When is it too old to learn to ice skate or ski?

[Regs]

I'm 33 years old. The last time I even dared this was when I was 15 years old and looked like a dear on thin ice.

At what point is it dangerous or impractical to learn? I know this is a subjective question because it's never really "ever" too late, but would I be that anomaly out on the ice that looked like he lost a bet or trying to impress his younger daughter?

 

[Bartman39]

Not sure just how in shape you are but heck I ice skated about a year ago...? Uh I am 56... But now just what are you referring to on skiing is this water or snow...? Water I did about 3 years ago...?

Snow never have...

 

[Spacehead]

Ice skate? If you fall, how good are your chances of breaking a hip?
Skiing?(Snow, i presume?) Well, start out on the beginner slopes i guess.

33 is not too old for either i would say.

 

[Carson Dyle]

You're still a pup. Just know your limitations.

 

[RLGL]

Are you afraid of falling?

 

[Carson Dyle]

Are you afraid of falling?

Falling, like 3 feet? Yeah, if you're afraid of falling on your butt, you shouldn't take up ice skating. If you're afraid of tearing your MCL, your ACL, your PCL and your LCL and spending the next 12 months going through the most painful rehab you've ever imagined, you probably shouldn't take up skiing.

 

[Imp]

You can start/try when you stop giving a shit and decide to just do it.

At what point is it dangerous or impractical to learn? I know this is a subjective question because it's never really "ever" too late, but would I be that anomaly out on the ice that looked like he lost a bet or trying to impress his younger daughter?

Don't worry, they'll think you're trying to impress your girlfriend. Depending on your age, that could be a problem.

 

[waffleironhead]

When you are dead?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I need to actually buy skates, I have not skated in a long time myself, which is kinda sad given I'm Canadian. If you've done it before you'll probably pick it up quickly the minute you get on the ice. Remember, even professional hockey players fall sometimes, so don't feel too bad. (ok, so they fall because they just took a hit, but they still fell!)

There's a figure 8 skating rink they setup at a park here, I totally need to go try it out. Maybe when it's not -20's and colder. So like, March.

 

[IBMJunkman]

If you can be padded like this, go for it.

 

[brianmanahan]

33 is too old for anything

at 27 i went from feeling like a kid to feeling like a 70 year old man waiting to die

 

[Carson Dyle]

33 is too old for anything

at 27 i went from feeling like a kid to feeling like a 70 year old man waiting to die

Some just hit that wall 50 years before the rest of us. Good luck with that.

 

[repoman0]

If you're afraid of tearing your MCL, your ACL, your PCL and your LCL and spending the next 12 months going through the most painful rehab you've ever imagined, you probably shouldn't take up skiing.

This is part of the reason I took up snowboarding instead of skiing a couple years ago. It seems like serious injuries for someone of reasonable skill not going too crazy would be rarer ... no data to back that up. The other reason is I thought some of my skateboarding skills from when I was in middle school would carry over, but that turned out to be very false ...

This is my third season and I just went for the sixth overall time over new years and finally feel somewhat competent. I'm 27 right now.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

33? You could break a hip. Better stick to shuffleboard and knitting.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm 41 and still planning on learning to ski. Always had good balance and athletic reflexes. I'm not skirred at all.

 

[Stopsignhank]

The last time I skied was when I was about 25. Last year when I was 50 I went skiing. It was fine. I switched to try snowboarding for the first time. I fell and screwed up a rib. I finished out the day skiing. My problem is my feet are not straight. ie, they are not parallel. My footprints are actually at about 90 degrees to each other so skiing is difficult.

Ice skating? You should have no problems. At 33 you are still young. If nothing else you will heal fast.

 

[Ferzerp]

You'll be sore, but why would you think it is too late? It's easier for kids, sure, because they have two things going for them. They aren't falling as far (less speed), and they don't have as much mass. You'll fall. You'll bruise. You'll be sore, but you'll be fine. I learned in my mid 30's.

 

[Carson Dyle]

My problem is my feet are not straight. ie, they are not parallel. My footprints are actually at about 90 degrees to each other so skiing is difficult.

Good Lord! I think I broke a rib laughing at this. Jeeesus Christ, I can't catch my breath. So awesome.

 

[SearchMaster]

I never ice skated until I was in my late 30s - I did fine (never fell, though I was wobbly at times). I first skied in my late 20s, again no real problems.

Little kids have it easier because they have no fear. We went skiing a few weeks ago and my 13 year old was frustrated because the 5 year olds made it look so easy. He got the hang of it after a couple of days though.

 

[Ruptga]

You're too old as soon as you're too afraid to try. Also if you fall and can't get up, you're too old.

 

[Regs]

Haha. Love you guys.

 

[sdifox]

This is part of the reason I took up snowboarding instead of skiing a couple years ago. It seems like serious injuries for someone of reasonable skill not going too crazy would be rarer ... no data to back that up. The other reason is I thought some of my skateboarding skills from when I was in middle school would carry over, but that turned out to be very false ...

This is my third season and I just went for the sixth overall time over new years and finally feel somewhat competent. I'm 27 right now.

I would say snowboarding is more dangerous than skiing. As to op, learning to skate or ski is fine unless you have no calcium left in your bones.

 

[lxskllr]

You're too old when it looks like the pain of failure outweighs the thrill of success. I miss whitewater paddling, but my back is fuxxored, and I won't risk having it go out in the middle of nowhere. Abandoning my boat, and crawling inches at a time through green briars for miles outweighs the thrill of the run.

 

[Jeeebus]

I'm planning to try kite boarding this year when the water warms up a bit. I'll probably get blown out to sea or swallowed by a shark, but such is life.

 

[BurnItDwn]

As a kid I used to do cross country skiing in wisconsin.
I never did downhill skiing.

Last year in Feburary, a month before my 36th birthday I went with my brother and his friends on their annual ski trip at "Chestnut Mountain"
https://www.chestnutmtn.com/on-the-mountain/winter-activities/trail-map/
I only spent half a day on the slopes, and stuck to the easy/kid level stuff, but I had a blast and didn't injure myself.

so 33 is fine, Also, if you are a big fat guy like me, you just need to be cautious so you don't break your wrists.