Sports for the middle age man

Powerlifting. The only sport I know of where you have competitors (both male and female) in their 90s.

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(07-16-2018 04:12 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  Aside, for those who think running is going to make them look like they just came out of a concentration camp:

Terry Crews runs 4 miles a day. Certainly doesn't seem to hurt his results any...

Beyond borders, I did some further reading on Mr Crew's fitness routine, as I was blown away by the 4 mile a day runs.

I love his training philosophy here;

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-fit...crews.html

'I like to train so I can look like I can run and catch you. I run four miles a day, minimum'

'There are a lot of people who lift weights who are not healthy. I know that lifting weights is supposed to be a healthy activity, but it takes balance. I've seen guys have heart attacks and they're huge'.

'It's important to balance weights with an activity that makes you look like you can do something. That's the whole purpose of fitness - you want to be able to move, you want to be able to do stuff'.

I love this mindset, as it's something I've struggled with in the past (I love lifting AND running). Now I know that I too, can be as big and strong as Terry Crews* despite liking a run now and again.

I don't want to derail Nomadbrah's thread, so I'd like to say that so far my vote goes for cycling. But if I had the balls, I'd go for Swordfighting or Polo. Being a middle-aged cyclist dries the panties, but with either of those two hobbies, you'd have to beat the bitches off with a shitty stick.

Also worthy of consideration would be rock-climbing! An old mate of mine swears by it I'm guessing that once you have the initial gear it wouldn't be prohibitively expensive.

Hell, with what's going on in the news recently, I'm guessing that 'Cave Diving' courses are more popular than ever!

* Won't happen

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I played rec basketball up through my early 30s.

Started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the tender age of 33.

I've had some back and neck things come up, but what I like about it is I'm finally learning to pace myself. The less muscle and force I use, the less likely I am to get those aches and pains. It's a sport where you can go easier but more technical if you want.

Always lift weights, but try to lift without risk of serious injury.

The key to any sport is the JP method. Life is an infinite series of games. Don't try to win the game at the cost of not being able to continue to play the games. It's the juvenile rat analogy.

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This may be something that is further in your future, and it seems to attract a lot of ex-athletes with torn up bodies who don't want to quit athletics.

Also, it is quietly taking over.


Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S.

https://www.sportsimports.com/blog/why-i...o-popular/

Quote:What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong using a paddle and plastic ball with holes. It is a game that is appropriate for players of all ages and skill levels. Rules for pickleball are simple, making it a great introductory sport. It can also be quite the challenging, fast-paced, and competitive game when people become more experienced at playing.

Why is Pickleball So Popular?
There are many reasons for pickleball’s popularity in recent years. Here are just some reasons why the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) calls the sport, “highly contagious”:

Pickleball is Ideal for All Skill Levels
Because pickleball rules are so similar to ping-pong, it can be easy for practically anyone to learn how to play the game. Whether you’re a beginner who just wants to learn a new sport for fun, or you’re a seasoned player who craves the thrill of more competitive play, pickleball offers something for everyone.

Pickleball is a Social Activity
Because a pickleball court is smaller than a tennis court (you can actually convert one tennis court into four pickleball courts), gameplay allows players to be close enough to one another that they can hold conversations. So, if you’re looking to bond with your family or have an outing with friends new or old, pickleball makes it easy to do just that while also giving you the ability to fit in a fun workout.

Playing Pickleball is Healthy
If you are looking for some great exercise for your mind and body, pickleball can’t be beat. Playing pickleball allows you to work on your balance, agility, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination without putting excessive strains on your body. Pickleball is a wonderful alternative for older players who used to play tennis, but have physical limitations such as hip, shoulder, knee, or other joint problems.

I only happened to come across a pickleball article recently, or would have forgotten all about this.

When I was in my teens on vacation we went to a family camp and this sport was hands down the most popular activity in the camp.

It's pretty fun, and something to think about when you are older. A lot of former tennis players who thought they had to hang up their rackets forever because of injury and age are pretty fired up about this extension.

