Skiing after 60

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@abc, either type, though skating seems more likely to be hip-involving based on the skating I do alpine skiing.

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@Scooter in Seattle, I only learned skate skiing 5 years back (in my late 50’s). I don’t find it hard on the hip. Classic is even more relaxing.

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I'm skiing pretty much as I always have, at 63 (3 years post heart-attack). Still up for off-piste, bumps, couloirs when conditions are good. My bump skiing is not what it used to be, but mainly due to lack of practise (my regular ski-buddy is not a fan). I do 30 mins every day on the rowing machine (excused on powder days!), no other regular exercise. Since most of my skiing (36 full seasons) has been of the low-budget ski-bum/"saisonnier" model, lunch on the hill has rarely been affordable; so it's generally a non-stop 9am to late-lunch-back-home type schedule.

My three most senior regular clients from guiding/teaching days hung-up their boots at 78, 84, and 87 respectively. I'll keep going for as long as I'm blessed with the health to get my boots on! Very Happy

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@BobinCH, 62!! callow youth !!!........................my buddy and I are 78 and currently doing 2 weeks in Paradiski ..I am struggling a bit this year as I am totally unfit having had a minor ligament problem for the last 6 months and not being able to do any exercise ...but we do ok ...with of course the blessing of cheap (€11) lift passes

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Well, I'm feeling I've been passed in the fast lane by all these 80 year olds, but here, finally, is my 10 second clip of a 76 year old (just before Christmas) taken by our guide Nico:

https://youtube.com/shorts/cAEM8FyWa3w

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@snowball, that looks idyllic!

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@snowball, Awesome!

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@snowball, You're rocking it! snowHead

Awesome stuff from ‘proper’ oldies above- really inspiring.
I turned 60 last month. BMI has crept up to 28 since Covid infection 3 years ago gaining 10kg in 6 months that I just haven’t been able to shake bar the odd 2kg up and down.
Carrying full set of golf clubs x2 a week dog walks 1.5-3miles 1-2/day and far too occasional ellipsoid trainer for 30mins only exercise.
Ive lost 40yds on the driver in those 3 years and can’t hit a 3wood more than 150yds in the air now- pathetic- but still able to ski pretty hard - bumps and some beside the piste type off piste whenever available- all day without feeling tired. It must be a reasonablish technique as one of my good pals is just turned 50 and a real gym monster weights and c-v every morning before work and really fit, but he can’t come anywhere near that endurance. He was pretty indignant that it was me who carried his wife’s skis 300m uphill to get to a lunchtime restaurant when the lift stopped due to high winds over Xmas!
I don’t feel 60 is at all old - but I’m just weaker and stiffer than even 3 years ago! Reading the above though I’m going to have to get some weight off to keep another 20yrs of skiing in sight!

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@snowball, I’d be delighted to ski like that now in my early 40s!

@Doccam, I found a gym that was mainly attended by retirees - serious swiss oldies aged 70+ and a fair few in their 80s. It made me far happier to go to the gym because then I had real motivation -building my old lady body! Not ‘beach body ready’ and all that bollox but decent long term goals with people smashing it all around me. From what I can tell its strength and balance thats keeping them all nimble.

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Yes, weight control is important I think. I made it a rule never to buy a larger waist size (32" and I'm 5' 10" tall, just over 12 stone). Plus you need to keep moving - I cycle about 50 miles a week (between two rides) on a decent road bike and generally do a couple of walks of several miles. Just taken 12 month gym membership so will go once or twice a week. I don't ski as much as I'd like but can do several days in a row - not first to last lift but several hours. That's all OK for 72 isn't it?

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@Doccam, IMO Very sound technique and "so so" fitness surpasses very good fitness and "so so" technique.

Re Golf - I don't play much now since lower back surgery, as I have had a L3/L4 fusion, which is the fulcrum of the back, and as such is where the forces of the golf swing are concentrated.

My golf swing left much to be desired, as there was too much of a hockey swing about it - but this (and unintentionally delofting the club on impact) achieved reasonable distance....but was sore on the body.

Now, on the odd occasion when I do play, I need to get more distance with less effort, to save the back - so I'm passing on what I do in case it helps.

IME. The way to get distance is to utilize "The Whip Effect" (or "Lag as it is more correctly called) ie. The downswing starts while the head of the club is still going back. When the club head then catches up, it whips through with much higher velocity.

To achieve this, I leave the top two fingers of the gloved hand off the top of the shaft - so without these two fingers gripping the shaft, there will be lag in the swing and the ball should go further.

If you are already a single figure handicapper and know this already - please ignore.

@boulevardier, There are a number of Snowheads who are well past the age of 60 who still regularly ski a full day.

