Moments like diamonds in space: savoring the ageing process through positive engagement with adventure sports

Aging Adventure Athletes Assess Achievements and Alter Aspirations to Maintain Self-Esteem

“…In addition, much of the specific research cited here deserves duplication, for other adventure activities and participants. Boyes (2013) , Hickman et al (2016 , 2017 ), and Wheaton (2017) interviewed hikers, climbers, sea-kayakers and surfers aged in their sixties and older. We need more such studies.…”

“…For many expert practitioners, self-esteem and self-identity are strongly bound to skill, as assessed by self and peers. This applies both to paid professions ( Little et al, 2015 ; Yu et al, 2015 ), and to voluntary leisure activities ( Boyes, 2013 ; Hickman et al, 2016 , 2017 ; Wheaton, 2017 ). Self-esteem can reflect current skills, past achievements (mastery), and future potential (talent).…”

“…There are few recent qualitative studies, however, that examine individual adventure athletes’ perceptions of aging. There are interview-based studies of: 7 New Zealand hikers and bikers aged 63–80 ( Boyes, 2013 ); 8 Scottish rock-climbers and 7 sea-kayakers aged 65+ ( Hickman et al, 2016 ); 10 climbers aged 65–75 ( Hickman et al, 2017 ); and 11 British surfers aged 45–70 ( Wheaton, 2017 ).…”

Analysing adventure: a leisure lifepsychle?

“…They can take up a new activity, gaining a psychological reward from new achievements, even though far below their former skill level. Or, they can accept that they will simply have to take part in their same favourite long term activity, at a lower level of skill (Hickman et al 2016;Minello and Nixon 2017;Wheaton 2017). This is hard to accept, but ultimately inevitable, unless they withdraw from that activity completely.…”

Doing the plastic fantastic: ‘artificial’ adventure and older adult climbers

“…Rather than steering individuals towards traditional patterns of healththrough-fitness, Howes (2016) suggests that adventurous approaches to physical activity have significant, and largely uncharted, potential for developing intrinsic focus and the prioritization of internal benefits, such as self-control, mastery, flow and self-paced achievement. Notions of 'serious leisure' (Davidson & Stebbins, 2011;Stebbins, 2002;Stebbins, 2014) and savoring (Bryant & Veroff, 2007;Hickman, Inkster, & Rosser, 2016;Hickman, Stokes, Gammon, Beard & Inkster, 2016) add weight to the argument that adventure sports and growing older can co-exist positively. A range of theoretical underpinnings lends credibility to this idea.…”