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Summer SUP – Winter Training

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Sitting here in the wintery world of ski-season, quads wonderfully shredded from 3 days finding off-piste fun, I started thinking about some compression tights to wear pre and post exercise. I remembered that Karen Wrenn was wearing something when she visited one of our river races last summer so I took a quick look at her website to determine what brand was good for SUP. Bummer, I can’t tell from this photo.  No problem though. I had the chance to explore Karen’s website and blog – great information right when I need it.

Just in time for paddling season this year I will be turning 63 (for real???) and staying ready to paddle in races and long tours is a priority. I “enter” races but I don’t “race.” While every stroke is the strongest I can muster at the time, and the camaraderie of the race is so much fun, I am usually the last to cross the finish line on my 11’3″ Amundson.  Occasionally I borrow a race board, most recently from Dave and Meg at Kialoa, but my agenda is all about the paddle in the water, the connection between heart/lungs/muscle/sights/sounds and friends on the water. Training for all that is important.

Reading about Karen’s busy life as mother of three and the off-season whether she deals with in Portland was inspiring.  She suggests ways to stay motivated and carving out the 45 minutes or so needed to stay in shape.  Especially interesting is her explanation of her cross-training routine.

On her blog, Karen explains,  “Circuit training is great because you can get your heart rate going, build muscle and muscle endurance. I will first do something that elevates my heart rate followed by a couple exercises that include strength and balance. For example, I might do 20 double jumps (or you could do 100-150 single jumps) with a jump rope and then move right into 20 kettle ball swings (from a squat position swinging the kettle ball to shoulder height coming to a standing position) and repeat. Then I would move into a plank position with elbows on a ball and roll the ball forward and back for 20 reps. I would do this circuit 3 times and then move on to another circuit.

Another idea of a circuit is to do 15 split jumps on each leg (http://www.livestrong.com/video/5310-split-jumps/) and then 20 tri-cep dips then 20 reverse crunches (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVVlXA0dqGg) and repeat this circuit another two times. Basically, come up with some circuits of three exercises. Have the first exercise of the series be something that will elevate your heart rate ( jump rope, running stairs, sprints on a rowing machine) add a strength exercise ( kettle bells, push ups, tricep dips, pull ups, etc…) then add in a core exercise ( reverse crunch, plank, medicine ball sit up and throws). After you finish one circuit of three then move on to another.

Bye, for now! I am heading to the gym and then to the trail. SUP season will be here before we know it. How do YOU train off-season?

SUP Spectrum: Colors

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A recent post on the Kialoa Paddles Facebook page caught my imagination (and made me really want a new paddle!) Their 2012 line reflects technology and tradition with a SUPer dose of awesome design.

That collage of color reminded me of a shot we took back in the summer of 2009 when the Central Oregon sport of “sarong sailing” was (maybe) invented on Hosmer Lake.  Local artist, Cristina Acosta, had created exuberant designs on silk. It was a sunny day and we had a few of her sarongs with us as we headed out for a paddle/picnic day. As we entered the widest part of the lake, coming into view of Mt. Bachelor we were chatting excitedly about how the snow melt we were paddling on had been sweet spring snow under our skis just a few months before – when suddenly the wind picked up! Ed, the most dedicated sailor among us, wished out loud, “Too bad we don’t have sails to harness this breeze!”

Coming at us from the side it was perfect for a broad reach. Without a moment’s hesitation, Cristina whipped out a few of her sarongs, which immediately caught the breeze and shot us forward in a blaze of color and design.  Greens, blues and yellows filled the sky – along with giggles and woohooos.

During our lunch in the middle of Hosmer Lake we had a chance to hear about the silk-screen process Cristina used to create her variety of silk sarongs. We debated the pros and cons of possibly refining methods for attaching the sarong for more technical “sailing.”  That idea quickly went out the door by the end of the afternoon. The pure casual ability to take a sarong from around our waist and hoist it into the wind for a few minutes of “wind-surfing” won out. Ed crusied toward his favorite ski mountain while Cristina and Judy tried the “catamaran” method. 

Not long after our day at Hosmer, we took a SUP along the Deschutes River at Sunriver and paddled into Spring River, a cold and clear finger of exploration opportunities.  The day was sunny again but as afternoon approached the wind turned brisk. Of course we had our sarongs.

