What's Your Next Surf Trip Going to Be?

the aging process sucks, doesn't it?

i surfed for 2 weeks straight at Pinilla, worst it got was some reef rash on a knee and an incredibly sore body. And I'm a huge fitness buff.

I guess the best training for surfing is...actually surfing lol

 

Last 18 months I have been going regularly (3-4 days / week) to lift weights at local gym. Now, by lifting, I mean working on machines using 75-80lbs for most machines --I use 14 of them, doing many repeats. No 200-300lb lifting for me. At age 67, no matter how much protein we take in, adding a lot of muscle mass is not a reality, unless, we take testosterone supplements, which I refuse to do. We are lucky to prevent more muscle loss.
So, has it been good for surfing?? I can say unequivocally yes, especially for paddling and arching my back up to paddle. My posture has improved as well, I am told.
But overall, it is correct to say only surfing prepares us for surfing.

 

Suite! Most likely Rincon for me in January again, for the second year in a row.

I'll be in California on business in a couple of weeks. Both SoCal and NorCal. I hope to get some surf in there, but I won't have much in the way of daytime hours to surf.

 

Yes, and yes. I tell myself that every time I'm in the "gym"... which, for me, is my son's bedroom. All I do is dumbbell work, sit-ups, pull-ups and pop-up/push-ups. My goal is not to build muscle mass, but to keep toned and build muscle endurance. I do surfing-specific weight training with low weights and higher reps. In my mid 50's, I just want to continue to surf at a level that keeps me happy and sane. And so far I've been able to achieve that with a good bench, a good set of dumbbells, an exercise ball, and a pull-up bar.

 

Yoga too?

 

this is how my trips to PR always ended up.....maybe 1-2 huge days, and another half dozen playful sized background swell days.

 

I am hoping for that for next week.

 

No yoga for me... just some simple stretching. Definitely not enough... but some.

Although I do see the benefits... seems like a thing for a lot of surfers. I don't know what I'm doing, so I'll leave that to them.

 

I got Yoga for Surfers years ago and swear by it. I think the first one is on Youtube.

 

It got taken down dude! I havnt been able to find it.

LB..... yoga is essentially just stretching. So if your stretching your good. But i will say if you do yoga, in my opinion, you got to commit. Pay attention to the breathing. When i first tried i just went through the motions and hated it. Figured i just stretch. Tried it again about a year later, fully embraced everything from the breathing to the hippy dippy "breath in life from the earth" crap. And man it was a totally different thing. Much more challenging and made me feel alot better afterwards

 

I think your absolutely right... all in if you're gonna do it.

 

well so much for the best laid plans. Southwest announced a boardbag embargo to SJO four days before my flight!

 

Just booked Barbados for a week in Feb. Taking our 6 month old. Hoping to score a few days.
Flying Jetblue, but it looks like they increased their boardbag fee to $100 each way - prob just rent unless the forecast is really promising.

I've looked over a ton of posts regarding Barbados...lots of recommendations to go, but not much feedback on actually being there (trip reports). Anyone have any experience?

 

No expert, but have been to BGI several times. Feel free to PM me, I don't want to jam up this treade.

 

Use sunscreen, especially for your child--you are much closer to equator, so do not be fooled, even if cloudy.

 

I was there last Feb during a big swell, PM if you want any info. Not my favorite island but had my fun. Be prepared to be offered the best weed and coke every five feet you walk.

 

Got off at Barbados during a cruise 2 years ago and found some fun little lines at pebbles beach in Bridgetown. I don’t think that’s the place you choose as a surf destination in Barbados, but I had a lot of fun. It was the clearest and most blue water I’ve ever surfed. That alone made it worth it to me, coupled with 80+ air and warm water. Got burnt to hell though, take the advice and block up.

 

Holy sh!t!! After 5 hours on the phone southwest finally fixed the issue of the embargo. I'm now flying into Liberia and drive to Esterillos.

 

that is a bit of a haul! Do you have to make the return trip with you depart?

are you heading down the coast and grabbing the ferry, or driving inland?
Aerenal is pretty cool if you're with others that do not surf and your not in a rush.

 

flying home from SJO. According to Google maps its 3.5 hrs right down rte 1.