TweetTaken from the Maui Breakfast Club August 9th, 2011: Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui, Health & Fitness Segment every Tuesday morning at 7:38 am on KNUI 900 AM. Listen here: Radio Segment
Throw away the diet books, thigh blaster or ab roller and if you live near any body of water, hop aboard and paddle to shed unwanted pounds now!
It sounds like an infomercial but I’m really serious. I’ve been helping people shed unwanted weight here on Maui and spreading the word for some time now, on how thousands of people are, as I wrote this article for ATHLETA; are literally “Sweeping Their Way to Health”. It’s really true. I’m hearing from so many people, besides seeing my clients and others around the world completely transform their bodies; paddling away the fat.
I wanted to share with you a couple nice entries of the many of received on how SUP has literally shaped their lives and bodies. It’s so inspiring and I hope they inspires you or someone you know who would like to enjoy losing unwanted weight. It is possible and it’s fun!
Here, my dear friend and avid paddler Lucija Kordic, from Alameda, California, braves the chilly waters of the Bay Area and shares, ” My pants fit much differently now and I fit into some of my set-aside size 6 pants. SUP and intervals on the treadmill both make a difference!” Lucija is now training with me with her new SUP Endurance Program designed to help her improve her paddling strength and endurance for long distance racing. Go Lucy go! See you on Maui soon!
If you live in the Bay Area and want to get to know some paddle buddies, Lucija organizes casual paddling groups and is the ultimate host. This I’ve experienced myself. You can hook up with her group at: http://Meet.Up.com/East-Bay-SUP
I’ve received so many emails on how stand up paddling, also known as “SUP” is changing people’s lives and it just so happens that one of the keen health benefits is amazing weight loss. I’m not just talking loss of pounds, but more like shedding their old ways.
I’ve always encouraged my clients and everyone to find a sport, especially SUP, to enhance their current training as a cross training tool. What happens more times than not, is it becomes an obsession! Wow. Besides having to throw away hard earned money on marriage counselors, maybe a new pair of $80 Spanx, the moderate investment of one or two boards, paddles, leashes and some sunscreen can also result in relationship bonding. SUP is so easy, couples are losing weight together AND getting quality time paddling off into the sunset.
I’ve always found that most of my clients and people who write me, have had the light turn on in their lives with SUP. They have found their calling and are so taken with the sport, it consumes every waking hour. Now they have racks on their cars, very cool, hang out at the local SUP shop and talk “board talk” or what event they may register in, or simply enjoy the “healthy” camaraderie that develops along with wonderful new friendships.
This sport is very contagious and what comes along with is the healthy lifestyle. What a great bonus. As one develops their love for SUP, unknowingly, because your total body is getting a continuous workout; one can easily start to notice remarkable changes in their body. What is commonly noticed first, is one’s core strength. I’ve written so many articles about the power of the core for SUP, and how to train your core to get stronger to paddle stronger, it’s truly the first thing that people always say, “Wow it really works my core.”
In Redding, way North of my hometown, Sacramento, California lives Matt Ivey, very new to SUP and boy does he have the stoke and has he
Matt Ivey Looking Great!
gotten in great shape! He says he was his wife’s ginny pig and suggested he do SUP with her while she was pregnant and suggested that he join her too. Read the rest to see how he lost 10 lbs and also learn how SUP helped him manage some pretty serious injuries he had. He’s got big plans to grow SUP in his life and business.
Matt writes:
Suzie,
I just got into SUP about a month ago and I am totally hooked. I have lost about 10 lbs and my core/lower back are feeling the increase in strength. I love is so much my wife and I are adding SUP rentals, ecotours, lessons, and fitness/yoga classes. My wife is 20 weeks pregnant and she is a manager of a gymnastics gym. She has been using the SUP to stay in shape while she is pregnant and has been working on a fitness program. So that means I have been her ginny pig when it comes to testing her exercises on someone. I also like my alone time so every other day I have been paddling upstream on a local river for a hour.
