Airsoft at my age?

[porkchop]

I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes when I tell people I'm into airsoft they look at me like I have a pair of lobsters hanging out of my ears. My boss for example said "Why do you play war games at your age?" Well, first reply that came to mind was "Why not?" But I took a second to elaborate. Airsoft covers a wide range for me. First, it's great exercise. Throwing on an extra 10-20 lbs of gear and moving fast in a crouched position will work muscles you never knew you had. When I see people at the gym on a treadmill, I shake my head. What are we, gerbils? Second, it's a very competitive sport, requiring skill, strategy, and conditioning. It reflects not only teamwork, but individual achivement as well. Third, it's a great hobby. With the vast, ever growing range of products on the market, the skies the limit. If you love to tinker, airsoft guns can be a nonstop project that will keep you busy until doomsday. I'm an accessory addict, and my guns are in a constant state of evoloution. Fourth, it's a social outlet. Since I've been airsofting in the Ozarks, I've made a huge network of what I consider to be good friends. Fith, it's theraputic. With a house full of rugrats like I've got, it's essential to blow off some steam, believe me. And last, it survival training. Now, this was the one that really made my boss scratch his head. When you're being shot at, you learn to move evaisively. You quickly realize that the back and forth gunfights you see in the movies are total fiction. Making it through a high risk situation safely is more than difficult. You have to be able to think on your feet despite the overwhelming stress. Some folks I know think spending a couple of weekends at the shooting range has prepared them for anything. Not true. Paper targets don't shoot back. Ali didn't become champ by just punching a heavybag. Now, of course, his reply was "Well I'm not planning on being in a gunfight." I don't either, but does anyone? We have to face the fact that it's a mad world we live in. None of us, hopefully, will ever find ourselves in a life or death scenario just because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it does happen, and if it happens to one of us then maybe, just maybe, we might make it out in one piece thanks to the hours we spent practicing milsim. And if not, at least we had fun doing it.   

[Shifty]

Well put, I know exactly what you mean. For the most part I don't tell people I play airsoft, I also don't tell people I shoot guns. Doing this keeps me separated from potential nerve racking conversation (usually one sided b/c the other person has a entirely different view on guns in general) and it keeps me separated from potential crazy people that would want to hang out because they like guns but they lack the same respect for either sport.

[keasop]

ive been using arisoft to get into shape and its working quite well along with exercisng even though i havent really played much living 3 hours away from sogo dose not help but its helped me stay focused and ive lost weight i was at 325 and now im close to 300 and it keep comming off to me age and size dosnt matter it promotes getting out and moving and i love that

[Boba fett]

Exactly! I'm so pumped because I can carry a defensive sidearm in a few months, something I wouldn't feel 100% comfortable doing if I had not been into airsoft for many years. My safety and firearms knowledge is apparently higher than most people who already carry...

Indeed 'tis a crazy world, and I (and I alone) am responsible for my own safety.

[Metal]

General Airsoft seems to be for mostly the younger crowd who just wanna run around and have fun with their buddies, and that's great as long as their being safe. Military Similation is for us older guys that take it serious.

[Boba fett]

Very well put Metal...maybe that's why I never play. I can't stand teenagers and don't like "run and gun" play, but I'm not dedicated enough to do milsim (or any type of real airsoft). That's why I sit in my chair and plan events for other people. lol

[Shifty]

Maybe you should change your name to Charlie and get some pretty girls to play airsoft and do your dirty work for you. 

[ShootEmUp]

If someone said, "You're too old for airsoft." I would just say, "Come and play a game or two and you'll see why I still play." If this doesn't work, let them think what they want, I wouldn't care. So if you're kid wants to have a tea party with you or wants to play with cars you say, "Sorry son/daughter, I won't play with you because I'm to old for that". I'm not going to make excuses about why I play airsoft, I don't get a great deal of exercise from it unless I'm running (most likely away from someone with more skill) and of course you need teamwork but I use that kind of skill in my everyday life. Honestly, if it's something you enjoy I wouldn't be ashamed to tell someone I played if they asked.

[keasop]

airsoft has been my motivator to loose weight and its working so far

[ShootEmUp]

Keep it up then, just run alot in games. People will get confused as to why you are running so much and than they will stop, that's when you shoot them!

[Shaggy]

Before I joined the military I used it as an exercise program and a way to meet new people. Now that I am in I plan on using it to use what I have learned at basic and expand on that knowledge. When I get to the east coast and start attending the higher level games. I will get to experience a new level of training that I didn't have before. It will be a lot of fun.

~Shaggy

[Brendon]

Eh, I'm the youngest one that gets these kind of questions because people my age are nervous about showing off their "airsoft pride." I don't necessarily tell people "yeah I shoot people for fun," I realized So Go is a much more popular place then I expected. Anyways, little off topic there, I've brought friends that ask "Why are these older guys playing this?" I normally respond with "why not?" as they respond with "They can just join the military." This normally brings me to "Why? I'm sure they support the military for protecting us, but they might have a family, friends, or even kids that they don't want the possibility of devastating." This normally ends the conversation as people don't think that deep my age. I admire the older people of this sport, they normally have a lot of knowledge and peace at their mind when they are playing. And when they don't, its probably because they got shot in the wrong spot.

For the record I'm not trying to bash on military men and women by saying they are a bunch of adopted lonely people, I just think that's one of the best ways to put it.

[Boba fett]

Maybe you should change your name to Charlie and get some pretty girls to play airsoft and do your dirty work for you. 

Indeed I actually have. 

Got around 5 I can think of off the top of me head. xD

[Shifty]

I was starting to think you where to young for the Charlies Angels reference.

[Boba fett]

Hey I'm an old man too ya know! Just in the mind and bones mind you!

Airsoft is just one of those things that pertains to individual interests, and especially to that part of us that never grows up. Let's face it-from plastic soldiers to video games to airsoft-playing army never gets old.