Right now the waves in Encinitas are almost non-existent, and coupled with the rain a few days ago (the dreaded runoff!), it really doesn't seem worth it to paddle out today. So now I'm looking at a third consecutive day without surfing, so I'm starting to tense up a little. Surfing is my release, my meditation, my therapy, my religion. Without it, I'm a different person. I feel different; I act different; I'm just not the same guy.
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| Photo: Wikimedia (Jarek Tuszynski) |
For a long time I struggled with this phenomenon until I found something that gives me a similar calming feeling, and that's yoga. Yoga seems to help my nerves nearly as much as surfing does, though the same stoke isn't there. Still, when the ocean isn't cooperating, yoga serves as a good alternative. Not only does it keep my paddling muscles working, it calms the body and mind.
I bought a couple of DVDs a few years ago that have been great to me. Peggy Hall, a surfer/yoga instructor, created
Yoga For Surfers over a decade ago, combining two of her passions. The routines are tailored specifically to surfers, to help loosen and strengthen the muscles used in paddling and surfing in general. Fans of the pro tour will also see some familiar faces pop up in the videos. There are a variety of different Yoga For Surfers DVDs suited to a multitude of skill levels, so there's something for everyone. I highly recommend checking one out if your flat spell experiences mirror mine. As Peggy says, "Ride the wave of your breath." It beats riding nothing at all.
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