For the record I have to state that NOTHING can replace surfing. I’m tempted to explain why but it would take a lifetime….and I guess that’s why the blog : ) That aside there are some things I do to keep me physically and mentally prepared for my next surf. The 3 regulars in my life right now are: Skateboarding, Swimming & Tai Chi.
I grew up riding a regular short skateboard. I was mostly a street skater but would dabble in the Del Mar Skatepark before it’s unfortunate demolition. Those were the days when it was common to slam my body into the concrete repeatedly during the day as I learned new tricks or heaven-forbid I would hit a rock while cruising down the sidewalk! I just had a flashback to my college days. I had stayed up all night for a final in my physics class….appropriate! In a state of total delirium I decided I would skate to class to help get the juices flowing for the test. It was working. The cool morning air. filled my pores. My senses sharpened as I whizzed past the other strolling students. I was feeling ready to own that test……..and then I hit the eucalyptus seed! All that good energy I had built up was violently expelled as I body-slammed to the pavement. I don’t recommend staying up all night before a test.
Nowadays I have transferred my love of skating to a longboard. Straightaway it’s awesome because the weight and size of it seems to allow it to plow over those once menacing pebbles. I left the tricks behind too: no more ollies. These days it’s all about carving! My skate is about 3.5 feet long with some fat, soft, sticky wheels. I keep the trucks fairly loose. I could use some new bearings but it still goes fast enough to get the job done. I’m on a hiatus from riding my bike all over the city and my skateboard is now my main transport.
My bike gloves have transitioned nicely to skate gloves so I can go for the occasional blacktop hand drag. Any smooth flat or downhill surface provides a great place to ride. On the streets I’ll coast in the bike lane until traffic clears and then drift out into the lane as if dropping into a clean lined-up section. And then it’s all about getting low and getting in as many turns as I can before the next motorized 4-wheeler drops in on me. Sidewalks are fun too. The people, trees, fire hydrants & light posts make for good weaving obstacles….and they generally provide a smoother surface. One epic skate mission I experienced started long before sunrise. At 4:00am one morning 4 dudes and myself piled into a van and headed north across the Golden Gate bridge on route to Mt. Tamalpais. We drove as far as we could up the mountain and then grabbed our skates and helmets and hiked up the gated-off ranger road. Fog had enveloped most of our journey but about halfway up the curvy, tree lined street we broke free of the fog and were welcomed by the clear brightening sky and the lingering stars. We got to the top with just enough time to find a comfortable boulder seat for the show. Below us a blanket of fog sheltered the bay and with universal precision the new day began as the sun peeked its head above the eastern hills. We watched until our souls were charged and then we mounted our boards for the uninterrupted flow down, down, down….
Swimming has obvious value to any surfer. We are land animals. Surfing takes place in the ocean. The ocean is big and powerful. The only way to navigate the ocean (if your leash breaks..which it is known to do) is to be able to swim…well! So for that I swim.
I also started swimming to increase my paddle strength & endurance. After doing some varied style warm up laps I grab one of those hourglass shaped floatation devices and pinch it between my thighs. This floats my legs and allows me to pull myself through the water using only my upper body for an extended period. It’s a good surf simulator. The psychological benefits of knowing I can swim a great distance will be comforting on the bigger days.
The hidden benefit of swimming is the anti-gravity effect. All day long we are relentlessly mashed down by the force of gravity. The effects of this are clear in the shrinking and sagging bodies of our wise elders. The water provides support against gravity. It gives our joints and skeleton and skin a break. Thinking back to how our lives began in the warm, nurturing, suspension of our Mother’s womb gives support to there being some natural, healthy, life enhancing qualities to being surrounded by water.
Surfing is similar but not quite the same because our body is being smashed against the board. The ocean, however, has innumerable other healing qualities that surpass any swimming pool. Sounds like the best thing to do would be to add some bodysurfing to end of each session! : )
On a blown out day last year I was going for a walk along the boardwalk and came across a friend of mine, Sparky. He too was looking out over the sea for the one wave that would inspire him to paddle out. He shared with me one of his life secrets to good health and well-being [& better surfing!]….tai chi. Once I got that information I never looked back.
A common image that comes to mind when I think of tai chi is of old Chinese people moving slowly in a park. It’s actually a very fitting image. Tai Chi is one of the oldest exercises in Chinese history…so old that its beginnings come from the world of legends. Its purpose is simple: to extend life! Of course this is probably the most complicated simple task I can think of…but that’s beside the point : ) The neat thing is that it works. Remember the image: OLD Chinese people. And not only are they old they are moving in ways that most people half their age cannot!
I began by going to the source. I found a group that practices everyday: rain, wind, fog, whatever happens they practice! That’s part of the magic: discipline. The group consisted of about 35 people…all Chinese….95% women…and 95% looked over the age of 65. For an hour they practiced Qi Gong & Tai Chi. And then they would do 30-minutes of line-dancing! Here were a group of ‘old’ people that had found the fountain of youth. To move like them at there age would truly be a gift. A few of them would take turns leading each day. It was totally free to join. And all were welcome. I learned a lot from them but there was no direct teaching so I searched out another group.
In search of a group that I heard practiced in Golden Gate park I stumbled across another small group of people practicing under the trees by the lake. Again they welcomed me to the group. This class was led by a middle-aged Chinese man who 10 years prior had a serious back injury. After unsuccessfully trying everything to fix it he found tai chi…..and it worked. His back is stronger than it’s been his entire life….and you can see it in the way he moves! He teaches the class for free as a way to give back for all tai chi has given him. His passionate teaching was an inspiration. I’ve taken the fundamental teachings from him and now simply use a dvd to learn. It’s not ideal but it’s the best way to keep things going with my schedule.
The advantages of this practice are many. One of the cool things about tai chi is that all I need to practice is a flat surface. Recently, I’ve been using the tennis court near my house. This has a perk because when I’m done I skate around a bit. The court surface is extra-‘grippy’ allowing for sharp turns. I’ve also been playing with walking the length of my board as if I were surfing a longboard…..oooh, I want a longboard so bad! : )
As far as tai chi and surfing. One of the fundamental movements is a twisting of the torso with the knees in a bent position…..prime surfing movement! The movement is done slowly which builds strength throughout every position of the movement. The slow movement also brings awareness to the limits and potential of the body. It’s surprising to find out how difficult it is to move slowly for an extended period of time…physically & mentally! And that’s the other huge bonus of tai chi: development of concentration. Mind & body become trained to work as one. And according to the legend if you are diligent in your practice you can achieve immortality……I’d be stoked to be an old healthy guy in the line-up : )
As a bonus I’ve been able to add one of my old standby’s back into my life: Yoga. My wife teaches Pilates at Bernal Yoga and they allow spouses to take unlimited yoga classes. So Respectable!!!
When I was in Australia I knew this guy, Fish, who was a farmer. Every night he would get absolutely wasted on drugs and alcohol. I watched this for a couple months and then one day said, “Fish, why do you do this to yourself?” With a corner smile he replied, “We’re all going to die……..it would be a waste to die healthy.” And then we laughed : )
He had a point and to it I would add: To die is certain…..to live is not.
Let's strive to LIVE!
