Aloha Tribe,
Yesterday in the Wilds, the waves were Triple Overhead (around 24 foot or so), thus, it was a perfect day for Big Wave Wipeout Survival Training.
DD (Darrick Doerner - famous big wave surfer - my surfing coach and Watergirl mentor) taught me a wildly fun and fascinatingly practical, yet paradoxically extraordinary training method for learning to be comfortable during big wave wipeouts.
You get one of those yoga balls, you know the type, they are typically about 3 foot in diameter or so. That is a good size, by the way, because the size makes the training tougher.
Then, you simply swim the ball (once it is fully inflated of course), out into the swells, and, the game is, you have to hold onto the ball no matter what and, if you let go, you lose. A seemingly simple game regarding the rules, yet challenging beyond challenging depending upon the conditions and your skill.
What the purpose is, of course, is to teach you to be comfortable not only in turbulent water, but also while falling and even flying sky high through the air. You see, as you hold onto the ball, because of its bouyancy, you sort of are like a bouncing cork out in the waves, and you fly all over the place. This type of training gives you a true beating, and, in the process, gives you loads of experience, wisdom, and confidence under extreme type situations.
You see, you are deliberately, intentionally, with full will, paddling this silly ball out in to truly gnarly water and then, playing the game. It's great fun. So, forget how silly you look and simply go for it.
Another yoga ball type exercise, by the way, to be used on calmer days or flat days even, is to use the same Swiss Ball (what they are sometimes called), and to have a smaller one or less inflated a bit, and you try to stand on it in the water. It's great balance practice.
Bodaciously Stoked,
Lily of the Valley
Yesterday in the Wilds, the waves were Triple Overhead (around 24 foot or so), thus, it was a perfect day for Big Wave Wipeout Survival Training.
DD (Darrick Doerner - famous big wave surfer - my surfing coach and Watergirl mentor) taught me a wildly fun and fascinatingly practical, yet paradoxically extraordinary training method for learning to be comfortable during big wave wipeouts.
You get one of those yoga balls, you know the type, they are typically about 3 foot in diameter or so. That is a good size, by the way, because the size makes the training tougher.
Then, you simply swim the ball (once it is fully inflated of course), out into the swells, and, the game is, you have to hold onto the ball no matter what and, if you let go, you lose. A seemingly simple game regarding the rules, yet challenging beyond challenging depending upon the conditions and your skill.
What the purpose is, of course, is to teach you to be comfortable not only in turbulent water, but also while falling and even flying sky high through the air. You see, as you hold onto the ball, because of its bouyancy, you sort of are like a bouncing cork out in the waves, and you fly all over the place. This type of training gives you a true beating, and, in the process, gives you loads of experience, wisdom, and confidence under extreme type situations.
You see, you are deliberately, intentionally, with full will, paddling this silly ball out in to truly gnarly water and then, playing the game. It's great fun. So, forget how silly you look and simply go for it.
Another yoga ball type exercise, by the way, to be used on calmer days or flat days even, is to use the same Swiss Ball (what they are sometimes called), and to have a smaller one or less inflated a bit, and you try to stand on it in the water. It's great balance practice.
Bodaciously Stoked,
Lily of the Valley
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