Any surfers? What do you do to train?

AliceAxe · April 2016

I'm in New Jersey and cold intollerent (intense pain) so hopping in the cold spring water is not a possibility. Ive been trying things to train on land, like practice pop-ups on my yoga mat, rotation and paddling strokes on my fitness ball. and Ive got a small Golds Gym balance board.

What do you do to train for the surfing season?

any suggestion on fintess videos of books geared for the sport?

also any reviews on gear like indo boards? how about this machine, any one try it or something similar?

http://www.surfsetfitness.com/

call3na · April 2016

We don't get in the surf as much in the winter so go swimming a lot more instead. This winter we've also been going to circuit training.

I have only surfed a few times so far this year (it's flat at the moment

) due to being so busy with other things when it's actually been OK size waves and not too windy (we've had lots of storms and strong winds this winter). I found that paddle fitness was still there, though took me a few waves to feel properly balanced on my board again after a long gap. I still ached the next day but not as much as I could with a long gap!

We've got a balance board, and also head out on the skateboard long boards when it's dry.

Anything specific you are trying to train to improve or just not wanting to lose surf fitness?

AliceAxe · April 2016

thanks for the reply

may I ask where you are located? brrr very cold this time of year. Would need some serious wetsuitage, some diehards do surf all winter. but the window for the warmer weather is so small

Im a noob and yes I want to be fit and ready for when things warm up and I am able to get out there. I have some chronic illnesses, spinal and neck problems and I need to be very careful and prevent injury.

my daughter is a surfer and she warned me about the soreness from the paddling ,so Im concerned because my neck adn upper back have the worst issue and of course the one thing I want to do -surfing , is the most neck and back intensive , go figure.

I been thinking about that, getting a skateboard. always wanted one as a kid but my parents let me have one.wouldnt let me surf either then moved us to the mid west, so Im finaly learning now late in life.

how long have you been surfing? how old were you when you started? any tip to prevent strain and injury?

AliceAxe · April 2016

this is a photo from last year with some old boards I was looking to sell or repair. I was 150 there , 10lbs above my healthy BMI Im down a few bounds now but not back to 120 that I was when I was feeling better. I am trying to get back to that my joints dont take such a beating and so I dont sink my boards! haha and get properly fit for it. surfing is my inspiration to keep trying despite my health conditions. I want to be able to go out again with my daughter someday.

AliceAxe · April 2016

I do some gentle modified versions of these.

AliceAxe · April 2016

for these mainly 2, 6 ,8 my physical therapist doesnt want me doing any sit up type crunches and has me doing abs with my back flat on the floor using my legs for counterweight.

call3na · April 2016

AliceAxe wrote: »

thanks for the reply may I ask where you are located? brrr very cold this time of year. Would need some serious wetsuitage, some diehards do surf all winter. but the window for the warmer weather is so small

Im a noob and yes I want to be fit and ready for when things warm up and I am able to get out there. I have some chronic illnesses, spinal and neck problems and I need to be very careful and prevent injury.

my daughter is a surfer and she warned me about the soreness from the paddling ,so Im concerned because my neck adn upper back have the worst issue and of course the one thing I want to do -surfing , is the most neck and back intensive , go figure.

I been thinking about that, getting a skateboard. always wanted one as a kid but my parents let me have one.wouldnt let me surf either then moved us to the mid west, so Im finaly learning now late in life.

how long have you been surfing? how old were you when you started? any tip to prevent strain and injury?

I live in Cornwall, UK. It's currently about 9-10 degrees in the water, gets up to maybe 19 if we're lucky in the summer. So it's wetsuit all year round here. I use thermal rash vest, 4/3mm wetsuit, gloves and boots in winter. My 5/3 wetsuit leaks too badly to use anymore. I just avoid really windy days as the wind cools you down too quick!

Spinal and neck injuries with surfing aren't ideal, but I find most of the stretch is on my lower back rather than upper and otherwise shoulders.

I'm 36 now and only started surfing 4 years or so ago. Make sure you keep your flexibility up, I do tai chi which really helps with that, and stretch out ideally before getting in the water (I'm not so good at doing that lol).

I find winter swimming is great for keeping fitness up and some strength in my arms for paddling, and just doing some cardio in general helps for those long paddles. Then something for flexibility and balance.

How long till it's warm enough for you to surf? I'm hoping to get in next week if the waves are back!

