“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
This is part one in a series of leg strength exercises written exclusively for Naish International:
Follow Suzie here to see more leg training tips!
Stand up paddling on flat water, waves or riding a board like the 14ft Naish Glide and catching a 50 yard glide, requires your legs to be strong together and independently.I’ve written articles before on leg strength, but I want to get really specific here for stand up paddling. These exercises are designed to demonstrate techniques to use your own body instead of machines to achieve your goals, allowing your body to become the machine and your arms and legs to be powerful and stay in control.
Over the course of a few weeks, I’ll be sharing with you lots of excellent leg exercises that will help you catch more waves, dig your rails a little harder for a faster buoy turn and introduce you ways to combine leg strength, power and balance into your personal training so you can be a better paddler. There are four main types of leg exercises I’ll be showing you: Stabilizing/Balance, Strength, Balance/Strength and Power. From small waves to big, connecting one glide to the next to casual paddling, I’ll attempt to break it down so you can learn about the fine stabilizing muscles around your ankles, knees and hips to the power house of your legs: the glutes. This year, you’ll be paddling stronger than ever!This Week: Stabilizing and Balance Exercises
These exercises help promote quick reaction times, foot and leg stabilization to recruit finite muscles around your feet, ankles, knees, inner thighs, and the muscles that grab the ball of your femur or hip.
Exercise 1: Half Foam Roll Balance to Single or Two Legged Squat
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.
Contest: How has the sport of stand up paddling changed your life and what are you doing now to help others discover the sport you love?
Leisl and Suzie
Guys and gals, can you best describe in 200 words or less, how the sport of SUP has been life changing for you and what are the current health benefits that you may have discovered and how are you personally helping others share your knowledge and love for the sport?
I will review up to 75 entries and the contest begins today. All entries can be submitted to suzie@suzietrainsmaui.com by April 15th. I will personally read each entry and pick the winner. You may send me a photo of yourself paddling. Just one please. I will share entries on my Suzie Trains Maui face book page: http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui and announce the winner via Facebook. Have your friends vote or like the comment
You will be eligible to win a private 1.5 hour SUP lesson with me, ( Value $125 ) Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui and Naish Team Rider. Board and other goodies provided. This is not transferable. Must redeem prize within 6 months of win date.
Share with the world how SUP has rocked your world and made you healthier and excited to share SUP with everyone you know!
Follow us on Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui
Aloha and can’t wait to paddle with one lucky winner!
Whether you’re new to the sport of stand up paddling or preparing for an exciting Maui Maliko downwinder, having upper body paddling endurance and excellent balance will get you through the deepest troughs, maybe help you pass a competitor or help you enter bigger waves and swells with extra confidence and success!
I like to be as efficient as possible when training, so combining the two is perfect. The following exercise is just a sample of what you can do to get stronger, develop faster reflexes, increase the rapid firing of your finite muscles that stabilizes your larger muscles, improve your timed runs and possibly reduce fatigue and/or risk of overuse injuries.
It’s well known that SUP requires the entire body to perform and respond in unison. You’re never isolating one muscle group at any given moment. As you paddle, your entire shoulder complex, upper/lower back, feet, ankles, knees, hips and core (everything excluding your extremities) are executing each short or long stroke in a smooth, connected motion. Conditions can and do change, so adding some balance work is also a huge plus. I totally can tell that when I balance train, my reactions are sharp and quick.
Based on your current level of fitness, ease into some of these more advanced moves and change the variables accordingly. You can simply start with your own paddle or select one of the suggested weights. I usually start light and advance to heavy, to fatigue.
INDO Board Demo Day at the Zancudo Lodge Costa Rica with Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui
January 5, 2011 – Reporting from the most beautiful SUP, surf and fishing spot in Southern Costa Rica, The Zancudo Lodge! Owner, Gregg Mufson is hanging ten on the INDO Board as he and the crew prepare for the surf rolling in this week. I’m here introducing the team on how The INDO Board is great workout for everyone, especially those entering SUP to advanced paddlers.
We have all the gear from INDO Board, including the new Gigante to challenge beginners to the hard core SUP’rs and surfer alike. Gregg, Yvonne, Sloan, Elle, and Di all participated in an afternoon of learning, laughs and some thigh-burning fun. I can tell their addicted and promised them, after this workout we’ll all be ready for any water action tomorrow!
We started the morning on a mellow, slower surface. Next we graduate to the beach to hard pack sand for some faster action and more fun. In such a short time, everyone got their groove on and was hang’n on the nose. I challenged them to an upper body challenge which Gregg, Di and Yvonne immediately worked up a small sweat with the plank and one leg lifted behind them, alternating at 5 – 10 second intervals. Below, Gregg is performing the advanced plank with one or both feet behind him, on a Gigante disc.
The Gigante disc is the newest platform training tool for INDO Board, that inflates up to 12 inches that achieves the 4-way action intended for those who want to enhance their SUP or surf performance. We placed both discs under Gregg’s surf board and what a ride. Inflate it more and hang on!
It’s my favorite piece of equipment in my studio at home. I also use it for clients just recovering from major hip or knee surgery as a rehab element. Today we’ve kept the inflation to 6 inches as my willing participants start their training.
