The Mindful Surfer

Magic boards & Motivational Boosts

This weeks intro we dive deep into a humongous intro - one that lasts the entire show due to the larger than expected break since our last show. 
In order , we cover : 
1. Wills pre tenerife surf training camp 
2. Liams ocean knowledge vs wave pool progressions & philosophies 
3. Wills no1 ever session in 21 years of surfing and how surprised he was about the board that allowed him the session 
4. Why it’s so important to let go of joy 
5. How relative “surf progression is” to the human trying to progress 
6. Why 90% of the time, it’s not the board that’s at fault , but the surfer and their fitness & mindset 
7. Why NOW is the only time there’ll ever be to go surfing , move to the coast or go on a trip (there’ll always be barriers!) 
Stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam
 

Novelty = happiness = stoke!

In this weeks intro, we talk about our favourite wetsuit boots and Will goes full circle with his view on “solite”! 
Liam then shares how hard he found a recent surf but seeks the positivity in the experience and what it taught him. He also goes into share in his next session only 2 days later, he felt epjc - we then go onto talk about how the universe seems to be set up this way in and out the water! 
Will shares insights from dialling his quiver and how positive an influence it’s had on his surfing lately. The board that’s really stood out for better waves has been his JS el baron performance mid length. We then go onto talk about the importance of being able to chop and change the quiver to a) keep the novelty = happiness = Stoke equation alive and b) get the most out of the conditions! 
Stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam 

Surf trips & Smaller Boards

This weeks intro is all about the surf trips Liam and Will had been on in recent weeks! 
We go onto talk about : 
1. Why more powerful waves makes EVERYTHING easier 
2. Which boards we rode as the wave quality changed 
3. How we faced our fears stepping up to new challenges 
4. Why going away on a surf trip is such an important part of our surfing development! 
Enjoy and stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam
 

Pubes, Placebos & Policing Lineups

This weeks intro we dive deep into the placebo affect - the boards we choose all the way to the foods we eat - what we believe in will probably work! 
We also go into share a surf story from a recent session (Will told someone to go in!!). 
Liam then goes onto share how much someone’s self awareness relates to keeping lineups as fair and safe as possible. 
The boys also go onto talk about the failing adaptation theory - in how falling off more over many (many!) years, we get better at not caring so much about what people think which in turn helps us perform more! 
In mind, body, stoke, 
Will & Liam 

Bristol wave shenanigans

We took a trip to the Bristol wave pool! 
Liam shared how he found the expert turns on his new seaside fish (maybe a little too much foam!) and then found the extra foam amazing for the setting down on the “advanced”.
Will then shares how he found the expert turns on his new mid length (haaaaard going!!!) and then very similarly to Liam, got his 5’11 seaside really working on the advanced.
We then go onto talk about how much quicker you can develop your surfing from being able to get “reps” in the wave pool compared to the ocean (depending on where you live!).  
We then go onto discuss the philosophy of short term hardness vs long term ease and relate it to the discipline of good habits and why it’s soooooo crazy how much inertia there is before doing them (and why it’s therefore so important to be kind to yourself  if you’re procrastinating but also be able to give yourself a kick in the arse where needed!). 
Stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam 

The rewards are worth the work!

Liam intros on why it’s so important to not care how you look on a wave and how positively impactful that mindset was in his recent session in Fistral. 
Will then shares his recent surf experiences and how much Golf messed up his body for his trip (and how much stretching and re strengthening work he had to do to get back in to “surf shape”). 
In mind, body , stoke Will shares his “yoga challenge” he placed on himself for his trip and how powerful it was for his surfing (and how bloody crazy gnarly tough it has been sticking with that extra level of mobility work since getting home). 
Liam goes on to share how motivated he is to get back into “surf season shape” having gotten back into old habits in summer. He shares how good it feels to be in that shape reminding himself to keep that constancy on track!
In mind, body and stoke, 
Will & Liam

The secret to surf happiness

In this weeks intro, Liam gives the details on his recent surf life saving event and all the insights that came from it including facing his fears, other competitors and doing something that’s given him huge lifts in motivation for better diet , lifestyle and training! 
We also go onto chat about how important it is we let go of what people think about us - in how we live our lives, what boards we ride, foods we eat - the LOT! 
Will goes onto talk about “what makes the happiest surfer?” - someone who can be just as stoked for someone else’s wave as they would if they’d had one of those their own!
The boys also talk about naked surfing - with none other that Rob Machado… you’ll be surprised what comes up! 
In mind body stoke, Will talks about recent dietary choices and how difficult it can be to find the healthiest choices of “quick carbs” that are super useful for surf trips (he has a hack to get round that!). 
Liam shares how in finishing his event - he’s already put on some weight as he’s loaded back up with carbs and some beers but then goes onto talk about how much he wants to get back to how he’s been feeling recently. 
Stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam 

Letting go of Ego = higher performance

This weeks intro we talk about how powerful ego is in surfing - in what we post on social media, how we perceive other surfers in the lineup and how we perceive our own performance in front of “better surfers”. 
Will goes onto talk about recent surf sessions on the north coast and how in love with the FireWire seaside he is! He goes onto say “there’s no better surfboard for progressing your rail surfing on open face walls”
After mindfulness breath work, Liam goes onto talk about how we can cultivate more contentment in our lives through gratitude awareness - especially for the health we have in any given moment.
In mind body stoke, Will goes on to share recent surfing gains coming from eating cleaner than usual on his weekend trip and how much more fun he had in the lineup! 
Liam talks about his up coming paddling event and how the extra effort on training & nutrition he’s been putting in has made him feel over all. 
Stay stoked! 
Will & Liam

Staying stoked (when you can’t surf)

This weeks intro is a mix of emotional triggers on crowds, chat about free stuff we got given (from a golf company!) and how we’ve been staying stoked despite the recent flat spell. 
The conversation goes into talk about why surfing gives us such a huge boost in stoke - that flow experience of zero thoughts about the past or future, just present joy. 
We go onto talk about the evolving surfer who develops as much stoke on land as in the sea - through taking on challenges and seeking new flow based horizons. 
In mind, body, stoke, Will talks about recent upgrades in his meditation programme - basically doing more, more often (and reaping huge rewards). 
Liam discusses how there is no “right time” to take care of yourself and how good he’s felt lately giving himself more time to ocean paddle, play golf and take on less to recover and feel better for taking on challenges. 
Stay stoked guys! Will & Liam

Wetsuits, Wokism, Weaknesses & Weights

This weeks intro, the boys go in deep on wetsuit reviewing - the ones that we love and the ones we do not (over a 20 year surf career there have been a LOT of different suits!). 
We then go onto talk about surf brands and how woke a lot of them are trying to be - pushing a silly unconscious message of “what we’re doing to the planet from buying x or y”. And rather than brands go down that road, more just offer what they offer without hypocrisy or negativity.
Conversation then goes onto how distract-able our minds can be and teaches the “focus meditation” - in how when we focus entirely on being present it aids every area of our lives and in particular - activities that require better focus like surfing!!! 
In mind, body, stoke, Will talks about working on his ultimate weakness - his snap! Then utilising “exercise snacking” and getting the noticeable benefits for snapping onto his surfboard. 
Liam shares how he’s working on his “weak point” - his legs and his recent training on his legs has made a huge difference to his cutbacks! 
Stay stoked guys! 
Will & Liam