21 days to train

[Onelove]

I leave for a 5 day trip to Costa and will have 21 days to train, very little actual surfing time between now and then.What should be priority? Swimming/paddling ( I can get on board and paddle), yoga, cardio, weights, diet?

I’ve let myself get a touch out of shape over holidays. Where do I put my focus. I’m easily most worried about conditioning and the long paddles out and creeper sets.

[Onelove]

By conditioning I’m referring to paddle and cardio endurance, but don’t want to overtrain and end up with tight hips and sore shoulders/ back. The older surfer conundrum I suppose.

[oldmansurfer]

I vote for all of the above Most significantly actually paddling on a board is probably the best out of those and maybe like paddle 10 strokes as hard as you can then paddle slower for a long distance until you recover from the sprint then repeat but if you are older then take it easy. But it seems like a good idea to do paddling swimming yoga cardio and weights and a good diet is always a good idea.

[Onelove]

Ouch iron, your gonna break my body!

Yeah, I try to take 1200-1500 strokes on my board in the flatness of where I live, but it’s a time and daylight situation. I just can’t do that one everyday. I have free pools to hop into and swim also. I’m not in awful shape just kind o 1 more push before I reach what is challenging surf for me. Unfortunately im only there 5 days so no real easing into it. The last few days before I go I’m doing massages hot tubs yoga and rest. Daily massages in Jaco once I get there too.

[oldmansurfer]

Well not everything every day just do it all whenever you can but paddling the board a couple days a week would be good and swimming if you can’t. The thing about surfing is the better shape your are in the quicker you’ll learn.

[oldmansurfer]

I’m not going on a surf trip but I do stretching every day and weights 2 times a week and hiking for cardio training 3 to 5 times a week and paddle 2 times a week

[dtc]

I think paddling no 1, and what you are doing on the lake is perfect. It will also train your back to arch - not something that people do in their normal lives and so your back muscles can tire out when you hit the ocean

Secondly, I find that the rear of my shoulders get sore, from paddling but also from pushing up off the board - paddle to sit, and popping up. So band extensions (for shoulders) and push ups.

And get the pop up groove working from some dry land work

I actually think that will be enough. There isn’t much more you can do in 21 days; just maximise your paddling cardio. And don’t wear yourself out or injure yourself by over exerting

What is as important is keeping your body cared for during those 5 days. For example, I find that stopping my session 20 minutes before I’m worn out, rather than 20 minutes after I am, means my recovery is much faster and I can be back in the water sooner and more frequently. Eating right, sleeping properly. Surfing 5 hours a day when your body can only handle 4 hours will make day 4 and 5 a real struggle. Surf 3.5 hours and you will be keen to go hard every day

[Onelove]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m actually on the Atlantic—not s lake, but it is finicky here, only breaks 2.5 hours before high and about an hour outgoing, needs good swell, and I have to be home and it has to be daylight. Fortunately I just got done with a good 4 out of 5 days right at end of December with waist to 2 foot overhead surf.

Paddling flat water is definitely my priority 1. Tide sensitive though even for paddling as crazy as that sounds.