Surfing with a shoulder injury (or two)

It's not easy to accept that you can't surf.  Whether it's for a few days because you're sick or, even worse, a few months to years because of injury, being stuck out of the water is miserable.  In the last few years I have had a number of injuries that have kept me beached for more time than I was able to surf.

After two [only somewhat successful] SLAP repairs on both my shoulders, I'm finally getting back into the swing of things.  I was able to paddle around and stay out in overhead waves for almost an hour last weekend (see photos below).  Keep in mind, this is after almost a year of Physical Therapy (I hit my yearly insurance maximum of 65 visits), and countless doctor's appointments to discuss alternate treatments to an additional shoulder surgery.

I wanted to share what worked for me.  Firstly, find a GOOD physical therapist.  Make sure they (or, more likely, their aides) closely monitor your exercises and make sure you're using the correct muscles.  I spent months of physical therapy doing the correct motions with the wrong muscles.  I was sure physical therapy just couldn't help me until I went to a better practitioner who specialized in shoulders and had experience with surfers.  He was slowly able to ween back into more difficult paddling motions and strengthen the necessary muscles to maintain shoulder stability.

A less likely solution that I decided to try was a joint supplement called Animal Flex.  Yes, it sounds like an underground animal testing facility, but it seems to work.  It's a collection of 10+ joint supplements that supposedly increase joint functionality and resilience.  There are 3 categories of supplements called 'Joint Construction Complex', 'Joint Lubrication Complex', and 'Joint Support Complex'.  The names are somewhat self-explanatory and each complex consists of 3-6 individual supplements.  You take a pack of pills daily, and when you bust it out at lunch you look like you have a serious disease.  After just 3 weeks of taking the supplements, however, my shoulder feels much more mechanically sound.  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

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BMW i8 - Powerful Idea Commercial

In this skin-tingling BMW i8 commercial the writing may not be mindblowing, but the acting is superb and lends to the incredible vibe of the spot. The car is a great blend of performance, technology, and design and this spot certainly makes you feel it.

Mercedes Demonstrates Vehicle Stability With Chickens

... and it's about as amazing as you would expect it to be.

Ad is for the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250.

Finding that Perfect Uncrowded Wave

We all know that feeling of excitement when you find a spot with perfect, deserted waves.

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Surfboard Storage in a Studio Apartment - Revisited With Tips

Last year, I posted about surfboard storage in new studio apartments in New York.  You can see that post here: http://offshorewinds.blogspot.com/2013/01/surfboard-storage-in-studio-apartment.html.  If you don't have unique storage spaces for your surfboard like those studio apartments in New York, here are some tips to make your apartment livable and the waves ripable.  Pick and choose to fit your style.

Please note: I do not own any of the images displayed in this blog.

You might not have this kind of entourage in your apartment (if you do, then why are you worrying about something as petty as surfboard storage?), but this is a great surfboard rack placement.  The wall racks fit nicely over the couch and look good at the same time.  As you can see, there's plenty of space to keep extra boards on it

This isn't a studio apartment (not all of these are), but it offers a unique way to store your surfboard.  It's a variation of both ceiling and wall racks.  This rack is mounted out of mind on the molding where the ceiling meets the wall.  This way, you use space that would otherwise go wasted.

This design-friendly approach matches the surfboards to the apartment's walls.  While this looks nice, it's not necessary.  This is how I store my surfboards in my studio- a simple lean against the wall.  You can put some rubber or padding where the board touches the wall to keep it in place.

Here's another design-friendly alternative to the above method.  These wracks are more for permanent display and less for storage, but they can be used for both.  What a great, minimalist look.

Here are some simple, DIY racks up close and personal.  They're nothing fancy, but you can build some of these or pick them up on Craigslist for less than $20.  This is a good option for shortboards in a studio apartment for the price-conscious consumer.

Here is true ceiling storage racks.  These are perfect for surfboard storage in a studio apartment because they're taking up unused space.  For bigger longboards like this, use caution because they can make the apartment look cluttered.  This is a good example of function over form.

If you guys have any other ideas for storing surfboards in studio apartments or small spaces, leave them in the comments!

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