i recently met an experienced and well traveled surfer who claims that his daily yoga sessions significantly improve his surfing skills. what do you guys think? agree/disagree? is there anyone of you never/always does yoga and still shreds/sucks? also do you have any recommendations for surfing yoga dvds? i did a couple free yoga sessions at my college and i really enjoyed it but some of the poses felt like complete mystic-hippy bs. and besides, theyre only once a week and in instances like tonight's id rather watch monday night football.
no doubt about it Yoga is helpful. It increases agility, strength, calmness. Good for the whole body. I recommend.
After much deliberation about Yoga and what it would do for me... Finally, I decided to seriously try it for an extended period of time, because of back problems (herniated disc)... There are many variations and spins on Yoga (Power, Vinyasa, Hot, etc...) based on instuctor and participants/students preferences. It really depends on what you want to get out of it... There are some surfing Yoga vides that I've seen advertised in Mags, etc... but never tried them. I don't think there is any direct correleation to Yoga making your surfing skills better. However, I would say that I think that it can strengthen your core, legs and upper body, it increases your flexibility, balance and muscle endurance/stamina. With all of those benefits its bound to make you better equiped as an athelete and ultimiatly improve your potential to shred... so to say!
Ya, need to give it a try, and see if it is for you. Try some classes, and then you can learn the poses and do it on your own and in the classes (if you like the classes). Each teacher is different. My favorite style is the Hatha yoga, where it is much more slow paced and you hold each pose for a longer time, in comparison to the the Vinyasa yoga where it is more aerobic and you are shifting from one pose to another in a more fluid, flowing manner.
not sure if it will help your surfing, but i've heard yoga classes can be a great place to meet hot chicks
Try Kickboxing,Insane workout.Great for balance and as far as cardio goes I would say not too many sports compare to it.
Yoga is a great way to build core strength, flexibility, balance and a clear mind, all things needed to shred. Totally agree it helps your surfing. And the Betty's in the classes are a definite plus..
Everything everybody else said...I tried it out for the first time when I started doing P90X and I was amazed at how much more flexibility I had after doing it...as well as helping with balance and core...and breathing Give it a shot, can't hurt to try it, and if your leery about going to a class, pick up P90X and do that version...it's an hour and a half...I usually only do about an hour's worth a week, modify...but yeah it helps...
Agreed The P90X Yoga session is very good stuff. As the Admin... said... I concur and enjoy Yoga sessions where your holding poses for long periods of time. Its tougher than **** and can really kick your a$$, but its great for you.
Yoga does wonder for my the mind and body. Just so advice if your new to it take a few classes to learn proper technique so you don't hurt your self
I do yoga everyday. Deflinately helps with daily life and surfing. Yoga for Surfers is an excellent yoga series. I think they use Tommy Carrol and one of their participants. I started it years ago when I broke 7 ribs in my back from hitting a tree skiing. I still ski. Not to mention after the accident I started surfing more than ever cause the action of surfing helped my back. I'm also a musician and sitting at the piano for hours takes its toll. Learn the sun salutation first. Its easy and there are lots of videos and classes that start with it. Really helps with deep breathing, focus and flexibility. Aum Sweet Aum
I am 39 and I find maintaining flexibility gets soo much tougher - and more important - as you get a bit older. I have the first Yoga for Surfers video and really, really like it. I keep meaning to get the next ones. They even have in-water stretches to do between sets that I've found really helpful. I don't do a lot of actual yoga, but I incorporate a lot of yoga moves into the 15-20 minutes of stretching I do every day, usually while watching tv or whatever. It's really helped with my back pain and my bad rotator cuff.
there are other long older threads about yoga surfing here on swellinfo. don't ever say anything bad about it or else you will be not a cool surfer.
What he said....Just my two cents. I've always done a little yoga to maintain flexibility but I more or less fell out of shape with college. After college I decided I needed to get back into shape and the P90 really kicked my butt. The program got me into the best shape I've ever been and really helped take my surfing to another level. Two years later I'm still doing the program, although not as intense as now it is a modified program that includes the yoga routine once a week. Some of you may not have the patience for a 90 minute yoga session, but if you want a serious yoga routine that makes you work and gives results, check out the p90.
Yoga can be great for your flexibility and surfing. I know several top notch surfers on the west coast that do either Vanyasa Flow or Bikram Hot Yoga every day. Gerry Lopez is really into yoga and he still rips on the surf and snow. There are several really good Surfing for Yoga DVD's demostrating Vanyasa Flow especially centered on surfing. Yoga for Surfers by Peggy Hall comes in three versions from beginer to advanced. Peggy Hall, Rochelle Ballard and Taylor Knox demostrate the postures and some cool surfing. Rochelle Ballard has recently made her own. If you are going to a class I would reccomend going to hot yoga either Bikram or Vanyasa Flow which are the two available in my area. The hot sessions loosen you up more easily and are more of a work out. If you do everything right you will knwo that you have been there for a real work out. Drink a lot of water before you go. There are also plenty of in shape women at most of the classes too. Good luck, try it.
If you are a novice or beginning surfer, Yoga will not really affect your surfing. But if you have been surfing for a long time and have a good skillset, as you get older, Yoga WILL definately help your surfing. For advanced turns, moves, airs and everything else cool in surfing, it requires a lot of flexibility. I went out and bought the Yoga for surfers a year ago or so because it was becoming increasingly harder to lean down really quickly and grab rail etc... It is really important to have a solid center of gravity and be able to grab your rail and guide it through the air, through barrels and everything else.... Yoga for surfers helped get my flexibility in check. So that over all output of your surfing is increased quite a bit.... But Yoga will not help you get better at surfer, it will just fine tune what you are already doing.
