Surf Flex: Flexibility, Yoga and Conditioning for the Ultimate Surfing Experience (Sports Flex) [Paperback]

As a 31 year old surfer, I knew that I wasn't getting any younger, I also wasn't getting any better at surfing. I needed a lift, one that could help me on days I couldn't get to, or it wasn't worth going in the water. This is it. Paul Frediani has written quite possibly the most important single book for surfers, ever published.

The book is a comprehensive training guide on flexibility, strength, suppleness and balance, written exclusively with surfers in mind. With contributions from top surfers, and watersports experts, it is also full of inspiring titbits.

The book is broken into four main training disciplines, Flex time, the Surf Flex workout, Cardio Conditioning and The Wahine (woman) workout.

The Flex time section is a basic yoga guide and guide to stretching and flexibility exercises. The exercises are accompanied by clear photos, and are a good starting point. (I would heartily recommend "Yoga - Learn Yoga - Beginners Class 1" video, available from amazon as an excellent beginning companion.)

Cardio conditioning is a section of beach, pool and dry land workouts to get your heart pumping and your body working. I heartily agree with Frediani that all surfers need to be good watermen and need to swim at least a mile. This will help you get there.

The Wahine workout, (wahine is Hawaiian for woman) is specifically designed to help women build their upper body strength and to avoid knee injuries specific to women. Highly commendable, and yes, some of the exercises are good for blokes too.

The piece de resistance is the superb Surf Flex section. This is a section designed exclusively to meet the needs of surfer. You will need a Swiss ball to make the most of this section, (imagine a space hopper with no ears.) You can get them from any good sports shop, or Argos, for about £15. Money well spent! You carry out different moves, whilst balanced on the ball, such as sit-ups, knee tucks, and even practice balancing on the ball, sitting, kneeling and then standing. This all works on the core muscles and impoves your neuromuscular system, (your balance in other words.) It is superb.

This will improve your surfing, no question, but it may be more important than that...

Feb 2003 I was surfing with friends in North Devon, and after a good days surfing, we were coming to the end of our second session. It was a pretty big day, easily overhead, and with strong offshores. Tired but happy I decided to get out back for one last blast when I was caught in a rip and dragged into the imact zone. Try as I might I couldn't escape. To make matters worse my leash ripped off and I was left stranded with 6 footers dumping on my head and no board. I am convinced that it is only the fact that I had been following this training regime that I am alive to talk about it. The strength, determination, and cardiovascular power I needed that day came as a result of this book. The doctors actually said that if it were not for the fact that I was extremely fit I WOULD have died. Now that is an endorsement!!

basically its realistic excersises and stretching aimed at surfing, and take it from this fat, lazy mid 30's chap even if you just take elements it will help you out.

this really is a good book.