Getting It Down - Skateboarding, Land Paddling

I have been skateboarding with my longboard skateboard for about a year now.  I had never tried to skateboard before, except for occasionally hoping on my little brothers board when I was younger and pushing a few times.  That being said, I feel I am the poster child for 'it's never too late'.  I am currently in my mid 30's and have bad knees but I have still managed to get relatively comfortable on my Loaded Tan Tien longboard.  My roommate and I will occasionally go for a ride down at our local park.  At first I was very unsteady on the board.  I started off by using the Kahuna Big Stick to push because I didn't think my knees would hold up pumping with my foot.

After a few months of using the Kahuna Big Stick, I was still not very comfortable on the board.  I would basically plant my feet on the deck and hope I didn't have to move them around too much.  One day, I decided to give pumping a try.  My knees were definitely sore after every session but I could feel my legs getting stronger.  In addition to gained leg strength, I was getting much more comfortable with shifting my feet around on the board.  This gave me more confidence with skating in crowded areas, a scenario I would have avoided in the past.  Once I got better at foot breaking, I was able to slow myself down without needing something like the Big Stick.

Yesterday I hit another milestone with skating.  My roommate is better than I am at the moment.  He skated when he was younger so his progress, comfort, and flow are beyond my level.  He is able to carve and take sharp corners.  I was still having trouble with these concepts, until yesterday.  I have always kept my trucks very tight because I did not want a lot of wobble.  I wanted the deck to be as stable as possible.  This was great for learning but has hindered me from carving and taking sharp corners up until now.  I loosened up my trucks and took it for a spin.  It was like a completely different board!  The fact that I was able to skate on a board with trucks that loose and still feel comfortable definitely told me that I have reached another level with my skating.  I look forward to going out again soon.

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Getting Back At It - General

Winter is finally winding down here in San Diego and I find myself wanting to wander outside more to experience this amazing weather.  Unfortunately, I spent most of my winter indoors which left me with little content to add here other then my boring gym routine.  I stayed in shape by going to the gym, for some "scheduled movement", instead of getting outside to take part in Surfing, Skating, Land Paddling, etc...

 I definitely feel like I hit a wall when it comes to motivation due to the lack of variety with my physical activity choices.  My choices at the gym are limited to the basic cardio equipment you would find at your local gym.  I used the stair master mostly because I find that machine leaves me drained after a 20 to 40 minute session.  While these machines do get the job done, they leave something to be desired when it comes to the fun aspect of staying in shape.  For me, spending 30 minutes on a stair master is not fun!

I am using this winter as a learning experience.  I need to look at more options for outdoor activities that can be performed during the winter without freezing my butt off.  I purchased a mountain bike a few months ago that will probably fill that gap nicely.  There are quite a few trails I can ride around here.  Either way, it's good to be back!  I started off the summer by skating around a park yesterday and then played a little basketball at the court located at the same park.  I probably spent about an hour and a half moving around instead of sitting inside just watching TV or playing video games and it didn't even feel like workout, it was fun.

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What Is Suspension Training? - Suspension Training

Suspension training has been gaining in its popularity in the past few years. This style of workout utilizes a set of straps that are anchored to a solid mounting point as well as your bodyweight to create an intense training session. Advocates of suspension training state that it is a great full body workout because, not only does it train the specific muscle group you are targeting, it also engages your core during every workout session. The basic concept is that you mount a pair of specifically designed straps and then perform various exercises that use only your own bodyweight as resistance.

 If done properly it is a very intense workout. I decided to mix up my workout routine a few weeks ago to use these straps that were just added to my gym. I had hit a bit of a rut in my workout routine and thought this might help me throw some variety into the mix. I asked a trainer for a few exercises to target the chest and he demonstrated three exercises. I was quickly humbled after my first set of pushups with my feet suspended by the straps. The exercise seemed simple enough. You placed your feet in the handles of the straps and then perform a pushup that is immediately followed by a type of inverted crunch that requires you to pull your knees into your chest then back to the position. This motion completes one rep. After 12 reps my arms were shaking and I could feel my abs and lower back muscles burning. Needless to say, the next day my abs and chest were pretty sore. This is a sign that I definitely went out of my comfort zone and my body had to adapt.

