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PILATES:
Long used as a training method by dancers and gymnasts, Pilates
has made it into the mainstream – and for good reason. A
Pilates workout will trim your tummy, perfect your posture, and
firm your fanny with just a few precision-like repetitions of
each exercise. Performed on the floor, Pilates exercises are extremely
effective in lengthening and strengthening the deep core muscles
of the body. These stabilizing muscles hug and protect our bones,
thereby improving balance and preventing injury -- both essential
for healthy surfing.
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YOGA
Top pros including Rochelle Ballard, Layne Beachley, Taylor Knox,
and Kelly Slater have all used yoga to stay loose, flexible, and
focused in the surf. Yoga is one of the best activities surfers
can do because it actually restores energy by nourishing and revitalizing
every cell of the body! Practicing yoga helps build flexible strength,
endurance, balance, and mental focus – all necessary for
fluid, powerful surfing. Yoga breathing or “pranayama”
increases lung capacity so you can stay calm and relaxed even
in a wipeout.
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There
are many varieties of yoga and different styles of teaching,
so be sure to shop around until you find a good fit. Let your
instructor know that you’re a surfer and ask for specific
poses that will open the shoulders, stretch the hips, and keep
the back strong and flexible.
“There are some very good restorative yoga poses like
child's pose and supported chest openers that make recovery
a lot more productive,” says Kurt Dabisch, a personal
trainer at Equinox Fitness Club in New York City. “Even
the active yoga poses like sun salutations and doing downward
dog to upward dog have a great effect on recovery. Besides helping
get the lactic acid out of the muscles, yoga poses result in
your feeling better than when you started”
Bonus: yoga increases your sense of well-being and inner strength.
Caution: avoid forcing yourself into unfamiliar or advanced
poses. Move at your own pace and listen to your body.
For more info on surf-specific yoga, check out the Yoga for
Surfers Instructional Video Series, www.yogaforsurfers.com For
general cross training yoga check out www.y4a.com (Check out
past SLW issues for articles on pre-surf yoga and yoga on your
surfboard.) |
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