I come from a background of playing sports and lifting heavy weights. Over the past 6 years I have broken and dislocated my left ankle, separated my right shoulder, tore one of the heads of my left bicep, broke my right thumb, and sprained my right mcl. I also have several degenerative disks in my back so needless to say I can no longer play the sports I once loved.
But what that also meant is that I could no longer lift weights in the gym. This lead to me becoming frustrated and out of shape. After relocating to a new town and stumbling on SUP (we had seen it on Maui 3 years ago but were more concerned with surfing) I was instantly hooked.
In fact I even had my wife take a before photo so I have something I can compare it to after I feel like I have reached my goal. I have also been incorporating a slackline into my balance and core training. Between the SUP and Slackline I feel like I have found a great routine that works for me.
I could chat all day about SUP and what it has done for me mentally and physically. Both my wife and I have out degrees in Recreation Administration and Business so we are looking forward to putting our education and experience to use helping others share the passion we have for SUP. We have been following you and all that you have done for the SUP industry. Thanks for all of the inspiration and knowledge you share so well.
Matt Ivey
Adventure Recreation LLC
530-255-4505 Business
707-321-7224 Cell
adventurerecreation.co ( this is not a typo )
Thanks so much Lucija and Matt, and to the many others that wrote me and shared their SUP weight loss stories. As SUP grows so does the opportunity for more people to get fit and healthy. I really encourage those new to the sport to take the opportunity and feel and experience what all the buzz is about. As I always say, SUP will change your life.
To see all of my articles about how to get stronger for the sport of SUP, go to:
I ride Naish boards. The line up for 2012 is unreal! We’ll have up to 31 boards like last year and the lines, designs and graphics are killer. I’m so stoked for the winter, monster swells and for some exciting Maliko runs. Check out the current line up here:
by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui / Athleta for ATHLETA
Aloha Athleta Chi readers returning and new. If you’ve followed me this year, you’ve noticed that yes, I am a huge fan and contributor to the sport of stand up paddling (SUP). My mission is to share what the sport can do for your mind and body. (See Stand Up and Sweep Your Way To Better Health.)
Approaching the New Year, I know some of you are looking forward to learning new things and making new goals for yourself. A a fitness expert, I have goals of my own to achieve; great challenges big and small. Having had the opportunity to represent Athleta has allowed me to touch wonderful and amazing people, like you. Some of you have contacted me from around the world to share with me how I encouraged you, inspired you and how the community of Athleta has made a difference in your life!
Well, you have inspired me too. Getting to know you and your desires has made me a better person, a better fitness professional and has allowed me to expand my teachings and experiences on and off the water. Thank YOU!
To get you revved up to include SUP in your life next year, check out my short new rock’n video filmed here on the N. Shore of Maui. From the waves to the 10 mile long distance course, turn up the volume and get pumped to paddle!
If you are considering learning the sport of SUP, or for those of you who are getting into racing this year, I have a few special health tips to help you become a better paddler and make SUP a part of your fitness program next year and the years to come:
SAFETY FIRST: Learn all you can about water safety, weather conditions in your area, and if you’re taking lessons, be sure to learn from someone well qualified.
CORE STRENGTH: Power and strength is initiated from the core. Your core, which is everything excluding your extremities (hips, obliques, low back muscles, pelvic muscles, internal and external abdominal muscles), is getting a tremendous workout, as is all of the supporting, stabilizing muscles of your hips, knees and ankles. If your core is weak, you may fatigue more quickly or increase your risk of injury. One of my favorite core exercises is the simple Ball Bridge. See my Athleta article A Total Body Workout For Everyone with photos and instruction for the Ball Bridge.
UPPER BODY ENDURANCE: Your shoulders, upper and low back all work in unison with your core and your lower body to perform solid, smooth strokes. Whether you’re racing downwind or rounding a buoy or simply cruising on your local lake or bay, upper body endurance will get you through.
Make sure to incorporate extra core training and include a larger mixture of upper body endurance and resistance exercises. For example, I’ll take an 8 pound medicine ball, stand on a balance platform (such as the BOSU) with knees slightly bent, and mimic the paddling stroke you would use on your board. (Or see below.) Change up the weights — do one set with a 4 pound, 8 pound, then 10 pound medicine ball — about 15-20 alternating movements or strokes with each weight.
BALANCE TRAINING: Stand up paddling does demand upper and lower body strength as well as good balance and quick reactions. See my Athleta article The New Wave of Balance Training for a great balance workout. I recommend simple equipment, like a stability ball, resistance tubing and light weights, and an unstable training platform like my favorite piece of gear, the Gigante Disc made by INDO Board.
This disc inflates up to 12 inches for fast, four-way action. Or you can deflate it to slow it down. You can also use two discs with less air under a larger board. You may want to remove your fin(s) so you don’t damage the fin box.
Carefully mount up, look ahead and pretend you’re paddling. Use your toes, your ankles, knees, legs and hips to control the board. Shift your weight side to side and see how your body responds. Always look ahead.
To add even more fun and get a great upper arm and lower leg workout, add a 12 pound weighted body bar and practice your strokes. If you don’t have a weighted body bar, an 8-10 pound medicine ball works great too!
LEG TRAINING: If you’re starting to enter small to big waves leg training is very key. See my article Power Conditioning For Surfing, SUP and the Effects of Gravity. Lots of leg lunges and light to heavy plyometrics, depending upon your level of fitness, are the magic ingredient to charging small or big waves. SET REALISTIC, MEASURABLE GOALS: I suggest that you don’t make your New Year’s fitness goals too daunting. Start out simple and build from there. Make sure they are measurable. For example, try keeping a running or SUP journal. I’m keeping a SUP journal to see how many days a week/month I can get on the water for my off –season race training. This includes waves too!
STAY BALANCED: Extra sleep and a healthy diet are also on the top of my list this year. I need lots of energy, so that is how I approach food. I eat 90% for training and living, and 10% pleasure! I’m very strict about limiting sugar, alcohol and cannot get enough vegetables. Having a balance in my life this next year will help me be a better stand up paddler and allow me to do more for my training clients.
Ladies, if you’d like to come on a SUP adventure, now’s your chance to join me on a five-star SUP adventure April 10th -17th, 2011 in Costa Rica. Train with me daily and SUP while we enjoy the beautiful accommodations at the Zancudo Lodge. I welcome all levels of SUP and levels of fitness. We’ll train on the beach, then stand up and paddle together! Come have some fun, learn to SUP or improve your current skills, and have the time of your life! Space is limited, sobook now! Click here for more information »
My message and mantra is simple: “Live it, ride it and don’t close your eyes. Believe in yourself to go a little faster, harder and smile big!” Make SUP a part of your fitness goals in the New Year. It will change your life — this I promise!
Whether you’re an advanced athlete or re-entering fitness, enjoying your workout is important. We can all agree that working out has to be fun. Let’s face it, if it’s not fun, it’s not going to happen!
I’ve designed a simple workout for you to add to your current routine, or start fresh with this one. In my workouts, I always try to touch every muscle group, including the core, and also incorporate a little balance training. Everyone is so different and has different workout goals. But remember — we don’t want our bodies to plateau. I’ll often grab a workout that I’ve designed for one my clients and do theirs. Granted, I’ll adjust it to suit my training needs, but it’s fun, it’s different and I love it.
This workout will be about 45 minutes and offers a little something for everyone. I recommend you try it first in the order I’m presenting, especially the warm up and the core work. You can mix and match the strength training portion in any way that suits you. I like to save abs for last since they support us all throughout the workout.
Equipment: Medicine ball (4-8 pounds), resistance tubing with handles, tube circle or Thera-Band®, stability ball, dumbbells (5-15 pounds).
