Everyday We’re Shufflin’! Surfcuit Training Day 5

I can say Day 5 is the most fun so far, since we were taught how to cross step! I’ve always been amazed how longboarders do it, because I myself couldn’t even get the stance right (my feet being too far apart).  They effortlessly work their way up to the nose, do hang fives or hang tens. If it were myself, I would have connected with the water in the most ungraceful way, with my board hitting me on the head. This day gave me a fighting chance to do it in the ocean!

Cross stepping apparently is more than just working your way to and from the nose of the board. You have to get the timing right, and you have to be in the right angle in the wave. On Day 3 we were taught about timing and placing to catch a wave but this day gave me an idea of what I can do when I’m already on one. And, though I don’t have a photo or video here of overcoming this in the wave pool, I was able to do it. Yes!!!  Okay fine, there were a couple of unflattering crashes because my feet were scampering all over the place. I would get too excited and rush towards the nose (or back to the tail). This day taught me to be more patient and take a bit more control of my body.  It was really great that the instructors were telling me what I was doing wrong, so I would try my best not to do it once I’m on a wave again. Finally when I was able to pleasantly cross step (*insert happy dance*), one said, “Tsamba ka lang ata eh! Isa pa at maniniwala ako!”. In my head I was yelling, “Oh no you didn’t! It’s on Kuya!” Haha! I am a bit competitive and with that challenge, I got even more driven to prove I can really do it, no tsamba added. And, I did. After a couple of tries, turning at the right part of the pool and positioning the board as they explained, led me to doing 2-3 steps forward and back without falling on my butt or face. I was able to do that a good number of times. So Kuya, you just got served! (And THANK YOU for your very “encouraging and supportive” remarks! It really did push me!)

In a week will be Day 6 of the program, the LAST day for Batch 2! Time flies by so fast! Hopefully nothing comes up so I won’t miss it. Please join me as I pray to graduate on time!

Here are some photos I took. I know there are not too many action shots, and obviously I couldn’t take photos of myself in action. But PSA did take some and I’ll share a link to that album once it’s out :)

Some yoga to warm up. Thanks Rozie for correcting our form!

Why are we doing different poses? We were doing self-practice. First time I did this with other people around too!

Cross stepping 101

Very attentive students. We were only 6 that day. A lot were sick due to the weather, even Coach Pao. :(

This should say “Caution: Karla in the pool, PLEASE GET OUT” :)

Waiting for waves to come

Wooot!

Nice!

Look at A go! Cross stepping like a boss!

Good job!

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Want to learn more about PSA or interested to join the Surfcuit Intensive Training Program? Check out the contacts and links below:

Tel: (+632) 631 28 05
Mobile: (+63917) 582 78 78
Website: http://philippinesurfingacademy.com/

http://www.facebook.com/philippinesurfingacademy

http://www.twitter.com/philsurfacademy

How about having your very own customized board? Click here for Skwala! And if you want  to see a sample, here’s my Cookie. <3

Take your friends and family to Club Manila East Resort in Taytay, Rizal too! Share the stoke!

TURN it up! Surfcuit Training Day 4

Day 4… We are more than halfway done with training and I’m pretty excited because I feel I improved already from the past 3 sessions. In between Surfcuit Sundays, I try to go to the beach and surf as much as I can. I still have a long way to go, but I do feel more confident and I have more endurance to last hours in the water. Paddling out with higher waves than I’m used to was so hard for me before, but now I panic less and I noticed I get out much faster. ESKIMO ROLL!!!!

So this day was about doing turns. “Cutback”, “Reentry”, “Top Turn”, “Bottom Turn” – terms I hear from well-seasoned (yes, maasim-asim pa!) surfer friends, and of course Youtube videos. It looks so easy when I watch them do it! Coach Paolo explained what these actually are, and how they look like in the water with the help of videos. I know it would be a long time before I master these tricks, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere!

Here is the video shown to us in slow-mo during class. We watched Lorraine do her turns (0:50) so we have an idea of how to execute the moves in the water. Really different from just watching surf vids online… it helped having a coach break down the moves for you.

I will give myself a pat on the back for only slamming once on the cement wall of the pool.  Hehe :) But it is really fun! I’m thinking a simple left or right turn will definitely save a lot of people and boards when I’m surfing – woohoo! Better dodging tactics!

Where and when should we do turns? Coach Paolo explains.

Pumpin’ for speed!

