Surf Stronger Blog Has Moved

Hi,
Just a quick note to say we've moved our blog. If you have this space bookmarked, please update and point your browser over here, http://surfstronger.com/blog, for the best in surfing fitness, health, performance and more. We'll be posting a few really exciting blog entries in the coming days so keep your eye on the new blog.

Todd and the Surf Stronger Crew

Built to Last

Here at Surf Stronger HQ we are fond of things that are built to last. It might be a bomber pair of 1960's RayBan Wayfarers, or a rusted out solid single speed cruiser. Or maybe it's a beat-down Japanese motors grambler that just won't quit. Or, it might even be a surfboard! Yes, a surf board that is built to last -- a rarity in this day and age.

Check out Todd's late 80s model Pearson Arrow thruster, for example. Shaped by the venerable and legendary Santa Cruz shaper, Ward Coffey, this was Todd's board when he was but a young worried lad. The board's been to Hawaii, Mexico, and all up and down the CA coast. Took it out today at one of SC's best beach breaks and guess what? It went really well! Even made it "whistle" on a few waves! This is a 21 year old board and it still goes great!





What is your favorite thing that is built to last?

Rising Surf Star, Owen Wright, Gets Cross Training for Surfing

In a recent interview, Owen Wright, who defeated 9x world champion, Kelly Slater this year, was asked if he's doing anything different this year to be surfing so off-the-charts. His answer?

"I've been doing a bit more training, strength-wise."

From the very best in the world, to the average Joe, cross training for surfing pays off.

Better fitness. Better surfing.


(Owen Wright, ripping.)

Fitness Anywhere with TRX

Lately we've been messing around quite a bit with the TRX Suspension trainer. It is a terrific training tool -- super effective and efficient, and travels really well. We've found it to be an invaluable tool in our training quiver.

In fact, look for something new from Surf Stronger and TRX in the coming weeks.

Here we have Todd rigging up the TRX to a lifeguard tower in Ventura, CA. It's that easy -- to set up at least -- it provides a tough workout!

For more on TRX, see,
http://www.surfstronger.com/store/viewItem/12


(Setting up TRX suspension trainer for a solid beach workout)

Healthy Eats in San Francisco

We have a new favorite in the healthy eats department: Outerlands in San Francisco. Our good friend, and early Surf Stronger enthusiast, Molly Tuttle, recently introduced staffers to the joint. It sits five blocks from the sand in San Francisco's Sunset District, features super fresh, home made grinds, and is run by a groovy couple who obviously really care about quality food and service. My lunch consisted of a simple grilled cheese sandwich (made with their wonderful home made bread) and an organic green salad with pears and pine nuts that was out of this world. An ice cold Lagunitas Pale Ale complimented the meal and warmed my body and mind. Perhaps one of the best things about the place is just how good it feels to just sit there. Heaps of natural wood and driftwood make up the majority of the decor, and the large open windows let in the salty ocean air.

We recommend Outerlands after your next surf, or next hang in the Sunset.

According to their web site:

"Outerlands is a gathering place for sea goers who seek warmth, shelter, food, and fellowship. it is a retreat from the saltwater chill, or a place to hang your hat after a long day's frolic in the sun. it is a home for art and music, enjoyed with unique offerings of local, organic food and drink, changing with the bounty of the seasons. this is a space built by the community of sea dwellers on the sandy fringes of san francisco: a cozy haven nestled amidst the vast landscape of ocean beach."

(All photos, courtesy of Molly Tuttle.)

Gone Surfin'

There used to be a time -- way back when, before Surfline, before 976-SURF, when on a Sunday morning, you just went surfin'. Today was one of those days. Sure there was an inkling of a south in the water, but that didn't even really matter. We were looking to break out, share some waves, share some jokes ... just go surfin'. We loaded up the truck, put up the "Gone Surfin'" shingle in our minds, and beat it on up the 1. We found some interesting wildlife, new trails and shared some good stories and jokes between frigid springtime waves. Far from perfect waves, but the perfect little adventure for a Sunday morning.

Train, Surf, Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Part of our crew recently enjoyed a quick surf trip down to beautiful Nicaragua. While the surf was good, it wasn't pumping, per se. We surfed every day for eight straight days and got a good number of waves, but we also worked some great training into the trip. Before and in between surf sessions, training included, soft sand running (down and back along an unreal, desolate beach), TRX Suspension training, swimming and body surfing.

One marathon day looked something like this:

-Soft sand run to end of beach (15 minutes)
-Ten minute dirt trail hike to incredible peak / vista
-Soft sand run back (15 minutes)
-TRX power set
-Body surf sesh
-Two hour surf sesh
-Hammock sesh
-Hour and half evening surf sesh

Surfing and training in Nicaragua! Stoked. The only possible downside perhaps was that the evening Tonas went down a little too easy!

Have a favorite beach workout? Drop us a line at, info@surfstronger.com. We'd love to hear it.


Todd digging in.


Famous Nicaraguan off-shores!


Jason getting a little TRX workout in, and keeping an eye on the surf!



Pre-surf warm-up using the TRX.

Serena Wins at Cloud 9

Congrats are in order to Surf Stronger athlete, Serena Brooke on her recent first place win at the 3rd Siargao International Women's Surfing Contest in the Philippines. Way to go Sauce!

Locally Grown -- Support Locally Grown Food and Music

Our good friends, the Culver City Dub Collective (check the soundtrack on Surf Stronger 1 or 2), play a really groovy event June 20th in Ojai, California. For the uninitiated, CCDC features an "all-star cast of musicians that play a captivating blend of Jamaican roots reggae, Afro-Cuban rhythms and West Coast bossa beats. It's an intoxicating breeze that rattles the brain in all the right places, a simmering soundtrack to a thousand road trips and hazy summer afternoons."

The festival also features, Mason Jennings, Quetzal with Perla Batalla.

According to the Food for Thought, "This year’s Locally Grown benefit concert will celebrate the diversity of our community, as well as continue our focus on environmental stewardship" announced Food For Thought president, Marty Fujita. "It also takes place on Saturday, June 20th at summer solstice, which is significant to us, since a big part of Food For Thought’s mission is to reconnect people to the natural cycles of the earth by eating seasonal, locally grown produce."

Saturday, June 20th, 2009 at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl from 5 to 10 pm

For more info and tix, see, http://www.foodforthoughtojai.org/.

Happy Earth Day 2009. Ten Things You Can Do for Mother Earth.

Happy Earth Day 2009 from the Surf Stronger crew! As surfers, a clean and healthy environment is paramount -- without clean water, and clean waves, we have nothing. To that end, here are ten things you might consider doing to help stay green all year long.

1. Drive less. "Burn calories, not fossil fuels" is what we like to say. Consider biking, walking or car pooling.
2. Watch what you put down the drain and the gutters. It all flows to the Sea at some point.
3. Go organic. Organic products are way less harmful to the environment, consider buying organic when you can.
4. Grow your own. Try growing your own produce. It doesn't take much space for things like herbs and cherry tomatoes. You can grow tasty produce and by doing so, you are cutting down on transportation (from the farm to your local grocery store) and associated pollution and you know exactly where it was grown and what was used to grow it!
5. Support Surfrider Foundation. Support groups like Surfrider Foundation and Save The Waves. They do good work and are constantly looking out for our best interest.
6. Vote. Get educated on issues that effect the environment and get out the vote.
7. Go 1% For the Planet. Buy products (like Surf Stronger DVDs) that have the 1% For the Planet emblem and know 1% of your purchase goes towards efforts to keep our world clean.
8. Buy quality and take care of your stuff! Make sure you buy quality surf boards, quality wetsuits, quality board shorts and bikinis that last! Get the good stuff, then rinse it, wash it, and take care of it so it stays in good condition and out of the landfill.
9. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Enough said.
10. Vote with your wallet. When making purchase decisions, why not support those that have green initiatives: The Surfer's Path magazine, Patagonia, Sambazon Acai, Sector 9 Skateboards are a few that come to mind.

Stay healthy and we'll see you in the water,
The Surf Stronger Crew


(Bells Beach, Australia. Surfing preserve.)

Why We Love Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro and Why It is the Model Surf Comp

With the 37th Annual Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surf competition coming up (April 7-18), we thought we'd reflect on why we love Bells and why it is the model surf comp.

Location, Location, Location
Bells has a unique aura about it. Similar to the North Shore, being at Bells you feel you're in a special place. And, Bells is the location of the longest continuously running surfing competition in the world.

Bells and neighboring Winkipop surf breaks are both set in an Australian Surfing Recreation Reserve -- the first of its kind in the world. Accoriding to the Surf Coast Shire web site, "The Surf Coast community acknowledges the importance of Bells Beach and seeks to protect and enhance the reserve’s natural assets and those of the surrounding hinterland." The people who love Bells and this location are dedicated to keeping this place pristine and natural.

Plus, Bells is pretty much the beginning of the Great Ocean Road, which is similar to Highway One in California. You can explore for days and days along the Great Ocean Road and we hear there are some great waves to be found out that way too!