AliceAxe · April 2016

call3na wrote: »

I live in Cornwall, UK. It's currently about 9-10 degrees in the water, gets up to maybe 19 if we're lucky in the summer. So it's wetsuit all year round here. I use thermal rash vest, 4/3mm wetsuit, gloves and boots in winter. My 5/3 wetsuit leaks too badly to use anymore. I just avoid really windy days as the wind cools you down too quick!

Spinal and neck injuries with surfing aren't ideal, but I find most of the stretch is on my lower back rather than upper and otherwise shoulders.

I'm 36 now and only started surfing 4 years or so ago. Make sure you keep your flexibility up, I do tai chi which really helps with that, and stretch out ideally before getting in the water (I'm not so good at doing that lol).

I find winter swimming is great for keeping fitness up and some strength in my arms for paddling, and just doing some cardio in general helps for those long paddles. Then something for flexibility and balance.

How long till it's warm enough for you to surf? I'm hoping to get in next week if the waves are back!

ah, my daughter has been staying in London since the 1st of the year studying to be a yoga instructor, just finished her course and is doing some volenteering at a local studio.

brrr thats fairly cold. here it would need to be much warmer for me. I have a nerve condition where cold causes me severe pain. my whole body is like a cold sensitive tooth. its is hell. if I hold an icecube for too long or a cold shower it is excrutiating, so I have to be careful. which realy limits what I can do. my daughter gave me a wet suit but I havent tried it on, dont think I will fit it unless I lose this 20lbs. I think I would have to have gloves booties and a hood and mask too lol too bad I cant just transform into a seal, but then the sharks would find me tastier!

congrats on your 4 years

Ive been wanting to surf for years, been a fan and loved to watch it and dreaming this dream and learning about it for about 15 years. Ive gone body boarding several years now in late summer when its warm enough and tourist are gone, before that is just too cold. Not sure what the avarage is , I should check surfline.com and find out. I went out with my daughter on her boards last year but thats been it. Ive been working on physical therapy on my own over a year and with a therapist since january.

Ive also been doing Tai Chi and mainly Qi Gong off and on for about 5 years now. love it

thats great that you can swim in the winter. I have a brother near by that lets me use his pool in the summer. I try to practice paddling on my bodyboards in the pool.

my lower back isnt too bad though I have lumbar scoliosis and a condition called 'tight hamstring syndrome' from it which does lower my flexibility a LOT. the therapist is working with me on this problem too. I do think I am making some progress. perhaps surfing is the best thing for me then if it promotes flexibility and strengthening the back muscles.

what are your goals with MFP? are you training for anything in particular, or just maintaining overall?

good luck with the coming week/weeks! if you get some photos, I'd love to see those

the UK has some beautiful landscape.

AliceAxe · May 2016

I've been finding some good articles and videos I'd like to share. lots of good motivation and tips here!

some workouts:

http://www.surfertoday.com/surf-training

http://www.surfing-waves.com/surf-fitness/training.htm

http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/summer-surfing-workouts/

these are way to hard for me right now but hopefully I'll get there (well mabee haha) :

http://www.shape.com/fitness/videos/surfer-body-workout

http://www.surfline.com/community/whoknows/whoknows.cfm?id=1169

he has some good tips on his blog and free videos a lot of hard stuff though out of my league but good for the advanced:

http://surfstrengthcoach.com/blog/

general tips

http://www.surfstronger.com/tips/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9dXnzIvpU

middlehaitch · May 2016

@call3na & @alacraxe, sorry to butt in to your wonderful conversation; the topic drew me in. And Cornwall.

I used to be a beach bum living in a cave on Towan beach and surfed Watergate to Fistral Beach, Newquay, in 1970/71. We didn't even have wet suits foolhardy youths that we were.

Your conversation brought a smile to my face. Great memories. Carry on surfing.

Cheers, h.

AliceAxe · May 2016

middlehaitch wrote: »

@call3na & @alacraxe, sorry to butt in to your wonderful conversation; the topic drew me in. And Cornwall.

I used to be a beach bum living in a cave on Towan beach and surfed Watergate to Fistral Beach, Newquay, in 1970/71. We didn't even have wet suits foolhardy youths that we were.

Your conversation brought a smile to my face. Great memories. Carry on surfing.

Cheers, h.

glad you enjoyed our posts and thanks for sharing yours. wow you are lucky to have had such an amazing experience! haha that must have been chilling indeed!

I had a look at the Cornwall beaches on Google maps street views, they are realy beautiful. I'll recommend them to my daughter. She is currently in Portugal now working at a wellness retreat there. The beaches there also look lovely.