The system of training was made popular by a Navy Seal back in 2002.  The Seals had become very crafty at creating makeshift gyms out of their environment and whatever materials they had nearby.  I guess necessity really is the mother of all invention.  One thing to note is that critics of suspension training state that it can cause injury in people who have poor core strength or joint issues, so be careful.  If you are interested in giving it a try you might want to check out your local gym because they may have included a section for suspension training or plan to in the near future.  You can also purchase a set from the TRX website.

I have no plans to do this workout exclusively, but I will definitely be using it to mix things up a bit when I am at the gym.  I will either do a whole workout routine or just throw in a few sets from time to time. 

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Surfing The Silver Dragon - Surfing

The Qiantang River that flows through Hangzhou City in China has a famous tidal bore that generates some impressive ways from time to time.  This past year it has been really going off.  Here is an awesome video catching a rare glimpse of a few surfers getting to ride the waves.

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What Is Crossfit? - Crossfit

For a while now I have been searching for different activities that allowed me to get a good workout while enjoying the ride.  My efforts were centered on the concept of “If I enjoy the activity enough I won’t notice I am working out”.  I have gone back and forth with what I call “scheduled movement time” like running or weight lifting and some sort of sport like surfing or mountain biking.  So far I have been able to mix it up pretty well and have had great results.  Lately, I have been hearing more and more about this relatively new workout called Crossfit and have wanted to give it a shot to see what the buzz is about.

Below is a short video demonstrating the various exercises involved in a crossfit workout

So, what is crossfit?

Crossfit is a blend of various workouts that focus on strength and conditioning.  The workouts include weight lifting, powerlifting, kettle bell training, medicine ball training, rowing, lots of sprinting with various weighted objects, and some gymnastics.   There have been plenty of crossfit gyms popping up all over the nation lately so you should easily be able to find one near you by typing “crossfit” then your zip code in a Google search.  You can either train at a gym with certified crossfit trainers in what they call a “box” or even in your own garage if you have enough equipment at your disposal.

If you are looking to create your own crossfit gym there are plenty of websites that will give you an equipment list.  Here is one example:

http://crossfitweekendwarriors.typepad.com/homegym.htm

Also, you will need to know HOW to perform a crossfit workout.  You can either create one yourself by researching online for various crossfit workouts or attending a gym with a certified crossfit trainer.  The first option is obviously cheaper in the long run but can be dangerous if you are not experienced enough to create a workout routine for yourself that will not create injuries.  I would recommend starting out at a gym with an experienced trainer first and over time, if the overhead monthly fee is an issue for you, start building up your home gym and gathering enough knowledge to create your own workouts.

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Wavegarden - Surfing

Check out this awesome wavegarden they are trying to perfect.  I believe it is located in Spain.  They invited some surfers from O'neil to check it out.

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I Will Find My Board! - Surfing

The more I try to surf the more I am seeing how important board selection is to the whole process.  I have been bouncing around from board to board over the last month trying to narrow down the best board for me.  I already purchased a 6’6’’ fish and an 8’0’’ funboard.  These two purchases were definitely a learning experience because of their impulse nature.  I did not do my due diligence in researching a wide variety of boards and ended up making bad choices.

After the previous board choice debacles I decided to dive into the process of selecting a surfboard deep and try to not make a miss-informed choice.  I scoured the internet searching for articles on longboards.  I borrowed a few boards from different friends to try out in the water to get a good feel for how they paddle.  I even took out a demo board from a local surf shop.  After all this I have narrowed it down to a board that is about 9’2’’ with a thruster fin configuration and is wide in the middle and the nose.  I am leaning towards a Takayama board.  Now it’s just a matter of saving up enough money to purchase the board!  Hopefully I should have my new board in about a week. 

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Making Good Use Of My Time - Running

Over the past week I have been making it a point to run during my lunch.  The reason for this is because after sitting back and analyzing my entire day I came to the conclusion that at least 8 hours a day five days a week are completely wasted when it comes to getting anything done that is not work related.  There is only so much time during the day and only so many days a week.  I have been struggling trying to put together a solid routine that I can stick to and still maintain enough free time to have a social life or to just simply relax.  So the conclusion… get my cardio done during my lunch.

At first when I started this project I wanted to use alternative exercises like surfing, swimming, or skateboarding to keep me in shape.  The small problem I am running into is my lack of patients and how long it is taking me to GET into shape and slim down.  I have not been able to spend enough time each week doing these activities to completely rely on them for my daily exercising needs.  So, this is where lunch time cardio comes in.  I spent some time figuring out what items I will need in order to be able to run during my lunch for a half an hour and then return back to work without being all nasty and sweaty.  This is the list I put together:

Running Shoes

Shorts

T-Shirt

Extra Socks

Towel

Shampoo

Soap

Luckily, I have a shower located next to the bathroom in my office building so I am able to take a shower right after I run.  I also have an awesome little trail behind my building that I can get a good 2 mile run out of if I make a few laps around it.  So I started bringing these items to work and leaving them there so they will be available and so I will not have any excuses to not get a good run in 5 days a week.  Also, because I am getting this done during my lunch I do not have to add an additional 30 minutes on to the beginning or end of my work day, which frees up time for a simple weight lifting session at the gym and then… the rest of my day is free to take on any alternative exercises I want!

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The Board Search Continues - Surfing

It looks like my search for a good board still continues.  I have been going back and forth between a 9’0’’ Costco longboard my buddy at work bought and an 8’0’’ funboard I bought from a local surf shop a few years ago.  I am really starting to learn that the conditions vary from day to day and it’s good to have as many options in your “quiver” as possible.  As of late, I have really wanted to get a longer board, one that accelerates very quickly and is wide enough that it floats me and has a stable feel to it when standing.  I went out surfing yesterday at what is considered a beginner spot and found that my board is just a tad too short for the conditions there, for the most part.  Of course, when I say that you have to take into account my skill level… Which is very low at the moment.

There was a group of surfers, most of them women that were on very long boards and were just gliding across the water while paddling.  These surfers were able to get into position on the peak of the waves much quicker than I was so I was left with very few waves to try and catch.  They were at a much higher level than me so I found it a bit intimidating to try and challenge any of them for a wave because I was not sure if I would be able to follow through and ride the wave out after I caught it.  Also, because their boards were longer they were able to sit out farther and catch the wave sooner than me which they did, often.  I surf three locations, each of these locations are bit different from each other.  The spot by my house is primarily a longboard spot while the 2 spots at my work can be surfed with a longboard or a shortboard depending on the conditions.

That being said, I decided not to sell my 6’6’’ fish just yet and I drove up to work to leave it there just so I had it available to use if I wanted to when the conditions were right.  I am now left needing to get myself a 9’ + longboard for home.  My buddy has an awesome 9’3’’ Takayama nose riding board that just glides across the water and accelerates very quickly.  I rode it last week for a short time and was very impressed with how easy it is to catch a wave on it.  I actually gave up on paddling for a wave once and STILL caught the wave.  The search for my go to board still continues.

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Busy Day At The Park - Skateboarding

I took out my new Tan Tien flex 2 with gold Paris 180 trucks out to a VERY busy park yesterday.  I went with skateboarding instead of surfing yesterday because the water was absolutely crowded and I didn’t feel like fighting for a wave.  I had a great time skateboarding though and got a great workout in the process.  I am still new to skateboarding so going to a busy park with people everywhere and kamikaze children running in front of you was not the ideal place for a beginner to skate but I wanted to see how I would do.