The Green Energy
The contest itself has a serious green commitment. Contest organizers have pledged to off-set all carbon emissions of all the pros and staff at the event. For instance, consider a pro who travels from say the Gold Coast. Their plane ride, car rental and even rides on the jet ski are all measured. An environmental cost is associated with those activities and the contest pledges to donate dollars that go towards off-setting the carbon emissions. Moreover, proceeds from parking and the event itself go to environmental groups. Recycling is made so easy it is nearly impossible for competition goers to not recycle.



The World's Best
The prospect of winning at Bells -- and ringing the Bell -- is so powerful, all the best show up. In 2008, Kelly Slater was going to pass on the event until he got the forecast for great surf and decided he couldn't miss it (He went on to win the event and ring the bell.) And like most 'CT events, the fans get to get up close. Bells has a sweet amphitheater like setting to watch the world's best. For remote fans frothing to watch the competition, the web casting at RipCurl.com is top notch!


(A triumphant Steph Gilmore after winning Bells in 2008)


(Perennial Bells favorite, Joel Parkinson, 2008)

The Festival
A frightengly good AC/DC cover band (ACCA/DACCA), Jim Beam girls, festive surf fans in the hot sun, and heaps of good food. The festival aspect of Bells rocks!



The Town, Torquay
Imagine Santa Cruz or maybe even La Jolla in San Diego, only the population runs at about 10,000. Torquay is the birthplace of surf industry giants, Rip Curl and Quiksilver -- but the town retains a small town surf-y vibe. What's more, great food can be found everywhere -- Soul Fuel, Rhino and Donkey are two killer choices in town. They feature super fresh and healthy meals at reasonable prices.



If you ever get the chance, make a plan to come to Bells some year. You won't regret it! For more on this year's Rip Curl Pro and for the web cast, visit the Rip Curl site.

(All photos: Walsh)

Surf Stronger Tip of the Week

Surf Stronger staffers were down in Big Sur, California the last two days shooting photos for a Monterey Weekly article. At any rate, we surfed some super fun waves in super cold water. Lamely, I did not wear my hood. Note to self, and to anyone reading this blog: Always wear a hood when surfing Big Sur or anywhere where the water is 49 degrees! Even though it looked calm enough, duck diving proved brutal sans hoodie!

Keep it covered,
The Surf Stronger Crew


(This worried lad was smart. Hood!)


(Big Sur rock dance.)


(Wildflower season in Big Sur.)

Surf Stronger at IHRSA 2009

The Surf Stronger Crew checked out IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sports Association) 2009 trade show yesterday. IHRSA is the largest fitness expo in the world.

Every major player in the industry hits this show and we were stoked to check out some of the latest equipment and programming. A few stood out in our minds. Here's a quick list:

First off, Fitness Anywhere. These guys make the TRX trainer and lets just say these guys are on it! They had the most happening workout area with heaps of energy and good vibes. Runner up goes to X-Pole. Limber, attractive gals on a pole working out. What more can we say? Looks like a good workout too. Third place is the new eco-treadmill made by Woodway which is a non-motorized treadmill that actually works. We aren't big runners but occasionally we like to hit some wind sprints and sometimes you can't be outside. These treadmills are super for this and they are the first to do it without a power cord. We like that. Best nutrition company: Clif bar. Clif provides by far the best tasting pre-surf snack bar that keeps you feeling energized. Heaps of flavors and good-for-you ingredients.

Also, as a reminder, if you haven't checked out the revamped surfstronger.com, check it today. We are stoked to be providing you the best fitness info to keep you surfing stronger!

Stay healthy and see you in the water.


(The versatile, and cool TRX in action at IHRSA 2009)

California Surf Movie and Music Roadshow

Surf movie nights in small, locally owned, coastal theaters is sadly a relic of a bygone surf era. We are stoked to see film maker Thomas Campbell (The Seedling, Sprout) bring back this chestnut of surf history. He debuts his new movie, The Present, at a string of coastal theaters this month. Not only will he be showcasing his tasty looking film, there'll be quality live music before most showings.

The Surf Stronger crew will be a the Santa Barbara showing, but there are a bunch of upcoming dates:

March 20: Santa Barbara, Arlington Theater
March 25: San Luis Obisbo, Fremont Theater
March 28: San Francisco, Victoria Theter

See more dates here.


(A tasty nugget from the movie, The Present)

Surf Stronger and Sambazon

We are again offering a free Sambazon ACAI with every US surfstronger.com order. Sambazon Acai is super tasty and super for you. Check our store for details.

