Heavy Backpacking for Surfing Training and Balance Training

Aloha Tribe,

Yesterday, I went on my daily hike in the mountains.And I wore a moderately heavy backpack, at least for me, since typically, I prefer to travel Ultralight as a backpacker.

In my pack, I carried my Tree Yoga straps as well as my slackline kit, so that I could practice both in the mountains on my hike.

As I walked up the mountain, stopping at every rock, boulder, branch and tree, that looked promising and met my needs, I practiced balancing and walking on them. It was then that I noticed that my backpack kept my weight high on my shoulders, which, totally changed the feel and rhythm of my balancing, working my core stabalizing muscles in new and unique ways, offering them challenges as my increased weight shifted much easier and more dramatically.

I realized that using something like a backpack or a weighted vest, that I could work my balancing muscles just as though I were training any muscle in a gym, thereby making them stronger, thus, making balancing for surfing or slacklining or tightrope walking all the more easier without my backpack.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley