back and shortboarding

General Discussion
1

a question for those in the “40 year old and upwards” age bracket [ c’mon , admit it ! … there are more than a FEW of us here ! that’s what i like about sways !] who regularly ride longboards [8’ and up] , and ride shortboard thrusters too…

i’ve been hopping on my 6’3 x 19 1/2" x 2 1/2" thruster a bit lately , after riding a 9’3 mal [for the last few months …it’s summer here] . I have noticed , after only about an hour of surfing , a lot more lower back pain …

i guess the thing i’m thinking / asking about is…

have you found , persevering with riding shortboards , that your back and your paddling becomes stronger , or do you find that you get more pain , and hence your sessions are shorter ?

as i sais earlier, i’m hoping for people in their forties and upwards to share their experiences [no opinions , please ?] on this , as i am in the 45-50 age bracket.

the factors i have thought about are the semi- “underwater” paddling of a short board , not having the legs supported by the extra length of a mal when paddling .

also , when up and riding , the need to keep turning rail to rail more [than on a mal] , to keep the thruster’s momentum going , and ? possibly? the “twitchiness” [for want of a better word!] of the thruster , when sitting on it , compared to being above the waterline on my 9’3.

 i want to ride a thruster much more , do more turns , get stronger , take off deeper / later , and yet i don't want to further damage myself physically [  i have a narrowed  L5 / s1 vertebrae , and  two [C6/ C7 ] in my neck are also weak. ]

i look forward to reading people’s experiences !!

thank you !

ben chipper

2

Hey Ben!

Well… I just turned 60. Twenty years ago while riding my bike I was hit from behind by a van going 60+MPH. I ended up with my pelvis split in half (almost), crushed 2nd lumbar vertebra and damage to my liver, colon and spleen. At the time I was a master triathlete. With-in one year I was back racing… what does this have to do with surfing???/

A few years after the accident I would occasionally get the question, “are you still doing that tri thing?”.

My usuall answer was “If I don’t stay strong I’m in pain”

Doing one sport will only work very specific muscles for that sport. When you lay down on a surfboard (mostly short) you are 100% working your back muscles. The mid section of us humans are (should be) like a cylinder, equal in strength all the way around. Ben… how much ‘core’ work do you do? OR any of you that are reading this?

If you want to continue surfing that short board, and not over work that back, try doing some core work. It’ll take at least a month of regular exercise for you to begin to REALLY feel that extra strength.

Actually, if you REALLY want to improve… try a full-body weight lifting program 2-3 times a week and see how much better you become!

Les

3

Every body is different, so take all the responses FWIW. For me, big rotational off-the-tops on shortboards mess with my lower back. When I ride a longboard my rear-foot knee goes berserk. My body likes it best when I ride a fish and surf more down-the-line. But the most important thing is to take care of things, stretching (correctly) and core maintenence enable me to say that my back and neck are in better shape than when I was your age.

4

Ben,

I have a couple of rolapsd discs & various other ailments. I don’t surf stand up too much anymore but my experience is that a 8’6 minimal is kinder on your back. You paddle easier and it it is easier getting to your feet. The downside is duckdiving. I think a significant dfference in terms of backs is that a shorboard is thinner and less stable - which means that you feel more through your back (including pain) in turns etc.

For what it is worth I don’t think surfing the shortboard will condition your back. Proper stretching and other exercises will do this. There have been a few posts previously on Swaylocks about bad backs and exercise recommendations.

Bob

5

Hey Ben,

I’ll be hitting the big 50 this year, and although I think I’m young, my body keeps reminding me I’m not. That said, I’m still pretty flexible and agile, stretch a fair bit, and generally stay active.

The biggest thing I noticed getting older is the need to keep the muscles working, toned, whatever. Les suggests fitness and weights, and I think if I was to do some weights, which I don’t, I would be much better off.

Before the Indo trip last year I ran, stretched, push-ups, squats, etc, and I lasted the full 10 days with no back aches or problems, paddling a 6’2", and often 2 decent surfs a day. The main thing there was my paddling arms were pretty worked by the last day. But they were very happy!!

It seems the older we get, the more we need to work the muscles to keep them working. I know a guy who is now in his mid 50’s who was given a few months before a wheelchair over 20 years ago, bad vertibrae, too much snow skiing since his childhood. He worked on it and continues to work on it, like Les, and he is still very active today.

