not at all lately), I've been riding my 9 footer mostly.
I really really like it, but it has some drawbacks. Late or steep takeoffs don't work too well, duck diving is a bear, but overall, its been working pretty well. I may go back to riding my 7'6" egg, but its in a shop for sale, so I have to go pull it out. And I have a couple boards in the oven, completed soon I hope.
We're all still here. Just made 63 last Sunday. The Friday before that my surgeon cleared me for surfing. Been out of the water for over a year with back issues. Spent this summer with surgery, recovery, for both back and prostate (get it checked buddy) and made it back to friendly waters the day before yesterday. Caught a few small ones at RAT w/some buds. That first good right felt just as good as the one I caught 50 years ago at the old Horseshoe Pier in Redondo. Maybe better. Of course now my ribs hurt, my thighs hurt, the tops of my knees hurt. But it's a good hurt.
I did’nt have hardly any issues up until I was 55, then started having problems with my back. I guess after working some 30+ years in a power plant finally took its toll. It’s more of a muscular issue, basically really tight hamstrings and some arthritis in my hips, making riding my shorter fishes and funboards difficult. I’ve resorted to riding my shorter longboards, an 8’0" and 8’6" and have set a goal to be able to ride them again. One thing that I’ve been having difficulty with are pigdogs, which are almost essential when going backside, but hopefully working with a chiroprator and a physical therapist will help me get back in better condition. I do have a lot more compassion to others when they share their ailments now that I’ve had a taste of having health issues.
I made 53 at the end of June. My knees and the rest of my landing gear are not what they used to be. I smoked for 36 years (a month cigarette free as of 09/01) and so my paddling ability is less than average for someone my age. I did get some good waves as TS Debbi came through early this summer. Enjoyed the day with the missus and a couple of +50 guys I’ve met off and on for the past 15 or so years.
All in all this summer has been a disappointment for my surfing. However, with age comes patience and the long view (hopefully). This weekend I went with family to meet more family in the St. Augustine area. There I had the opportunity to watch my 10 y.o. niece on her sponge in tiny dribblers and am proud to say that her wave selection and ablity to work those little sections to a maximum length ride was impressive as compared to others of her age on that day.
But perhaps even more fulfilling was sitting with her 14 y.o. sister who is a 10 year survivor of an agressive brain cancer and building sand castles and playing in the sloughs. She is now able to walk with the aid of crutches and her speech has come back after much hard work (after having her motor and language skills clock set back to infancy at the age of 4).
So all told; the waves could have been much better, but I’m now at the age were I now there will be other days where the waves will suit me and am able to enjoy the periphrals when things aren’t going as I’d hoped.
Cheers to all, Chris
I turn 54 in 8 days…feel a lot better now
Got hurt at work feb 29…
Finally had knee surgery in April…
Outa of the water until July…
But I’m doing good…new job
And surfing…got some waves on the mini sim today
The ts Leslie pulse is starting to show alittle
Can’t wait for my new board from mason dyer to arrive…
So all and all I really can’t complain
63 year old Viejo with Phil Edwards…
Just had a look at my 2012 calender…had 96 days in the water so far this year. I never kept track before so in a year with a fair amt. of distractions, I guess I am pretty happy with the count. Just for the hell of it, about 10 days ago I decided to keep track of a days go out at Ala Moana surf zone. I gotta admit that counting waves ridden made me a bit more manic than usual…but I stopped counting at 40 waves ridden…got a few more and after 21/2 hours in the water I was satiated. It was a waist to chest high day…so there was no issue with paddeling back out etc… and not too many other surfers…dont think I pissed anybody off either!!
Rogelio from Southern Baja…
I am 63. Hip replacement and quad bypass heart surgery took their toll. Recovery took a couple of years. I am basically all good but will probably end up being a “proneman” as I have a hard time jumping up. This will be my first year back in the water after a long time. Gotta get my upper body strength back.
The most frustrating thing is that I used to be a good surfer. I have to learn how all over again. I still build boards and that in itself kept me tied to surfing. I try to tell friends of mine that even though I haven’t been surfing I am still a surfer. It’s a mind set and a lifestyle.