I was happy with how I did though, I recently learned how to foot break so that saved me on countless occasions yesterday.  I am getting much better on the board and starting to feel much more comfortable pushing with my foot.  I enjoy pushing with my foot much more than using the Kahuna Big Stick.  When I got back to my car I was covered in sweat, I didn’t even notice until I stopped skating.  All in all it was a good day and I got some exercise without even noticing, so much for scheduled movement time at the gym.  Below is a pic I just took of my Tan Tien.

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Getting Back At It - Surfing

I have been lagging the past week and have not been able to get out to surf.  We are heading into the summer months here in SoCal and I am noticing the amount of people in the water is growing fast.  I have been looking forward to the summer, not only for the warm weather but also because the waves are supposed to get smaller which is good for me.  I went out a few days ago and got thrown around by 4-5 ft waves.  I left the surf that day feeling discouraged and beaten.  I didn't catch anything and pearled once when attempting to catch some white water.  I guess surfing is like golf, if you don't do it often you can get worse!

I know this is not the case but it sure felt that way.  I spoke to a guy I work with that has been surfing for years and he said that he has days like that and to not let it discourage me.  I thought yesterday was my day to get back at it but after I got to my surf spot I saw an endless line of surfers in the water.  There had to be at least 150 surfers sitting out in the lineup over the span of about half a mile.  After seeing that, my buddy and I decided to skip it for the day.  Of course I felt like a quitter and like I had not accomplished anything for the day after dipping on surfing so I started today with a new mindset.  I need to keep at it!

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Channeling My Inner Michael Phelps - Swimming

One exercise I have been overlooking for a while is swimming. I have not been in a pool to swim laps in many years. This is mostly because I did not have access to a pool for a few years and now that I do, the pool is a bit over crowded. I decided a few days ago to stop using that as an excuse and jump back in the pool to swim some laps. The main reason I am getting back into swimming is because I have been reading a lot of articles online that have been talking about thermodynamics in relation to weight loss.

Supposedly, and from what I am reading the science backs up the claims, if you spend time in a colder environment your body's natural desire to maintain your appropriate body temperature increases the number of calories you burn during your activity. I am completely serious, Google it! There are actually people that are talking ice baths now and going for "shiver walks". While I am not ready or willing to jump into a bath full of ice water for 15 minutes, I am willing to hop in a pool that is about 70 to 80 degrees and swim some laps.

A little while ago Michael Phelps came out with a claim that he eats some insane amount of calories a day while training for his swim competitions, I believe the number was around 12,000. Well, some people starting scratching their heads stating that the math isn't adding up. Some people calculated that if he spent 4 hours a day in a pool training that would only equate to the number of calories burnt while running a marathon, somewhere around 2,600 calories. 12,000 - 2,600 - your average daily expenditure does not add up! So how was he eating that much and still burning enough calories to stay thing?! Well, the simple answer that is being proposed is that while swimming in a pool for 4 hours a day he is forcing his body to work much harder to maintain that 98.6 body temperature.

This proposal seems to make perfect sense, so I figured why not?  I need to lose some pounds and I actually like to swim AND it would help me with my surfing.  So all that being said, I decided to give swimming another shot and bought me some swim goggles and ear plugs today.

I used to swim quite a bit about 6 years ago when I was a lifeguard.  I hope it doesn't take long for me to get the hang of it again.  No more excuses!  Time to go for a swim.

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Dolphins, Sunsets, and Awesome Waves - Surfing

Yesterday had to easily be the best day I have had surfing since I began a few months ago. My roommate and I originally decided to try and stand up paddle board based off of the Surfline.com report for our surf spot that was claiming 1-2 ft conditions. Also, the day before it was 1-2 ft and very mild with very few people at the spot on a Sunday. So, based off of these two indicators I thought it would be even slower on a Monday with the same conditions… I was wrong. After we loaded the massive stand up paddle board on to my car we drove down and were completely surprised to see the parking lot packed. After we finally found a spot we walked down to the beach and were even more surprised when we saw 2-4 ft waves that were completely glassy with a nice long wave to ride and plenty to go around. In addition to that, there had to be at least 30 surfers in the lineup as well.