Training Tip: When you change “variables” in your training routine, your body will likely respond more quickly vs. doing the same old thing. A variable may be increasing or decreasing the number of reps, changing the order in which you select the exercise, changing the platform you are training on; such as an inflatable disc, or increasing the amount of weight used for the exercise.
Let’s begin…
Active Warm Up
I prefer and recommend my clients to do active warm up exercises vs. static stretching (stretches where you hold the stretch for a period of time). It can be a quick spin on the stationary bike, walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes, or try the exercise below.
Now you don’t have to be in Maui to catch this new wave in fitness training, and you don’t have to be a big wave surfer to get the benefits of my new favorite piece of training equipment. But before I reveal this cool new training platform, I want to talk about the importance of preparing your body for anything!
Whether you’re training for your first trail running race or simply want to prevent yourself from any unwelcome stumbles or falls, balance training is an integral part of everyone’s fitness routine—no matter what age or what sport you enjoy.
We’ve all missed a step or have felt our ankle buckle and you say, “Whew, glad I caught that one.” Almost one year ago now, I landed on the bottom step of my home for the millionth time and…. WHAMMO-snap-break-tear. In under 2 seconds, I found myself in the dark at the bottom of the landing searching for my cell phone to call my boyfriend for help. My left ankle and leg were broken, and right leg ligaments torn, which led to two months in a wheelchair.
You would think that as a fitness professional and athlete, I’d be ready for anything. The one element I did not mention was that the landing was completely dark so my brain had no awareness of what to do when I hit the bottom. I’m positive had I been able to see my landing I may have had a better chance at recovery.
We rely on our senses more than we realize. Our senses tell our body where our limbs are at all times. If our joints are not strong or flexible enough to react to our environment, it can result in down time or, worse yet, a serious injury. In my case, my eyes could not assist me to help assess and catch my fall. So part of balance training is actually brain training to navigate your body safely through any obstacles that may come in your path.
BALANCE TRAINING EXERCISES & EQUIPMENT
Balance training can be as simple as standing on one leg or as exciting as feeling what it would be like to surf or try the new craze of stand up paddling! My clients can’t wait to hop aboard a surf board or a stand up paddle board with me and practice surfing down the line, but more importantly working on improving their balance—and they don’t even get wet!
There’s quite a few balance training devices that will progress you safely, so best to start out simply. Part of my evaluation for every client involves balance testing. It’s quite a surprise to learn about your own balance, and which leg may be more dominant than the other. I achieve this with a simple piece of hard dense foam roller cut in half. I test all planes of motion with the progression of two legs (stable) to one leg (less stable).
As a client progresses with me, then it’s time to introduce the Giganté! You don’t have to know how to surf or stand up paddle. The Giganté (the first “G” is pronounced with an “h”), made by Indo Board, is a giant inflatable disc that allows for a new way to have fun and improve your balance. It gets all the small muscles that support the hip, knees and ankles to work together while you balance on a four-way rubber platform! And of course, all the while your core is working hard to center and ground you.
Here I’ve got two Gigantés inflated halfway (about 6 inches) with the nubby side up under a longer stand up paddle board. I use the paddle to assist me up to the board and then to mimic my paddling motions. I can also add a weighted body bar. Your ankles and feet may get a little fatigued from tension the first couple of times, but as your brain begins to register the information and send it back to the muscles and nerves that assist you in your balance challenge, each time you get better, stronger and more confident each time!
PROGRESSIVE CHALLENGE
Balance training, as mentioned earlier, should follow a safe progression. For more challenge, the progression is to remove one Giganté disc, grab a smaller board and increase the inflation of the disc (the disc easily inflates by blowing it up like a beach ball after you remove the pin). Now we’re ready for more action and our balance challenge just got more interesting!