An awesomazing wahine, Lorraine Lapus, showing us how the pros do it.

Now watching Lorraine do turns and cutbacks so effortlessly! Naks! Look at me being super attentive…

Now this is me being TOO attentive. My eyes were glued on Lorraine’s arms and feet, that didn’t realize I was on her way. I’M SO SORRY!!!! :(

Smiling to hide the sheer embarrassment…

I’d say this session is quite something, since I get to see Lorraine surf up close. She was also giving us tips and correcting our form. We have awesome instructors from PSA there, but getting pointers from another girl made me feel I can really do it. I remember I’m always told, “Your legs are too far apart and you have to bend more.”, but when Lorraine told me to do it, I feel like now I’m more conscious and attentive of my body so I can correct myself. I’m really into the “girl power” kind of thing I guess :)

Day 5 coming up – Shuffling! ahem I mean Cross Stepping!

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Want to learn more about PSA or interested to join the Surfcuit Intensive Training Program? Check out the contacts and links below:

Tel: (+632) 631 28 05
Mobile: (+63917) 582 78 78
Website: http://philippinesurfingacademy.com/

http://www.facebook.com/philippinesurfingacademy

http://www.twitter.com/philsurfacademy

How about having your very own customized board? Click here for Skwala! And if you want  to see a sample, here’s my Cookie. <3

Take your friends and family to Club Manila East Resort in Taytay, Rizal too! Share the stoke!

Be at the right place, at the right time. Surfcuit Training Day 3

 

(Updated! Yey I have photos!!!)

The 3rd day of training was about timing and placing. How do I know where and when pop-up? Of course waves in the pool are a bit different, but the principle is the same. Find the right spot, paddle with the right amount of effort, at the right time. I remember how I’d paddle before I started Surfcuit training… I just paddle – FOR MY LIFE. That’s it. I think just do more work and I’ll catch the wave. I learned that that’s not practical. Well to start it off, I’m a little girl with not-so-strong guns so it takes me a lot of paddling to even just go out to sea. By the time I’m in the line up, my arms would feel weak already. Then I’d start paddling like a zombie surfer is chasing me even when the wave is still far away. When it’s right behind me, I run out of juice and my arms turn to jello. What happens? I miss the wave, turn back around and wait for another one. It’s the same EVERY TIME I go out. Surfcuit is training me to not waste so much energy at times that I don’t really have to exert so much. They would say “relax”… I’d whisper to myself “Chill ka lang.” Then when the wave’s near I’d shout in my head (and sometimes, embarrassingly out loud) “You better paddle the sh*t out of you woman! Crank it!”.

One thing I know I’m getting better at is turning. I can’t do maneuvers like Piso or Nilvie, but I can turn enough to not smack my face onto the wall. The pool’s design makes the lip/peak be on the left-most side, where a concrete wall decided to exist. So how do you catch the wave and get a long ride? Hug the wall. Well fine, of course not literally hug it, but try your best to stay near that side. It was scary at first but the instructors had a way to make you stay there and face your fear. They stood at the right side, formed a wall of yelling military officers telling you where to turn and correcting your form. You either do what they say or hit them and kill your ride. Kind of funny but it did work.

To end the sesh, we did cool drills. You know that scene in Blue Crush where they were training for the competition? Yes, that scene where they were at the bottom of the ocean, walking with a rock? We did that… I DID THAT. Haha! Fine, it was in a pool, and we used a big %^$ mineral water bottle filled with sand (the one for dispensers). Man, it was HEAVY even under water! We walked back and forth carrying that while holding our breath. I felt like such a pro even when I had to come up a couple of times for air!

So the question is – did I get to catch my own wave? Answer: No..not yet. It is a lot more difficult to get one in the pool, since the waves don’t have that much power, which means I really have to compensate with my paddling “prowess”. Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so… because when I am able to catch a wave in that pool, even once, it will be a lot easier in the ocean. This is a theory I have and my goal now is to be a lot stronger for the real thing. Wish me luck :)

I got a hold of the photos from Day 3 :) Thank you PSA and Soul Purpose Media, Inc.!

Poi drills before yoga. Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

It looks like I know what I’m doing… emphasis on the “looks like”.  Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

Triangle poses :) Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

Waiting for waves.  Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

This pool churned out higher waves! Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

Go Earl! Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

Paddle and pop-up drills. Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

Nice one Randel!  Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

I was uhm… hmmm… about to do a cat pose!? (yeah, right…) Photo c/o Soul Purpose Media, Inc.

