Mavericks: the surfers body.

Whilst crying at the end of Chasing Mavericks, this probably being my 60th time of watching it, I began to conjure a blog post related to the reoccurring plot theme of hard work. 

Being a land locked surfer makes training for surf that little bit trickier as the saying goes;

'...the only way to train for surfing is to go surfing,' 
which is true. 

That being said there are some things I believe you can do pre trip to help your body recover quicker post surf and make the most of your limited time at the beach. 

1. Train like an athlete. 

Swimming didn't work for me, training for a marathon didn't work for me - what built a surfer body (i.e. strong core, big arms, broad shoulders) was yoga. 

Now I know I'm biased being a yoga teacher but I swear an hour (my usual) or even just 20 minutes a day (ok, my actual usual)! Has made a difference to my physicality. I am leaner so I'm quicker in my pop ups, all those chatarangas and downward facing dogs have built my triceps up which are one of the primary muscles we use in paddling, and I have a strong core which certainly helps towards balance. I couldn't paddle mavericks but I know that considering my location and lack of surfing I've managed to keep a certain level of fitness up which is what I'll need when I surf Norway next week. 

I think it's important to remember that surfers come in all shapes and sizes you don't have to look like an Abercrombie & Fitch model to be able to surf, but I think the important cues from yoga - listening to your body, focusing on your breath, developing a strong mind are all great things to hone. 

2. Have a mantra. 

As Frosty in Chasing Mavericks so aptly said 'Fear is useful, panic is dangerous,' when I feel scared in a set or am starting to get fatigued I have a little mantra or phrase which helps me keep focused and above all safe in the water. 

If things are going ok I say over and over in my mind 'Samsara is Nirvana' which is the Buddhist way of saying no pain, no gain! Paddle, paddle, paddle! 

If I'm shit scared and a wave is about to break on my head I usually say:

'Get your shit together.' 

Mantras are personal so pick one that feels right to you! 

3. Get a Forecast. 

I am a habitual procrastinator but pre trip I do look at forecasts, get travel insurance and remember to do admin things to ensure my trip goes as well as possible. I have been stranded on an Island, had my bank card stolen in the airport, got so sick I've had to go to hospital, nearly drowned and even been held at gun point - could you imagine how much worse all of these would have been if I didn't know the swell, the area or not got travel insurance!!!! 

4. Eat to thrive.  

I'm not a qualified nutritionist but I am a qualified yoga teacher, who has studied the yogic lifestyle, which seems to have been helping yogis for thousands of years! The Yogic diet is based on the three gunas which is a way of eating to aid mindfulness, I have written in depth about it here. 
I am going to keep this brief as there is a wealth of information out there and I think healthy eating is very personal to the individual, you have to get to know your own body and the fuel which makes it operate at it's functional best. In my personal example, I have found a mostly vegan diet with occasional halloumi cheats has kept me strong and cleared my skin, cutting out sugar from my tea has given me more energy and preparing meals from scratch has really made a difference. 

(Top Tip: Bulk cook on Sundays or buy ingredients as and when for recipes. I've found this has saved me a lot of time and ensures I don't waste money on supermarket deals and promotions as I only buy what I need for that nights meal). 

I think the most important gift you can give to your health is the gift of compassion. When it's moon cycle (which is the hippie way of saying period), I don't deny myself chocolate or a little dairy. I've learnt to not be too hard on myself which I was doing when I became a strict vegan. The issues are still very important to me but I can't discuss sustainability, cruelty etc when I am making myself ill or depleted. 

5. Think way of life. 

Although I still call myself a 'land locked surfer' I try my best to stop compartmentalizing myself purely because I don't live by the sea and am not a pro surfer. Surfing makes me goofy happy and that's important but like everything in life I'm not what I do. The way I make people feel and the compassion I show others and this planet is the point. I don't have to have long hair, a tan, I don't have to surf everyday or ride a short board to be a surfer - You've got to have soul baby. 

6. And finally... 

Watch some surf films - there's nothing like Chasing Mavericks, Blue Crush or my beloved Point Break which gets me ready for a surf sesh! 

