Finding Balance
The days of surfing with minimal gear are numbered. The slow accumulation of neoprene begins and soon, we are covered from head to toes. Carefree, spontaneous stints in the water now need meticulous planning; having the right layers, the longer ritual of getting dressed, a warmup plan after. Winter surfing forces our bodies to adjust from feeling free on a wave to more restriction and can bring about injuries if we are not prepared. Taking preventative action in and out of the water will help the adjustment to catching waves in bigger, colder surf.
Surfing as your main form of exercise is just not consistent enough to count as your sole source of fitness. Some areas of focus include working on your core, balance, breathing, muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance. You want to feel stable and mobile on your board while surfing without threat of getting hurt, keeping you from what you love to do.
Find opportunities to practice balance; on a balance board, Bosu ball, standing yoga poses, not holding on to anything while on the subway. Balance erodes with age anyway so start practicing now. Keep up the paddling, in and out of the water. Whether on a board or freestyle in the water, on a bench or ball at the gym, keep your muscles moving. If you are skiing or snowboarding this winter, you are working on your core and leg muscles, which will help you when you are back on your surfboard. The goal is to maintain your rotational power in your limbs, as the winter is rife with potential injuries from the colder climate, heavier suits, and larger swells. Stiff joints and overworked muscles are a result from more restriction while your spine, neck, shoulders and lower back are particularly susceptible to absorbing increased demands on the body.
Tiring faster in the cold is an initial shock if you are used to being active for a longer stretch of time. Like being on the mountain, wrap up your session before getting sloppy and making mistakes. Arching the back and paddling with more gear, hindering full movement in the shoulders are offset by more sun salutations on land, hanging from a pull-up bar and doing plenty of supine spinal twists on the floor.
Have you noticed a difference in your breathing on a run in the winter versus a hot summer day? Your cardio and breathing needs different managing in the winter when the cold air is restrictive and requires more energy. Your sudden paddle bursts will feel that much harder, so mix in some interval sprints in your swimming, running and any high intensity training. Keep up your strength training (or get started) with squats and lunges, protecting your tendons and practicing correct alignment for stability and longevity on the board. We love the idea of practicing pop-ups on the ground, keeping up your planks, side planks and mountain climbers for overall core training and flexibility. The reward will come in the form of easing into and out of winter waves, preparing you for an easy summer once the layers come off. Happy surfing!