recovery n such

i have no relation to metard...good conspiracy theory though, best one i've read on here in a while

a lot of good information on here, and thanks to all that replied...i really underestimated the forum on this one...

jeepthrower, i'm interested in talking with you more about training, recovery, etc...i coach swimming and work with quite a few kids at just about the Junior nat level, at the junior nat level, or senior nat level. i tried to get them to get into ice baths after beat down days, but i don't think they bought into it. but i know that anyone and everyone at the Nat level is focused just as much on recovery (ice, compression, etc) as on training. seems like you gotta a bit of background knowledge in athletics and as a coach that implores his kids to be more athletic while supplementing there primary sport, it seems like you might have some ideas on training/recovery that could apply.

whey protein...i'll try it. sounds like beefed up chocolate milk. epsom salts worth a try too, as well as the yoga/flexibility - at this point in my age/routine i'm always up to switch it up. i think surfing is one of the most athletic things one can do, so the less sport specific and the more variety the better (when there's no swell or waves, that is).

stretching too is probably key. i've never done it and don't routinely do it. i've always been loose, and if not i just loosen up the more that i exercise and the longer i go, and continue to irresponsibly treat my body that way. given the highly anaerobic nature of the sport (which is highly different than what i've primarily done my whole life) as chuckboo, or chuckbiscuits, or whatever the latexpuncher alluded to a while ago, i may need to begin thinking/acting/training a little differently with better warm ups, stretching, all together.

to clarify...i don't sit in line with short-boarders, i'm usually way outside of them...almost with the longboarders (or the 9-10 ft variety) on the 7'6" but slightly in from them. as i said i do that to avoid the hassle of going all tweetle-beetle-paddle-battle with folks (if you don't get that reference, wellll)...although it inevitably happens at times. the trade off with that position is having to go at a higher effort and more strokes. but as i said, i use what i got. i could sit farther inside, but, meh. it takes a lof of effort but i get a ton of good, smooth, gentle drops with my typical line up...and when a set wave comes in i'm usually in a good position to make the effortless late/steep drop.

so thanks everyone. and all4blues, i upped my game a little tonight to some classic, but good sierra nevada PA...

 

for both open water races and surf work i go a lot of fly...nothing can quite duplicate the energy needed to do either of those activities like fly. you have to do it right, and you have to keep pace and form or it'll hurt even worse...just like not making it over a wave as you paddle back out.

another thing i like to do is go a sprint rep of 50-100 free with strokemaker paddles on (size red), take them off and try to go just as fast for an equal distance rep without them and repeating this a few times. i find this duplicates repeated paddle efforts on the board pretty well (the anaerobic power and lactic tolerance portion of surfing).

another thing i've found is good for hypoxic work or breath control as you alluded to above is breaststroke for me. on a typical cruise pace of :40-:42/50m (short course that is) i can go 4-5 strokes...that's not a whole lot of breathing /25 with reps up to 200m. i'll then up the pace and possibly allow 1 more stroke/25 but that's it. i love breastroke. nothing beats the feeling of the glide when the stroke is on.

backstroke is good just for loosening up the shoulders and working the legs. also, holding yourself down for 5 kicks off every wall helps with the hypox work too.

to all, again thanks for the input. as you can see i more or less have the training work down, but like i said before, i'm always up for suggestions to help beat any monotony and routine.

and with the recovery stuff, it's not at all that i can't move or am too sore or tired to go about my usual business. but i do notice somewhat of a decrease in ability if i go two 2-4 hr sessions within a 12-16 hr window. i think this is to be expected, at my age, as well as the way i approach waves. so i was wondering if anyone had suggestions on how to combat this, and i've gotten quite a bit of good feedback - thank you!

oh, and sisurdog...yeah, duck diving a 7'6" just does not happen for me...it's turtling all way. i haven't been able to fit another board into the budget, but i think my wife might crack this winter on a shorter board and i can't wait. the 7'6" santa cruz pumpkinseed has been great in so many ways and so many conditions...even with ankle to knee high stuff (but definitely works best in the waist to head high+ conditions). but i'm beginning to go from trimming and smooth gentle surfing up and down the wave, and now getting vertical on a wave and i feel like i need a little bit more agility in a board and a little bit more speed...fingers crossed that santa claus can fit a board in his sack.