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Getting Older

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UilyJeff
Posts: 394 - Karma: 1,480
Starting take a lot longer to recover after a day in the park. While I enjoy skiing hard and hitting back country too, I'm not really sure how many more years I can keep doing it at this level. I'm 36 years old and can still hang with most of the young bucks in the park, but I'm sure I feel worse afterwards.

Who is the oldest pro that you know who is still at it?
Dec 29 2014 8:17AM
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shwesoni
Posts: 94 - Karma: 63
skiing park as a 36 yo is actually quite impressive by itself!
Dec 29 2014 8:24AM
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Dobber
Posts: 1698 - Karma: 9,834
My Grandpa is 78 but he did a box when he was 74. Fucking impressive if you ask me.
Dec 29 2014 8:34AM
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Justo8484
Posts: 3905 - Karma: 204
i'm 30. i've been skiing for 27 years, riding park since riding park was a thing that skiers were not allowed to do. everyone who mentioned fun gets it. i used to compete a lot, did really well at a local level, but just never really cared to be constantly breaking myself to get to the next level. that resonates even more now that i'm not competing. sure, learning new stuff is cool, but the risk vs reward is just not there most of the time. at this point, i'd rather use the whole mountain as my terrain park, find transition where it's not supposed to be, that sort of stuff, than just lap a manicured park. i don't get a ton of time each year in which i can ski good snow and challenging terrain, so i do what i do to keep the local stuff interesting and make me a better skier when the time comes that i'm pushed out of my comfort zone. now that i reread this, it really doesn't address much of what you said, but meh, whatever.
Dec 29 2014 9:19AM
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Rusticles
Posts: 2178 - Karma: 1,333
UilyJeffStarting take a lot longer to recover after a day in the park. While I enjoy skiing hard and hitting back country too, I'm not really sure how many more years I can keep doing it at this level. I'm 36 years old and can still hang with most of the young bucks in the park, but I'm sure I feel worse afterwards.

Who is the oldest pro that you know who is still at it?


I find now that I'm getting older at 32 that recovering from a park day is actually easier.... most likely because I think I'm making smarter choices. I actually take a few warm up laps, I don't push myself if the weather is shitty or the jumps suck, I just sit in the lodge and have some beers. I just work through the tricks I have on lock, work on a few new things without hucking and go home. I think a large part of this is because I'm just not that "gung ho" anymore and I'm not forcing it too much, the biggest problem I have is finding motivation.

Older pros though, not 100% on these but Candide and Jon are 32, Candide can still throw down, Tanner and Rory Bushfield are 31 and I believe Mark Abma is 31-33 ish as well as Eric Hjorliefson. Maybe not park rats but they all still go big.
Dec 29 2014 9:26AM
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UilyJeff
Posts: 394 - Karma: 1,480
RusticlesI actually take a few warm up laps, I don't push myself if the weather is shitty or the jumps suck, I just sit in the lodge and have some beers. I just work through the tricks I have on lock, work on a few new things without hucking and go home. I think a large part of this is because I'm just not that "gung ho" anymore and I'm not forcing it too much


This is what I think I am going to start transitioning to and probably sooner than later. My biggest problem is I notice a huge confidence loss upon approaching any feature. Thanks for a couple name drops that I completely forgot about too!!
Dec 29 2014 9:38AM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
i'm going on 28 and kinda just had an a-ha moment myself where i realized i don't need to push it so much on shitty condition days or when i'm not comfortable with a certain feature. i've also accepted dubs are not in the cards for me but i'm fine with the bag of tricks i have now and am learning on an air bag this season.

my rail game definitely needs a lot of work, i'd love to get a summer jib going but i think the best way to stretch your park career is to just know your limits and dial down the intensity (and stretch and lower body workouts). like i know i can hit a 70 footer, but does it really make sense for me to hit one again, much less throw a trick i don't have 100% dialed in? definitely not. maybe at 18 or something but now the consequences just aren't worth it.

my non-skier friends don't understand why i do what i do but it's not worth explaining to them. skiing park is highly cathartic to me and there is a strong sense of accomplishment when you conquer your fear and stomp something you didn't think you could do. i don't see myself STOPPING anytime soon, just becoming smarter with the challenges and risks.
Dec 29 2014 10:17AM
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dyyylan
Posts: 186 - Karma: 500
It seems like it comes full circle at some point, I can't keep up with my dad in his 60s, wants to ski from 9-4 every day of the week. 2 days of that and im done lol
Dec 29 2014 10:35AM
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Rusticles
Posts: 2178 - Karma: 1,333
RusticlesI find now that I'm getting older at 32 that recovering from a park day is actually easier.... most likely because I think I'm making smarter choices. I actually take a few warm up laps, I don't push myself if the weather is shitty or the jumps suck, I just sit in the lodge and have some beers. I just work through the tricks I have on lock, work on a few new things without hucking and go home. I think a large part of this is because I'm just not that "gung ho" anymore and I'm not forcing it too much, the biggest problem I have is finding motivation.


