[Football] I played my first football in 3 years this evening...

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Yep - my head thinks it’s 21 by body 38! I’ll be warming up and down with greater care next week.

Ice bath ?

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

The reason I prefer to play football, tennis etc to compliment the running is that you tend to push yourself more in a team sport and I think the short bursts along with twists and turns help in many more ways than just a repetitive run. I am thankful to have the mobility I do and don't intend to give it up easily!

 

[Kosh]

Ice bath ?

I opted for a deep hot Himalayan salt bath... I couldn’t get out. Literally... nah, I actually felt okay I think my swimming has helped... loads actually.

 

[Fungus]

I'd love to get back into playing some form again - at 34 i've still got a mile or two left in the legs. Not enough to keep up with the local village side but something evening based would be perfect. Sadly, living in the sticks means a bit of a travel, but that's not a massive problem.

Baring injuries and ill health, you've got another 40 years left in the legs. And you'd still be younger than 3 of the guys I play with now!

 

[Grombleton]

Baring injuries and ill health, you've got another 40 years left in the legs. And you'd still be younger than 3 of the guys I play with now!

There's people playing at 74? Bugger me, big respect to them if that's the case.

 

[Grombleton]

Felpham or Angmering any good, that's where I play.

Let me know when and where Tim and i'll see if i can pop along - my work is pretty much bang inbetween the two these days.

 

[Fungus]

There's people playing at 74? Bugger me, big respect to them if that's the case.

Well, it's walking football, but it's still competitive, and some of the guys are 15-20 years younger. The banter doesn't change despite the ages.

To be clear, much of walking football is about removing the risk of challenges and high balls. You still have to use your brain and look for space and players to pass to. Plenty of sweat and stiff muscles. No need to give up playing these days, just find an appropriate group.

 

[Meade's Ball]

When a disc slipped at around the age of 40 a doctor told me all you can do is help build the muscle around it with some stretches, but the decay from years of running was irreparable. About 3 years passed, just of cycling and striding, and i thought, maybe i could head over to the local park for a gentle kickabout on a nice, soft grassy surface. So each week that summer i did so, playing up to 90 minutes on occasion. Then, i returned to Monday night football with a gaggle of dads, all through the winter months, charging about without apology. It's ruddy brilliant, and i wish i hadn't stopped for so long. I feel the odd tweak sometimes, but stretch, stretch, stretch, and just play two evenings a week in the summer and it's alright. I'm still the master of the unexpected (to others) backheel, and dummy.

 

[Kosh]

When a disc slipped at around the age of 40 a doctor told me all you can do is help build the muscle around it with some stretches, but the decay from years of running was irreparable. About 3 years passed, just of cycling and striding, and i thought, maybe i could head over to the local park for a gentle kickabout on a nice, soft grassy surface. So each week that summer i did so, playing up to 90 minutes on occasion. Then, i returned to Monday night football with a gaggle of dads, all through the winter months, charging about without apology. It's ruddy brilliant, and i wish i hadn't stopped for so long. I feel the odd tweak sometimes, but stretch, stretch, stretch, and just play two evenings a week in the summer and it's alright. I'm still the master of the unexpected (to others) backheel, and dummy.

Well; if people were agog that I’m not quite as they imagined, the beardless bard of non cloaked straight up young man rockery, I am aghast at what i’ve just read. Meade’s ball ? A footballering necromancer, backheel dummy dancer, poetic distant sky gazing romancer... oh; I can see you now, leaning on an oak tree, left wing periphery, deep in a first edition Thomas Hardy, when the ball travels your way... whilst keeping hold of the book, you glide your way towards the opposition goal, oh how they smirk, but not for long, you turn the defence akin to a page in a well read book... before they know it, the ball makes its way into the roof of the net 1-0... like a distant hazy dream... but as real as loves first kiss.

Beautiful.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Well, it's walking football, but it's still competitive, and some of the guys are 15-20 years younger. The banter doesn't change despite the ages.

To be clear, much of walking football is about removing the risk of challenges and high balls. You still have to use your brain and look for space and players to pass to. Plenty of sweat and stiff muscles. No need to give up playing these days, just find an appropriate group.

I have a question, about walking football, please.

Are there any restrictions on what the keeper is / is not allowed to do?

 

[Fungus]

I have a question, about walking football, please.

Are there any restrictions on what the keeper is / is not allowed to do?

Keeper must stay in his box/semi-circle. Other players are not allowed in. So, no challenges on the keeper. Goals are also lower, because the ball must be below head height (if it rebounds high of the keeper, it goes back to the keeper rather than staying in play). Otherwise, all as normal - he's on the receiving end of the usual shots.

 

[Kosh]

Is this a common English saying or is it just pure brilliance?

Well, let’s just say I may have borrowed it slightly, from the late great John Hughes - from the original ‘Chevy Chase starring’ National Lampoons Vacation.

Where Hughes was concerned - it was all brilliance.

 

[Sirnormangall]

Yes, Walking football is great fun and great exercise. Just as importantly it’s great socially. A growing sport and lots of established football clubs have teams e.g. Newhaven, Rottingdean, Varndenians, Worthing.

 

[BadFish]

The key really is the warm up and cool down you do - they'll really help your recovery. Also try and get a bit of a walk in post-football - your legs will benefit massively from moving slowly, the recovery is crucial. In theory, it'll get easier each week as it goes anyway - but there are things you can do to help recover quicker and more thoroughly.

We have a yoga instructor on our team and since he took over our warm ups and downs injuries have vastly reduced. I am feeling really rather good after my marathon games last night.

 

[dazzer6666]

Ice bath ?

**** that, it’s agony. Don’t do it. Medical benefits are not confirmed. A nice, long, WARM bath with a big bag of dead sea or epsom salts in it is much better (actually, it really is), especially if accompanied with a very large glass of red at room temperature (speaking from experience having run a few ultramarathons and had a few old man cramping incidents [emoji15][emoji15])

 

[mothy]

I'm still playing at 42 at least once a week, sometimes 3 times. None of that 11 a side on grass rubbish. Just 5 a side to 7 a side depending on the league - my preferred kick about is the 1 I have done every week for at least 10 years - a kick about with friends (old & new) for fun

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

The key really is the warm up and cool down you do - they'll really help your recovery. Also try and get a bit of a walk in post-football - your legs will benefit massively from moving slowly, the recovery is crucial. In theory, it'll get easier each week as it goes anyway - but there are things you can do to help recover quicker and more thoroughly.

I find putting the heated seats in the car on full for the drive home helps as well

 

[Kosh]

Just back from my second outing - and - well if last week I felt like Del Piero, this week I was more akin to Del Boy. I kept doing all the hard stuff well, good first touch, beating the first and second man & yet (alas) I couldn’t pass for ****. I even managed a cruyff turn, beautifully executed, and then immediately gave the ball away

Now I know how Solly must feel

That said, I could run more freely & its was great fun

Awesome to be back.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You won't be able to walk tomorrow.

 

[Kosh]

You won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Oh it was far faster tonight - three or four ‘regulars’ back... I’m going to feel it for sure. Last week I even managed a stint in goal to (draw breath) this week no such luxury.

It’s going to be a crampy old night.