I was having the discussion the other day that being a surfcaster really keeps you in shape... it requires tons of walking, hiking, physical movement, etc. But then there is the other side of the coin that I feel completely negates any of these benefits: Sleep deprivation, terrible night time diet, repetitive casting, holding the rod in the same position (possible surfcaster's carpel tunnel?) standing on a tiny rock for hours while favoring one leg, crawling on slippery boulders and loose bowling balls, the list goes on and on... Do this 5 nights a week, plus island commando trips, and your body is going to feel it! We've all had cups of coffee laugh at us, as if to say "I can't help you buddy!" I want to still do this into my 50's and 60's...

What I am looking for is some shared info of what you guys do to help maintain your health throughout the season... any of you do specific exercises, particularly any helpful stretches, seeing as my neck and casting shoulder are really stiff... also, any preventative measures/advice from guys who have been in the game a few decades would be great... I feel this thread can be an excellent resource for many... because Honestly, without your health, you're out of the game.

i completely disagree with the notion that surfcasting keeps you in shape or is good excercise. i'd say that the cons outweigh the pros significantly in terms of overall health. the only arguement that one could make to say it will keep you in shape is to compare it to doing absolutely nothing - and by that logic going or a 15 minute walk everyday in a pair of shapeups will keep you in shape.

if you want to stay healthy and be able to fish or do other activities as you age, a good total body weight routine and some type of metabolic conditioning are what you should be doing IMO.

I hear you on this. My body is beat to shat. All the years of nasty sports injuries, bad, I take that back, horrendous dietary habits, and sleep deprivation are catchin up to me.
Livin on Rockstar, Skoal, a candy bar , and a couple of Bud Lights before bed to reverse the effects of the caffine and nicotine that was keepin me awake so I can sleep for a solid 3 hours a night is destroying me. I can't do it anymore. Middle age has caught up with me. Add a couple of nights of walking a few miles sweatin my stones off in a wetsuit, even worse lugging fish, and it is gonna be an early retirement for me.
But I still stand solid to my life long commitment to intentionally avoid lifting heavy weights, ie working out. That's work to me.

I agree with Clogston. I see plenty of surfcasters who don't look to be in good physical shape. While casting and walking are better than doing nothing, it's not going to improve your cardio much, if at all. I sit at a desk all day, so to get excercise I run on a treadmill at least 5 days a week at home. I also swim a lot during the summer, although it's mostly just splashing around with my son.

I agree that it isnt much of an excercise. And the diet thing is right on the money. A lot of empty calories are consumed. Just look at my jeep when i get home from a trip. Dunkins, Mcdonalds etc. But i try to add a piece of fruit every now and then. If im going to be on the rocks i try to stretch my legs/hips in particular, and will do a few windmills to loosen up the shoulders.

Your diet is the easiest thing to control. Just bring healthy stuff with you. I always bring a couple bottles of water, an apple and usually a granola bar or small bag of nuts or something. The only unhealthy thing I refuse to give up is my cigars.

Yeah if you think going fishing 4 times a week is an exceptable replacement for a consistant cardio or weght training program ou are WRONG. Go to your local gym and have your metabolic rate tested. I bet youd be frightened.

BUT.....if you are walking the surf, IN THE SURF, then you are getting some exercise.
I'd say the worst part is the dietary intake.
My own regiment for surfcasting is simple: I keep at least one case of bottled water in my truck at ALL TIMES. I make it a point to eat fruit and veggies when I can. I do the "salad luch" thing, but I also snack on nuts & berries, apples, bananas, peaches (when in season) and watermelon.
I don't want to sound "holier-than-thou" because I ain't.
I USUALLY have a pepsi and either cheetos or doritos for the ride home.

As for preventative measures, whenever I feel the strain coming on, I exercise similarly as I do for carpal tunnel syndrome. That's usually just basic stretching and flexing the hands, wrists, arms, shoulder and back.
After my first bout with "casters' elbow" I decided that I didn't want to HAVE to stop fishing due to poor conditioning.

I have similar methods for pre-kayak season and ice fishing season.
Nothing sucks more than getting injured during the height of a season all because you didn't take care of yourself.
(I learned that a couple years back when I had to have knee surgery in September. I was lucky enough to salvage the second half of October, but I made me rethink my tactics.)

I hope this was helpful.

I'm 34 years old, weigh 165, and have great genetics passed down from my father who is an absolute terminator at age 68... he's in better shape than I am! But I still feel achy and groggy as hell, and I shouldnt at this age... (I wish I started fishing when I was 22, but I'd probably be a single, tired nerd who cant hold a conversation with a woman about anything other than how to rig an eel or load a needle) Maybe I should do some jogging, but I hate repetitive excercise done JUST to stay in shape... I like staying in shape by DOING STUFF... not driving to the gym and wasting my time. Swimming is good.

