Surf Training Factory

Our World That Revolves Around Surfing

Salomé Abeger

Breath Training

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Breath Training For Surfers

Breath training for surfers it crucial to survival when surfing. Your life literally depends on it especially when it’s a bigger day with heavier sets. If you’ve ever been in a hold down situation stuck underwater, with fear and anxiety cranking up. The instinctual need for breath kicks in and sometimes panic comes in as well.

Breath training will help with you paddling, hold down situations, and improve your overall health. But we must start with the fundamentals of breathing and what is intakes. Just like walking before running or even baby waves before 8foot Pipeline Closeouts on the head.

Freaking out, kicking hard, paddling to the surface, and being reactive will not help you in this kind of situation. You need to learn to relax and enjoy the ride as some say. It is better said than done, that is why you need to learn how to breath better.

Breathing – Potential Physiology Effects

over breathing physiology effects

All of the arrows in the picture above are all potential downstream effects that “bad” breathing techniques could cause to the human body and system. They are all critics from performance, and overall health. It is not too hard to train how to breathe better, so get to it!

Breathing is something that we do first thing when we are born and even when we are in our mother’s belly. But we actually breathe differently in the belly then when we come out to the world. Breathing is often ignored as it happens to our body unconsciously, but it is something that should be trained especially for surfers. The ignorance of breathing is very unfortunate because the breath training can do so much more than just being able to hold your breath for longer while being underwater. If anyone has been in a hold down situation on a small or big day, you know it doesn’t feel like a “simple” thing to do. It feels like the only importance in the world at that time.

The Human Nervous System- Sympathetic and Parasympathetic branches

parasympathetic vs sympathetic nervous system

Breath is the fastest way to tap into our nervous system. It can increase the heart rate, add stress, increase alarm signals throughout the entire body. Or contrary, it can be calming, help you focus, slow down your heart rate, and increase alertness. A simple breath calm easily shifts the nervous system from the sympathetic fight or flight state, of the parasympathetic restorative and calm state.

Which do you think will increase O2 (Oxygen) Consumption? Sympathetic

Which do you think will decrease the heart rate and lower our oxygen consumption? Parasympathetic

Being able to hold your breath, stay calm, and relax could literally save your life when being held down on those bigger days. Instead of panicking and using all of your energy. We have to first tart with the basics of quality breath.

The Basics Of Breath Training For Surfers – Quality Breath

Now you might be asking what is quality breath? Before we can explore any other details about breath enhancement training, we need to figure out the ability to simply breathe efficiently. So what does that even mean?

Diaphragmatic Breathing!

If you have ever been in a yoga class, you might have heard that term before. Diaphragmatic breathing means that that you are breathing with your diaphragm as the primary driver of the breath taken and out. When your diaphragm starts to contract down into your stomach, it creates a negative pressure in the lung cavities. This created negative pressure pulls the air down to the lungs, so that the fresh oxygen can do its thing of life-giving thing throughout the entire body. This term is also referred to as “belly breaths” or “Buddha breathing.” It is also the way that we breath when we are in our Mother’s bellies. All referring to the expansion of the stomach when inhaling.

Now some people cheat this a little by pushing their stomach out with a muscular contraction rather than letting it happen as a reflex from a descending diaphragm.

Neck Breathing

Most people, through stress, bad posture, injuries, emotional trauma, blocked nasal passages, or mental trauma have shifted their breathing to what we call “neck breathing.” This means that you are using your secondary respiratory muscles of your neck and shoulders to be your primary drivers of breathing. Neck breathing creates a lot of unnecessary tension and strains in all of the muscles involves, which are also being used when paddling during surf sessions.

Tensions While Surfing – Neck and Shoulder

Do you already have some neck and shoulder tensions even when not surfing? Add all of the few thousand neck breaths every day and it will make your situation so much worse. Neck breathing doesn’t only make your breathing inefficient for your physiology, as well as oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, but it also makes it near impossible to paddle the right way and powerfully when surfing. Now when getting held down underwater, neck breathing is almost impossible to get a full breath before going down for a big wave or set.

Try This! Get in front of mirror and take a breath in. Did you notice if most of the movement comes from the neck?

If yes, you are a neck breather! Don’t feel bad! We can change this! Especially if you have attention and is motivated to become a better surfer and prepare your body for hold down situations better. Also, if you want to maintain a healthy neck and shoulder girdle, you should change it and you can do it!

If you saw that neck movement when you took a breath, it is likely lasting about the last 10-30% of your inhalation. What you should see instead as your primary portion of the movement should be your rib expansion in all directions. Your rib should expand, elevate your chest, and then the last bit will come from the neck. This keyword here is last, not first, or primarily!

Getting Sets on The Head when Neck Breathing

Maybe you are about get a 7foot wave set on the head. You have already been underwater for about 10-15 seconds from the wipeout you had on the last wave. You just got to the surface, and see the next wave coming at you about to closeout on your head. Your heart rate is up and you are stressing out. You take a shallow neck breath and prepare yourself for the next hold down. This neck breath did nothing for you. You actually put yourself in danger. You can and should do much better than that!

This little shallow neck breath you just took got about 20-40% of your lung capacity filled. That is not good, especially when you are preparing yourself for that next hold down. That shallow neck breath also sent alarm signals to your nervous system, which increased your heart rate, and burned a lot of oxygen and energy.

Whenever you are feeling stressed, your body will automatically revert your breathing to the habitual breathing pattern. Neck breathing might be habitual for you, but it is not near as efficient of beneficial for your surfing.

Diaphragmatic Breaths expands your body, lower back, and stomach.

Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing

prone belly breath breathing training
  • Lay on your stomach
  • Breath into the floor and low back (slowly)

See if you can get that 3D expansion: posterior expansion (breathe into your lower back), lateral expansion (breathe into your sides), and anteriorly expansion (upper stomach presses into the floor). This is the expansion of the rib cage before the diaphragm is contracting itself. That is the key to breathing, driving inhalation from diaphragmatic contraction, instead of sucking air with your neck muscles.

  • Slow it down
  • Get rhythmic
  • Get into box breathing rhythms
  • 3-4 second inhale, 3-4 seconds pause and hold, 3-4 seconds exhale, 3-4 seconds pause

Do this slowly and rhythmically while focusing on your breathing into your stomach and lower back. The goal is to really feel that expansion of the stomach without forcing it and allowing it to happen as the lungs are filling out with air. Relax your neck and you will feel the floor pushing back against your stomach which will give you a tactile feedback of belly breathing.

Once you’ve got that part down, lay on your back and continue that same breathing technique. Breath into your hands on your stomach, relax your neck, feel your low back expand, stomach raise up, and your ribs expand laterally.

This is when performance breathing comes in and starts. Creating that habit of effective breathing in a non-stressful and relaxed environment will really help when surfing.

Adding More Practice

Another benefit of slow rhythmic breathing is that you are improving on your CO2 tolerance of your body. This is 100% ruled by your brain stem and you can think of it as a thermostat. That thermostat can be shifted to having a better tolerance of more CO2 in the blood which will correlate well with being held down under water and accumulating carbon dioxide into the blood stream. Yes, that is good, not bad!

Think about this! If you can’t breathe well in a relaxed environment, how can you breath well when getting a 7 foot wave closing out on your head? 

This type of slower rhythmic breathing can lead to meditation and has plenty of benefits for your body. So that is an awesome thing!

Listen to a very relaxing music with headphones on and work on your breathing. Really slow it down that breathing tempo to 8-10 seconds inhales, exhales, and pauses. Don’t try to force it, it will happen over time with practice and letting your body really relax and get to that parasympathetic nervous system. The best type of music to listen to when doing this exercise is binaural beat audio, it is known that this type of music with sync your brainwaves into a calmer state and bring more theta or delta brain waves.

Making It A Habit

Practicing this new breathing technique will eventually become a habit. Just like walking and breathing when we were just babies is now a habit that we don’t even have to think about anymore. Work on this exercise so that the next time in you are in a stressed situation, you will be able to take long deep breaths instead of that shallow neck breaths.

Start with the laying variations, and then begin to check-in on yourself throughout the day!

Ask yourself, “How is my breathing?”

That Giant Inhale

  • giant inhale breath training for surfers

Before a wipeout, putting into action that giant inhale is huge! The basic understanding on how to breathe without using our neck muscles is key and we already talked about that above.

Now the giant inhale is something else. It should take about 1 second, and you are aiming for 80-100% inhalation in one breath.

Think of it as breathing in through a 1-2inch hose. Big open mouth, sucking up the air into the bottom of your lungs, and not the neck. Getting that sir into your stomach. Which you are really not sucking air into your stomach, you are actually filling up the basin on your lungs all the way up to the top, as a full efficient inhale.

You will get muscle tension right after this, that is why you have to relax immediately. Relax your neck, and mind, and let the ocean do its thing. Don’t panic, don’t focus on the bad of it all. Just focus on relaxing. You have enough oxygen to get through it, so let your body be tossed around and start coming up the surface when all is done.

They key to all of this is the giant inhale, from the bottom of your lungs to relaxing your neck muscles. The unnecessary strain on your muscles will send alarm signals to your brain, which will then increase your heart rate, and burn all of the oxygen stored.

Focus on that giant inhale into the basin of your lunges, not that shallow neck breath. There is a huge difference between the two as you know by now and will make a huge difference in your overall health as well.

It’s all on you! Your surfing, your body, and the one dealing with the hold downs. So, take some time to get yourself prepared for those situations and start practicing the diaphragmatically breathing. Learn it, get into meditation if you want, and get that giant inhale down!

Breath Training for Surfers Puzzle

Now the tip of the iceberg!

Pool Training! Hold down underwater, being able to hold your breath longer.

There is so much more that we can do but let’s start with the basics of diaphragm breathing in calm state. Check your breathing when paddling back out. Think about “can you recover quickly from a wipeout, a hold down, a long paddle?”  Are you getting comfortable with that giant inhale?

These are just pieces to the puzzle, but we have to start somewhere. So lay on your stomach and start working on the basic breathing techniques we talked about.

If you have insights, ideas, and want to learn more. Get in touch with us! We are here to help!

Surfing Safety Tips

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Surfing Safety Tips: Being Safe Is Better Than Being Sorry

Surfing safety tips are important to know and being aware of what could happen when surfing. It’s really rare to see surfers get injured. But you need to remember that although surfing is relatively a safe sport to do, there are dangers that you should be aware of. You still need to be careful whenever you hit the water as surfing has its inherent dangers.

Being aware of the conditions, the spot, the safety issues and everything else that involves surfing is super important. You need to know what you are getting into before actually going out. Surfing does not usually offer much danger but there are plenty of things that could cause injuries when in the water. Even when some surfers do not always pay attention to the dangers, that could be very bad.

Who wants to get hurt when you could’ve prevented it?

We would rather being safe than sorry, so let’s go over it!

Surfing Safety Tips that you need to be aware of:

Prevent Drowning

prevent drowning when surfing

In surfing, drowning is by far the most obvious risk there is. And, there are quite a number of ways where you can unintentionally raise the odds of drowning whenever you go surfing.

The first is by not being prepared to surf. You need to remember that you will be dealing with strong waves and if you get wiped out, you will need to swim. Also, being able to swim is not enough as surfing will put you in a place where the waves are very strong, which means that you need to be physically fit in order for you to get yourself out of harms way.

You have to remember that it is common for surfers to fall off their boards. In fact, even the most advanced surfers still fall off their boards.

Surf Training is the key in order to prevent the risk of drowning or at least minimize the risks. When you fall off the board or you get wiped out, the first thing that you need to do is locate your board. But make sure that when falling, you make yourself a little ball so that nothing can hurt your face. When coming up to locate your surfboard, put your hand out of the water first and then follow with your head. You can also follow your leash and it will lead you to your surfboard (but you have to be careful you don’t pull too hard or it will come back to your face). You have to keep in mind that your board is positively buoyant which means that you will be able to use your board as a floatation device when you experience a wipe out. If you lose your board or if it drifts to the shore, you will need to swim back. This will require you to have a strong stamina as you will be dealing with strong currents.

learn how to swim to surf

So, before you surf, it is important that you should get fit first and also learn how to swim. Learning how to swim is super important but being comfortable in the water is also very important as it is something that will help you. By being a strong swimmer, you will be able to pull yourself out of dangerous situations in case you are wiped out whenever you go out to surf.

Being Alert

Another common error is by not being alert. Although surfing looks like a simple sport, you need to remember that there are quite a number of things that you need to be aware of whenever you go surfing. For example, the winds near the shore can shift rapidly which can throw you off balance and push you off your board. Riptides and current are also things that you should be aware of as it will prevent you from swimming ashore easily. Being aware of the conditions, the rips, the winds, the currents, and the animals present that day is super important.

Surfing Safety Tips: Do not surf alone
do not surf alone as it can be dangerous

You should also always follow the unwritten rule in surfing, which is never to surf alone. Your surf buddy is your backup and you are also his or hers. If you do get in to trouble, your surf buddy will be able to assist you. For example, if you unexpectedly experience getting cramps while swimming ashore, your surf buddy will be able to help you get out of the water safely. You should also do the same for them.

A buddy in the water will be able to help you in the water in case of a situation, but it is also nice to have somebody to talk to when waiting for the waves. As surfers we are a big family and if you are by yourself for whatever reason, the other surfers should be able to help you in any situations and friendship. We all look out for each other.

Being aware of the underwater
know where there is reef, rocks so that you or your surfboard don't get hurt

You also need to be aware of underwater rocks, unseen underwater formations, and coral reefs which can potentially damage your board as well as your body. Marine life can also be a problem, such as jellyfish, and sharks. Watch out for the presence of all these things and you will be able to know whether it is safe to surf or not.

If you see that the tide is too low and the rocks, and reefs are sticking out of the water, it is not a good time to surf. Surfing at low tide in some reef and rocky spots might be very dangerous as there is almost no water for you to fall or even paddle sometimes.

sharks underwater
Sharks Animal Underwater Ocean Nurse Shark

If the lifeguards are putting the purple flag up (in America) it means that marine life is present. Which usually means jellyfish, sharks or even bait. Ask the lifeguards if they are there and know what you are getting yourself into. If stung by a jellyfish, make sure to follow the process on how to take care of it. Sharks are not our best friends so if you see a shark, I would immediately get out of the water as it can be very dangerous especially during feeding times.

Surfing is a fun sport. However, you need to remember that surfing has its inherent dangers. By following these surfing safety tips, you can be sure that you will be able to surf safely and also have a lot of fun in the process. Also, you might want to check the waves if it is suitable for your skill level. You wouldn’t want to surf a wave that you can’t handle, would you? Surfing a wave that is too dangerous for your skill level can have disastrous consequences.

Make sure you are aware of everything and how things can turn out. If all is good, have a blast and we will see you guys in the lineup!

Uhaina Joly Surf Interview

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Surf Interview with Uhaina Joly

When we were watching the Florida Pro in Sebastian Inlet, we met up with Uhaina Joly and interviewed her about her surfing and some tips from her. Uhaina Joly from Biarritz, France is showing her surfing to the world now on the Qualifying series as part of the World Surf League all over the world.

From her young age of 14, she won the French championships and then again the same year defeating her title. The third year, she settled for a runner up position. Since 2016, her competitions and results have evolved, from winning the Ripcurl Grom search in France, getting third at the European Grom search, being ranked 9th in the world in the Junior Pro series and 13th at the ISA world championships.

Now that she is older, she is now competing at the qualifying series of the world surf league and travels all over the world for competitions and training camps.

Let’s get right into it!!

Salomé: I am here today with Uhaina Joly all the way from France. So, how is that travel happening, how does it all work?

Uhaina: It’s not too far, it’s about 9-hour plane. So, it is quite okay

Salomé: Now, I know the waves are a lot different than home, what do you think of theses waves?

Uhaina: Yes, the waves are really different. It is small and choppy, and not very fun! But it’s a contest condition, it is not always very fun, and you have to deal with it.

Salomé: So just so you know, every time we have a contest, just so you know it’s always like this! Every single time! Now, when did you start surfing and when did you start competing.

Uhaina: I started surfing very young with my om, because she was a professional surfer. So I started at like 8 years old or younger maybe. And I started to compete at 12 years old around there.

Salomé: Okay cool. Now, what are the biggest accomplishments you have had?

French team ISA world champions 2016

Uhaina: I think it was the World championship with the French team. We were world champion with the ISA (international surfing association). So, I think this was the biggest one for sure!

Salomé: WOW! That’s so cool! It’s really cool to be a part of the French team and going all together, it must be a lot of fun!

Uhaina: Yes!

