Posts Tagged ‘surfing’
I love to surf. I love to travel. The great thing about these 2 loves is that they go hand in hand. I’ve gone a little bit further than most people though, and made these passions my life. I moved to Australia’s Gold Coast and set up a surfboard rental company that endeavours to bring together, all the services the travelling surfer needs.
One of the great things about this business is I deliver the surfboards myself. This gives me the opportunity to have a brief chat with every surfer coming through the Gold Coast using my services. I really enjoy this part of the business as being a surfer myself, I enjoy the contact with people who have a similar passion to mine. Also, it gives me the opportunity to get into the heads of my clients, so I can understand what their expectations are for their surfing holiday and can continually improve my services based on their desires.
During these chats, the number 1 thing my clients desire is that little bit of additional surfing fitness. This makes sense. Nothing can really prepare you for the rigors of a surfing holiday, other than lots and lots of surfing. No matter how much you surf at home, the chances are you’ll surf more on your holiday for no reason other than the fact that you’ll have more time to play with.
So what is the best way to get that extra bit of fitness for a surfing holiday. I believe there are 3 things you should do. The first two should be part of your healthy lifestyle, the last should be a pre travel booster. Here they are:
General endurance is critical. You have to have a base level of aerobic fitness to surf. Otherwise you won’t be able to paddle out past the breakers, paddle into a wave or breath through a hold down. Further, with this fitness comes a level of confidence, this is critical for surfing.
This requirement needs to be specific to the water though. You need to be water fit. Endurance in the water is so different to endurance on land. Moving through the water is almost a feeling, an art. The worse your feel for the water is, the more energy you’ll burn up when you take to it.
So get in the pool and swim at least twice a week. If you have a break near you, surf at least twice a week. No matter what you do, just make sure you are getting wet twice a week, every week of the year. Your water fitness will just come. It will just be something that develops, you will become more and more familiar with the water environment simply because you are being in it. Don’t make any excuses, go on, get wet.
The second thing you need to think about is your core strength, balance and flexibility. People don’t understand how important this is, especially when you increase your level of involvement. When you have a good core fitness and level of flexibility, your body holds together better and recovers quicker. That leaves you better prepared for your next session.
Yoga is the answer here. Yoga is so good for surfing fitness, it is almost as if it was invented purely with the surfer in mind. Not only does yoga help you improve your flexibility, balance and core strength, it also re-aligns and re-balances your body back into its natural and healthy position, away from the imbalanced position which surfing causes.
One of the great things about yoga also, is it corrects the imbalances which surfing brings to your body. Just think for example of the strain which paddling puts on your back. Yoga brings all these over extensions back into balance. I can’t recommend it enough for surfers.
That takes care of your day to day fitness programming, keeping your body in reasonable shape for the waves any day of the week. Once you have that sorted out, all you need to do in the weeks leading up to your holiday, is some functional surf specific training. Functional training is training which has been designed to cater for a specific function. In our case the function is the fitness requirements of surfing. So you need a fitness program that focuses on strengthening the specific muscles you use in the water and on your surfboard.
You’ve got your base level of fitness sorted out already by ensuring point 1 and 2 above are part of your lifestyle. This training program recognises though, that there will be a short period of time where you will need a higher level of fitness (Ie. For those long sessions while on holiday) and prepares you specifically with those higher needs in mind.
I hope this helps you prepare for your next surfing trip where ever it may be. We all know training can sometimes be a bit of a drag, just remember how much more fun those surfing days are when the waves, your skill and your body all come together at the same time, so you can catch that elusive perfect wave.
Damian Papworth is the manager of Gold Coast Surfboards, an organisation that offers products for travelling surfers’ needs. From board rentals to surf fitness, they’ll sort it out for you. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.
The water sport of wakeboarding has seen its popularity rise dramatically in recent years. It is very similar to what surfers and jet-skiers are used to and might explain why it has quickly caught on. Fans of extreme sports have also taken to it since it also relies heavily on the execution of moves under high pressure situations.
Wakeboarding is not free from dangers that are associated with other sports in the same vein. Moving at high speeds behind a motor boat would be enough to require one to have undergone rigorous training. This can also be moderated through the use of proper and safe gear designed exclusively for the sport.
Be aware that wakeboarding involves a motor boat which therefore raises the risk levels. You must thus protect yourself adequately and this is the first priority. The first physical connection between you and the boat are that of the ropes and gloves.
Most wakeboard gear retailers do not market it heavily, but choose gloves which will protect your hands well against the tension and friction caused by holding onto the ropes for long durations of time. The ropes should provide as little stretch as possible and in lengths that keep you at a safe distance from the boat while maximizing the use of the wakes created in its trail.
When it comes to body apparel, most wakeboarders opt for a minimal look. It should go beyond that purpose but fashion sense often overrides safety concerns. If you prefer the same style, simple board shorts will do, with a quick drying feature.
For those who prefer to err on the side of caution, there are also full body apparels for wakeboarders. They are similar to what some surfers and jet-skiers wear, providing other benefits such as better water glide ability. The extra layer of clothing also helps shield you from the weather elements. Sometimes they might protect you from unwanted contact with hard surfaces or collisions.
Boots are also an essential part of the wakeboarder’s attire. The image of the wakeboarder is now marketed as a trendy surfer type and the boot designs have also caught up with it. There are therefore more boots which are being worn now than those who prefer using surf straps. However, the former does protect your feet more and are recommended.
The importance of wakeboarding gear can never be underestimated in terms of both looks and safety. There is no harm in wanting to be decked out in the best looking equipment, but prioritize your safety over vanity. It would provide you with many more years of fun wakeboarding instead of suffering injuries that might end your enjoyment prematurely.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for checking out my site dedicated to health, weight loss and muscle building. I created this site to document my progress and to tell you what has worked best for me.