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Golf, though ideally you want to start long before middle age so that you can play it while young and flexible as well and not have to play pure old man golf.

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dupe

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Skiing, lifting, and (depending on your country or state) IPSC/USPSA/IDPA/3-Gun shooting.

Shooting is great fun and very social with most participants being very chill and down-to-earth. Great people usually.

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Do you live by the water?

Also if worried about injury check out gymnastics bodies f1 for injury prehab and rehab.

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An important video to watch if you're a runner, by an M.D. runner with supporting research.





My new sport / hobby of choice is rock climbing / bouldering. Need to work slowly to build finger joints and ligaments strength. Pushing too hard promotes injury but an adult approach (you're not competing with anyone) gives the best return and keeps you healthy. Coaching is always available and I highly recommend it, along with instructional 'how to climb' classes.

It's lots of fun, great exercise, has awesome camaraderie as you encourage others and get motivated to do your best. You can network with all kinds of people, and my favorite is you have good access to fit younger women. Yoga classes are usually on-site which helps your flexibility and also further improves access. Game carefully, and enjoy a growing hobby suitable for all ages and abilities. I don't do any extra lifting now and am in markedly better shape after about a year of weekly climbing.

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BJJ at a school that emphasizes technique and self defense. It will be better bjj and you will be less likely to get injured than at a school with a lot of meatheads and wannabe tough guys.

Yoga is underrated by most men. The benefits go far beyond flexibility. I doubt there is anything better for overall health and living a long healthy life. I say this as a guy who has done a lot of lifting and martial arts.

One thing these two activities have in common is that the skill level and teaching ability of the school's primary instructor will have an enormous affect on the quality of everything at the school, from the physical benefits to the type of people you will be training with.

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Skiing, surfing, lifting, hiking, golf, squash, fishing, hunting, gardening, bicycle riding, yoga. Basically anything that doesn't require team sports as it's so difficult to organize this in the States post college. If you're in Europe, join a sport's club and play in your age bracket for soccer, basketball, lacrosse, etc.

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Lacrosse In Europe is that a thing?

I know it is but I didn't think you guys had many leagues

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(07-23-2018 04:23 PM)SteezeySteve Wrote:  Lacrosse In Europe is that a thing?

I know it is but I didn't think you guys had many leagues

no

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Lacrosse would probably be good for a team sport you can find age specific leagues pretty easily if the location is right.

lacrosse is "violence with finesse" aka cantact/tough sport but it's not gonna break even an old man.

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(07-23-2018 04:23 PM)SteezeySteve Wrote:  Lacrosse In Europe is that a thing?

I know it is but I didn't think you guys had many leagues

Yes, I played in a league in Germany for multiple years. More prevalent in Britain, but I played against Polish and Czech teams too.

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(07-16-2018 02:26 PM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  Polo. Let the horse get the exercise. The most badass sport in the world. The sport of kings. Google clubs near you. they often have beginner schools.

That looks like a good way for a middle aged man to suffer a horrific injury.

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(07-16-2018 04:56 AM)Saweeep Wrote:  My area of expertise is martial arts, so I'm gonna stick to giving my opinions on that.

I think there's a reason why some of the traditional arts (Karate and Kung Fu) are popular with older people beyond the generational fads of their youths. They are just gentler on the body.

BJJ is an interesting one as the injuries may be less common but they have the potential to be ruinous. I'd be very wary of getting started in the sport at such a late age; knees and joints just don't heal at 35+ like they do when you're younger.

Forget about Muay Thai, Kickboxing, TKD etc. For obvious reasons. They are just brutal on the body.

I reckon boxing may turn out to be the winner, again, as it often is in most "what martial arts shall I do" discussions.

Any Martial Arts you would recommend that are good to age into for someone who is new? I am looking to get into it, although it is quite late (29/30).

I am looking at fencing and archery since I have always been good at obscure random sports (handball, ultimate frisbee, curling) and want to get away from team sports. I also want to try tennis and yoga because I see hot girls doing it and it can be an easy way to swoop.