 

Salomé: Now do you do any workouts and physical activity outside of the water, when it’s too cold or when it’s flat?

Uhaina: Yes, for sure, in France I have a personal trainer. So yeah, when I am there, I am training almost every day.

Salomé: Do you do any skateboard drills on top of that training to get better?

Uhaina: Not at all! I am so bad at skating so no.

Salomé: No carver, no surf skate?

Uhaina: No no skateboards, nothing. Just surfing and training with workouts.

Uhaina Joly Surfs Every Day for practice

Salomé: Do you surf almost every day?

Uhaina: Yes, every day.

Salomé: Even when its freezing over there?

Uhaina: Yes, even when it’s freezing.

Salomé: Not fun at all. Ha-ha This is freezing for me, and this is hot for you

Uhaina: Yeah this is hot. I am used to traveling a lot so I am not used to surfing in the winter in France.

Salomé: Makes sense. What is your favorite wave that you have ever surfed?

Uhaina: I think its Snapper Rocks in Australia.

Salomé: That’s my favorite too! Definitely on top of the list! It is such a cool wave and when its big enough you can catch it all the way in.

Uhaina: Yeah, the wave is so long and there is a lot of people but so many waves.

Salomé: Yeah so, much fun! Now, what is one tip you would give somebody that wants to start surfing? Who has never done it before?

Uhaina: Maybe start when its little and sunny and hot. Just have fun, that’s it! Keep doing it.

Salomé: As long as you are having fun! So now there you have it I am with Uhaina Joly from Biarritz, France. Thank you so much for this and we will see you in the water.

Well there you have it guys! Uhaina Joly is definitely a young surfer to be looking out for in the QS tour and ISA events throughout the world. She is very excited for her surfing career and is following her mother’s steps as a professional surfer as well. She definitely trains a lot in and out of the water to better perform every single day! Keep an eye out for this young ripper coming in hot!

Nicaragua Surf Trip

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Great Surfing in Nicaragua: A Surf Trip That You Won’t Soon Forget

Nicaragua as a surf destination to visit! As surfers we are always traveling to find the next perfect wave. The one wave that is not crowded, not known yet and that allows us to enjoy the warm sun and tropical weather. Nobody wants to go on a surf trip and freeze!

So in today’s world when you say the word surfing, most people will say that you should go to surf Hawaii. Besides, this is where surfing originated. And that is not a bad place to visit. It should definitely be on your list. However, you have to consider that there are quite a lot more places in the world where you will be able to experience fantastic surfing with almost none out and a perfect relaxing beach. One example that offers all of that is Nicaragua.

Why Nicaragua?

Popoyo Surf Travel Destination Nicaragua
Popoyo

Known for its great surfing, Nicaragua is indeed the place you should try going to the next time you plan on going on a surf trip. Nicaragua is a place where tourists go to in order to experience fantastic surfing conditions and also the pristine beaches. It is not super crowded just yet and the flights to travel there are super cheap.

If you want a good challenge to your surfing skills and at the same time enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the surfing in Nicaragua is the place for you. With black sand, white sand, and reef breaks you will enjoy all kinds of new adventure and surf spots.

You will see that there are beaches in Nicaragua that are exposed to swells from the northwest and southwest. This means that when you surf here, you will be able to experience a one of a kind surfing as you will be able to ride one wave after another instead of waiting for the waves to roll in. This means that surfing here is really unique and all the more exciting.

No crowd!

Playa Santana Great Surf Spot In Nicaragua to Surf
Playa Santana

If you have experienced surfing in other popular surfing destinations in different parts of the world, then you know that most of it is filled with people surfing. This will definitely make surfing a miserable experience as the water will be too crowded and accidents can happen. In Nicaragua, this is not the case. You will see that there are plenty of waves to surf in and you can be sure that you will be able to find an area that you will be able to surf in peace.

If one spot is crowded, and by that, I mean 10 people. You can walk 100 yards and surf all by yourself. That is a very good advantage that Nicaragua offers.

Year-round surfing

Year Round Surfing Playa Colorado Nicaragua
Playa Colorado

Yes please! Surfing in Nicaragua is available all year round. However, you may want to remember the fact that the power of the waves changes throughout the year. But you will still be able to find the perfect wave for you no matter what month it is in the year. This means that you really don’t have to plan your trip when you go to Nicaragua. Whether you go in the middle of June or in December, you will be able to find the perfect wave for your surfing skill level.