6

G’day Ben,

I’m 45 and I find when I ride thrusters in short board lengths I will have a really sore lower back the next day.

Keel fish and the like no problem.

Longboards of various lengths and fin configurations are also no problem.

I’m thinking its the torquing of my body when I ride them.

The looser, free flowing fish and more subtle body english involved in my longboarding don’t leave me with any pain.

7

I’m 47 and I’ve never ridden anything but short-boards. I’ve had the ruptured disk, spinal cord compression 3" long scar, three years of partial parallasis…

Paddling has never bothered my back, unless it was already irritated, and I arch too much. I’ve found that relaxing when paddling is importaint, along with not lifting my head too high. Using those shoulder muscles just seems to keep everything aligned and healthy. The more I paddle or swim, the stonger everything gets, and hurts less

I’ve also found that over the counter Aleve is a wonder drug. Better than vicodin or relaxants. It just takes down any swelling or inflamation without any of the harder stuff nastiness.

The off the top turns are no problem, but sometimes that big roundhouse cutback gives a little stab. Just can’t pull those G forces anymore.

8

Lucky Greg,

2 hour traditional (note here onlookers “traditional”) Thai massages are also brilliant for passive limbering up of tight muscles.

Unfortunately the rest of us have to pay way too much to have this luxury with any regularity.

My wife and kids are over there right now visiting family up in the hills.

Back to sore backs…

9

my piles hurt when i cut back. so that proves it, I’m not a perfect asshole.

10

I´m 49

I´m use to make 3 hours, minimum in each Saturday and another 3 hours in Sunday to get all the waves I can…

How??? simple:

  • small training during the week, a little bit strong (some times), elasticity (some times) and cardio (somes times).

  • good food and care…

  • always trying to mantain or loose weight …

  • the board´s that I have now are at least 8" to make the paddle easy

These are good receipies for me… I have real problems in my neck, my coccix, my knees and may lombar muscles; but when the training isn´t too much, I get in shape easyly and with no pain…

It just a mather of adapting the age, the weigth, your surf and the board…

11

Same for me. I broke a pedicle in my lower back aroound 7 years ago when the lip took me off my board as I was trying to duck in. It gets stiff most mornings but I work out with weights 3 days a week and aerobics every day, including core exercises. I think the problem with shortboards is in the pop-up. On a longer board, you can use your feet on the deck and on a shorty, it’s off the knees in a more explosive motion. I haven’t ridden a longboard in 4 years. Carrying a longboard down the beach bothered my back more than anything else. Riding a shortboard hasn’t really been an issue. Stick with it and add some core exercises to your daily workout.

12

[…sorry to hear about your piles , pandanus ! [ oooh…so , is THAT where the ‘anus’ part of your username …er…“stems” from !!!] ]

okay, thanks for the advice so far , guys !

i stretch for 30-45 minutes average every morning …if i don’t , i sometimes can’t move , and definately seem unable to surf , on a bad day . i have been on this daily habit for the last seven months solid , and , thankfully , HAVE noticed a difference , in terms of tone , flexibilty and er ‘lightness’ [for want of a better description?]

also , i guess it needs to be said that , at the moment , riding a 6’3 in waist high waves ? …hmmm…well, yes … i DO look forward to the autumn swells [march , april, may, here]… then , it “should” be less of a problem [windless days , more swell, less backwashy , generally .]

… this thread will be continued …

okay , thanks heaps for sharing your experiences so far , guys !!

…keep 'em coming , please !

cheers !

ben

[p.s. - the main / only reason i asked “older” people for feedback , was because of [ apart from my age ] , the fact that MANY of us will be carrying old injuries , which sometimes if not attended too, may ?worsen? with age / lack of maintenance [ / ? surfing ? [hopefully not , though…]]

13

Maintenance, care, rest, training, good food, no stress, no hurry to do the things, etc, etc, and so on… and never go to the limit all the time, and you will feel better…

As I´m not going to win any championship, so I don´t need to sacrifice myself with a lot of training, wich I think it isn´t necessary.

A friend of mine, used to traine all days an hour running … last month it had to tooke a pacemaker…

14

Chipper,

Reminds me of the story of the old surfer telling his mate he was planning a surf trip up the coast.

