 |
| (Illustrative Only) Don't make life complicated. Whether your riding the waves or surfing the net, don't make life complicated! A beach bum philosopher with good posture. |
I told myself I was there to continue to work on something meaningful—maybe even work on a future book of poetry I’ve been “collecting and creating” for years (which is a fancy way of saying I’ve got a lot of half-finished thoughts in notebooks and on napkins. I might be able to scrape enough napkins together and bind them.). But hey, creative energy has to come from somewhere. For me, it’s the outdoors. Living life. And occasionally pausing to contemplate the deep mysteries of our metaphysical existence… right before checking my email again.
About ten years ago, I decided to take up surfing. “Take up” might be generous—I’d say I’ve been in a long-term, on-and-off relationship with falling off a board. I’ve improved slightly, which now means I fall with more confidence. But that’s not really the point. I’m in the water, and that counts. These days, it’s less about skill and more about the simple joy of finishing some work, pulling on a wetsuit, and jumping into the ocean like a semi-responsible adult. 30 minutes to reset the mind.
So there I am, suiting up, when a younger guy walks up and asks, “You going in or going out?”
I said, “Oh, I’m going out.”
He goes, “Yeah, me too. Waves look kinda bushy today, man. Real bushy.”
Bushy?
I paused. I’ve heard a lot of surf terms—none of them include landscaping vocabulary. I nodded like I knew exactly what he meant, because that’s what you do when you’re trying to blend in with people who were probably born holding a surfboard.
For the record, “bushy waves” apparently means messy, foamy, hard-to-read chaos. Lots of whitewater, not a lot of clean lines. Basically, the ocean equivalent of trying to find a parking spot in a crowded lot.
Still, I paddled out anyway. Because honestly, that’s life, right? Surboard philosophy....Sometimes the waves are clean and perfect. Other times, they’re… bushy. You don’t always know what you’re going to get, but if you want to be out there, you’ve got to ride whatever shows up—or at least attempt to, repeatedly, while swallowing a little saltwater.
These days, I check the Ocean Beach cams before heading out, just to see what kind of “foliage situation” I’m dealing with. It’s also a good way to keep up with everything happening around town—the farmers market, chili cook-offs, music festivals, all the local flavor that makes beach life what it is. Ocean Beach Surf Cam
Anyway… coffee’s done, laptop’s closing, wetsuit’s calling.
Cowabunga, dudes!! (<<<<Got that phrase down).
Oh...and surving makes my posture better. Waves, exercise and ocean zen. 😊
Title: effects of long-term recreational surfing on balance and force control in older adults
- The study examined how long-term recreational surfing influences postural control and force regulation in older surfers compared to non-surfers.
- Older surfers demonstrated better balance and stability, suggesting surfing helps maintain neuromuscular coordination with age.
- Findings indicate that regular surfing may counteract age-related declines in motor control, particularly in force production and posture.
- Surfing involves continuous adjustments to unstable environments, which likely enhances sensorimotor adaptability and functional fitness.
- The study is preliminary and calls for further research with larger sample sizes to confirm long-term health benefits.
Frank, M., Zhou, S., Bezerra, P., & Crowley, Z. (2009). Effects of long-term recreational surfing on control of force and posture in older surfers: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 7(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1728-869X(09)60005-7
No comments:
Post a Comment