 

This was just released: Sharing with you this cool video of the Surcuiteers in action from Day 2. I’m in the purple rash guard. Hehe.

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!! I want you to get jealous that we got not one, but TWO free class cards for Capoeira!!! I’ve always been curious and now I have the chance to try it! I already went to one class, and I can’t wait to write about it here! Oh my goodness it was fun! For now, check out the Escola Brasileira de Capoeira – Philippines Facebook page or their website for more information. Thank you PSA! So many freebies! <3

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Want to learn more about PSA or interested to join the Surfcuit Intensive Training Program? Check out the contacts and links below:

Tel: (+632) 631 28 05
Mobile: (+63917) 582 78 78
Website: http://philippinesurfingacademy.com/

http://www.facebook.com/philippinesurfingacademy

http://www.twitter.com/philsurfacademy

How about having your very own customized board? Click here for Skwala! And if you want  to see a sample, here’s my Cookie. <3

Take your friends and family to Club Manila East Resort in Taytay, Rizal too! Share the stoke!

Surf…Like a Sir. Surfcuit Training Day 2 (Surf Etiquette)

Day 2 of Surfcuit! And oh what a day it was!

Who signs up for a 10k run the same day as a 4-hour surf training session? Ehem, ehem. When I registered for that run, I already knew I had Surfcuit in the afternoon thinking that “Hey, I’m going to work my legs in the morning and I won’t really need them in surfing that much.” I was right since I survived it… barely. My arms were working, but my brain I think decided to go on strike. Driving home required extra effort to stay up, since I’ve been up since 4 am that day! So note to self: “Di ka si Darna.”

Now here’s my WOD for my arms, after the brave bahala na si batman run.

It is the day when I got introduced to poi. It was training, as I see it, for control, timing and flow. I thought it was easy to do whenever I see performers at the beach or in events. I told myself, “How hard could it be to swing a ball tied to a string?” The balls answered that question quite quickly and clearly…on my face…three times. We were taught basic turns and switching, both I found really hard! But a few hits won’t stop me… When I got home I picked MY FREE poi up and tried again. And yes, I got the same answer the fourth time. :) Where do I get to buy hand-eye coordination please?

YEY FREE!!!! :) (photo c/o Bianca Cueva the “Poi Warrior”)

And then we were off to yoga. At the start of every Surfcuit day, we do this to stretch and warm our bodies up. A couple of sun salutations really did the trick to get us ready to paddle hard. Namaste.

Say hello to my monster back muscles. Guys, please put a bit more power on my paddles!

The Main Event.

Day 2’s focus was Surf Etiquette. Paolo sat us down and shared what kind of mindset and attitude we should bring with our board as we paddle out. With all the surf lessons I’ve had in the past, instructors always teach some pointers before we head out to the open sea. But then again, those are just snippets of what’s what. The good thing about the Surfcuit program is there is a set agenda for the day, for 4 hours each session. Students would have more time to understand the lesson, apply it and ask the coaches.

Check out the photo below. I just Googled “surf etiquette” (you can say I tried to do some homework after the session that day) and saw this. It basically summarizes the do’s and don’ts, plus information on priority in the water.

Source: http://www.surfrider.org.au/

I will not go through each one here, but I do want to talk about 2: Do not drop in/snake, and Respect. I thought I knew these do’s and don’ts, but after Surfcuit Training Day 2, I realized that I knew so little about them. I have been making a fool of myself in the ocean all this time. Really.

Why am I saying this? For example: the drop/snake in. I knew what they meant, but I just learned what are the different ways to actually execute them, and I’ve been doing both unintentionally every time I’m in the water. When I’m in the line up all I would think of is, “I paddled so hard to get here, so I have to catch a wave… there’s one now! Go paddle!”. So easy to forget too when you’re used to having an instructor with you to just tell you what to do, without you having to look around if you’re about to be a jerk to someone. When Coach Paolo explained details on who gets priority in the line up, I wanted to disintegrate in my seat. I thought I was doing fine out there as long as I catch waves at the side wherein only a few people stay, but apparently I’ve understood it wrong. What I do is I’d keep on paddling for a wave even when I’m not in position, and someone else is. I would hang out at the shoulder and wait. Then I’d TRY to catch a wave without even looking if someone else has it already from the peak. I just realized that I have been cutting and dropping in all the time on surfers riding a wave. I feel very thankful that it was explained to us in detail so we stop making such ignorant mistakes. I don’t want to piss off other surfers. I guess I’m lucky enough that people I’ve been with are very, very nice… or they do realize that I am a complete idiot and left it to the sea to get back at me… Yes, I think all is fair considering the wipe outs I got the last trip in La Union.

