#surfcuit

[missfigueras]

Day 2 of #surfcuit!! Thank you to these amazing people for all the hard work and dedication. 💕🤗 #longerhardertighter (at Club Manila East) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3DcyTFXcOvFtMEr8Anp9J8wlr0Kav3ZdG5i40/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e94bm14plv21

[heyitsjdj]

That what-f*ck-did-I-get-myself-into moment. Hindi maka tagal sa board, arms sore from paddling, back aching trying to maintain a good form. Yung alon na parang si realidad Kung sumampal! Machine Generated naman! Feelingerang alon ka! inano ba kita!??? Tounge hina! Pero #laban #Push #surfsup #surfcuit 🏄🏼 (at Club Manila East)

[souladventure]

@worldofpatterns yoga sesh for Surfcuit training today was the best way to settle the intensity. Not to mention special guest DJ @cookiemoreno taking care of the ambient music. @philippinesurfingacademy #clubmanilaeast. Namaste 🙏 #surfcuit #philippinesurfingacademy #yoga

[saltysili]

Surfcuit Day 1

"SAVE YOUR SATURDAY NIGHTS"

Coach Earl said during the intro with a huge grin.

As a parent, that's all you ever do to keep as much sleep as you can.

But Surfcuit is one of a kind. It's been six hours since the session and I'm still stuffing my face out of hunger while writing this. 

Last night, I stayed up late cooing my daughter to sleep and I quickly felt the effects of losing a good night's rest while going through the program.

I can only imagine what would be left of me after a night of hardcore partying. I'd probably pass out. In the water. And drown a bit.

Coach Earl was right.

Surfcuit is a gruelling four hour intensive training program that pushed the known limits of my endurance in the water and on a buoyant board.

I don't think I've ever paddled so much at one go in my life. Not even while eating white water on a bad day at sea.

Our first round, we were made to paddle 10 laps wall to wall. By the end of the first session, we would have paddled 400 meters in the span of four hours.

After being out of the water for years, my arms were burning halfway through the first exercise. 

(all smiles despite the pain)

(zig zag paddling exercises)

After each paddling exercise, we were treated to a 20 minute cycle of continuous waves. I thought I could finally get stoked. 

After a few attempts at trying to catch my own waves, I was exhausted.

You see, fresh water is less buoyant than sea water. Waves generated by a wave pool are much harder to catch. Position and timing are everything. Your committed paddling may not be enough to get you an actual ride. 

A few rounds of tips from former graduates and encouragement from the coaches, I was able to catch my own waves. And it was true, position and timing over frantic paddling. But once I got to relax, my paddles were deeper and harder. And I really did feel the difference in the push.

(catching waves)

During breaks, we were required to do a variation of paddling exercises including steering, pivoting and eskimo rolls. 

This really showed me in what areas I needed improvement in. Personally, my eskimo rolls look like a recipe for disaster in the water.

Despite the fatigue, we were all smiles, stoked from our rides and satisfied with how we pushed the limits of our endurance. The coaches' laid back demeanors definitely lightened the mood. 

(coachly advice to a student)

After four cycles of continuous waves and more paddling in between, the session ended at 5:00pm. By the end of it, I had some form of gratification but a whole new excitement of what I needed to improve in my surfing.

Day one of Surfcuit and I already know the problem with my stance, steering and paddling just in a matter of hours.

All in all, the intensity and the pain were worth it. I'm still smiling now while reviewing the pictures. Can't wait for next week.

(class picture with the coaches)

[surftolivetosurf]

SurfCuit Training: Session 2

As with yoga, I start every surf session with an intention. Sometimes it is to fade on a take-off if the opportunity arises. Sometimes it's just to make the paddle out with dry hair. ;) 

I decided to apply the same practice to SurfCuit. For our second session, I decided that my intention would be this: to paddle for my own wave from the peak of the wavepool. I've been consistently getting waves out in the ocean but have never, not once, been able to catch it from the far peak of the wavepool.

We began the session with some beginner poi. Using the poi, Paolo led us through some dynamic stretching exercises to loosen our muscles in preparation for a day of surfing. Once we were all warmed up, he handed us off to Will for some yoga.

It was gentle practice, a progression from the last session's class. Enough to get our blood running and ourselves balanced but not too strenuous that students would be too tired to surf.

About half an hour later, Paolo told all of us to re-apply our sunblock and get in the pool. For the rest of the morning we did swim drills (which included treading water and passing a rolled-up yoga mat), paddle drills, eskimo rolls and, of course, surf.

It took me a few tries to figure out the proper timing and paddling to catch a wave from the far peak... but after about 20 minutes of trying, I managed to do it. Intention: Fulfilled.

So for anyone who thinks that SurfCuit is just for beginners or that it has no merit for people who already know how to surf in the ocean, I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. There is definitely something to be said for being able to practice and ground your fundamentals as well as dialing down your timing. 

Can't wait for the next training session! 

(Thank you Planet Zips, Poi Philippines for our new poi practice sets!)