Spring Training. Get in the Swim of Things for Better Surf Fitness

I knew today was going to be hectic with work and other life obligations, so opted for a quick swim workout since I wouldn't be surfing. Yesterday I did the complete Surf Stronger Core Training workout so was stoked to do some swimming today. And while I'm sure my coach didn't plan a surf-specific swim workout, as I cranked it out, I definitely saw the application to a typical surf session. The main set looked like this:

3 x 50 yards free, "descending." Descending means you swim each 50 faster than the last. Starting out this way is similar to one's paddle out and initial effort getting through waves.

500 yards "cruise." This is similar to the middle portion of a paddle out.

3 x 100 yards free, descending. Almost out the back. But, a big set is coming in! You need to pick up the pace and crank for 300 yards!

500 yards cruise. OK, you've surfed a long one in, now the paddle back out.

3 x 150 yards free, descending. Again, a big set comes out of nowhere, and you need to crank to get past the four wave sneaker set.

500 yards cruise. You get another long one in and paddle back out at a "cruise" pace.

In total, this main set was 2,400 yards, easily what you have to paddle when you surf during a decent swell / session.

By cross training with some swim workouts like this, the next time you get a good swell and you surf a couple hours, you'll notice a big difference in your surf endurance.

Stay healthy, see you in the water!

Interview with Mark Cunningham - A True Waterman

Mark Cunningham is truly a legend -- lifeguard on the North Shore for twenty plus years, body surfer extraordinaire, and zealous environmentalist. We interviewed him on the North Shore two winters ago, and Surfer just published an interview with him. Good stuff.

Dane Reynolds at the Quiksilver Pro

Dane Reynolds and his exercise ball on a down day at the Quiksilver Pro.



After recent recovery from a pretty serious injury, Dane is looking forward to the competitive season. Check the interview with Dane here.

Recession Proof Workouts!

Two great DVDs, one great deal. You can now score both Surf Stronger DVDs for only $39.95! Available only at surfstronger.com.

Get the DVDs, do the work, and see results in your fitness and your surfing! Or as Australia's Tracks Magazine says, "Get a ripped rig, improve your surfing, and pull more!"

http://www.surfstronger.com/store/viewItem/7

Panama Redux

Surf Stronger Staffers just returned from a five week stint to Panama. What an unreal place! In addition to scoring some great warm water waves, we conducted some surf fitness research and development while down there, and are also writing an article on the eco surf resort, Red Frog Bungalows. Keep an eye out for these articles coming soon to surfstronger.com and other publications.

Surf Stronger at Any Age

These, days, surfers seem to get better with age. The world's best, Kelly Slater, is 36 years old. Fitness plays a huge role in this.

Here are a couple shots of our friend, S.B., charging down in Panama. S.B. has been on the Surf Stronger program for a couple years, and at thirty something he charges as hard as ever! His overall fitness plays a big role in this.

Better fitness, better surfing.

Show Our Beaches Some Love

We received a clever email from Surfrider Foundation this morning. If you are giving a Valentine gift this weekend, make it a membership to the Surfrider Foundation and show our beaches some love!

"Forgo the candy and flowers, instead give a gift that matters to your beach and your Valentine. Make a donation in honor of your Valentine and we'll send them the Valentine of your choice. You can also include a message to the one you love."

To learn more, visit the Surfrider Foundation page.

Surf Stronger in Panama

I'm down in Panama, checking out a new eco-surf retreat, Red Frog Bungalows -- writing an article on the resort and working with some local surfers on their training programs.

The first few days we scored fun, shoulder to head high surf. But with a bit of a lull in the swell, I was pining for a good workout. Lucky for me, I brought my TRX and a fit ball down so I can do a bit of training between swells. So far, I've had a couple great workouts on Red Frog beach -- fifteen minutes TRX, five minute ocean swim, ten minutes TRX, ten minute ocean swim cool-down. Working out with a TRX really does provide fitness anywhere -- and working out on the beach is a killer feeling. For more info on TRX, check out our TRX page. And keep an eye out for more to come, as we develop unique surf-specific training programs with TRX.

Todd


(Scott scores one at Red Frog beach.)


(Fitness anywhere, including the beach in Panama.)

Classy, comfy Surf Stronger tees

People often ask us, "Where can I get a Surf Stronger tee?" From our store of course! Our simple yet handsome tees are made in California by American Apparel (sweatshop free!) and are "50/50". That's 50% cotton, 50% polyester. They are a bit lighter than 100% cotton and wick moisture better than an all cotton tee. Great for working out in, or kicking back in.

Check our store today.


(Women's cut)


(Women's fit)



(Men's tee)