A sedentary Winter, less activity, no workouts, little if any walking or climbing. All this leads to a loss of strength and a loss of flexibility. No, if you are 25 or 35, you cannot yet relate. Everything still works and the body forgives the abuses and neglect. Move forward twenty years and by now time is catching up. Sports injuries, surgeries, life’s interruptions have conspired to slow you down and the ol’ adage of one step forward, two steps back slowly inserts, slowly intrudes into your mind.
I don’t hit the water’s edge feeling weak or puny, but I leave it feeling as if my feet weigh twenty pounds a piece. My ankles ache, my ass is tired and I appear as if I could blow a .08BA, stumbling about. Shit, what the hell happened? Age, injuries, diminishing returns on workouts with the best of intentions.
So, with that in mind, you decrepit ol’ fart, be careful! Use good judgement and use a wading staff, wear some form of floatation device and most importantly, carefully pick your water. “A Man’s Gots To Know His Limitations” (Harry, Magnum Force, 1973)
“….every angler must realise that wading is dangerous, your life is in your own hands, if you are not sure that you can take the next step, stop and figure out the situation and make sure that you will be able to negotiate your way out safely. Remember too that you can get just as wet in one foot of water as in ten if you fall over and in freezing weather the consequences could be as bad especially if you are a distance from help or shelter.”
http://www.letsflyfish.com/fly_fishing_wading.htm
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