This was not a good day to try and stand up paddle board in the surf with a packed lineup for the first time so we made a decision to book it back to our place and swap out the stand up paddle board for our surfboards. After we got back to our surf spot we paddled out into the most spectacular surf conditions I have seen since I have started. The only down side is that it was packed with surfers of all skill levels so it was a bit of a zoo out there. Right after we paddled out past the break an awesome set came in and because I still had fresh shoulders I was able to turn my board, hit the turbo button, and catch a wave within minutes of paddling out! I have never been able to do that before so that showed me I am making progress and was a good motivator to turn back out and try again.

I caught about 3 waves that I was able to stand up on yesterday. One wave I stood up on and rode down the face of the wave because I was able to pop up quickly. At one point my roommate pointed out in front of me because he spotted a small pack of dolphins that were playing in the waves a few yards out. This in addition to a crystal clear sunset pretty much solidified one of the more epic days this noob has ever seen and will keep me coming back for more in the hopes of experiencing more days like that.

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Tim Boydell Indy Surf Film - Surfing

I came across this teaser trailer by Tim Boydell for what looks to be an independent film about surfing around the world and wanted to share. I love the visuals and the music they chose.  The surfing clips were very motivational and now, after watching it, I find myself staring at the clock wishing it was 5 so I can go surf.


TR7 Productions 2010/2011 from Tim Boydell on Vimeo.

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Cruising On The Tan Tien - Skateboarding

Just as I had started to get going with an awesome routine and was making great progress with surfing I got sick a few days ago.  It was some sort of head cold that pretty much knocked me out of commission for the past three days.  I was still feeling it a little yesterday but I felt well enough to get out so I decided to go for a ride on my Tan Tien.  I stayed away from surfing because the water temp here in San Diego is right about 64 degrees so I figured it wasn't a good idea to sit in cold water when you are just getting over a cold.

My roommate and I grabbed our boards and headed down to the bay to skateboard around.  I usually use the Kahuna Big Stick when I longboard skateboard because of my knee issues but I decided not to use it this time and try to focus on learning how to pump with my foot.  One of the things that I noticed is that when I am using the big stick to land paddle around I feel like my feet are locked into place and anytime I need to shift my feet on the deck of the board I feel unstable.  After pumping with my foot for about an hour I got way more comfortable with the board.  This was great and I kind of wish I had of payed my dues and started pushing with my foot first because it gives you a good foundation and better stability on the board.

After about an hour of pumping with my foot my knee was definitely yelling at me.  I need to be careful and not push it too hard too fast because if I really injure my knee I will be out of all of these sport for a while until I can get my knee fixed.  I learned a lot yesterday and got a great workout too.  I passed by a bunch of people doing their scheduled movement time.  There was one group of women that were jumping up and down, I am assuming doing some kind of jumping squats, all together.  It looked so incredibly boring and I bet all they could think about was how long until they were done.  For me, I was getting just as good of a workout and I didn't even notice until I stopped and my muscles for tired.  Skateboarding is so much fun and a great workout too.

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One Week Down - Weight Training

As of today I have completed one week of weight training.  It doesn't sound like much but to me it's great because it makes it significantly easier to get myself to the gym knowing I have some foundation to build from when the next week comes along.  Also, I am now one week closer to making a habit out getting to the gym.  The hardest part for me is just GETTING to the gym.  I always seem to find some sort of excuse to opt out for the day.  Excuses like I have to go to the bank, I didn't bring my gym clothes, and traffic will be bad when I get out.

