Blogs

There are millions of boys who when confronted with the question “what would you like to be when you grow up?” would respond with Doctor, Pilot, Firefighter.    Consider changing their bedtime story book to Force of Nature and I guarantee you the answer to that very popular question will unanimously be “I WANNA GROW UP TO BE A BIG WAVE SURFER LIKE LAIRD HAMILTON”.

Many a surfer can call themselves fit, strong, in top physical shape, but none can come close to encompass the sheer power and force that is Laird Hamilton. Thanks to his famous surfer stepfather, Billy Hamilton, Laird has been cutting waves since the tender age of three.  He continues to amaze humanity by putting himself in the most harrowing situations imaginable and emerging unscathed.  Some of his notable achievements are breaking the European Windsurfing speed record, crossing the English Channel on a paddle board and surfing the wave called Teahupoo which was later labelled the heaviest wave ever ridden.  Laird is known as the guiding genius of cross-over board sports, and he is truly amazing and almost indestructible in the water.

So take these next few paragraphs as a test to your physical and mental abilities and see if you can keep up with the likes of one of the biggest surfing legends of all time.  Have a look at the tips below and get a quick sense of what it takes to walk a day in the shoes of Laird Hamilton (although he prefers to go barefoot).

EAT LIKE LAIRD:

Read more

The Downward Dog, Plank, Corkscrew and The Teaser are all common phrases used in the daily lives of world renowned surfers like Laird Hamilton, Sam Lamiroy, Tom Curren and Kelly Slater.

There is no need to blush, these are the names for positions used in the fitness routines of many surfers across the globe, as the art of Pilates and Yoga has been taken to the big blue.

Throughout the sands of time surfers have been improving their health and fitness regime to reach peak performance in the water. From breath hold training whilst running on sea beds to becoming one with Neptune through Yoga meditation poses. Surfers are always striving to find ways in which to improve their surfing abilities - body, mind and soul.

Read more

My first son was born at the beginning of Japan’s typhoon season. It was great knowing that I’d got him out and my stomach had shrunk in time for the big swells, but I underestimated how much time it would take me to get the strength to surf solid waves again. Despite remaining incredibly fit right throughout the pregnancy, only us mothers really can know just how draining childbirth is. Hours, sometimes of days, of incessant pushing through extreme pain is followed by feeding like a dairy cow every two hours adding to the sleepless nights that many husbands don’t realize we experience right throughout the last months of pregnancy. Then there’s the hormones…jumping and twirling all over the place, launching us into barrels of tears and bouts of depression no matter how grateful we are for our little bundles of joy. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Read more

Do you want to be a better surfer?  For anyone who surfs, the answer to that question is obvious.  No matter what level of surfing and how old one is, surfing involves a continuous striving to become more intimate with the wave, to get better and better at surfing.  Surfing involves many challenges both mental and physical and the enjoyment of waves depends to a large degree on how capable we are of not only riding the wave, but also involves the seemingly mundane activities of just paddling out and catching the waves.  Many skills are necessary to be a competent surfer-  we have to know where to paddle out, how to deal with waves breaking in front of or on top of us,  where to be in the lineup to best catch the wave, and how to maneuver our wave riding vehicle of choice down the line.  And that's just for starters- these are a few of the things that surfers have to be good at to in order to get the maximum enjoyment out of a session.  But being a surfer goes beyond fun and enjoyment- surfing can involve danger, too, especially as wave size increases, and being a good surfer means knowing what to do when situations get hairy.  

Most people understand that the best surfers are out in the ocean every day, constantly experimenting and getting feedback from the ocean.  The ocean, and ocean waves, have more to teach us than can be learned in a lifetime.  As a teacher, the ocean is impartial and doesn't care how old we are, what color our skin is, or how much money we have.  Becoming a better surfer means spending time in the ocean, period.  

Besides going out as often as you can, which is the best way to get good at surfing, there's not much else you can do to be a better surfer, right?  The reasoning goes that if there's no waves to be had for whatever reason, it's impossible to improve your surfing.  This kind of thinking can leave you feeling pretty bummed when the surf's flat or when you find yourself far from the ocean.  It can also lead to a vicious cycle where you paddle out, feeling out of shape, and find yourself struggling when you should be having fun. 

Fortunately, this scenario is completely unnecessary (within reason, of course- it's perfectly natural to feel slightly unhinged after many weeks without surf).  The truth is, there's tons that can be done even if you can't get in the water, things ranging from slightly helpful to things that can greatly improve your surf experiences and skills.  So instead of wallowing in your misery over lack of surf, train your mind and body to be surf-ready for when the surf comes up again- which it will!  By the time your feet hit the water, you will feel stronger, more confident, and more able to enjoy the challenges and magic that only a surfer knows.  In future posts, we will get into the details of how to do this, so stay tuned and keep surfing!