Isabella and Cristina harnessed some breezes – what a picture! We probably took 30 shots of the reflections of color and paddle boards in and below the crystal clear water.  

Who’s “Saving the World” in 2012?

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Just read a disturbing article that included a picture of a sad-faced beach-goer who had collected a huge black float that drifted ahead of the massive amount of tsunami debris. Disasters like that tsunami are horrific events generating devastating human and personal loss. The side effects ripple out in thousands of ways. Like many disasters and challenging events, there is also the opportunity to join together and create community and positive impact from them.

One example is the non-profit group Stopping Oregon’s Litter and Vandalism says it’ll be ready when that debris does wash up. The group already organizes two massive Oregon beach clean-ups every year. “We know that we can organize people to get out and help take care of the problem once it’s there,” said SOLV executive director Melisa McDonald. Peterson anticipates debris from the tsunami will continue to show up on our coast for about three to five years as it keeps circulating around the Pacific Ocean. Alone, the few things we might pick up in a river, lake, stream or ocean as we engage in our sport amount to a drop in a bucket – but there is amazing power in our collective efforts.

Jim Moriarity, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, shared how Surfrider which is comprised of 250,000 supporters and 84 chapters across the U.S will Change the World in 2012 by protecting the coasts through engaged activism and by scaling effective ideas across a connected learning network. “A network becomes stronger, more valuable and more potent when it consistently learns from itself,” said Moriarity.

As 2012 opens we’d like to showcase and report on other water-efforts that you might be involved in. We can promote your websites, blogs and links so that more people can make a choice and make a difference – collectively.

Let us know if you are on Twitter so @eldersup can follow you.

Jimmy Spithill: Standing up for Standup

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During the Louis Vuitton Junior Trophy, BMW Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill – who first sailed in the America’s Cup as a teenager – was among the senior sailors encouraging the kids. He said, “We appreciate all the people who come to see us and congratulate us with the Cup. But for us, the exciting thing is meeting the kids. Especially the kids sailing these great little boats. These kids are the future of world sailing. And I wouldn’t be surprised if one day they’re sailing boats like these, but on a bigger scale, in the America’s Cup.”

Next generation – always the key to a great future, whether it’s sailing, SUPing, the environment or any number of challenging causes.  It makes sense that Jimmy would practice balance and core strength on a standup board between his adventures with Oracle Racing. Getting the job done in an ocean race means moving quickly on an unstable platform and maintaining a strong core for the demands of racing.  Sounds like the recipe for a SUP workout – for sure!

Dear to my heart (A few levels behind the passion for standing on water of any kind) is fitness. Jimmy Spithill chats, in the video below, about noticing what consumers are doing for fitness. (bye bye treadmill and crunches).  Not just sailors, but the general public is embracing a new fitness fun in the form of standup paddling.  Right on, Jimmy! he says, “We grabbed people from the shore, people who had never tried SUP and they loved it.  When people are engaged with the ocean they want to protect it.”

Enjoy!

Duke Kahanamoku: Wise Words

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It’s holiday time and where we live we ride our sleds, snowboards and skis on “waves of frozen water.” That’s something Duke never did – but he talks about it on this page – a collection of some wise words.  Without really mentioning the joys of sharing, giving and knowing that there will be “enough” if you wait, he’s put it all into this quote:

Just take your time – wave comes. Let the other guys go, catch another one.
Duke Kahanamoku

When the sets are few and waves quite far apart it’s easy to get caught up in “needing” one – NOW! Mmmm, kinda reminds me of life. You too?

You may want to read about our buddy, Ka’ai Bruhn who grew up close to the Kahanamoku family digs.

Solid Roots: Ka’ai Bruhn- Traditions and Canoes

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One of the best known beaches in the world, Waikiki was the favorite playground of Hawaiian royalty in the 19th century. At the time, Waikiki was an area of wetlands fed by streams from the valleys above Honolulu.  We spent this week at the Hilton Hawaiian Village eager for a week of stand-up paddling and surfing. It was our third visit but we had never heard how the Waikiki wetlands gave way to the resorts and beaches so popular today. This visit included a true bonus. We met Ka’ai Bruhn in his Duke Kahanamoku Canoe Stand right on the shore of the nearby lagoon.