The disc is now inflated up to its max of 12 inches tall. This disc is so sensitive to my every movement—it feels like it’s reading my mind. I need to keep my upper body and feet loose and maintain good posture. As I begin to paddle, the board responds like I was surfing in more intense conditions. Fitness training was never so much fun. My legs also get a great workout!
With the Giganté, I will also sit on it and try to keep my body balanced on it that way—an excellent core workout at the same time. You can also simply lay down on it in a prone position with your arms extended above your head like Superman (or woman)! This is really an amazing test of core strength and balance, and is sure to make you giggle while you wiggle! By squeezing your glutes and legs together behind you, feet off ground and lifting your chest while keeping your head down, you’ll find your center balance point—or what I like to call the sweet spot. Wow, simply amazing.
One thing I’d like to mention: While starting any balance program or exercise, practice your exercise of choice without looking down. That’s not to say don’t look where your feet go for proper placement and body alignment, but in this case, I want to look down the wave or where I’m going. It’s easier on the brain and your performance will improve dramatically. You can also practice your balance moves in front of a long mirror, which I find very helpful.
Make balance training a part of your fitness routines and you’ll be ready for anything!
Come Celebrate Women’s Health and Fitness on the beauitful island of Maui!
Event: “STAND UP For Women’s Health & Fitness” at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea Beach on the beautiful Island of Maui.
Location: Wailea Beach, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea , Hawaii
Date: January 9, 2010 Time: 8am -2pm
Come join the Aloha and learn how to do the fastest growing water sport in the world on the beautiful island of Maui at Four Seasons Resort. Stand Up Paddle Surfing (SUP) is making surfers out of everyone. You’ve seen the “Stars” do it … now it’s YOUR turn! SUP will improve your balance, endurance, strength and mindset. Receive patient, guided instruction from professional instructors and experience the feeling of the “surfer’s glide”.
“STAND UP for Women’s Health & Fitness” is a FREE, non-competitive event to promote healthy lifestyle choices, self-confidence and breast cancer education for women through sport, nutrition and self awareness. You’ll not only enjoy learning to SUP, but also to Hula! Enjoy inspirational guest speakers, plenty of healthy treats and fun prizes. Maybe you’ll even win your own Stand Up Paddle Board!
photo by Simone Reddingius
Join Maui’s premier fitness trainer, sports and lifestyle model, weekly Health and Fitness contributor to the “Maui Breakfast Club” radio show, and columnist, Suzie Cooney (suzietrainsmaui.com) and the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea this January 9th, 2010 for an exciting day to learn this fun sport. Also supported in this event is the American Breast Cancer Foundation.
“The Four Season’s is the ideal location to introduce Stand Up Paddling to beginning enthusiasts. It has a beautiful beach and its calm, clear waters offer the ideal, safe paddling conditions. Plus it’s on Maui, the best place in the world! You might even see a few sea turtles and whales!” says professional instructor and event co-host Tommy Callan of Beach Boy Events.
Here, my dear friend and avid paddler Lucija Kordic, from Alameda, California, braves the chilly waters of the Bay Area and shares, ” My pants fit much differently now and I fit into some of my set-aside size 6 pants. SUP and intervals on the treadmill both make a difference!” Lucija is now training with me with her new SUP Endurance Program designed to help her improve her paddling strength and endurance for long distance racing. Go Lucy go! See you on Maui soon!
I could chat all day about SUP and what it has done for me mentally and physically. Both my wife and I have out degrees in Recreation Administration and Business so we are looking forward to putting our education and experience to use helping others share the passion we have for SUP. We have been following you and all that you have done for the SUP industry. Thanks for all of the inspiration and knowledge you share so well.
Suzie Cooney, CPT owner of Suzie Trains Maui
I ride Naish boards. The line up for 2012 is unreal! We’ll have up to 31 boards like last year and the lines, designs and graphics are killer. I’m so stoked for the winter, monster swells and for some exciting Maliko runs. Check out the current line up here:
