Just in time for Summer SUP fun and everything to keep you in SUP fit shape!
Pick up your issue of my SUP Fitness Guide in SUP Stand Up Paddler Magazine, Summer 2011, and turn to pages 58 & 62 for a few tips to keep you up and paddling strong. With tips on body endurance, leg strength and more. Carve your turns stronger, drop into bigger glides with confidence and improve your SUP race performance!
TweetTake a peak get your copy of SUP Stand Up Paddler Magazine, Summer Issue 2011:
Suzie Cooney Page 62 of the Fitness Guide photo Darrell Wong 2011 All Rights Reserved
A healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand—you cannot have one, without the other. As part of my work today I continue to stress the importance of staying active, as it helps lead to improved mental health.From childhood, mental illness has had a profound impact on my life. My mother, and three more of her six siblings, lived with mental illness. My mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and severe depression when I was a young child. Since I can remember I was a caregiver and lived in a house that was full of pain and constant upheaval. My grandmother did what she could, but years ago there was confusion about what mental illness was and not much support.
As an only child it was overwhelming. I was fragile. I had no person, or no organization, to turn to for help or support. In an attempt to escape I moved out when I was 15 years old. Ever since then I have experienced feelings of guilt for leaving my family in a time of crisis.
Realizing I had made a mistake I returned to help. A saying of my aunt and uncle helped me stay strong and forge ahead in tough times. “The well must stay well,” they said. I did what I could to maintain by own mental and physical health to provide the best help I could for my mother.
But times were still difficult. What my mother had to experience was agonizing both for her and for me. All the doctors did was lock her up, drug her up and then put her back into society with no coping skills. Consequently, the situation repeated itself, over and over, as we moved my mother from one apartment to the next.
Finally in 1997, I moved her overnight to an amazing community of progressive care in Contra Costa County, California. For a year, my mother was furious with me for taking action this way, but eventually she realized it was the best thing to have happened. Today she is able to live independently with only weekly visits from her amazing case manager and her physician, Dr. Ziba Rahimzadeh, who has been with her for over 12 years.
Growing up in California, the ocean has always called to me. Three years ago, and living in Hawaii, I got started in the sport of stand up paddling (SUP). As a professional trainer and model, staying active was not only important to my professions but made my mind feel healthier as well. In 2009, I was injured in a freak accident, breaking both my legs. I was confined to a wheelchair for several months. My lower body atrophied in less than two weeks and I began to feel depressed.
For me, I knew that the sport I had just started only a few years prior was the way to get both my body and mind back. Being on the water was soothing, it comforted me, it made me feel connected and part of something.
After standing up and helping myself, I realized that stand up paddling was a viable way to help others achieve improved health as well. That’s why I’m honored to partner with NAMI in hosting a SUP event in the Bay Area. The founder of East Bay SUP and I had become friends through our common interest in stand up paddling. Through conversations she bravely shared with me how she had gone through periods of serious depression herself and how SUP helped her as well. I knew that we had to hold an event that would also help raise awareness for mental illness. So on June 4 in Oakland, Calif., we are holding the “Bay Area Stand Up Paddle Clinic” to help support NAMI.
SUP is very easy to learn and people of all individuals can learn. It’s an easy way to get people on the water and an effective form of relaxation and therapy. Surfing is currently being used to help U.S. veterans who have PTSD recover from the effects of war. And although some might be scared at first to get out here it’s often hard to get folks back off the water.
A special thanks to the NAMI team! See you all on Saturday. Please, never give up on the ones you care about or even yourself. Day by day, you will get stronger and healthy. This I promise. And also, give out lots of hugs! People love to feel loved. Suzie Cooney, CPT
Here is another link with more information to the event as well:
The Third Annual OluKai Ho’olaule’a proved to be a tremendous success and an event that will for sure be even bigger and bigger in the years to come. I had the pleasure of working with the OluKai Premium Footwear crew in particular Matthew Murasko from Maui, and the fine team that arrived from the mainland. In addition to the SUP and OC1 races, this year’s venue was extra special with the new division offered as the “Ohana Fun Paddle” that captured over 100 participants before the big races. ( More event highlights here )
Ohana Fun Paddle Start - Photo provided by Ocean Paddler TV
This alone was an event within the event as folks from as young as 12 years old up to 75 years young got to experience a 3 mile down wind, non-competitive paddle. Prone paddlers, OC1s and stand up paddlers launched from the Paia Bay Youth & Cultural Center and arrived to at the life guard tower at Kanaha. I anticipate this number to double for next year! ( photos coming soon!!)
With about 210 plus participants the SUP Race broke some records from last year and many of the recognized names dominated. The trades were nearing about 15 knots and there was small wind swell which offered very close finishing times. The grueling run on the beach just after paddling your brains out for 8 miles made it for an exciting spectator finish! We’re begging for a shorter run!??!
May 14, 2011 – OluKai Ho’olaule’a SUP Race, Top 20 Overall:
The luau that followed after the SUP races on Saturday was simply over the top. During the musical performance by Paula Fuga, as now becoming tradition; a helicopter hovered over and dropped thousands of plumeria showering the crowd. The hula dancing and the award ceremony that followed which made for a complete day! Yours truly got 1st place in the women’s 14ft age division! Whew hoo!
On Monday, after all the excitement The OluKai crew and staff headed deep up into the Honokawai Valley, where they spent the day learning and working the land to help stabilize the rich cultural resources to honor those before us.
This event brought a new meaning in celebrating the ocean and one that will continue to grow and grow. The Magic of Malikowill now resonate in more hearts than ever as we gather again next year in ohana and ocean adventure.
Mahalo OluKai for making this event even more memorable than the last and bringing to Maui the spirit of giving back.
“Hana Hou” Let’s do it again! We had so much fun the first time, we decided to offer you one more fun practice paddle before the big day! If you missed out April 2nd, join us again April 30th, Saturday Paia Bay Youth & Cultural Center.
Click here to see our first paddle: Maui: OluKai & Suzie Cooney Ohana Practice Fun Paddle Adventure April 2nd 2011 wrap up. Here’s the video:
Come do another practice run with me and let’s get ready for the OluKai Ho’olaule’a
OluKai & Suzie Cooney Fun Paddle Maui
Saturday, April 30, 2011 Maui’s N. Shore! 9 am Start Non-Competitive Fun Paddle (Check in 8AM)
It’s that time of year to catch some Maui N. shore fun and all kinds of paddle action; SUP, prone,one mans, prone, kayak. In preparation for the Thrid Annual OluKai Ohana Ho’olaule’a, you’re invited to a FREE paddle from Paia Youth Center Paia Bay to the Kanaha Lifeguard tower. Join me and OluKai and lots of fine folks for the 9 AM start of 3 miles of paddle power. All levels welcome, no divisions, no age groups. This is a non-competitive fun paddle to get you fired up!
No preregistration required. Coffee at the start and refreshments provided at the finish! See you there.
3rd Annual OluKai Ho’olaule’a Maui / May 14-15, 2011
Music, luau, ancient Hawaiian Games, Hawaiian sailing Canoe rides, OC4 and OC6 Paddling canoes. $15,000 in Gender Equal Prize Money. http://www.olukai.com/Hoolaulea.aspx
3 Mile Short CourseFun Paddle - Non-timed, recreational paddle, no age groups, paddle by yourself or tandem, paddle what you like SUP, Oc1, Oc2, paddleboard or kayak.
Begin Paia Youth Center, Paia Bay to beach finish at Kanaha Lifeguard tower.
8 mile Downwind Race. Maliko Bay to Kanaha Beach with 300 yard beach run finish. Timed race. Age Groups and Elite paddlers race for $7500 in Gender Equal Prize Purse.
Strong SUP Legs for Flat Water, Waves and Gliding Power
Strength Exercises for your Legs
by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui and Naish Team SUP Rider.
Last week we focused on recruiting the finite muscles around your feet, ankles, knees, inner thighs and hips to promote quicker reaction times and improve your stability and balance. This week, I’ll be walking you through exercises to improve your leg strength, endurance and power.Remember when you were first learning to stand up paddle? You may have felt like your legs were like jello and your feet and arches may have burned a little too while you were death-gripping the deck and trying to put it all together. That too shall pass as you develop and strengthen the muscles of your legs and simply spend more time on the water!
Training Note:It’s your choice if you wear shoes or not, or if you train on an unstable surface such as the beach (which is more challenging). I try to train barefoot so that I can mimic the feel of the board. If working with weights, be careful not to drop them on your feet! Everyone’s training needs and experience will vary, so the number of sets/reps you perform is up to you. Typically, if you are just starting out, try 1-3 sets with 10-12 reps each, making sure you are always in perfect form.
This Week: Strength Exercises
Your glutes (larger butt muscles) and quads (front thigh muscles) are the very large muscles of the legs and offer tremendous power as you shift your body and change position on your board. If you want to kick some butt on the water…do lunges! Lots!
Again, I like to challenge myself when I’m at the beach, so I go shoes off. If you do train at the beach and are used to wearing shoes, you will really notice all the muscles in your feet working hard to stabilize you as you enter the exercise and as you push off. You can do these lunges with the same leg or alternate legs.
Exercise: Simple Lunges
Equipment: weights (optional)
Progression Variables: Weights at side or on top of shoulders
Come do a practice run with me on April 2nd and let’s get ready for the OluKai Ho’olaule’a
Saturday, April 2, 2011 Maui’s N. Shore! 9 am Start Non-Competitive Fun Paddle
It’s that time of year to catch some Maui N. shore fun and all kinds of paddle action; SUP, one mans, prone, kayak. In preparation for the Thrid Annual OluKai Ohana Ho’olaule’a, you’re invited to a FREE paddle from Paia Youth Center Paia Bay to the Kanaha Lifeguard tower. Join me and OluKai and lots of fine folks for the 9 AM start of 3 miles of paddle power. All levels welcome, no divisions, no age groups. This is a non-competitive fun paddle to get you fired up!
No preregistration required. Coffee at the start and refreshments provided at the finish! See you there.
3rd Annual OluKai Ho’olaule’a Maui / May 14-15, 2011
Music, luau, ancient Hawaiian Games, Hawaiian sailing Canoe rides, OC4 and OC6 Paddling canoes. $15,000 in Gender Equal Prize Money. http://www.olukai.com/Hoolaulea.aspx
3 Mile Short CourseFun Paddle - Non-timed, recreational paddle, no age groups, paddle by yourself or tandem, paddle what you like SUP, Oc1, Oc2, paddleboard or kayak.
Begin Paia Youth Center, Paia Bay to beach finish at Kanaha Lifeguard tower.
8 mile Downwind Race. Maliko Bay to Kanaha Beach with 300 yard beach run finish. Timed race. Age Groups and Elite paddlers race for $7500 in Gender Equal Prize Purse.
I’d like to introduce to you, two very special people that brightened my days in the studio and on the water! Paul and Leisl are new to the sport of SUP and are spreading the stoke all the way back to Iowa. I know one day however, they will end up here on Maui!
I was training Paul and Leisl together, while their two charming kids Lucy and Isaac cheered them on from the sidelines. I had them performing new and daring core exercises on equipment they’ve never seen before. While Paul was surfing on the INDO Board and Gigante disc doing squats with a 25lb kettle bell, I had Leisal attempting knee balancing on the stability ball. Isaac was very eager to join in on the fun too! Next year kiddo.
Then it was time to take all that we learned in the studio to the open ocean. Our mission: Paul his first wave and Leisl more comfortable on the ocean and to perfect her already smooth stroke. First it was Paul at out Kanaha. The conditions could not have been better. No wind and knee to waist high waves with plenty of juice. He charged and could not get enough. At first I had to yell at him to keep paddling and never stop, then he was like a machine catching lots of waves. Paul kindly wrote: Aloha Suzie! I can’t believe it has been two weeks since we were paddling with you at Kanaha. Mahalo for the incredible training and for helping me ride waves for the first time. Can’t wait to get back to Maui!
Leisl, smooth as silk right off the beach! I didn’t know what to expect and she rose to each and every challenge I presented to her. We cautiously paddled in front of the waves, because I wanted her to see and feel the power but also know that she was perfectly safe. I had a hard time keeping up with her. We saw turtles and a whale or two spouting out behind the sets. Leisl shared:
Wow, has it really been 2 weeks?!?! I also want to say MAHALO!! Suzie, you were the perfect person to take me out to SUP on the ocean for the very first time. Your training helped prepare me, and your presence helped to give me the peace and confidence I needed. I can’t wait to get back on a board again! Counting the days till Paul and I can come back to Maui!!
Their training in my studio really paid off. I could tell that right away that all the balance and reactive and core training immediately transferred to their board work and efficient paddle stroke. Good work guys.
Paul and Leisl, I lreally ook forward to your return you two and I want to see you guys paddling in back home soon when the ice melts! Yikes! Thank you so much for coming my way and allowing me to share in your fun. You guys are stars. We’ll be here waiting for you real soon.
March 26th, 2011 MAUI! STAND UP for Health & Fitness with Suzie Cooneyof Suzie Trains Maui. F R E E! Guys and gals, train on the beach with me, then we hit the water for some SUP water training, strength training, relay fun, and fine tune your paddling techniques.CLINIC IS NOW FULL.We are still taking info should a cancellation arise.
All levels of fitness and paddling welcome! Meet new paddling friends.
Learn to paddle efficiently, gain better control of your board and glide more smoothly. Enjoy the healthy benefits SUP has to offer and learn from a professional. Learn a few training tips to help build better body and paddling endurance. Check out this SUP exercise tip written exclusively for Naish International: http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/
Space is limited! To reserve your space and inquire: suzie@suzietrainsmaui.com or call 808-283-2121. You must provide your own board or you can rent from the Maui Naish Pro Center 808-871-1500. This class is for beginners and intermediate paddlers and is 1.5 hours.
Kevin Vangritis Wins First Place in SUP Cold Stroke Classic with Hard Training and Excellent Paddle Technique!
I want to introduce to you Kevin Vangritis who recently won first place in the 3rd annual Cold Stroke Classic in North Carolina. I had the pleasure of meeting he and his wife Jenney, also a strong paddler on Maui this past November. Kevin, Dave and I are very proud of you and for sure we’ll get you out on the waves on your next visit here to Maui!
Thank you both for helping with my last clinic of the year and Jenney, for bringing your
Jenney "Kevin V" Suzie in Paia, Maui
bright smile and beautiful gliding style to inspire the other gals!
I anticipate we’ll be seeing more of Kevin in the SUP news. His training is consistent and very focused, and also includes a great deal of deep core training.
And, right back ya, Dave and I are thrilled to have you as a friend too! Good luck in the Carolina Cup in April! Make sure to boogie over here in July for the big Naish Race down Maliko Gulch!
Below are a few photos and the interview with Kevin, brought together by PaddleBoard Specialists. To go directly to PaddleBoard Sports click below!
PaddleBoard Specialists had the priveledge of interviewing Kevin Vangritis. Kevin recently purchased a 14’ Double Carbon Bark from us, and raced it in the 3rd Annual Cold Stroke Classic held in Wrightsville Beach N.C. Kevin finished 1st in his division and had the second fastest time overall. In the following conversation, Kevin tells us about his passion for SUP and some of his impressions of his new BARK.
Kevin: I started riding approx. 26 months ago. I discovered Stand Up Paddling while vacationing in Maui for my B-Day Nov 08.
PBS: Did you come from a surf background or more traditional paddling background?
Kevin: I have always been a fan of water sports in general. Around the age of 14 yrs old, I tried surfing for the first time using a friend’s borrowed board. I only surfed for a couple of years here and there. I live about 2 hrs from the nearest beach, and at that age, without a car or license I had limited resources to make the journey to the coast. With access to a few local lakes, I transitioned on to water skiing, wake boarding, bare footing and jet skiing. I would consider my skills about average.
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!