No matter what your surfing skill level is, you will see that Nicaragua will be able to cater to your needs. Even if you are an experienced surfer who is looking for a more challenging wave, you can be sure that you will be able to find a beach in Nicaragua that will be able to accommodate you all year round.

From March-August is when the big swells start hitting Nicaragua. So, if you are looking for a more mellow time come around November- February. But if you are looking for a challenge that peak season is for you!

Where to surf

Although there are a lot of beaches that you can choose from to surf in Nicaragua, you will want to try visiting Playa Maderas. Considered to be one of the best and most popular places to surf, Playa Maderas offers fantastically consistent waves that surfers really love. No matter what time of the year it is, you will still be able to find beautiful waves to surf in this area.

Playa Maderas Surfing Nicaragua
Marsella Surf Spot

Marsella is another excellent surfing destination in Nicaragua. Offering great waves, you will be able to experience some of the best surfing that you will ever have in this place. Also, even if this place is very popular among surfers, you will still be able to find your own part of the water to surf freely in.

Playa Colorado is a more advanced beach break. With punchy, often hollow waves coming in. it can range from shoulder high to easily double overheard stand up barrels. Colorado’s is a pretty heavy break so be ready to paddle strong and fast or you will get slammed by that lip. Also you might want to bring an extra board or two if you are planning on surfing there. Especially on a big day.

Playgrounds Surf Spot Nicaragua Trip
Playgrounds

Playgrounds is one of the other quite popular spots everybody enjoys and talks about. It is just like a playground; hence the name. It offers both rights and lefts that are super fun to ride as the waves are breaking over a cobblestone ocean floor. So, when surfing there, watch out for sea urchins! The only thing about playground is that its only accessible by boat. Yes, you read that right! You need to get a boat ride to ride this wave! That’s what makes it so unique for all surfers wanting to surf that spot.

Popoyo is the most popular spot in Nicaragua. Some people compare it to Lowers Trestles, but it’s a way better left than it is a right. Only thing is that it’s got a rocky reef bottom and can be very shallow. It is an epic wave to ride for either nice long carves or perfect barrels.

Playa Santana is the perfect beach break with a couple of picks walking distance apart from each other. The main break is a left off the rocks that offers so pretty throaty barrels. The rest of the breaks on that break are also some great waves but can offer some close-outs once in a while. It is a very popular beach amongst the locals, and it is where they hold some competitions as well. Make sure to always respect the locals when surfing there.

Manzanillo Surf Spot Nicaragua
Manzanillo

Manzanillo is a dream wave! It is one of the better waves and many people’s favorite break because of its beauty. But this break needs a certain swell direction in order to work well. A perfect left-hand point break that peels off a picturesque cliff background. Beautiful barrels to be ridden and nice open faces to be hacked. This spot is a must to surf when visiting Nicaragua and mostly accessed by boat.

Nicaragua is indeed the place to be if you are a surfing aficionado. Here, you will see that surfing can be done the whole year round. With 300 days out of the year with perfect waves, and plenty of places to visit and to surf on. As well as a variety of waves to choose from, you will be able to enjoy surfing in Nicaragua whatever your skill level is.

The weather is so inviting, and the culture and people are super nice. We loved out trip there and will definitely go back! If you ever been to Nicaragua, let us know where you went!

Syck Trix Interview

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Syck Trix Balance Trainer Interview

During Surf Expo January 2019, we discovered a great piece of surf training equipment that everybody should have to better perform in and out of the water. Andy Carr, the owner and founder of Syck Trix sat down with us and broke down what that surf training equipment and trainer can help you out of the water to better perform in the water.

Syck Trix is a multi- board training tool of its kind. It is very beneficial for your overall healthy, coordination, surf strength and speed reaction time. This surf training equipment can also be used anywhere anytime and can be used at any levels and age. For surfers, it has improved surfing performances with mimicking surf tricks and maneuvers out of the water.

Let’s get right into it!

https://youtu.be/sofpbeodd0A

 

syck trix board surf interview

Salomé: Hey guys its Salomé here with surf training factory, I am here with Andy Carr with Syck Trix from San Clemente, California. We are going to talk to you about this surf training equipment that you guys can start using on dry land.