Another vital lesson every surfer should have at heart is R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Well for this, EVERYONE should be able to practice it, surfers or non-surfers alike. For surfing specifically, there is a hierarchy.

1. The locals – born in the area and lived there all their lives
2. The regulars – those that moved in the area and been there for a long time.
3. The visitors – really good surfers like the pros, then followed by the intermediate ones
4. Buoys / Logs

By the way, I’m under number four. I didn’t want to feel left out so I made my own category. :) Although I know based from experience what’s the hierarchy, Coach Paolo’s story of a surf trip abroad made it even clearer. It was awesome to find out those that’s been surfing a long time are still humbled by other surfers, give proper respect towards them and then get respect back.

Don’t forget Mother Nature! She’s one woman I would not want to annoy.

From our butts to our bellies… it’s surf time! This round I used a smaller board – an 8’0. Much closer to my board Cookie (7’8″), so I was happy I can practice with it the whole afternoon :) We tried catching waves by ourselves in the pool and it was really tough! They said it’s harder to catch one there, so I’m thinking if by the end of the program I get one, I’ll be okay out in the open sea! *crossing fingers*.

Yuan. The youngest in the class… and the best too! He has awesome parents that signed him up for this!

Cheerleader knees finding it soooo hard to bend! Sorry, I was trained for years to keep them locked to balance :(

Get back on your board and try again. PADDLE!!! :)

There ya go. I know I’m not the best person riding a wave, and could even be the worst, but I feel I’m a better surfer already than other beginners with what I learned on Day 2. With that, I’m soooo thankful!

Another tiring but fulfilling session.

Let’s now surf, like a sir…shall we?

Photos taken by Earl Calunsod

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Want to learn more about PSA or interested to join the Surfcuit Intensive Training Program? Check out the contacts and links below:

Tel: (+632) 631 28 05
Mobile: (+63917) 582 78 78
Website: http://philippinesurfingacademy.com/

http://www.facebook.com/philippinesurfingacademy

http://www.twitter.com/philsurfacademy

How about having your very own customized board? Click here for Skwala! And if you want  to see a sample, here’s my Cookie. <3

Take your friends and family to Club Manila East Resort in Taytay, Rizal too! Share the stoke!

Project Starfish: Operation “Hey I Just Met You”

And this is crazy…
Here’s my baby…
I call him “Cookie”! :)

(Don’t even ask about the title of this post… just a really bad case of LSS for more than a week now!)

Wooohooooooo!!! I got him already. Naming my baby Wacks a.k.a my “Cookie”, from the 90s show TGIS. :) Why?! Because almost all my life I’ve been introduced as “the dancer/cheerleader”… then a question will follow, “Who does she look like?!”. The answer: Angelu De Leon! I have happily accepted being her doppelganger and take it as a very nice compliment. Please see below for proof.

Me vs. The Real Deal

So there, I thought I’d give my new boyfriend Bobby’s famous role in the TV series too. He’s my Cookie, I’m his Pancake (my goodness, this is so cheesy!)

To those asking themselves “Who the heck are these people?” and “What’s TGIS?” you probably didn’t grow up in the Philippines, or you were just born in the last decade. And, I do feel sorry for you… the 90’s is ze best decade ever!

Okay, enough about that. The whole point of this post is to show off my first surfboard from Skwala made by Din Litangan (whom I still owe a couple of beers because he worked even Saturdays just to finish it… Din, I won’t forget!). Thank you so much! I love my board!!!

Here is my trophy lover for all of you to drool on!  I really can’t wait to try this baby!

Actually, I did lay my board on my bed, got on it and “air paddled”. I was smiling the whole freakin’ time!!!

Specs: Funboard (clear epoxy) 7’8″ X 21 X 2 3/4 ; nose rider = Perfect for a beginner like me.

Location: Skwala’s Yard, our Driveway and my room

Yes, this is a 7’8″. I’m just really tiny!

Hello Waves… Come baby come…

Baby, baby, come come!

Check out Skwala’s Facebook for more of their work and contact details! – http://www.facebook.com/Skwalasurfindustries