What SPECIFIC stretches do some of you do for your casting shoulder? Do you find your lower back hurting from leaning to one side, with most of your weight on one leg?

My shins look like i've owed the MOB a lot of $ for while.

It definitely keeps me in shape. I tend to walk a long way and try to remember to bring healthy food with me.

I knew it was keeping me in shape when I rode my bike 10 miles in 35 minutes at 3am to meet my buddy for an 8 hour trip on the on the boat in 3 foot seas and wasn't sore the next day.

I'm also a big fan of 20 minute naps between spots.

Depending on what’s going on with your shoulder and neck stretching may not be the answer and could just make the problem worse by re-tearing whatever is injured. If it’s a persistent problem you should ask your doctor or a sports doctor about it. You might want to try icing the area to see if that helps.

I’m a runner and it definitely helps with the long walks and long nights standing on the rocks. I also do strength training a couple of times a week but I still get sore/tight especially my lower back after many hours of casting from an unsteady perch.

First off relax. Have you seen the YOY indexs? Just what do you think you'll be fishing for in your 50's?

Secondly, 24 is young, 34 is not.....and 40 is the beginning of the end.

Thirdly, anything that involves standing on one leg for hours is not exercise, it is a waste of your life. Lose the eels.

Fourthly, women are happy to learn how to rig eels and load plugs if they get a car and credit card out of the deal.

Fifthly, age makes caffeine superfluous......pain works better at keeping you awake.

Sixthly, when you get over 50 and get up in the morning you are damn glad things hurt.......cause that way you know they are still attached.

Seventhly, in a few short years you won't be wasting as much energy on sex so you'll have more for fishing..... and bowel movements.

Eighthly, you can always buy a boat.

The only unhealthy thing I refuse to give up is my cigars.

Amen, brother. That, and a few good beers, none of that mass produced watered down swill that's sold as beer :kewl:.
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What SPECIFIC stretches do some of you do for your casting shoulder? Do you find your lower back hurting from leaning to one side, with most of your weight on one leg?

i'm no expert, but heres my opion:

preventative shoulder exercises and stretches: scapular wall slide, scapular push up, lying (or kneeling if you have access to a cable machine) dumbell external rotation, sleeper stretch, broomstick peck mobilization, face pull with external rotation, any type of pulling excercise to help counteract the postural issues most of us have from sitting all day. i rotate all of these in and out of my workouts.

if you lower back bothers you, i'd suggest seeing a PT. you probably have some alignment issues and tight spots that are leading to bad posture. for me, it was tight hip flexures (see sitting comment above) leading to an anterior pelvic tilt (most of the population has this condition to at least some degree). if your back hurts now, its only going to get worse if you don't address it and it will certainly sideline you in the future.

also focus on standing up straight and pulling your shoulders back - holding a rod in front of you tends to make you lean forward, putting alot of stress on your lower back.

First off relax. Have you seen the YOY indexs? Just what do you think you'll be fishing for in your 50's?
.

Eighthly, you can always buy a boat.

that is why I choose the 8th. fishing while seated, with food and drinks with in arms reach and being lazy all rolled into one:uhuh:.

.

if you lower back bothers you, i'd suggest seeing a PT. you probably have some alignment issues and tight spots that are leading to bad posture. for me, it was tight hip flexures (see sitting comment above) leading to an anterior pelvic tilt (most of the population has this condition to at least some degree). if your back hurts now, its only going to get worse if you don't address it and it will certainly sideline you in the future.

also focus on standing up straight and pulling your shoulders back - holding a rod in front of you tends to make you lean forward, putting alot of stress on your lower back.

Agreed. I had herniated disks about 3 years ago at cutty and could hardly walk. After a few courses of steriod shots, I went to PT to learn to stretch. I also do core excercises. Both are very important. I also think that laying on a bad couch and/or mattress can bother your back. I got a sleep by numbers bed (or something like that) and that seems to help also.

I go to the gym 1 -2 times in the summer and 2-3 in the winter. I ride a bike with rides 40 - 50 miles on Sat/Sun. Fishing alone isn't going to keep you in shape (for the most part).

