As long I can think back, I always wanted to be able to surf.
Not that kind of surfing where You click from one website to another.
Not that surfing where You use a sail attached to the board to move on ponts.
I mean real surfing.
That activity where You are exposed to the forces of nature.
You can attempt.
You can drown.
You can be seriously injured.
Or You can master and stand the wave.
/context
I consider surfing in terms of wave-riding as the royal-disciplin of all sports.
There is nothing I know of, where is more complexity, more unknown is interfering Your learning approach than in surfing.
I was hooked decades ago by some media.
The hook cutted even deeper into my mind as I once stood on a floating 10″-foam-board in waves hitting against South Chesterman Beach, Tofino, BC (Canada).
I am living quite away from any natural wave in Leipzig, Germany.
So, I needed to find a way to improve my skills without any beach in reach.
Why do I not travel to spots?
Well, there is this girl and our three little-ones …
/babysteps towards mastership
So, I began searching for possibilities to improve my skills without the thing itself.
In fact, it was about separating specific aspects of surfing and train them independently from interference of nature.
I identified topics that needed some attention:
- Overall fitness
- Muscle strength
- Flexibility
- Ability to balance
- Kinesthetic memory
And that’s what I did.
/longboarding
Between my sets of waves at Chesterman Beach there was a kind of vacation.
Overall, we were 3 month in Canada and three weeks of this time in Tofino.
There was internet available at campground and so I found out some facts about traning surfability onshore.
I got notice that I needed to have a longboard.
To be precise: a Derwish
Since 2010, I use a little time to improve my sliding abilities.
/yoga
… is always supportive to mind and body.
It intensified my stretchablity, and intensed my body-feeling.
It gives a great idea where pain is helpful and where it indicates STOP!
Btw. It gave a great extension and reallocation to my mindset, I benefit from every day.
/playground excercises
Well, I visit some playgrounds due to my family responsibilities.
There are some decvices usually placed everywhere. And there are some specials.
I used
- Seesaw for balance and strength to maneuvre
- Slide (Yiieha!)
- Battering ram
- Springs
- Rotating plates
Etc.
Gymnastic balls and some other gym utilities are also helpful.
/snow boarding
15 years ago, I stood an a snowboard 1st time.
No instructions, no idea, no mercy.
It took more than 3 weeks until last pain points vanished.
This year, I finally managed to ride a snowboard.
With instructions, with idea, but no mercy from my side.
It took about 2 weeks until bigger injuries cured.
I experienced the biggest bruise I have ever seen – even at others.
I found it quite similar to longboarding on streets. Stable conditions.
But with fixed feet, which is a little different in comparison to longboarding and surfing.
/simulators
A board mounted to a fixed spring might be also helpful.
I did not managed to assemble and daring it, yet.
I have a slackline instead.
And an Indo Board which I usually combine with a long board to nearly slide in balance on the floor of my office to utilize work interruptions.
Looks quite like this.
/the real stuff – nearly
I visited Alpamare in Bad Tölz before it closed down forever in 2015.
It was an indoor floater which is great to get idea where Your kinesthetic memory has to be improved.
I searched for alternatives and found some in Bispingen and Siegburg.
I did not manage to get there up to now.
The universe gave me possibility to train in the outskirts of Leipzig.
The local Kanupark implemented a static wave in 2017, first time.
I experienced that a few days ago.
It was a great boost of self-confidence.
It began with a bar spanning over the canal. After about 15min it was removed.
I was able to stand the static wave within first hour on it.
I was able to get into by myself the very last turn until engines turned off for that day.
/further steps to perform
I own a documentary about the Eisbach wave.
It is so famous, everybody who is serious in Surfing knows it – all over the world.
Due to the fact, I work sometimes in Munic and watched the documentary, I have reasonable amount of respect towards this wave.
Quite a few people know its existence. Some of my colleagues know somebody who knows someone who is able to surf it.
The Locals who are able outbeat even Ke11y Slater!
And then there is Portugal.
The big boys head towards Peniche, Lagos and all this famous spots.
Even from Hawaii – can You dig this?
Well, I will certainly take some smaller ones before I would give my life in God’s hands.
/insight
All this preparation over the years gave me more and more abilities to master surfing.
In human interactions there is no fear in me, anymore.
But heading towards nature is a different story.
I am on my way, but not reached destination, nearly.
The green room is still wating for me.
Hopefully, I will see it before my 50s birthday.
Only 4 years left to go from now.
/whatif You can change the world?
You desperately want to achieve something and conditions are sub-optimal.
- What, if You can separate “the whole” into segments?
- What, if there are other possibilities to train what is needed?
- What, if You head toward a goal currently out of Your reach?
/realize!
If You decided to master, You will master.
Easy things vanish quickly, higher fruits will last longer, once they are achieved.
/benefit!
Look for goals that are worth paying the price.
In the end, You will notice, the price is only a nominal charge to separate the willing from the other.
/etc
You get access to whatever I estimate being worth to share on my twitter-channel.
/inspirators
AND something about “The Price” can be found here.
/ressources
- Kanupark Markkleeberg
- Eisbach/Floßländle
- “Flowriders”
- Loaded whirling Dervish – best skate video of all time!
/collateral results
As I reflected about complexity and how to approach until achieving mastership, I codified this sequence I called the up2U-protocol.
If there is the need to master complexity and chaos around You, there are some steps to perform in this order.
Feel free to use until You stand the waves of life.
/farewell
May all Your needs vanish into reality.
Live long and prosper.
/famouslastwords
Life runs in circles. Some are smaller, some are bigger.
In the end, there is no end – only another beginning.
Enjoy, and share what You like. Feel free to make life great by doing so!
/invitation to resonante
I would like to ask You for three quick actions, with small effort on Your side and great benefit for all
– You, future readers and me for understanding and improving what matters most.
- A “Like” is a nice signal of acknowledgement.
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