Surf often – Is there an age limit on surfing?

Read the title and the instant reaction is: ‘SURELY NOT!’ But let’s think about this for a sec. As we get older it’s no good pretending we’re the young veracious pups we used to be. Once we could hold out for six hour stints in the water but ask yourself honestly, is that still the case? Could you do that regularly?

No don’t get us wrong. This isn’t an ‘all doom and gloom’ article. But the fact is, all that whirling, twirling and being beasted by the sea must take its toll at some point, right? We for one aren’t about to hang our wetsuits up but there’s no denying a bout in the ring with Mother Nature does end being ‘felt’ for a few days post session.

As we mature, like a fine vintage, and hit our prime, unfortunately joints and muscles will inevitably begin to ache more. Hours sitting in front of computer screens, and other responsibilities creeping into the mix, conspire to hiccup our physical conditioning. It’s no wonder things get harder.

After talking to a few peeps about this very subject we think the answer is simply switching up the experience. If you’re lucky enough to keep hard charging, ripping and shredding into your ripe old age then great. For most though surfing may be a case of swapping that shortboard for longboard, or dare we say it stand up paddle board. And if standing’s getting harder then maybe even bodyboard or kayak. The types of conditions we go out in may also have to change. Dredging slabs may have once been your go to whereas a long in the tooth surfer may have to settle for slightly less extreme conditions at their local beachie. But so what. It’s all surfing!

We know, we know, this sounds so depressing. But there are plenty of vintage boys and girls loving surfing right up until it’s time to check out. Surfing’s all about the stoke, mile wide smiles and enjoying the experience. Weaving along a mellow wall is just as fulfilling as pulling into a slurpy pit. In some ways those less hectic days are actually more memorable.

Picture this: sunshine, light offshore winds, 3ft walls, you and your mates/family all loving it. Round everything off with a few coldies and it’s a recipe for the continuation of what makes us feel alive. Surfing, in any guise, is all good. Ride on…

Here’s what NCW’s head honch Mark has to say about the subject:

‘Dorian ‘Doc’ Paskowitz (Google him) surfed into his 90’s and was very active in all of his older years. He was a great inspiration to me when recovering from an accident. I ordered his book Surfing and Health off the back of seeing a great documentary about him and his family – Surfwise. I was STUNNED when the book arrived. It was personally inscribed by the man himself with a WONDERFUL inspirational message. It’s one of my few treasured possessions. His words and the book really did inspire me to get well and ultimately into this business. During my recovery I had a first hand insight of how it must feel not to be able to cope and do things you once did. It was a blessing as it keeps me focused on keeping old age away as long as possible, which is what I feel Dorian did with both diet and exercise.

Surf often…’