Until next time lovebugs! 

Mahalo! 

x 

Top Tips for Surf Trips!

As much as surfing is about catching that perfect wave its also about exploration. Being the co creator of the Land Locked Surfers club means I've become a bit of a dab hand at organizing and packing having stayed in everything from tents, to caravans, to posh apartments!

Having made pretty much every mistake going when trying to pack for a surf trip (not enough jumpers, no waterproofs, forgetting my WETSUIT...yeah I've been that stupid before) I have a few fail safe tips for your next (or first) surf trip! 

1. FIND RADIATORS.

Go with 'radiator people' the kind who make you feel awesome about yourself, who you'll have a good laugh with and help progress your surfing. You don't have to find pro's to surf with, beginners with heaps of enthusiasm are just as essential to you when your first start. Having surfed both solo and with groups I'll always pick surfing with friends because it brings a totally different energy to your session and in terms of safety its always good to have more eyes in the water to look out for those rip currents. Make sure your with open minded and adaptable people, the kind who don't moan too much because anything from wild camping to flat spells can all be potential problems! 

2. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.

When I organize a surf trip I do the following I ask myself the following questions:

- Where am I drawn to?
- Does it have consistent waves? 
- Is there stuff to do if it's flat?
- Is it accessible by public transport if needs be? 
- Can all levels get something from the break? 

Asking myself these questions helps me tailor a trip to accommodate everyone's needs. I often use magicseaweed.com as a source of inspiration or simply running a Google search to find reviews about potential surf spots helps. The real beauty of surf exploration is rocking up to breaks which feel far away from the maddening crowd. As several Land Locked members don't drive however I always like to make sure there's public transport near so they can at least get to the main tourist beach (after that we usually car share and ferry people across to new found breaks). 

3. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE PREVAILS 

Locals know best, respect the locals and you'll have an awesome trip. In all the surf trips we've done around the UK we've never encountered 'Localism' and that's having surfed everywhere from Scotland to Cornwall. There are good people everywhere and if you are friendly, polite and don't drop in you can make some friends along the way. Recently in Pease Bay we met local surfers who not only told us where to wild camp but let us use their boards overnight! Yes people are that cool!

4. TOWELS, TOWELS, TOWELS. 

Always pack more towels than you think you need, a wet wet suit is one thing but using a cold damp towel to get dry for three days is downright awful. 

5.  SOYA ALL THE WAY 

I always pack two cartons of soya milk if camping, not only because I'm vegan but because soya milk can be left outside a fridge and still be ok. 

6. PLAN FOR FLAT DAYS.

The burden of being land locked and a full time worker is that you have to plan trips months in advance with no knowledge of whether the waves are going to be good. You can always use historical data about a surf spot and seasons can help to a degree but there is always an element of chance when rocking up to a surf spot. In the past we've had a Halloween themed party in a caravan, hours of fun in a local leisure pool and visited an Aquarium when the surf has been flat. No waves is annoying but it doesn't have to mean a ruined surf trip! 

7. GET YOUR 'OM ON! 

I try my best to do a bit of yoga when I'm away not only because I get a kick out of it but because being flexible and training your core strength can make a massive difference to your surfing. Stretch before you go in and you'll protect your muscles in the long run! 

8. CAR SHARE. 

Surfing has the potential to not be so great for the environment if you travel miles and miles to reach a destination. If you have the ability to do so split petrol costs and travel in shared cars. That and it makes miles of motorway less boring!! 

9. BE OPEN MINDED. 

Heaping expectation onto something is never a good thing, try to be open minded remembering that every trip is an experience and every surf sesh is an opportunity to learn something. Sometimes I wouldn't surf too well and I'd spend the rest of the session getting frustrated. It was only when I stopped worrying about how I looked that I surfed well and more importantly had a good time! 

10. HAVE A PLAYLIST AND TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS! 

I think the title says it all, (I've made you a playlist which will stay up on the blog for a few days, this is the kind of stuff I make Mr Sunny listen to when we're driving off into the distance)!!

Until next time 
Stay strong, surf well
Love