Author Topic: Age - a frenemy.  (Read 3582 times)

Wetstuff

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Age - a frenemy.
« on: February 03, 2016, 01:13:04 PM »

"Young kids have a natural advantage."

During new muscular and nervous workouts your brain essentially redevelops nerve paths that it wasn't using much and gives them a kind of tune up by remapping what those ends do in your brain. Each time you start working a new group your brain relearns controlling that group a little better until it reaches full potential.

It only works a little at a time and only up to a point. That is, in part, why people often have sudden bursts at gaining strength and control during a new sport then reach a plateau where improving is harder.

Kids haven't "forgotten" these nerves yet and the brain is still developing its necessary pathways.


I found this, written by a slackine person, while looking for information about balance+horizon in another thread. Slacklining is part of my active bucket list.  The author and his credentials are unknown but as part of the Geezer Battalion, he wrote what my bones seem to be telling me.

No only do we elders bring old war wounds but new infirmities pile on with age ..as evidenced, even here in the Zone.  Mind you, I am not whining. I see SUP and a number of things both as child-like fun and as challenge, another 'hill to be taken'.  Compared to the electric cart racers in Walmart or the clothed whales I see at the ocean, I feel truly fortunate to have such a entertaining way to 'play out my life'. Press on!

Jim
Atlantis Mistress .. Blue Planet MultiTasker ..   Atlantis Venom

PonoBill

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2016, 01:36:10 PM »
Amen.
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surfcowboy

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2016, 09:55:22 PM »
I just built a "Home Depot slack line" out of some webbing and a $9.99 25' X
2" ratchet strap.

I'm not sure if it's going to hold up but it seems fine and yeah, it's hard to walk these things. I'm keeping it about a foot off the ground. But like beginning SUP, 10 minutes of flailing around and my legs and back are smoked.

SUPcheat

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 12:44:15 AM »
Having started all this stuff past the age of 60, it definitely feels like developing nerves and pathways, whether they were there before or not.  Use it, or your body forgets it.

Also, there is a lot of stuff that is counter-intuitive i.e. your body just through chance or accident has to do things in ways that feel completely WRONG in order to eventually do things that turn out to be right and then become habituated in a different way.

It's fun watching the kiddies with their boards around the shore breaks.  They have no self consciousness, everything is fun, the wrong stuff AND the right stuff and they just keep doing it until they get it, floundering around, it's not uncomfortable for them.

All that stuff makes me panic and feel disoriented. 
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Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

mrbig

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2016, 03:51:48 PM »
As a young whippersnapper of 68 I agree.

Jim, I remember our slackline thread of last year. Good ideas and lively conversation!

I find myself getting way less aggrevated at failure or difficulty than when I was younger.

Still digesting my SCA! Is today a good day to die?

Watching Clyde Aikau at the Eddie was poignant. He went, God bless him, but looked like was 66 - as he should.

Bill, After all of the paddle technique discussions here, it's actually better. Progress not perfection. Am comfortable enough in my own skin to fail, and laugh!

Paddle on ladies and gentlemen,  and medicine elders..
« Last Edit: February 25, 2016, 04:50:13 PM by mrbig »
Let it come to you..
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Bean

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2016, 06:49:15 PM »
Senior moment ;D
« Last Edit: April 29, 2016, 06:50:46 PM by Bean »

stoneaxe

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2016, 07:31:19 PM »
Despite the tough winter I've had I count my blessings everyday. The best gift I've EVER received was my 12-6 from Bill. The path it put me on has been filled with adventure, laughs, meeting personal challenges, new friends, more smiles than I can count, and I think age and circumstance gave me a better appreciation of what it meant. I'm sure I would have loved it if I had been younger but appreciated it as much?.....no way!
SUP allows progression faster than any sport I've ever done...sure maybe I reached the plateau because of age but I got there fairly quickly. I surf better than some folks that have been doing it their whole life, wave count is a big part of that but it's also the total conditioning it offers. I didn't track it but a conservative estimate of the 1st year of SUP I easily paddled in excess of 1,000 miles, did the same the 2nd year and added in many hundreds of waves. Regular surfing just doesn't do that for you. I do try and do this like a kid...I've always pushed my limits and never been afraid of falling or failing. I figure if I don't fall/fail I'm not trying hard enough.

The best thing I've ever heard my bro say and something I've tried to embrace is "I may have no choice about getting old, but I can be immature forever".
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

Zooport

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2016, 08:27:08 PM »
"I may have no choice about getting old, but I can be immature forever".

I just found my new motto.
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SpaceCoastPaul

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Re: Age - a frenemy.
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2016, 05:12:29 AM »
Ah, what a fun journey we are all so fortunate to be taking. The water, the waves, the stoke, the fitness, the camaraderie...
8'8" x 31" Stu Sharpe WaveHog
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