So what is Syck Trix and what are the benefits and everything about it?

 Andy: I’ll tell you everything. Thank you for your time! So Syck Tricx, Syck Trix board is basically an average skateboard deck that you use that every skateboard, short boarders uses right. And what it is, it’s basically two air bladders and they are velcro, the suspension system are velcro to the deck. These zippers are down, so if you ever have one of these, the best thing to do is just zip it up. Super easy! Anyways, so with the Syck Trix board, how I came up with it was watching my son on the couch and he was bouncing on the couch. Without the bladders, just a deck and he was getting pops. And it was crazy, we have a ramp in the backyard and I was watching,  he is always on his skateboard. And he is getting pops. So I thought we need to have something that will train kids at such a young age to do ollies. Cause now days, the olly is the biggest trick that needs to be done. So with that, what I thought was a pogo stick and basically I took the skateboard deck, screwed like 30 springs in the bottom of the deck and the prototype is really funny. But anyways, what we came up with is this here and it’s a skateboard deck with the two Velcro bladders. And what it helps you with is more control, muscle memory, and balance, and how to correct your stand on the water.

syck trix OG board balance training surf interviewSo the first thing that you are going to want to do is order a Syck Trix and the “OG” is basically the first one you want to order for your first board. Okay, and what it is basically its on air bladders and its teaches you to ollie.

The very easiest way to learn how to ollie on this board is basically standing on the back and bounce. And then what you can do go to nose and bounce. Just getting that board control and balance is kind of hard to do. So when you bounce when you ollie, you can curl your foot in the front. And with the ollie, what it is hit your tail and then curl your foot forward.

So once you get that, balance, balance, start really slow and you are getting the fundamentals of an ollie. And then you get lower and you start getting bigger and higher. So you get a workout.

Salomé: So with that, for a beginner, what is the best board for them and the accessories so they don’t fall off the entire time?

syck trix balance trainer Camo board surf interviewAndy: Okay, so for a beginner, I would go with this board right here. The “OG” board. We also have another board, that is this guys right here. This our complete with the bidding system. This is the “Camo Syck Trix” with the bidding system. And what I like about this, is you can strap up and get on your trampoline and practice on the trampoline and get all of your strapped in sports board that you like. Whether it’s wake boarding, or surfing or snowboard.

Salomé: Okay, so you can use it anywhere right?

Andy: Yes you can use this anywhere! However, if you use it on the street, what is going to happen is that these air bladders and sleeves are going to cause problems and they going to rip and pop. But you can reorder them on our website for all replacement parts. However, the best place to use it is the carpet, you can also use it on this type of slippery concrete. This stuff is okay just like your garage. Just don’t take it outside where the concrete is rough. On the grass you can use it, you can even use it in the pool. You could ollie into the pool.

Salomé: that would be pretty cool. Yeah and on the sand and everything like that if you are on the beach. You can just practice before a surf session. Awesome. So now, once they get used to doing an ollie, what are some other tricks that they can start doing

Andy: Another trick that you can do is a shove-it. And then it goes 360 shove-it. But with the ollies then you can incorporate a kick flip, a heel flip, tray flip. So the learning curve starts from the basic and goes to the very top. And right now we have four world champions on our team.

  • My son Cannon Carr, has been using this since he was a little guy. He is 2018 USA Surfing champion. He rides for Billabong and is holding the title right now.
  • We have the 2018 world champion wakeboarder @shreddergirl123
  • World champion wake surfer, Jake Caster. He is incredible and he trains on the Syck Trix board everyday before his runs. It makes him really effective and his skills are amazing.
  • 2018 WSL Women World Pro Junior Champion, Kirra Pinterson.

So we are really proud of our team and it is very amazing to watch how good they are. And it’s truly an Olympic training tool.

Salomé: Yeah hopefylly, we will be able to try it out. And then you guys can start ordering your board on Syck Trix.com

Andy: that’s right! We just want to make sure you guys get the boards.

Well there you have it guys! If you are looking to improve your surfing by practicing and mimicking surf maneuvers and tricks, you can go ahead and over your Syck Trix board right now!

Are you getting one? We are!!! Can’t wait to see the improvements!