Yallingup surfer Mark Dumesny has practiced yoga for many years and is fit and flexible.
Images: 2015 Mark stretching pre surf at Yalls. Bruce King pics.
The good news is even if you are not fit and flexible like Mark, you can still derive benefits from Yoga.
Jackie Clarke runs Essential Yoga in Busselton and Dunsborough
Jackie and her family are keen surfers in the Margaret River region and beyond.
Photo: 2018 Jackie Clarke surfing Sultans in the Maldives.
As all surfers know there’s nothing better in life than a good surf!
But it’s not getting easier as we get older to compete with all the hungry young surfers. What a pity it’s so popular now………. and why did we teach our kids……… anyway…
These are my top five essential exercises to keep the body surfing well until old age:
1. Regular surfing – The most important one is to KEEP SURFING!!!! No excuses like too big, too small, too windy, too crowded, too inconsistent, tides too high/low etc etc. Just be like a grommet and GET OUT THERE.
2. Squats – you have to be able to bend your knees to surf well. Many older surfers get such stiff hips, knees, ankles that they can’t bend their knees much, therefore crap style
3. Push-ups and burpees/jump ups – It is essential to maintain upper body strength and some explosive power for jumping to feet. It’s great to do land jump ups alternating natural and goofy stance.
4. Core exercises to strengthen flexors (muscles in front of body) – surfers have relatively strong backs compared to abdominals. There’s also lot of wear and tear/ degeneration on cervical discs due to holding up heavy head from paddling. It’s especially bad for surfers with long necks and big heads! Practice exercises like Yoga boat pose to maintain a balance of strength in front and back of spine.
5. Spinal mobilization exercises – if you want to stay young for all movement in life from surfing to walking freely (down to Lefties) then you need to keep your spine free in all directions. Yoga cat/cow, up-dog/down-dog, spinal rotations/twists and lateral flexion (side to side releases.)
I do recommend a regular yoga class to keep the whole body mobile, strong and balanced, as well as a regularly lowering those age accelerating neurotransmitters that build up. Of course I am a yoga teacher so I will say that – but I can promise you 100 % that good yoga and pilates will help your surfing tremendously.
Good luck people and KEEP GETTING WET.
Image: 2018 Jackie surfing mum Margs.
Image: 2015 Yoga article by Jackie Clarke in Busselton-Dunsborough Mail Newspaper.
A big thank you to Jackie for her health and fitness tips.
This is Part 2 of our Surfing for life health and fitness series – The Five Best Exercises For Surfing Longevity by Jackie Clarke
Click on this link to view Part 1. Health and Nutrition by Craig Hitchens
Yallingup surfer Mark Dumesny has practiced yoga for many years and is fit and flexible.
Images: 2015 Mark stretching pre surf at Yalls. Bruce King pics.
The good news is even if you are not fit and flexible like Mark, you can still derive benefits from Yoga.
Jackie Clarke runs Essential Yoga in Busselton and Dunsborough
Jackie and her family are keen surfers in the Margaret River region and beyond.
Photo: 2018 Jackie Clarke surfing Sultans in the Maldives.
As all surfers know there’s nothing better in life than a good surf!
But it’s not getting easier as we get older to compete with all the hungry young surfers. What a pity it’s so popular now………. and why did we teach our kids……… anyway…
These are my top five essential exercises to keep the body surfing well until old age:
1. Regular surfing – The most important one is to KEEP SURFING!!!! No excuses like too big, too small, too windy, too crowded, too inconsistent, tides too high/low etc etc. Just be like a grommet and GET OUT THERE.
2. Squats – you have to be able to bend your knees to surf well. Many older surfers get such stiff hips, knees, ankles that they can’t bend their knees much, therefore crap style
3. Push-ups and burpees/jump ups – It is essential to maintain upper body strength and some explosive power for jumping to feet. It’s great to do land jump ups alternating natural and goofy stance.
4. Core exercises to strengthen flexors (muscles in front of body) – surfers have relatively strong backs compared to abdominals. There’s also lot of wear and tear/ degeneration on cervical discs due to holding up heavy head from paddling. It’s especially bad for surfers with long necks and big heads! Practice exercises like Yoga boat pose to maintain a balance of strength in front and back of spine.
5. Spinal mobilization exercises – if you want to stay young for all movement in life from surfing to walking freely (down to Lefties) then you need to keep your spine free in all directions. Yoga cat/cow, up-dog/down-dog, spinal rotations/twists and lateral flexion (side to side releases.)
I do recommend a regular yoga class to keep the whole body mobile, strong and balanced, as well as a regularly lowering those age accelerating neurotransmitters that build up. Of course I am a yoga teacher so I will say that – but I can promise you 100 % that good yoga and pilates will help your surfing tremendously.
Good luck people and KEEP GETTING WET.
Image: 2018 Jackie surfing mum Margs.
Image: 2015 Yoga article by Jackie Clarke in Busselton-Dunsborough Mail Newspaper.
A big thank you to Jackie for her health and fitness tips.
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