Snoqaulmie River Flooding: Du Zhu Piao - Chinese Single Bamboo Pole Drifting, Suspended Pole Balancing, and Birling: Ancient Chinese and American Timber versions of Surfing

Aloha Tribe,

Today, in the Pacific NW, the Snoqualmie River is flooding, it's about a foot over flood stage at the moment and should, by the evening, be more than 4 foot above flooding. Naturally, it's a perfect day for practicing Du Zhu Piao (standing on a 6" diameter, 12 to 24 foot long single pole of bamboo) and Birling Driving (riding a log - about 11" in diameter down a river while standing on it as it races through the rapids). Both sports way enhance your surfing, by the way, and, more so, are must knows for any Watergirl.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Soul Surfer Heart Meridian: Living and Surfing with total Stoke

Aloha Tribe,

All of us, at one time at least, were Soul Surfers. We surfed, for the pure joy of it. For the feeling we got as we glided upon the water. For, the Stoke. Yet, over time, some, perhaps many, lose their Stoke, at least, the Stoke that they always strive to regain.

In Chi Gung, Chi or energy travels through, around, and also beyond our body. Within our bodies, we have pathways called Meridians. There are numerous ones, such as the Kidney Meridian and the Liver Meridian, as well as Vessels, such as the Conception Vessel, and so on. The one that seems to relate to all surfers though, that is, the strongest of all of them, which is exemplified in our surfing, in how we view surfing, and, in how we live, is, the Heart Meridian.

Interestingly enough, each of our Meridians is associated, not only with a given organ, such as the Heart, but also, with particular emotions. In the case of the Heart Meridian, the emotion that is linked to it is the emotion of joy, what we'd call extreme Stoke.

Surfer's in general are some of the happiest people on the planet, for we are doing something, and living a lifestyle, formed around the activity of playing and living in joy. In a way, most of us are like a bunch of kids, that is, our inner child is alive and well and waxing up our boards even the second we get out of the water, for yet another session.

As surfers, we have strong hearts, and, that means we have strong Heart Meridians, which means we are healthy and happy. And, what a cool lifestyle, you know.

Being a Soul Surfer, I surf for the love of doing our art. The pure love of surfing. That's what Soul Surfing really means to most all surfers.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Bundoran, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day

Aloha Tribe,

The place to be for tomorrow, what with it being St. Patrick's Day and all, sounds like Bundoran Ireland. So, grab your green board, mine's a Hawaiian Blades Thruster, hop on a plane, and jet over tonight for the beginning of the party. It'll be a day of surfing, feasting, thriving in the beautiful Irish weather and landscape, and, of course, contemplating on  and wishing all the best for all the wee folk.

Bundoran is a beautiful magical spot, and, a great place for a St. Patrick's Day feast and celebration, and a bit o' a surf. All who can, let's meet there. Bring beer if you got it, food if you can, a green board's a must, and above all else, a smile.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Bottom Turn Pump vs. Lateral Zigzag Shimmy for Flat Sections and Top Turn Timing

Aloha Tribe,

Eh Brahs, I wanted to talk about Bottom Turn Pumps vs. Lateral Zigzags for those sections of the face that are flatter, and, for where you need or chose to improve the timing for your Top Turns and Off the Tops.

Everybody, of course, uses Bottom Turn Pumps, after all, you see it all the time with the Pros, and thus, we all blindly mimic it without thinking, after all, it works. Yet, to me, it's a rather very unaesthetic action, resembling sort of a frantically frenetic humping, in a sense. Instead, I've come up with a move that's so much more beautiful and stylish and, oh so much faster.

I call it the Lateral Zigzag Shimmy, and, basically, what you're doing is when you're in the flats, in a long section before a second peak that you want to hit, you Zigzag your board at an ever increasing tempo, allowing your rails to lift your board for faster planing, and, allowing gravity to work for you as you race down the bottom of the face you're working with each successive Zigzag. In a sense, the move feels rather like when you're on your skateboard, and, you're going to fast, and your front truck begins to shimmy your board back and forth faster and faster, until, often, you wipe out unless you can regain control through absorbing the extra energy with your feet, ankles, and legs, and hips.

The Lateral Zigzag Shimmy is a lighting quick way to increase your speed, using centrifical force, planing, and gravity all in your favor, and more so, the faster you allow yourself to carve, the faster you'll glide at breakneck stylish speed instead of ending up looking like some hormone enraged ape desperately trying  to get laid. Sure, strong words, but, style is everything, you know. And, why imitate the masses when you can simply branch out in originality and individualization? Dream. And, dare.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Stealth Slacklining for Surfing Creativity

Aloha Tribe,

Slacklining or walking a slack rope is a great way to keep in shape for surfing. Personally, I love the rope, I love the way manilla feels, it's relatively easy to get, though webbing is easier to find in many places nowadays, and, it moves so nice. Besides, it looks good.

I've tried all different diameters of rope, and my favorite is 2" manilla, though, that's a bit hard to carry around, especially if you're thinking of using it for Stealth Slacklining.

So, get whatevers you can, preferably, something that will blend into the environment where you are. For the most part, Stealth Slackling is an urban sport that I've been working on. Basically, you simply carry some webbing or rope in a backpack, and set up quickly, anywhere in the city that looks ideal, preferably, in a spot that is rather illegal to be there. The idea, of course, is simply to have fun, but, by setting up your art, where you want to set your art up, it adds an element of artistic expression unbounded by conformity and rules.

Most if not almost all slackliners use carabiners for setting up their lines, but, as I have mentioned before, using my Primitive Slacklining System, namely, simply using knots, all you need is the webbing or rope which saves you weight and money, and, it adds an element of style to it since the primitive system is outside of the box of what everybody else does.

The idea here is to slackline in places that you'd skateboard. In other words, find anyplace that looks crazy, wild, and fun. Between two buildings if you're into highlinging, over water which is always fun and beautiful, between trees or lightposts, or even hooked up to cars, after all, why not? Between two boats or a boat and a dock is great fun, by the way, with the added challenge of the swaying boat or dock, you've got to try it!!!

Wear clothes that blend in. Use a slackline or rope that blends in, learn to tie your knots quickly, set up your line, and, do your art. No limits!!!

By doing Stealth Slacklining, you're like the surfers of yesteryear who had to sneak across private land to surf a break. Most of us conform too easily today, in our surfing, and, in our slacklining. Well, I say, cut the harness loose and run unbridled and you'll learn to free your art in ways open to new creativity and wild insight.

By doing Stealth Slacklining, the point is that you'll find new ways to express your art that you normally would not have even considered. For example, suspend your line at an angle uphill or downhill. Or set up a zigzag shaped line. Or maybe connect several lines or ropes together, creating a sort of spiderweb effect or like the spokes of a wheel so several of your friends can all walk interconnected lines simultaneously, which, adds a broader sense to your balance as you have to harmonize your movements with your friends, just like surfing on a Party Wave.

The point of this is not only to have fun but also to open yourself to new paths of creativity, which, then can be applied in everything you do, including in how you surf. In other words, learn to adapt the concepts of everything to your slacklining or balance arts of any type or surfing, and, you'll find yourself opening new envelopes of ingenuity daily.

Personally, for my Stealth Slackling, I prefer, black slacklines that I carry around in a black backpack. I guess it gives me a sort of catburglar kind of feel to my training that I find fun. When I was in Scotland, in Edinbourgh, I studied a bit about the guy who was the real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was a guy who was a thief. And, he often traveled on tops of the buildings. Now, I'm sure he didn't use ropes to tightrope on, but, that's one of the things I studies as I walked the streets their each night. It would have been so easy, in the old district where he plied his trade, to stretch a rope across the street at rooftop height on dark nights, to safely cross from one side to the other as a second story artist. It was fun exploring where to hang my ropes while I was there.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Moving Small With Focus Rather Than Large Movements Unaware

Aloha Tribe,

So, what is the secret of surfing? Being aware of what you're doing. Truly aware. Fully, totally, 100% aware. Aware not only of every single muscle movement in your body, but more, how the internal fluids of your body move too, including blood flow, oxygen flow, and mostly, Chi flow. More so, we also need to be aware of what our board is doing, and, what the wave is doing, as well as where we are in space in relation to the wave, and all obstacles in the water, including other surfers, animals, rocks, logs, or anything else that might be out there.

So, how can we develop such awareness? Well, to get a general idea, go and rent or buy the movie Men Who Stare At Goats starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, and Jeff Bridges. It was originally a book, by the way, by John Ronson. Now sure, the movie spoofs a bit with Star Wars, using terms like Jedi and such, but, the concept behind the film is total Chi awareness using principles of Chi Gung. Sure, it's just a movie, and, it has nothing seemingly to do with surfing, yet, the awareness of ones self that the movie is about, is, really, what surfing at a high level is about.

Now then, back to surfing. When you surf, pay attention to how your body moves, and, how each and every muscle moves. Sure, you might say that you simply do it, but, the thing is, a much much deeper level than that, is to truly be aware of what you are doing, exactly as you are doing it. For there, lays the heart of mastery.

The way to do this is to experiment with your body. Try moving your weight a bit this way or that way as you surf, and, see what happens. Try weighting and unweighting one foot or the other. Move your arms in different positions. Allow your body weight to shift and flow, and, notice what happens. Above all, be aware. The smaller, the more focused your movements, the more you can understand what is happening as you surf, how, and, why. And armed with this, you then have a blueprint to experiment with, and thus, you can push your level to any height you chose to aim for in surfing.

Do not let limitations hinder you. Do not take someone elses style or word for this or that being the way to do something. Instead, find out how you surf, how your body works, how your board rides, and, what your break truly is like. And, with all that, play. The more relaxed you are, the more freely your energy or Chi flows, and thus, the more you can sense what you are doing, what your board is doing, what the wave is doing, and, how all these things fit together.

Don't buy into the idea that you can not and nobody can truly think as they surf. That idea is nonsense, perpetuated simply by those who have not yet learned, nothing more. You can be fully and totally aware of every microsecond of your surfing, of all that your body, board, and wave are doing, and more so, you can think fast enough to change any of these or at least how you respond to them.

Instead of surfing blindly, simply riding, allow your mind to truly speed with lighting and then allow your body to follow, for when you can do this, you can dance on water.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

You Shoulda Been Here: Last Weekend's Surfer Party

Aloha Tribe,

You shoulda been here over the weekend this past weekend. It was a great surfer party. Super waves. Tons of food and drink. Lots of Surf Movies. Much Talk Story.

I made...

Kalua Pork

Boiled Shrimp

Crab Cakes

Sea Bass Fish Tacos (the harvestable kind of Sea Bass)

Spicy Tomato Salad

Asian Noodle Salad with Mango Salso

Mango Chutney - for the Crab Cakes and the Shrimp

Fresh Fruit - Pineapples, Papayas, Mangoes

for beverages...

Longboard  Ale

Mai Tais

and for dessert...

Banana Pie, Coconut Cake, and Coconut Ice Cream

and, at midnight... Midnight Cubano Sandwiches

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley

Ultimate Surfboard Control Training: Unique Method

Aloha Tribe,

So, here's something that will send  your surfing style into radical gear in no time. Get something like a Bucky pillow. I got this one...

http://www.bucky.com/catalog/bed_pillows_natural_buckwheat/Buckwheat_Bed_Pillow.html

... and found it to be the perfect size for this Chi Gung Surfing exercise.

What you do is to lay on your back, with the pillow under your hips. Extend your legs out, suspended in the air. And, extend your arms, in whatever your surfing stye happens to be.

You can start with a Pop Up. It takes a bit of visualization, but, the more deeply you visualize it, and allow your body to feel it, even though you are actually on your back, the more this exercise will help you.

So, here's how to do the Pop Up. Laying on your back, with your Bucky pillow or whatevers (it should be firm, like a Bucky pillow, my teddy bear, Fluffer, also works, by the way), have your legs together just as you would if you were laying on your board. And, your hands are pressed against the "deck" which, in this case, is towards the ceiling, since, you are on your back. Your arms are bent, and, your hands are roughly at about your boobs (or chest, if you're a guy).

Now then, you are, literally laying on your back, with your arms pressing, nothing, but, you are imagining you are laying on your board, having just paddled, and, are about to do a Pop Up. It just takes a bit of a spatial mental twist, that's all. Visualization and adaptation are everything in this art.

So, arch your back as you straighten your arms, pushing your hands towards your ceiling or your imaginary deck, and, then, slowly, Tai Chi speed, move your legs, into a squatting position, your legs and feet suspended in the air, your hips still supported by the Bucky pillow, teddy bear, or whatevers.

Feel your crouch exactly as you would as you Drop Down a waves face. Play with your feet a bit, making sure to press a bit more with one or the other, depending on how you want your board to respond during the Drop. In actuallity, your feet are simply pressing up into empty air, more or less towards the ceiling, your legs suspended in the air, your pivot point being your hips. Your arms, extended, as you feel comfortable. Now, practice weighting your front or back foot.

Here comes the Bottom Turn.

Are you a Goofy Foot, a Regular Foot, or a Switch Foot like me? And, are you going to turn Frontside or Backside in your imaginary wave?  Let's say you're riding Goofy, and, you're going to do a Backside Bottom Turn. You weight your heels a bit, loosen up your toes pressing the air, and shift your body weight back a bit, depending on how radical you want your turn to be.  Play with this, get the feel of it, experiment, and, be willing to look really silly and giggle at yourself (that's allowed), and mostly, have fun with this.

The more relaxed you are, the more sensitive you'll be with this exercise. As you practice this again and again, I just got done with a 2 hour session of this, for example, you'll find you get more and more control of extemely small muscle movements everywhere on your body. And, that's what you're shooting for.

The neat thing about this exercise, is that, while it seemingly seems silly or like it makes no sense or would not have any practical application to surfing, because you are holding your legs in the air as you practice this, you are learning to move your legs as softly as you'd move your arms while doing a Tai Chi form. As such, this exercise will teach you to have truly sensitive feet and legs, with complete mastery over your muscular and energy (Chi) control of them. By "pressing" your feet in different directions, as you imagine them pressing against the deck of your board, you'll develep very senstive ankles and sole as well as toe sensitivity. This then, will make your feet stronger, so that you can learn to turn your board more with your feet, and, less with your body weight, thus, you can hold your balance better by remaining more centered on your deck with your body and head. This, naturally offers you more options for doing any type of move, whether you surf a longboard or a shortboard.

Link these soft, subtle practice movements in with your breathing, and, you have the makings of a great Chi Gung Surfing exercise, that will truly make your surfing awesome.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley