Ive always been in awe ofsurfers.
(you might check out footage from the competition onRed Bull TVto get an idea.)
On the trip, we had a few opportunities to do as the pro surfers do.
Nick Gruen / Red Bull
Both were challenging, but I could keep up.
Rock running, on the other hand, was one of the hardest things Ive ever done.
First, heres a little background on why surfers rock run in the first place.
Here’s Ziegler trying to give me tips to be able to actually pick the rock up off the ground.
Rock running falls into the latter category.
I was very wrong.
Rock running is a good example of functional training, or training that simulates a real-life movement pattern.
Throwing on a long-sleeve shirt helped me hold the rock without scraping my skin. Still clearly struggling, though.
Its really just picking up something heavy and walking with it, which is also known as acarry exercise.
I figured I had this in the bag.
Except lifting an odd-shaped boulder is a lot different than lifting akettlebellor medicine ball.
My biggest problem was that I wasnt able to sink down to the bottom for do that.
Once my feet were on the ground, I started to run.
But “walk” is probably a more accurate description, to be honest.
I only lasted for about five or six seconds underwater at a time.
Each time I resurfaced, I was completely out of breath and gasping for air.
The ultimate goal of doing breath-hold training regularly is not to feel that sort of frantic breathlessness.
It also helps improve your mental strength and endurance, which you need when youre trapped underwater.
This was really challenging for me.
I didnt feel confident, and I didnt know how to resist the urge to want to breathe.
After all, I was just doing one isolated session of high-intensity breath hold training.
Rock running helps you [deal with that].
Rock running made me admire the sport of surfing even more than I did before.
I wasnt good at rock running, but thats normal.
Ziegler reassures me that anyones first few times rock running will be short.
With every attempt underwater you run farther and farther because your body becomes more comfortable, he says.