These excuses may sound dumb to a hardened gym rat but someone like that has got years of solid gym time.  When you are just starting out it is hard to get motivated and also difficult to create a routine you can stick to.  I am pretty happy with the routine I have right now.  I am coming into work early enough so that I can hit the gym right after work and then head out to whatever "alternative exercise" I have planned for that day.  Another benefit of getting the first week out of the way is that I now have a better idea of what weight I should be using for each muscle group.  It is kind of a crap shoot at first and you could potentially go too heavy or too light when starting out.

My legs are still pretty sore from last week so I know I hit them hard enough.  The rest of my body is a different story though.  I need to add weight to pretty much all the exercises I did with the exception of legs.  I didn't want to attempt too much weight starting out because last time I did that I couldn't work out the following week because I was still to sore.  All in all I am pretty happy with my performance at the gym and glad to get that first week out of the way.

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Pop Up Technique - Surfing

Myself and two buddies went out surfing yesterday at the surf spot out by my job.  The conditions were awesome!  We had sets with 4 - 6 ft waves with plenty to go around.  I have to admit that as a beginner, 4 - 6 ft waves still scare me but I just decided to give it a shot and I am glad I did.  At first we didn't realize how big the sets would get when we got in the water.  We made the long paddle out to the break with little trouble.  There was some chop but not too bad.  After we got out there a bigger set came in so my buddy yelled "outside!".  After I heard that I looked out and saw a nice wave heading straight for me so I got in my paddle position on the board and hit the turbo button so I can get out past the breaking point of this set.

Luckily, I managed to make it past the first big wave from the set but my buddies weren't so lucky.  I looked back after the wave crashed and they were carried in towards the shore and ended up having to fight through this big set to get back out to where I was.  I still wasn't completely past the break and had to turtle roll 3 more waves that were almost crashing right on me.  This was a good learning experience though because I had to pretty much wrestle the wave to remain in control of my board when the wave was passing over me.  After the waves passed I rolled back onto my board and took some time to rest because that really took it out of me.

I have not had too much success with popping up quickly so far.  I spoke to another guy I work with that surfs and stand up paddle boards up in Oregon where 15 foot waves are fairly common.  I explained that I was not able to stand up quickly and that the board seems very unstable as I am trying to push myself up with my hands.  He asked me where I was positioning my hands when I was trying to pop up and I told him that I grab the rails to try and push myself up.  He had to think about it for a minute to determine how he popped up because it is all muscle memory for him now but he figured out that he is placing his hands flat on the deck of the board to push up.  This made perfect sense so I gave it a shot yesterday and man what a difference something as simple as that made.

This may not be the best way, but it definitely worked great for me.  I would of never thought about it but it makes perfect sense.  My hands are closer in towards the center of the board so I am able to keep the board stable with less effort which in turn allows me to focus more on everything else that is going on, like where I am placing my feet.  The best part of the whole day was that I caught a wave that was reforming on the inner break and managed to stand up for the longest I have ever stood up before!  With this new technique I was able to pop up much quicker so I rode the wave in the standing position for at least 4 seconds.  For the first time in my life I felt what it was like to stand up on a surfboard with a wave behind me.  I am now hooked.

  

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Alternative Exercises To Squats - Weight Lifting

I have absolutely terrible knees and I am always looking for alternative exercises to squats because they cause a great deal of knee pain for me.  I recently have decided to get back to the gym and the main reason for that is so that I can strengthen my legs to make me more stable during my other exercises like surfing and skateboarding.  So that being said I have started researching alternatives to squats and this is what I have found.

Leg Presses

One exercise that I am able to do with relatively less knee pain is the leg press.  The leg press machine allows me to be in a seated position so I can isolate the legs muscles with a very controlled and stable pressing motion.  After I complete a set on the leg press machine I can feel the burn in my quads and hamstrings.  Everyone says that squats are the "king of all exercises" but if you can't do them then I think leg presses might be the next best thing.