He didn’t start with the story of his passion for 6-man outrigger canoe racing, but we teased it  out over a conversation around our favorite paddles.  We had shipped our Kialoa SUP paddles over to Hawaii – and coincidentally Ka’ai mentioned that he uses Kialoa paddles when he races. Then the story evolved. His favorite race is the Molokai-Oahu that takes place yearly in October.

In 2004 and 2005 as a member of the Lanikai Canoe Club, Ka’ai’s team won the race. That 42 mile route is always full of wind, swells, uncertain conditions – and according to Ka’ai, an amazing experience! This photo shows the 2004 team after their victory. That’s Ka’ai in the back on the left – pretty happy group.

We connected easily, tied by stories of “the good old days” when shrimp and lobster were abundant in the wetland that is now the lagoon.  Our Florida/Bahamas past paralleled Ka’ai’s – and he found us as an eager audience to some local history.  He respects the strong connection between Duke Kanahnamoku and the exact geographic location of both the resort and the lagoon nearby.

It’s great to hear what Ka’ai loves about running his business throughout the 16 years he’s been at the resort. “The lagoon is a wonderful place and the nearby safe beaches allow people of all ages and all abilities to learn to swim and enjoy watersports in salt water. It’s rare to find a place like this. Visitors can safely learn a respect for the sea while having fun.

The connected-ness between this part of Waikiki and water sports became known worldwide because of Duke Kahanamoku. His family had a four bedroom home nearby and Duke learned to swim right here – like so many others from around the world.  The difference? Duke trained and had both the skill and the drive to become fast enough to break the world record for swimming in several Olympics. Not satisfied just breaking records, Duke gave swimming and surfing exhibitions and popularized both sports – and his Waikiki home.”

As you would expect from a waterman, Ka’ai comes from a family with deep respect for Mother Earth – land and sea.  In the yin and yang of life, mixing water sports and family, the tradition of love and respect is simply part of life. Ka’ai’s grandfather always said, “People say we should be careful so that we don’t ruin Mother Earth. The truth is, in the end, Mother Earth will always win. It’s us, humankind, that should be watchful and caring for our own survival.”  Powerful perspective!

Counting Crows

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A decade or more ago, my teenage kids played a lot of Counting Crows and when I could understand the lyrics (yes, I have trouble with that) I got into a lot of the songs. One, “Nothing but a Child” was a favorite, mainly for this first line,
“Nothing but a Child Glass upon me walking on the ocean
Sun upon me walking on a wave ”

(PS That is NOT me in the photo below!)
Back then it had to have been about 30 years since I’d surfed and quite a few years before SUP became along. But, ocean people (you know who you are) find the sounds and images of the sea resonate and attract. What could be better than walking on the ocean?
Over the past 3 months as summer blew into fall and darker wintry days, I re-connected with my yoga practice. Hot Bikram and some ventures to another studio, “Groove Yoga.”  Over the past year I have been meandering at various goals because, to me, this is a very unique year.  On June 2 (6/2) I turned 62. How cool is that!

All summer I had noticed people enjoying yoga on their SUP boards, in the river and in the ocean. Triangle, Warrior, Headstands and hand stands – and that seemed incredible, strong, balanced and wonderful.  So returning to yoga this Fall I had some goals.  Last night – I gave up those goals. Not in a negative way, but in a manner full of new awareness.

I want to do a head stand on my SUP board – friends, family and ElderSUP readers have been hearing that message. Last night in a packed room at Groove Yoga in a class led by Gerry Lopez I finally heard what I should have already known. In a calm voice that guided our practice, one of the first things Gerry mentioned was that the goal is not the pose.  It is our intent and willingness to listen to our own body and relax, with strength, into what our body can do right now that matters.

How many times have I heard something similar – but for some reason, with my focus on “getting to a head stand” I had forgotten.  During the class breathing, relaxing, focusing, awareness and intent guided my practice. At the same time I continued to mull over the new awareness that the “practice” is everything.  So it went throughout the class. Then as we were winding down Gerry announced that it was time for practicing inversions. Most of the class seemed to immediately hop into a head stand  and handstand, some needed a small tutorial from Gerry or others helping in the class.