I'm 63 and still regularly ski 30+ miles every day of the holiday,

There are, some (who will probably read this) who are 20 years older, and still cover long distances.

You know it makes sense.

Yeah, technique can take you a long way. A bud of mine, rest his soul, never exercised a day in his life. Weight was fine. Pencil legs. Could ski all day...super quick and efficient.

@Doccam, I think carrying your bag is a big deal (maybe because I do it, too). 6 miles with 20+ lbs is a good workout.

@Old Fartbag, Sergio Garcia is the king of lag!

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@snowball,
Looks great. Congrats snowHead

@Doccam,
Losing 40 yds driving distance in three years sounds far more than age related decline.
Has your technique changed inadvertently possibly less turn with a bit of weight?

A snowHead

@Scooter in Seattle, I discovered what "Lag" could do for a golf swing 45 years too late! rolling eyes

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@Old Fartbag, Golf - that most frustrating game! I discovered some time ago I just couldn't hit the ball well with anything like consistency. So I gave up and I'm another for whom golf spoils a good walk wink

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You know it makes sense.

To all non-golfers reading this thread I do apologise for the hijack Very Happy

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I was thinking though so many parallels on the over 60 theme. I play with several boys well into their 70’s and beyond- we celebrated another ticking over into 80 just yesterday at the 19th. He’s still carrying as trolleys and buggies are banned at the moment.
I think keeping up with life long passions as long as possible, and add in with golf the competitive edge with the handicap system keeping everyone interested and in the mix, does help keep aging at bay.
Despite loss of distance and in answer to the above I’ve dropped 4-5 shots in handicap in the last couple of years and now off 10- lowest I’ve ever been even from when I could get onto every par4 in two easily. Makes no bloody sense all!
I’m reckoning I’m off about 10 skiing as well- I can ski pretty much anywhere if I have to except the gnarly off piste/coulouires these days (=championship links off the blue tees with 200yd carry over the dunes) and unless I’m playing with someone of +2 don’t feel I’ve shamed myself!

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As someone who has been over 60 for some time but still skis all the terrain I have been skiing, bike 50 miles on an outing (down from 60-70 miles pre-covid), and doing all these with people in their 60’s and even 70’s, I found the discussion a little “off”. Wink

Surely it’s fitness and general conditioning, rather than age, that is the primary issue?

That said, too many people are skiing with bad technique. They could muscle their way through their 40’s and 50’s. But they’ll soon need to made some seriously effort to improve either their technique or their fitness level (or both) if they want to continue with this activity.

(I will, however, accept that injuries or medical issues can have significant impact on one’s fitness and condition. But those are not “age” related. And presumably one can easily identify the exact cause and likely already accepted the implication long before the arbitrary age of “60’s”? rolling eyes

)

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As another 60+.... ditto @abc, poor technique is tiring! But -- the overall reason to ski is to have fun --- so if a compromise is shorter fun then why not? Having said that, depending on the skier, small changes to posture can dramatically reduce the energy required.... Toofy Grin

@snowball, great skiing there, really pushing it and not holding back!

I must admit to finding this season tougher on the body, especially in terms of recovery*, plus one knee is giving me some grief, luckily I'm seeing a great physio here, but she is now not so sympathetic to my cause as I don't rest.

With the knee I can do big climbs without any issues, and if snow is good on the descent then it's not too bad, though if it gets heavy or there is a lot of combat skiing by the end it twinges.

Where it does ache is hard piste skiing/carving boiler plate etc or even icy corduroy first thing, so I'll pass on that opting for XC skating where bizarrely it's not too bad.

And even more bizarre I'm just back from a trail race here in Serre Che, part of a big weekend event, 11km and 600m with very very challenging conditions, from sheet ice (we wear crampons) to nigh on knee deep snow up and down some very steep gradients, and OH and I did not too bad in our respective age groups, especially given what I've done so far this week; based on that I was not going to enter as well as because of the knee, but I thought what the hell, signed up yesterday and I'm sitting here after running with no twinges at all, so I can't piste ski but can do a stupid run!

I sort of have a Ski Mojo on order, just trying to sort logistics out from UK as I know after testing one for a morning last season that it will help.

My OH is 71 and she just carries on like she would ten years ago rolling eyes

And as postscript, lining up for the race this morning there were some fit oldies around, which was so good to see, and that's what I love about being in the mountains age is no barrier, as long as the body holds out Toofy Grin

*Garmin type sports watches now have very good analytical software, and show what the booze can do; as we all know as we get on, our capacity to drink the same as 15years ago and then go out and expect to something the next day does not compute Smile

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Thanks all for the nice words. I am not very fit, though fit for my age, as we probably most of us are. I certainly agree that technique is more important for the skiing and makes it much less tiring (for climbing up I'd be plodding far in the wake of most of you).

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Skiing after 60

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