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Self Isolation | An Essential Guide For Surfers

Twiddling your thumbs? Not sure what to do with yourself? Here's how to shred when you're stuck indoors

“How long have we been on this rock? Five weeks? Two days. Help me to recollect,” says Willem Defoe’s character in atmospheric horror ‘The Lighthouse’.

When we saw this film at the beginning of February, that line was good sure but it didn’t feel like it related to our day to day lives. Now though, fully submerged in the social distancing lifestyle as we are, it seems like this piece of dialogue speaks to us on a whole new level. Haunting us by day, haunting us by night; haunting us when we’re in the kitchen, in the lounge, in the bathroom or on the balcony.

If you’re a shredder, a ripper, or just a general action sports legend, you might be concerned about how you’re going to keep your stoke high in the sky while self isolating at home. Fortunately, there are things you can do (not that, get your mind out the gutter); things that’ll help your shred game in the long-run.

Get Fit

Sure, you could do some sit-ups. It worked for Mark Occhilupo after all. In the build-up to his world-title winning comeback, Occhilupo would do a whopping 1,000 sit ups every morning. Sit ups are definitely good for your surfing but they’re not… they’re not exactly fun are they? Nobody’s getting a rush out of doing sit ups. That’s where an Indo Board comes in. Good for your surfing, and fun to boot, it’ll target some of the key muscle groups you’ll be needing for your next open air shred.

Since lockdown, the word on the street is that these things have been selling like hot cakes. Although, we have it on good surf authority that Surfdome will be stocking more shortly.

Buy an Indo Board here

Get Flexible

While there are still some pubs in the UK, when they’re not on lockdown, where talk of yoga will be met with a scoff of derision and a joke about Muller Corners. For the most part, as an activity yoga is now a widely accepted part of the mainstream (amongst Guardian readers at least).

If you’re a surfer, it’s a great way to get real flexible; making you a stronger, better balanced, wave rider and one that, crucially, will be less susceptible to be injury. Throw in a big old helping of mental health benefits and the fact that a number of very good surfers – Gerry Lopez, Dave Rastovich, and Taylor Knox to name a few – are dead into it into the mix and, well, what are you waiting for? Do some yoga already.

Buy some yoga leggings here

Get Comfortable and Do Some Revision

So you’ve done some yoga and spent a bit of time wobbling around on your Indo Board, and are looking to maybe take it easy for a bit? Get yourself in some comfortable jogging pants, put your feet up, and watch some of the best surf films on YouTube. That’s it. That’s the tip.

Buy some comfortable loungewear here

Read A Book

Lots of great books for surfers out there ‘Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life’ by William Finnegan, anyone? ‘Surf Is Where You Find It’ by Gerry Lopez, tickle your fancy? What about ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ by Yvon Chouinard?

Alternatively, why not go a little off-piste and order yourself a copy of Whitelines Issue 121? It’s obviously snowboarding focused, rather than surfing focused, but don’t let that put you off. It’s packed to bursting point with lovely flowing sentences, lovely big photos, and is just an absolute must read for anyone who loves going sideways (and even people who don’t). One to display on the coffee table in these trying times.

Buy Whitelines The Annual 2019 – 2020 (Issue 121) here

Fix Up

Guess what? It’s time to do all those jobs you’ve been putting off for absolutely ages, jobs you’ve been saying you’d do every week for the last 18 months. Jobs like patching up your wetsuit, giving your board some much needed TLC, learning carpentry, fixing the wobbly bathroom door, building a mini-ramp in your garden, repainting the lounge, building a fort and checking the structural integrity of your recently built mini-ramp. It’s time to do your jobs, time to do your very important jobs.

Buy your surf repair kit here

Look Sharp

Just because nobody except the people you live with can see you doesn’t mean you need to let things slide on the style front. Fix up. Look sharp. Buy yourself some cool gear so that when you finally do head back to the coast for some feel good party times, you’re as ready as you’ve ever been to be around other people. Treat yourself to something funky, dude.

Buy yourself a shirt here

Learn To Kickflip

Normally, we’d say “Hey. Be careful with skating indoors. It’s more of an outdoor thing quite frankly.” But, look, it sort of feels like the end of the world right now so all those established rules you thought were a thing are basically out the window now. Gone. Sayonara. Hasta la vista. Live life on your terms and learn to kickflip indoors, people. Also, great thing about carpet is that it won’t muck up your brand new deck’s immaculate graphics.

In all seriousness, do not hurt yourself attempting this. You’ll only be putting more pressure on our overworked health service heroes. Take it easy, and go well.

Buy a new skate deck here

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