Suzie Trains Maui BLOG

August 28, 2010  Maui, Hawaii

Anyone who has had the luxury of visiting or living on Maui, can only describe the beauty of the ocean. Having the opportunity to experience it, play in it,  and making it a part of one’s healthy lifestyle, one can only be so fortunate.

Once again, I had the pleasure of meeting some fine women of Maui who joined me in this experience. These women charged on the water and did it with confidence, grace and power.

A Healthy Day of Fun on Maui

Stand up paddling   ( SUP ) offers all of that. Today we also had a surprise, a small pod of curious dolphins!  Rarely do I see them so close in and it really made for a memorable experience!

Meet Jenn, Peggy, Stacey, Monica, Janet and Amanda.  What a cool group of gals. Of course we laughed, splashed and tried a few moves on the board that caused a few grunts  ( Stacey…..     ).  What I also thought was great, is that we traded boards now and then to feel the different types of board that offered new challenges. Some boards were less stable, some more.   Their paddling strokes by the end of the hour were very impressive.  I had a stubborn droplet of water on my camera, so sorry for the blurry photos!

Peggy

Thank you, thank you, thank you Suzie! Saturday was an amazing day for me. I was definitely apprehensive about my capabilities. I have terrible balance, but I really wanted to learn a sport that would let me enjoy the ocean. Your instruction and encouragement gave me the confidence to try and I had so much fun (even if I did spend more time in the water than everyone else)! I now feel confident in learning the basics and I know that I can easily get back up when I fall. Enjoying the peaceful morning with a great group of women and seeing dolphins made the experience that much more special. I can’t wait until I can go out again! Thank you again, you really are an inspiration! And also thank you for the goody bag and to your wonderful sponsors, Naish, OluKai, and the American Heart Association, who so generously donated to our goody bag.

P.S. I didn’t want to return my rented board without getting a bit more practice. I met my husband and we went to Wailea Beach. I showed him what I had learned and then he too gave it a try. He’s not much of a water person but he shared my enthusiasm and so next time we’ll rent two boards and practice together. My goal is to purchase boards and make this a regular part of our life. And hopefully, inspire my daughters too! Thank you.  Peggy, Kula

Thanks to Suzie I can now call myself a Stand-up Paddler!  I had tried many times, to stand up on a board, and always failed.  It was so frustrating.  I could never get my balance.  Taking Suzie’s clinic taught me all the little “secrets” and tid-bits that you would not know on your own or a friend won’t tell you.  I was up standing and paddling immediately and kept it going the whole time!  Although I’m sure my form was not it’s best, I felt like a pro.  I have since gone by myself with no problems at all.  I am now purchasing a board and will make it a point to get out there as often as I can.  Great exercise, great scenery and great fun!  Thank you Suzie!  You are a dream!!  Stacey, Kihei

Hi Suzie!

Wow! Thank you so much for the AMAZING and INSPIRING free women’s SUP clinic you held today. With absolutely perfect weather and your constantly cheerful and encouraging attitude it could not have been any better.  We were greeted by lake like conditions and Suzie’s contagious zest for life.

Starting it off with helpful safety tips and a little basic SUP 101 we were off! It’s amazing how much more confidant I was entering the water today after getting some tips from a real pro.Once we were out and up, Suzie paid careful attention to each and every one of us individually as well as collectively; and continued to coach and encourage us all.

Continue reading Women’s FREE Stand Up Paddling Clinic on Maui with Suzie Cooney and Dolphins Too!

Riding from sea level to 10,023 was on the minds of over 200 competitors from around the globe, to  participate in one of the most challenging cycle races on the planet.  Cycle to the Sun. Organized by Donnie Arnoult, owner of  Go Cycling Maui and Maui Cyclery, this event drew out some of the top athletes from Germany, Japan, Colorado and we even had a few of our local heroes. I believe one of the youngest entrants was 11 years old!

Donnie and wife Michelle did a great job of organizing this event and the volunteers at the rest stations were incredible. The after party was a feast, that included music and even a magician to entertain the kids and us big kids!

One competitor from Maui stood out.  Former windsurf champion and my neighbor and friend, Alf Imperato. Alf’s impressive time of 3:22 gave him the title of “fastest man on Maui.”  Alf’s training regime was quite intense, often seen at our gate at sunrise doing double rides.

I asked Alf if he’ d tell me how he trained, his goals and what drives him. Here’s what he wrote:

“Training for this year’s event was mentally one of the easiest contests that I’ve ever trained for — I didn’t have to do it for sponsors, prove anything to anyone or finish in a certain time for a paycheck. This ride was for me to better my time from last year. With that said, it WAS one of the most physically challenging training schedules I’ve ever had! The ride up the hill is only steep every step of the way, and breathing becomes an issue, especially when you get to altitude.

Over the last few months, I tried to focus on speed and average speeds for every climb throughout the course. Obviously, we all have good days and bad days, but it’s important to see gains and progress through your training (and each day certainly won’t be faster or better than the last). After almost nine (9) months of riding with a heart rate monitor and keeping records of mileage, heart rate, food intake and overall feel — I had a pretty good idea of how not to get hurt or over train. SO, the last two and half months before the ride, I put all that aside and figured the longer I could stay in my “CAVE OF PAIN” the faster I could go up the hill. It only seemed to come down to self-discipline to continue and increase how much you can put yourself through without cracking and giving up. That doesn’t just include pain in your legs, higher heart rates, being tired or pushing a bigger gear. It carries through to eating better, avoiding empty calories, getting more sleep, using time more efficiently, and keeping work where it belongs — at work. Our days are ours’ for us to ENJOY!”

Thanks Alf for sharing. Simply awesome and a definitely words from an athlete!