His mate asked, “what route ya gunna take”

He replied, " probably just the wife, because rootin me girlfriend keeps throwin me back out"

SHIT…OUT THE BACK!!

Rocky old vertebrea, Disc Jockey

15

I forgot to tell the most important thing against pain in the back…:

  • 20 Abbs everyday in bed; not long ones

It will give you a good strenght and support to your back.

16

G’day Ben,

As you know I had a double artificial disc replacement about two years ago, and even though I’m still under 40 I thought I’d still through my two bobs worth in.

The main reason for low back pain (if disc are only slightly bulged and no other abnormalities found) is muscle imbalances. Either quads too tight for hammies or over developed psoas, etc, etc.

The core strength is the key. Not just erectors and abs, but the underlying layers of musles that hold the spine. And dont forget to strengthen those arse muscles.

Stand flat against a wall and see which way your pelvis tilts, and that should tell you which muscles are too tight or too strong, loose etc.

I just spent 2 weeks surfing 7 hrs a day with no back problems whatsoever.

One more thing.

Be careful with stretching before surfing. surfing consists of dynamic actions and static before dynamic movement can be dangerous. better to warm the body then do dynamic movements before dynamic sports.

Cheers

Daren

17

Hey Daren

I didn’t think you were 40 yet, so I was a bit suprised to see you name on this post.

Anyway, I’m not quite 40 yet either (very close though) but I just don’t seem to have the fitness and staminer in the muscles needed for surfing, whether it be shortboarding or longboarding. Although longboarding does seem a bit easier.

After a good session, my back, lower back and shoulders are quite fatigued. I have done search after search on specific surf strength and conditioning exersices and cant seem to find anything specific. I have also looked at making sure my techique is OK

I do resistance training (not heavy) stay as active as possible and stretch to try and stay limber. I don’t seem to have a problem with anything esle I do.

I think the biggest problem is that I don’t surf often enough. They say that the best training for surfing is surfing.

But if surfing creates problems, then it time to look more into preventative measures and this post is covering some of that info.

I will be finishing my SUP soon and I cant wait to start paddling

This may also help my conditioning when I would normally do something else if its flat

I have also started to do mixed martial arts

Dont get me wrong, I dont want to be a UFC fighter or anything.

Its just another exiting activity to do to try and stay active and in shape.

One thing I have noticed though, is that you work the same pricipals as surfing.

Strength, speed, staminer, balance and flexability.

Now I have only been doing it now for a couple of weeks and I haven’t had a surf since then

so I cant really tell if it has made a difference, but I will keep you posted.

Cheers

18

“G-Day” Chippa -
What all those guys said, and my chiro recently turned me onto what Daren wrote, “static before dynamic movement can be dangerous. better to warm the body then do dynamic movements before dynamic sports.” I started doing warm up type calisthenics before paddling out, rather than stretches, and I’ve felt great.

One thing that was briefly touched on, so I’d like to expand on it: You can get “short board” performance with a board that will paddle much easier (Seems to relate to back pain/lack there of.) than the one described. A friend of mine use to be pro - mostly rode a 6’1"-6’3" now that I turned him onto the 7’3" “Hands” model I brought down to Swayloholix a couple years ago… he’s conflicted because he admits it turns as well for him, but paddles and tube rides much better… And, is easier on his back…

I don’t know about some of the stuff, I gave up lip bashing ages ago… But consider a “belly” board, i.e., I put thick belly in my boards from my neck to my hips and the built in curve on the deck seems to help the back too.

19

thanks again for the comments guys

yep ,

as my weight is hovering between 60-65kgs at present , the 6’3 x 19 1/2" x 2 1/2" is a good sized board for me , i feel

it will be nice when we start getting head high smoother swells soon , to see the difference in takeoff speed , paddling and projection out of turns … and , of course , being able to experiment with many fins !

the 6’6 Gunther Rohn still lies in wait [?weight?] , in case the 6’3 IS stressing my back ?

some good advice here , guys . would it also be possible to get people’s size [weight , height] , please , as well as their board’s dimensions too, please ? [just to give me an idea what others use to combat their back / neck / shoulder’s conditions , equipment wise!]

many thanks !

ben

aaahletsSURF.jpg picture by chippy61