Do you ever leave a surf session feeling like you could’ve done a little more, planned it a little better, to have made it not just a good surf session but an amazing surf session. You know those mornings, you wake up at 6 am, groggily peer at the surf report. The waves are pumping, the wind is offshore, and sunrise is just around the corner. You down a coffee at lightning speed, shimmy into your wetsuit, grab your board and wade into the surf. You catch a few decent waves, come out of the surf to lie on the beach for a good 20 minutes until you have the energy and muscle strength to stand up again. Sure it was a nice session but it could’ve been better. We all know the feeling too well, and that is exactly why the following article aims to give you some guidelines on achieving that perfect surf session.
Let’s start with the night before, it’s objectively tempting (especially after a sick sunset surf) to knock back a few tins and maybe smoke a little something to soothe those sore post-surf muscles. However, instead – how about trying a light strength workout to boost your energy levels, drinking a healthy fruit smoothie instead of a beer, i.e. give yourself a stimulant rather than a depressant. For the muscle ache, you can try rubbing a little CBD oil before going to bed. There is a growing range of CBD products specifically engineered for sports use, ranging from creams and lotions to oils, all with varying concentrations of CBD content. In 2018 the World Doping Agency removed CBD from their list of prohibited substances for professional athletes, and advocates include 2016 World Surf League champion John John Florence. CBD is known to reduce inflammation and for pain relief, which makes it excellent for muscle retention and naturally boosting physical performance. You can try both topical and oral CBD products depending on the effect you would like to achieve.
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So you’re feeling rested and calm drinking your smoothie, smothered in warm CBD oils/ creams/ lotions. The next morning you wake up, check the surf report; the waves are pumping, the wind is offshore, and sunrise is just around the corner. It’s a well-known myth within the surf community that a pre-surf joint calms the nerves and gains focus (especially if the big-wave season is on the cards). But the smoking component of this strategy can leave you a little breathless, and the THC can make you feel a little ‘out of it’. CBD products do not contain psychoactive THC, and result in only the more ‘positive’ aspects of marijuana; soothing anxiety, boosting energy levels, and best of all it doesn’t require any smoking. Assuming you skipped the beer and joint the night before, you wake up fresh and make a CBD-infused coffee, shimmy into your wetsuit, grab your board and wade into the surf. Your session is calm, energetic, focussed. Et voila, there you have the perfect surf session!
