duckdives

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to actually supplement paddling strength — and no, I don’t mean from more time in the sea, a wave pool, or in water at all. Something you can train on land, without needing swell or spending money. And it dawned on me — something so simple it almost feels like cheating: the pull-up. The more research I did on it, the more it made sense. The latissimus dorsi — the wing-like muscles running down your back — are what drive both the upward phase of a pull-up and every powerful paddle stroke. When you pull yourself toward the bar, your lats engage in pretty much the exact same way they do when your hand digs through the water. Your shoulders and rotator cuffs stabilise the movement, just like they do when you reach forward on your board to start a stroke. Your biceps take over in the final part of the pull-up, mirroring that last pull as your hand exits the water. Even your core is working the entire time — keeping your body tight, steady, and balanced...

Got curious about mindfulness lately — not in some sit-cross-legged, incense-burning kind of way, but more like… what actually is it? That curiosity kicked in after watching a video from Sterling Spencer — surfer, bit of a mystic these days. He rattled off a bunch of names that helped him rewire his brain, and I figured after a bit of an ordeal, why not follow that breadcrumb trail. First up: The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh . Surfing’s always had this built-in stillness to it — the quiet before the drop, the focus it demands. Feels like there’s some crossover with mindfulness. So I picked up the book, gave it a read, and here’s what stuck for me. No fluff, no guru glow — just a gritty first take. 1. Be Present Hanh kicks off with the basics: just be where you are. Fully. Even if it’s washing dishes. It sounds stupidly simple, but it really makes you realise how much you check out of your own life. For surfers, that’s being in the wave, not just chasing the next one or ov...