I place my hands and head on the floor – oops, a minute later I was sitting up. Whew! That was difficult. Everyone else still inverted, so I gave it another try.  I heard a voice say, “press into the floor, engage your core.” Oh, OK, I thought. Arghhhhh!

I was up and sitting again. “How can you say that doesn’t take strength?” I implored. Several people nearby gave knowing smiles (from their upside-down vantage point).

By then I had attracted the attention of both instructors and Gerry.  With a calm series of guiding instructions I was back into an equilateral triangle made up of my two hands and head on the mat. Listening and working toward pressing into the floor, using my forearms and engaging my core I was sweating and muscles trembled (apparently i was working too hard at it).

“Let go, walk your toes toward your hands and lift your toes off the floor. Knee onto your elbow.”  I gave it a try. Collapse. Again – and one, then the other toe lifted off the floor and for two milli-seconds I was in Crow posture.

And for a milli-second I got how it was supposed to feel.  Now I cannot wait to practice that again – and again. Not for the eventual headstand, but for the awareness of “I am at this stage now but I can move to the next stage.”

What does this have to do with an Elder SUP article? Knowing the self  as a being rather than merely as an athlete or surfer or paddler or racer, is a genuine kind of knowledge.  That sort of knowledge usually gets lost in the rush of activities and push of goals. The value of discovering one’s self and of enjoying one’s self as it is, rather than as it is going to be, is a treasure. Have you had an experience similar to this? Comments or e-mail, we love to hear your story.  Join us on Facebook. for short comments and links to your stories.

Wet Balancing Act

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Natarajasana (Dancer Pose or Lord of the Dance Pose) is a deep backbend that requires patience, focus, and persistence. I’ve always had this yen to do a “Dancer Pose” on my paddleboard. Hey, I am coordinated and have a really strong core. Now that I have been seriously trying to accomplish this before my 76th  birthday in June, (so I can enjoy the SUP dancer this summer)

I realize there’s something that needs more practice, focus and persistence. And something more is crucial – balance. I have passable balance on land – hopefully I can transfer that to more than confident “standing on water.”

Like you, I enjoy balance in my life. It takes awareness and practice to gain actual balance and balance in the body as a metaphor. For even the most grounded and centered person, the body can only stay consistently in that state for a short time. We breathe, we move, life changes. With the movement of the breath comes movement in the body, and in our lives. And with this ever present force keeping us alive and creating movement. Finding balance requires the ability to maintain focus and quickly adapt as situations change . We learn not to focus on one thing only, but on one thing at a time. Staying aware and flexible – Will this help me with that on-water “Dancer Pose?”

To be balanced we need to first be centered, balancing the right and the left and the front and back hemispheres of our body along the centerline axis. In my Bikram and other yoga practice that’s a common routine for every pose.  Each instruction and movement is designed to draw the body parts and energy in to the center of the body.  Wobbly and wiggly – I do give it all my effort and love the outcomes. On land I am one confident “dancer.”

 

Focal points, visual or mental, serve as anchors for the mind and the body. In virtually every balance posture, yoga teachers tell us what to look at as we begin the posture. We use that visual focal point as an anchor to hold our attention in place. Using a mantra, a single word or short phrase that gets repeated over and over either out loud or within the mind, is a form of meditation that serves as an anchor and to eliminate the mind chatter. My mantra? “Breathe breathe breathe.” . Ahhh, intention! There’s the magic.

During the practice of Yoga exercises, we not only relax the muscles but we also build up strength, structure and stability in the right spots. Out on the water, years of practice breathing, balance, strength and flexibility along with reading the water have given me confidence on TWO feet – what about on ONE foot?

As lame as I am in completing Natarajasana today I have the intent and a vision of a clear blue lake or mirrored ocean with me balanced (however precariously) on the foundation of one strong and steady leg and foot.  Reframing the goal of Dancer Pose on the paddleboard into a journey makes the entire process a practice.  So far the journey has been punctuated with a splash and a full on wet ending to the balancing act. No worries! The journey will continue.

What’s your balancing act as you gain the SUP Perspective? Links, blogs, comments and quotes are invited and welcome.