Leg Press Machine

Wall Sits

Wall sits will not be as beneficial as squats but my main focus is here is what you can do if you have knee issues.  Wall sits are very simple but can really punish you if you do them right and don't cheat.  Basically, you stand in front of a wall and then squat down into a seated position with your back pressed against the wall.  You simply hold that position as long as you can and feel the burn in your quads and hamstrings.  I am unable to do these for very long at this point but I am getting better!

Wall Sit

Dead lifts

Dead lifts are a great exercise for your legs and lower back.  Because of the motion it is extremely important that you perform this exercise with proper form to avoid injury.  I am just starting to do these exercises again so I am by no means an expert on proper form for this exercise.  After a youtube search I came across the video below which explains proper dead lift form.

I plan on doing these exercises religiously for the next few months in order to strengthen my legs so that I can have a very solid foundation.  I am finding that leg strength is very important for the activities I am attempting to get good at and with my knee history I need all the help I can get.

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Funboard FTW? - Surfing

I have actually managed to go surfing 3 days in a row as of yesterday.  I am still trying to determine which shape and size board I want to really focus on so the last three days I used 3 different size boards.  On Saturday I used my roommate’s 9’0’’ longboard that I repaired, on Sunday I used my own 6’6’’ fish, and yesterday I took out my 7’6’’ board.  Each one is completely different for sure.  I need to make a decision because I think I am not progressing as fast as I should due to the fact that I keep jumping between 3 different board styles.  The short fish shaped board is definitely too short for me at this time so I think I am taking that one out of the rotation for sure.  Now I am torn between a longboard or what is called a funboard.

Funboard Surfboard

A funboard is a mid range board that is anywhere from 7’ 0’’ to as long as 8’ 0’’.  They usually have a rounded off nose like a longboard.  I do have a 7’ 6’’ board which I guess can be classified as a funboard but the nose comes to a point so I lose a little bit of stability.  That is the board I took out yesterday and actually had a good time on it.  The surf conditions were blown out and about 2 – 4 ft.  I paddled out past the break and sat there for a minute and then decided I want to paddle back in to the shore break to play around in the white water so I can try to stand up on the board.

I spent a little over an hour catching white water and managed to stand for about… half a second a few times.  I think this board size will be the one I stick with and spend most time on, for a while at least.  I really want to try an egg shaped funboard though and may end up picking up an old one this weekend.  So far I am definitely leaning to the longer sized boards for sure.  They have a lot more size to them and are harder to manage getting around outside of the water and in but they make it quite a bit easier to stand on which makes you want to keep going back to try again because the learning curve is not as steep as a shortboard.

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Weight Training Begins Today - Weight Training

So today is my official day for getting back to the gym for a set workout routine for lifting weights.  I have been putting this off for as long as I can but it is becoming more and more evident that I need to do some strength training in order to speed up my progress in my other exercises.  I have had a few times where a wave has taken the board out of my hands when I am trying to turtle roll so I really want to strengthen my arms for that.  Also, I am a bit sluggish when it comes to popping up after I catch a wave so my goal is to strengthen my chest with some dumbbell chest press and flys.

I am not new to lifting weights.  I used to be really into it about 5 to 6 years ago when I was much more active.  I do know the basics for a solid workout routine and have used that knowledge to put together a weight training workout.  My goal is not to bulk up but instead to build strength and tone up so I will be focusing on lighter weight and more reps.  I also do not like to do 2 pulling or pushing exercises on consecutive days.  An example of this would be to do a chest workout on Monday and then a triceps workout on Tuesday.  Since your triceps are supplemental muscles for your chest workout I like to give them at least 24 hours to recover after a chest workout.  The same concept also works for back and biceps.

So that being said this will be my routine for the next 6 weeks at least:

Monday: Chest

Tuesday: Back

Wednesday: Shoulders

Thursday: Legs

Friday:  Triceps and Biceps

I think I will completely mix everything up after 6 weeks to try and get some muscle confusion going to avoid a plateau.

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