Ivan Rather than surf casting why not try fishing instead.
Let me explain since i remember being where you are now.
While walking along a desolate beach why not make a few casts and then rest. I Would lay on the sand and in doing so i would notice that the seagulls where siting as well and would only get of the ground when there was a chance of picking up food.
What i,m trying to say is go slow and keep your eyes open It's amazing what you notice with more looking than casting.
My love for the beach is such that i try to go year round,sit at the top of a dune and keep looking.You will pick out the spots that you want to cast or fish at instead of the Barron stretches that you and i both fished before. Will you miss a fish??yes but in the long run you will wear yourself out in more productive areas
Hope this helps

About now i expect Capesams to give me a c- for every thing i just suggested to you

I lost 20 pounds riding my canal bike? Just sayin'!:uhuh:

So its wrong that when you have had your 4th nos energy drink, and half a tin of skoal and you feel like your hearts about to pump out of your chest thats a bad thing?

All in all the damage I do surfcasting I wouldnt trade it for the world no matter hom much damage is done. Thats why I try to enjoy the finer things while am out there.

I've realized my health plan is not worthy for others to follow :devil2:

Just saying.

Stretching before you start is important. You really should stretch anything that gets cramped up after too. Many stretch before but few after. The after will work miracles as far as reducing the stiffness that sets in. Also after fishing hard take a really hot bath and stretch everything after the heat soaks into your muscles and joints. It really helps.

Surfcasters are physical train-wrecks that tend to die young. But I think this is more symptomatic of the people who participate, rather than the physical toll. The sport tends to appeal to people who have antisocial and addictive personalities - they would have died young anyway.

Bad diet and sleep deprivation is not good, not matter the sport. I like to push the my self, but I have learned the hard way that I need to listen to my body. When I do not listen, I pay for it. :-(. My $0.02.

There are no health benefits to surfacasting aside from mental ones...

This is a problem I had once I got into shape. Hobbies with no fitness element are difficult to justify for those who need that element to stay healthy.

-spence

Some of the not so junior surfcasters have a rep for going at it hard.I heard you have to run to keep up with DZ in his turf.Same with Numby and SK.The days of me taking waves over the head are over.My hat is off to those who can endure this type of fishing.

Some of the not so junior surfcasters have a rep for going at it hard.I heard you have to run to keep up with DZ in his turf.Same with Numby and SK.The days of me taking waves over the head are over.My hat is off to those who can endure this type of fishing.
Chris, true indeed. I use to fish over 100 nights a year with a 120 mile round trip drive. Then work all day flying someplace for a meeting. Even was know to fish from 2 to 5AM then change and jump on a plane to Chicago for a meeting.
Those days are gone. It was fun but probably not worth the toll it took on my body. 40 years surfcasting just wears you down.

you'll sleep plenty when you are dead
why waste time doing it now?

Don't go by DZ as your example - he's skinny as a twig and does not seem to have the bad habits of your typical surfcaster. He'll spend the night circumnavigating Block Island on foot and then run with the deer in the morning and subsist on fallen crab apples.

short cuts and payback:

when you drink lots of coffee or energy drinks
this is a just a short cut and eventually
there's gonna be pay back time

so maybe you can go two nights or three even
and then you CRASH hard....exhausted... REPEAT

this is a very poor substitute for health....

your fishing in a very dangerous environment and
need to have your wits in top shape to make good decisions

Pure whey protein is the rejuvenation food to repair
all the damage done by repetitive tasks
and this repair is done mainly during sleep

Nutrients: Zinc to think, E for sore muscles, vitamin A foods
and or lutien for eyesight, melatonin for better sleep and sleeping with Music
that is designed to make you sleep deeper is highly recommended.

Jacuzzi after wards to relieve sore Muscles because when your body is being floated
by bubbles its much easier to do stretches than standing.

I hear your concerns Pete. I have throttled back due to a ripped knee cartlidge, pull thigh muscle and numbness in my right hand. I can't say excessive walking and standing on slippery rocks are the reason but I'm sure it didn't help. I will be taking this years Cutty trip off because of the pain. Cutty is no place to be if walking on flat areas hurts. There isn't a pail of sand on the island and moving rocks aren't the best for a bad knee. I now pick and choose areas that offer reasonable spots that don't punish your legs. I will be doing Block soon. I fished areas that actually have easier footing than here at home. Granted I really want to fish SW and southside but I still will enjoy fishing the island at beneign areas. By the way, good thread.

I know that I fish nowhere near the amount of time I used to.Age and way to many broken bones have taken their toll.Shot knees and a bionic right arm limit me to what I can do.Standing on wet rocks for hours is out,throwing large plugs on heavy rods isn't happpening.

I've had to alter where and how I fish completely.I fish places that are easier to get to(which means people sometimes) and easier on the body.I still will walk some distance but it has to an easy walk,a lot of beaches and shallow backwater areas now.The very largest rod I now plug with is a Batson 1088 with plugs not much larger than 2oz.