The one thing I do find now is that there is little to no fear now, I never get nervous or scared or need to sack up when standing at the top now, I don't know if I'm just not worried because I've never been hurt or that I'm rarely if ever out of my comfort zone. It kind of makes a park day more relaxing haha.
Dec 29 2014 10:55AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,158
34 or 35
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/745523/Zack-Mertz---2014-Park-Edit

and yes he has a switch 12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqVg-HlKYHk
Dec 29 2014 3:15PM
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Newschoolers55
Posts: 851 - Karma: 4,792
Props to op for being 36 and still skiing
Dec 29 2014 5:44PM
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,055
dude.. i hear ya.. 32 myself.. best solutions.. hot tub and beer after. also definitely start stretching more than you use to. it definitely helps.
Dec 29 2014 5:47PM
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.GUCCI.
Posts: 1295 - Karma: 6,038
dude...my dad is 50 and he just learned how to switch 3. You can still progress and have fun. Just dont ski as aggressively every day.
Dec 29 2014 5:55PM
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Charlie*
Posts: 198 - Karma: 579
Seth Morrison is 41 and still rips. Not a park skier, but a freeskier that goes just as big as the kids these days. Seth is the man.

Props to you for still shredding the park at 36. Take care of your body and keep at it if its what you love. Inversion table for the back, cycle for the legs/knees, yoga/hot tub for everything else. I've been following that "routine" for a while now and have never felt better!
Dec 29 2014 6:22PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13038 - Karma: 18,203
Hucking on demand is a harder thing to do when you get older. But on the good days, its important to send it.
Im 27 and Im the oldest regular park skier at the hill. Most of my days are spent in the powder.
Dec 29 2014 6:52PM
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StevenH24
Posts: 64 - Karma: 288
johnnyBuzi'm going on 28 and kinda just had an a-ha moment myself where i realized i don't need to push it so much on shitty condition days or when i'm not comfortable with a certain feature. i've also accepted dubs are not in the cards for me but i'm fine with the bag of tricks i have now and am learning on an air bag this season.

my rail game definitely needs a lot of work, i'd love to get a summer jib going but i think the best way to stretch your park career is to just know your limits and dial down the intensity (and stretch and lower body workouts). like i know i can hit a 70 footer, but does it really make sense for me to hit one again, much less throw a trick i don't have 100% dialed in? definitely not. maybe at 18 or something but now the consequences just aren't worth it.

my non-skier friends don't understand why i do what i do but it's not worth explaining to them. skiing park is highly cathartic to me and there is a strong sense of accomplishment when you conquer your fear and stomp something you didn't think you could do. i don't see myself STOPPING anytime soon, just becoming smarter with the challenges and risks.


You do what you do in the park for dopamine. It's what makes the human world go round.
Dec 29 2014 7:01PM
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panojibber.
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 683
Roan.dude...my dad is 50 and he just learned how to switch 3. You can still progress and have fun. Just dont ski as aggressively every day.


Switch 3? That must be almost unheard of for guys in their 50s hahaha. Pretty rad, hope I can do that when I'm that old.
Dec 29 2014 7:01PM
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UilyJeff
Posts: 394 - Karma: 1,480
john1806180634 or 35
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/745523/Zack-Mertz---2014-Park-Edit

and yes he has a switch 12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqVg-HlKYHk


This!!!!
Dec 29 2014 7:40PM
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UilyJeff
Posts: 394 - Karma: 1,480
Thanks for the advice! Much love and tips! I try to stretch before and even a little after. Never off season besides running on a treadmill. I have thought about the inversion and might give that a try. I can tell you that nothing beats a hot tub! Sometimes I need it to just walk the next day.

My sons are starting to get into skiing heavy so I just need to keep at it a little longer to teach and then I'm going to slowly tranny out of park and more to BC. Losing the confidence is the biggest obstacle to overcome for me and a dangerous way to ski.
Dec 29 2014 7:47PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
UilyJeffLosing the confidence is the biggest obstacle to overcome for me and a dangerous way to ski.


what do you mean by losing confidence? losing confidence or motivation? do you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach now on certain features that you used to charge and hit aggressively?
Dec 30 2014 1:05PM
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UilyJeff
Posts: 394 - Karma: 1,480
johnnyBuzwhat do you mean by losing confidence? losing confidence or motivation? do you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach now on certain features that you used to charge and hit aggressively?


Exactly that. I have been getting the "o shits" upon approaching things that I have not in the past. I seem to be calculating risk and going around things more than ever without even thinking about it. It was something I didn't even notice until I thought about it a while the other day.

Going to see how this weekend goes.
Dec 30 2014 2:26PM
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