SURFER'S HEALTH

What Works, What Doesn’t, and How to Identify Trendy Misinformation Dave sent me a link to an Instagram video yesterday and wanted to know what I thought about it. It starts with Jack Robinson doing aggressive breathing exercises on the beach before one of his heats, then goes into an explanation of why he is doing these exercises, how to do them, and the purported benefits of doing so. Dave knows that I have done a lot of breathwork, pranayama, and apnea training over the years, and wanted to know if this so-called “piston” training was legit, and if it...

The knees is one of the most important joints in the body, and knees are particularly important for surfers, since most of our movements on a wave are powered by our core and upper legs. Importance of Healthy Knees for Surfing Surfing is a dynamic sport that involves a lot of twisting and torquing movements, which means that the knees are put through a lot of stress during every session. In order to ensure that we are surfing at our best—and to help reduce the risk of injury—it is important to maintain healthy, flexible knees that are ready for anything....

We often think about upper body strength and mobility when it comes to surfing, but sometimes we forget how important lower body flexibility and power is when it comes to the fundamentals of wave riding. Everything from popping up on a board to pumping down the line and linking together maneuvers requires precise coordination of the lower body, which is only possible if all of your muscles and joints are firing together. One area that a lot of surfers struggle with is hip strength and mobility. I know I definitely do! This has been a bit challenge for me as I have...

Feet First Under Waves The other day, I was watching a life surf cam broadcast from Pipe. It was solid 6- to 8-foot—big enough for the heavy hitters to be out there, especially at a place as gnarly as Pipeline. While I was watching, I started to notice that many of the best guys out there all took a similar approach when getting caught by big sets. Instead of standing on their boards and diving under the waves, as we often see people do in old videos, the simply pushed themselves underwater feet first, let the waves pass over them,...

Happy Baby Pose, also known as Ananda Balasana is a popular yoga pose that is great for beginners. It is an excellent way to stretch the hips, hamstrings, and lower back while also promoting relaxation. This pose targets the hip joints, which can become tight due to prolonged sitting or standing, and helps to stretch the hip flexors, outer hips, and thighs, improving flexibility and mobility in the hip area To perform the Happy Baby Pose, you can follow these steps:   Lie on your back and exhale, bringing both knees in and hugging them into the chest. Separate the...

This Solves My SCIATICA As I’ve talked about previously, I have struggled with sciatica and related knee pain for years. A lot of physical therapists have suggested doing stretching and rolling, but this actually aggravates the nerve that causes the sciatica (which we have covered in a previous article). Recently, I found a doctor in El Paso, Texas, who hosts a video on YouTube about effective sciatica therapy. Instead of stretching and rolling, he has people do exercises that shift the pelvis to relieve the pressure on the nerve. Two exercises in particular are super helpful for me.    ...

An acquaintance of mine recently went into a running store in a landlocked state on the mainland to have his gait evaluated and get some recommendations on shoes. After putting him on a treadmill and filming his gait, the professional at the store asked, “Are you a surfer? You run like someone who has spent years on a surfboard, with your feet pointing slightly away from each other and more weight on your back foot.” My acquaintance found this pretty amazing. Not only had he been surfing his entire life, but the runner who recognized this lived 1000 miles from...

Exercises to Prevent and Rehab Shoulder Injuries Like many surfers, I suffer from shoulder issues—both chronic crepitus and a more recent acute injury the causes cross-body pain. I am still able to paddle and surf, but certain movements are painful and the shoulder doesn’t feel 100% strong and stable. Shoulder injuries are common among surfers and other athletes such as swimmers, kayakers, climbers, and ball players who all perform the same arm motions over and over. Both acute shoulder injuries and repetitive use injuries can be quite debilitating. A lot of times, they result in time out of the water,...