The above limits my ability in many cases to target large and I very often have to settle for smaller bass.I very often will target bluefish because they're there and available.

Hardcore surfcasting imo isn't much exercise.Especially in my case it can add to my already existing conditions.Way I look at it is I can still walk and fish and I do so when I can and in a way that doesn't cause me major discomfort and pain.

Secondly, 24 is young, 34 is not.....and 40 is the beginning of the end.



Geez George, ya tryin to scare the H*ll outa everyone here. :huh: :D

I think if you live your life in moderation, exercise, eat right, limit booze
and nix cigs, you will be surf fishing into your 70's and still enjoying it, albeit
you won't be pulling all nighters or fishin more than 1 tide.
Look at Clammer, he's pushin 85. :D,

Mixing up the exercise is key. Combos of walking,running,biking,stretching and light weight lifting keeps you motivated.

you'll sleep plenty when you are dead
why waste time doing it now?

One reason is sleep is "rest" for your heart. No rest for the muscle=heart attack. 47 years old when I had my first. 100 nights a year in the surf for 40 years. Coffee and cigs. No good.

Some of the not so junior surfcasters have a rep for going at it hard.I heard you have to run to keep up with DZ in his turf.Same with Numby and SK.The days of me taking waves over the head are over.My hat is off to those who can endure this type of fishing.

Try keeping up with Crazy Alberto sometime. :eek::err:

Guy's in his early 60s and has the body of a 20-something.

Jack "The Professor" Frech was a Long Island surfcaster and renowned plug-maker who was an absolute fitness nut, who, ironically, died by drowning.

Your diet is the easiest thing to control. Just bring healthy stuff with you. I always bring a couple bottles of water, an apple and usually a granola bar or small bag of nuts or something.

I'm doing that now and it works. Living in the north east will kill ya if ya just lay around and eat heavy all winter. Training in the winter is a must,,cardio,, yoga,, that kind of stuff .. heavy weight training will just beat you up more .

H 2 O. stay hydrated and everything else feels better.

I have been carrying a Poland spring water bottle , sealed, on my surf belt... when I pen it after a few hours, It tastes like complete saltwater... I could see if I opened the thing up and left the cap loose, but sealed? Voodoo magic

My fav snack food for the surf is trail mix, stuff is great. I've been drinking way more water than coffee compared to last year, and I don't seem to crash halfway through the night. My need to do is quit the smoking, I've tried twice already but hey third time is a charm right.

Secondly, 24 is young, 34 is not.....and 40 is the beginning of the end.

I was told that at 40 your warranty expires, after that you are on borrowed time and all the deferred maintenance catches up with you.

I have been carrying a Poland spring water bottle , sealed, on my surf belt... when I pen it after a few hours, It tastes like complete saltwater... I could see if I opened the thing up and left the cap loose, but sealed? Voodoo magic

Use a Nalgene water bottle.

I have been carrying a Poland spring water bottle , sealed, on my surf belt... when I pen it after a few hours, It tastes like complete saltwater... I could see if I opened the thing up and left the cap loose, but sealed? Voodoo magic

Drink Gatorade instead. When the saltwater mixes in there it actually adds a little flavor to it.

We were talkin about this down the shop today.....All chimin in about the abuse our bodies have been takin and how much weight we have lost lately.......Well, we all hopped on the scale....My normal weight is about 165# to 170#...most ever was 175#...I'm at 156# WITH CLOTHES ON >.......YIKES!!!!!! I haven't weighed this little since I was 14 yrs old.
Scary.

been doing this for over 50 yrs. now.
advice. drink water, not coffee. plan to mix fishing the hard spots with the bad. less wear and tear. bring your food with you. everyone has a cooler. take a nap. this means taking your gear off and really taking a nap.
due to the abuse i put my body through, between work and play, now i really feel it. every year i fish less and less. fish the rocks for 3 hours. rest the next day or hit the beach instead.. life is a beautiful thing, prolong it as long as you can.

Don't think about being a healthy surfcaster.. Just have a healthy diet and exercise and you'll be just fine. Now if I could only follow my own advice.

Just a few things I know for sure.

Sleep Deprivation is cumulative and is extremely abusive on your body whether you feel it or not, beyond just being tired. A few nights with too little sleep adds up.

It can seriously reduce your cognitive ability, balance, coordination, increase stress, affect your heart and even cause someone to lose weight.

There have been lots of studies on it :uhuh:


Regular light exercise, Good diet (more proteins less fats), staying well hydrated (water), staying well rested prior or Short naps (10-30 min nap can keep you alert for 3-4 or more hours) during long periods without sleep, stretch move around, take deep breaths and staying cool will all help.