Then down to what I call the core bug. This move is in the prone position requiring glutes and the upper scapular region of the shoulder blades to work in unison as we seek the most stable position. I recommend keeping the head in a neutral position. I also suggest to keep breathing smoothly and hold the position for 15 – 30 seconds. Rest, then repeat 5 times.
In addition to this great core exercise, by placing the INDO Board board directly on top the Gigante, together we performed leg burning same side lunges, for a count of 5-10 each leg.
Gigante sitting came last where Yvonne, Di and Elle gracefully sat on top of the Gigante as feet and hands stayed off the ground lending to an extreme, deep core constant, contraction! Well done girls.
You can tell we’re having too much fun. I can’t wait for this spring when I host mySTAND UP ForWomen’s Health and Fitness in April, here at the lovely Zancudo Lodge ! All the gear is here and so is the fun. For more information go to: http:www.suzietrainsmaui.com/events. This lodge is like staying at the Four Seasons. From warm waves to a cozy robe in your room, excellent food and gracioius staff, to healthy, to amazing food prepared fresh everyday.
Thank you Chip and Hunter at INDO Board, for sending these boards and discs over. Gregg and the others are on their way to be SUP stars. Also a big gracias to Gregg and the Zancudo Lodge for hosting us and the SUP clinics with the other trainers this spring!
Jeremy Riggs, elite stand up paddler and surfer, talent is amazing on the water and off! We’re working on a little cross training to increase his performance so he’s ready for any glide, bump or swell and for the surf this winter. Jeremy recently came in first place in his age group, 14 foot no rudder class, at the 5th Annual Naish Paddle Championships here on Maui July 18th. Jeremy finished with an impressive time of 1:18:45. Click here for more race info. This is the 5th year in a row he’s won the Naish rudderless division. I know he wants to keep this streak going!
“Suzie’s training keeps me at a high level of fitness without paddling. I’ve learned some really challenging exercises that are fun
Jeremy Riggs photo by Darrell Wong
and will keep me strong outside of paddling. I also want to prevent injury. The number one thing Suzie gives me is more confidence and now I feel more prepared. Suzie’s helping me out tremendously. I’m doing more, so I should be better. ”
Jeremy Riggs Naish Race photo Jimmie Hepp
Just prior to the Naish race, he placed in the top ten elite class of the Mormaii Maui to Molokai Race July 10th, 2010 he placed 7th with a time of 3:44:01. On June 12th, 2010 the prestigious and brutal IRONMAN of all SUP races, Battle of the Paddle in Oahu, his time was 1:39:15! Along with relay partner Mark Raaphorst, they took first place in the April 24th, 2010 Maui to Molokai, put on by the Maui Canoe and Kayak Club, with a time of 3:41:49 .
Jeremy BOP Oahu Photo by Simone Reddingius
Jeremy is definitely strong and focused. We’re keeping it simple for now and introducing core and stabilization work, in addition with specific exercises to increase paddle power and endurance. Here in this photo, he’s performing a shoulder press with light, 10lb kettle bells while balancing on a Vew Do board to help promote quick reactions, glute strength, shoulder endurance and independent leg performance.
By keeping his body in tip top shape, this will help Jeremy prevent injury and overuse incidents. Over training is common in top athletes and learning how to balance a training routine is paramount to break through to the next level.
Jeremy photo Dale Kanekoa
If you want to be the best in your sport, I’m here to help you! No matter what level of performance you’re seeking we can increase your performance and endurance.
Jeremy lives in Maui with awesome wife and mother, Jill, baby Ruby and big sister Natalie.
On the N. Shore of Maui’s beautiful coastline, Suzie Cooney, Naish Team SUP rider, heads down an 8 mile coast run. Video shot by Simone Reddingius. Light winds meant for a big workout. The Naish Glide is 14 feet long, 27 inches wide. Bathing suit by ATHLETA.
Today was another amazing coast run from Maliko to Lowers at Kanaha. It was extra special because of Kelly Moore’s awesome shuttle service for Maui residents and visitor alike, that picked us up right on time at the lower Kanaha parking lot and a couple others from the Harbor. With winds today averaging 30 mph, and gusts to 40 it was a low stress, fun day. Today, I had my 14ft Naish Glide and wow, catching swells, some over 50 yards it seemed.
Kelly is professional and is a water professional who knows Maui’s coast very well. Her van is brand new with blasting AC and the boards on the trailor, we’re good to go! So for your one man or SUP, this is a deluxe way to go. Ten bucks for the day or grab a punch card for $90 and get 10 rides. Great deal!
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!
The Gigante disc 
Just prior to the Naish race, he placed in the top ten elite class of the Mormaii Maui to Molokai Race July 10th, 2010 he placed 7th with a time of 3:44:01. On June 12th, 2010 the prestigious and brutal IRONMAN of all SUP races, Battle of the Paddle in Oahu, his time was 1:39:15! Along with relay partner Mark Raaphorst, they took first place in the April 24th, 2010 Maui to Molokai, put on by the Maui Canoe and Kayak Club, with a time of 3:41:49 .