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I started boxing at 32 and have had a great time. Always fun to catch a much younger faster bloke with my favourite straight right.

If you're in the right boxing gym culture where your training partners work with you instead of trying to hit you as hard as possible, boxing has the lowest injury rate out of all the MAs at my MMA gym. The BJJ and kickboxing guys here seem to be injured a lot. Personally I have not had a single injury since starting boxing.

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Here's the advice I would give my dad who is (i hate to say) a fat out of shape guy

Checklist
Martial arts=perferably both a striking one and a grappling one.
Basketball=low contact and an endurance maker. plus if you can shoot you're always welcome (but i did play college ball so im biased)
Swimming=learn to swim at the very least 200 meters continuously and 25 meters underwater)
Hunting, bushcraft/hiking or rucking= get an understanding of the land and how to live off of it
Endurance running= Atleast be able to run a mile straight
Weight lifitng= powerlifting and strongman is the best way to go, size will come
calisthenics=master your body
Yoga or any type of mobility training


you can fit all this in your schedule (besides the hunting) with 2 hours a day in the gym. just take 30-minute segments and vary it throughout your week. I've done it and it's loads of fun


The goal here is to get your body prepared for almost anything, as a man you cant expect help especially in a crisis so it's best to know how to survive and have the physical abilities to do so

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Paintball.

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(07-25-2018 04:07 PM)Duke Main Wrote:  

(07-16-2018 02:26 PM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  Polo. Let the horse get the exercise. The most badass sport in the world. The sport of kings. Google clubs near you. they often have beginner schools.

That looks like a good way for a middle aged man to suffer a horrific injury.

Eh, only if you get thrown off, your horse trips and lands ontop of you or you collide with another player to hard. Doesn't happen to often. But yeah, when it does happen, ya usually get banged up pretty good. Still worth the risk.

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Hide the Salami.

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(07-25-2018 10:04 PM)StrikeBack Wrote:  I started boxing at 32 and have had a great time. Always fun to catch a much younger faster bloke with my favourite straight right.

If you're in the right boxing gym culture where your training partners work with you instead of trying to hit you as hard as possible, boxing has the lowest injury rate out of all the MAs at my MMA gym. The BJJ and kickboxing guys here seem to be injured a lot. Personally I have not had a single injury since starting boxing.

This is great to hear, I was in boxing for only a short period when I was younger (maybe a month or two max) and it was a great workout. I miss the sport and I have a thing for old-school type hobbies. How often a week do you head to your club?

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At my peak, it was 4 times: 2 group training sessions, 1 private session, and 1 sparring session. I lifted 3 days a week on top of that.

At the moment I do the group training drills at home as I'm too busy with work.

I also competed as well, in both interclub and amateur ones (6-1), and had a great time.

A few people at my club are like me, they also got started around 30 years old.

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(07-16-2018 05:02 AM)Richard Turpin Wrote:  To combat the skinny-fat look you have to throw in sprints and lift at least one day a week. Even press-ups and sit-ups will help here.

You are right to bring up the 'skinny-fat' issue though, cos I see it so much among friends of mine that do way more mileage than me (both bikes and running). They look awful and frankly I feel sorry for them knowing how much time they spend exercising. What they all have in common though is that they 1) don't lift, and 2) can't or won't sprint (either on bikes or running). You have to go flat-out fast now and then and exert some power, rather than plod on at your nice easy pace that you know you can keep up forever.

I've noticed this myself from my cycling days and agree that middle-aged endurance athletes would benefit more from sprints and more intense exercises. I also think that their general approach with regards to diet doesn't do them any favours.
If you ask any cyclist about the health benefits, they usually come out with something like "I can eat what I want because I burn it all off". And, in my experience, they fill their faces with cake, energy bars, pasta and other carb-heavy junk.
This is certainly true if you ride 400+ miles a week like the pros, but most of them probably do one long ride on a Sunday combined with shorter rides (e.g. commuting) during the week.It would be comparable to somebody who does only push ups eating like a bodybuilder. They're fooling themselves...

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