Undulating with the Seasons

Staying in surf shape and maintaining fitness overall are not mutually exclusive.  We speak of undulating physical training, when we alternate intensity and duration of our workouts, rather than following a linear course, and the same applies to surfing.

As we experience an unusually cold winter with absurd amounts of snow that has taken up residence, paddling out has been less inspiring this season.  While there are always the temptations and the rationale to take those surf trips, it can be a great opportunity for fitness and surf routines to fluctuate.

To stay strong as a surfer, surfing all year is critical.  The variety of breaks, locations, and conditions, along with alternating levels of neoprene are the best ways to practice and increase repetition.  The downside is we are subjecting our bodies to overuse of the same muscle groups and perhaps narrowing our physical scope so much that we are weaker in other activities.  Most surfers are athletic in more than one area, and many intuitively understand the value in changing up the training.  Besides adding to our wellness, a variety of activities is much more fun.

Injuries

If you have one related to surfing, you can take a break from aggravating what likely needs some time to rest and to heal.  And if you are pushing through it, you risk overcompensating and straining other muscles causing new potential injuries.  If you are trying to protect that shoulder you may find yourself awkwardly paddling or putting more pressure on your other shoulder to do most of the work.  Choosing complimentary workouts that are not the same movement repeatedly will speed up your healing.

Motivation

Trying something different wakes up our muscles along with our brains, when we must orient ourselves to frozen water on a mountain, getting nimble on a reformer, increasing milage on a run, slowing down on a yoga mat.  If surf trips are the norm, its novel to go through your ski gear and pick a new mountain to try and scene to discover.  It’s surprising how quickly time passes and suddenly it has been a decade without a long-distance run, going snowboarding or trying something totally new and challenging.

Travel

Surfing can take us to the best places in the world, and visiting beautiful water around the planet is incredibly gratifying.  There is beauty to be found in hiking various landscapes, exploring new mountain chains and checking out new terrain by bike.  At the very least it’s an excuse to opt out of tropical paradise in exchange for alpine one.  Being out in nature is important to our well-being, longevity and health, so while it is not always surfing, it will be spectacular.  And your body will keep moving. Wherever your travels or activities take you, altering the intensity keeps you strong and connected to your favorite sport in the water.  In nature we observe rolling waves, rising and falling of the ocean’s surface, noting how the landscape undulates.  Our bodies should do the same.

Happy Surfing!