 

 

Go beyond the re-usable bag – BEAT PLASTIC on our BEACHES

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Back in the day, we all remember when. There were no plastic water bottles.  Plastic bags, packaging redundancy and seemingly indestructible containers were not the norm. So was it easier to be recycle-savvy?

Maybe it was.  There was another difference, too.  We were all outside more often a few decades ago. Kids got dirty, explored woods, trees, water, rocks, mountains, beetles, birds and everything in between.  We all were more connected to the natural world because we were in it – outside – without the media spin or editing of today’s “nature shows.”

Out of sight of the film crews, textbook exploration of beaches and outside of the resort or “Disney-fied” beach experience, millions of pounds of plastic )bottles, bags, shoes, packaging, and objects float in daily.  We know that. We do what we can do personally – but how do we expand our influence?

Taking on that task, Patagonia, Gerry Lopez and others use their communication skills and influence to share stories that inspire awareness and change.  Gerry has lent his voice to the Plastic Pollution Coalition’s mission to bring awareness to the growing problem of single-use plastics. We hope you’ll share this article to your friends, family and social networks.

THE CLEANEST LINE: WHAT A MESS – REMEMBERING A WORLD BEFORE PLASTIC POLLUTION

Wherever you live there is probably a Surfrider Foundation group nearby.  With October comes Raptober and the “Rise Above Plastic” effort.  If plastic all over our beaches and waterways breaks your heart the way it does mine, join the effort today.

Sun-Sea-Sky-SUP-Surf St Petersburg: Christian Cook on life on water

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There’s a certain sense of mystical wonder that comes from scanning a view across a fog-laced body of water when the wind is dead calm – ocean, lake or bay.  Walking to low-tide flats of Tampa Bay with a sweet YOLO board the weather was the opposite of fog.  The same sort of mystical was not lost on me or with my paddling partner, Christian Cook.

High noon and glassy calm is not the norm for Tampa Bay. Maybe late season hurricane Rina way south had scooped up all the wind. In any event it was a very cool combination of wind and weather to drop in on.

I connected with Christian of NRG Salt Standup Paddle Fitness (web link coming) through Brody Welte with YOLO boards. There are plenty of SUP business owners who are passionate about the sport, but many don’t connect the fitness benefits of SUP with the pure water/waterman spirit. Christian Cook certainly does! The following images are just a small example of naturally adding strength, core and flexibility to our easy paddle today. 

Let’s back up a bit and follow the path that lead Christian to the soon-to-be-launched NRG Salt.  Always fit and full of energy and purpose, Christian started surfing about 6 years ago. It wasn’t long afterward that he added a paddle to his wave riding.  Sneaking into the peripheral of his awareness from that surfing base was THE CHALLENGE – the Molokai 2 Oahu race. Is that a difficult race to finish – heck yeah! It’s a difficult race to START! As Christian explains, that’s exactly why he chose to do it – twice.

Hopping on his SIC F14 (Mark Rappaport design) race board Christina enjoyed the first 28 or so miles of the 2008 Molokai2Oahu race. It was about 7 hours of 20-30 ft rolling swells that sent the board zooming with crazy speed. The 7-9 ft sides and 40 mph gusts just added to the fun.  That was – until along came China Walls – the rocky coastline at the edge of the Portlock neighborhood of Oahu.

That was the location of the last 3+ miles of the race when “pure honesty” determines who finishes. Every paddle stroke counts in those final miles and each one is more difficult than the one before. Christina shared his “way to finish the race” mantra. Be sure to have someone you love and care about at the finish.  Looking ahead at Oahu during those last miles he knew his wife and sons were waiting to photograph the finish.  The picture I saw tells the story: a big smile through exhaustion.

Christian explains, “I want to be an example for my sons that you can have a dream.  You can look at a star that seems impossible to reach – and you can do what it takes to reach it.” It’s a lot like life, one paddle stroke at a time.

If you travel to the west coast of Florida, to the Tampa/St Petersburg area, and want to jump into a paddle fit class, go for a training paddle on the Gulf or simply rent a board to explore on your own, your connection begins with Christian Cook and his new venture, NRG Salt Stand Up Paddle Fitness.