Here are photos and results to follow:

Paia to Haleakala summit

Continue reading Cycle to the Sun Maui 2010 Results Photos and Maui’s Fastest Rider Alf Imperato

Full Moon Paddle on Maui August 24, 2010:

photo by Simone Reddingius

     Thanks everyone for coming out and showing your Aloha and braving the waters under the moon.  It was simply amazing as the moon was rising behind us, looking back at the paddlers with their green glow sticks!  Even the Mels showed up all the way from Haiku!

photo by Simone Reddingius Full Moon Paddle August 24 2010

There were shooting stars and a little bump on the water for a little night surf action!

A special thanks to Simone Reddingius for capturing these killer shots, to Jeremy Riggs and Randy Rouse for leading the pack and to Kyle Ellison and Donny for sweeping and keeping an eye on he group on the water. Deb Driscoll is not allowed to have more than one glow stick..    Ha Ha. 

Next time, maybe a little more water time and a beginner group? 

Join us next time in September!  Stayed tuned and join us for an amazing experience!

Here are some more photos by Simone:

photo by Simone Reddingius

photo by Simone Reddingius

photo by Simone Reddingius

Kihei Full Moon Paddle photo by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingius

photo by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingiusphoto by Simone Reddingius

photo by Simone Reddingius

photo by Simone Reddingius

As most of you know, SUP or stand up paddling is a big part of my life and I enjoy teaching others and sharing the health benefits of this sport.

Here is an article I wrote for ATHELTA to share my knowledge and enthusiam for how I see the sport shaping the world but more importantly, how it’s getting more people healthy.

I encourage you to read and share how SUP has benefitted your health!  Click here to read the full story:

http://www.athleta.net/chi/2010/08/20/stand-up-and-%E2%80%9Csweep%E2%80%9D-your-way-to-better-health/

Well, by the overwhelming response and stories I read as one of the judges for  the most recent ATHLETA and SIREN SUP contest, one can say that any age, any person  can “sweep” their way to better health, just about anywhere there is water. People all across the world are “sweeping” their way to better health and having more fun than they ever imagined. “Sweeping” is a slang term used to describe the sport that is going viral faster than any social networking media and changing the world of sports on any body of water — and just about anyone can hop aboard.

Stand up paddling, paddle surfing, or SUP is helping people of all ages and  sizes catch the surfer’s glide, and helping people in all walks of life get fit and healthy, faster and safer. People are simply getting addicted. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the rise in popularity — not just for those, like me, who are fortunate enough to live in Hawaii or California, but anywhere there’s an ocean, lake, bay, or even river rapids, you can find this world phenomenon catching on. There are SUP fitness boot camps and clinics popping up anywhere there is water. You may have noticed more races and events happening in your community too.

Below are some photos of a recent FREE women’s Sup clinic last month, and these gals were wonderful.  In the first hour, there were smiles across the ocean and a new found ticket to health.  I do these monthly to ensure the health of our community and introduce women and men to a new way to get fit! For “fun” I had the girls attempt a few push ups. They were amazing. On the right is Amy Hampton, the Director of Maui’s American Heart Association, getting her heart pumping!

WHAT’S SUP?

According to Wikipedia: Stand up paddle surfing (SUP), or in the Hawaiian language Hoe he’e nalu, is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and began as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of learner surfers, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint, increasing visibility of what was going on around them — such as incoming swell. To begin with, this started with using a one-bladed paddle, whilst standing on a normal length surfboard. The popularity of the modern sport of SUP has its origination in the Hawaiian Islands. In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards, and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. This is where the term “Beach Boy Surfing”, another name for Stand Up Paddle Surfing, originates.

THE BENEFITS OF SUP

Not only can you lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol and feel more energized after a session, but the overall experience of being on the water is often touted as “aqua therapy.” The benefits of having a sport you enjoy and can do on a regular basis can alter many of the morbidity factors that decrease our health and plague our society.

I use this sport as a cross-training tool for almost all my clients who are comfortable in the water and who can swim.  It is low impact on all joints and is also being used to improve balance and core strength for people recovering from serious injuries.  I used my stand up paddle board to recover from a serious bilateral leg and ankle accident.  I have also witnessed this sport transform people’s lives overnight, by instilling a new found level of confidence and achievement, making them feel invincible!

As a sponsored team SUP rider for Naish International, instructor, and SUP clinic organizer, I love to introduce the sport to everyone who visits Maui, and help others perfect their paddling stroke  — from flat water fun to waves, and the really popular coastal long distance down winders we do here on the North Shore of Maui.

But, before you hop aboard, I’d like to offer my professional experience and expert resources about water safety, board and paddle selection, and how to maximize your fun to maximize your health so you can glide into your later years with a smile and healthy body!

WATER SAFETY

Continue reading ATHLETA Article: Stand Up and Sweep Your Way to Better Health by Suzie Cooney August 2010

Congrats to all the finishers and entrants on an exciting and inspiring 27 mile crossing!

Mormaii – Pailolo Channel Crossing – Standups

Here are some pre race photos taken by Maui Photographer, Simone Reddingius:

Maui to Molokai

Water Entry

Frequent Exercise Oversights and Obstacles:

Suzie Cooney, CPT

Suzie Trains Maui

1. Forgetting to Cool Down After Your Workout
Before you head to the locker room or hop in your car after your last set, remember your body needs to get to a semi normal state and cool down.  Simply some light stretching of the main muscle groups (hip flexors, outer thighs, chest, shoulders and ankles) not only increases blood flow and circulation to reduce muscle soreness, but it also helps attain better posture and alignment. Or you can walk slowly on the treadmill; ride the stationary bike for 5 minutes.

2. Drinking Cold Water During Your Workout

We all know it’s important to hydrate before, during and after our workouts—but you may not know that room-temperature water better hydrates the body than cold water.

3. Doing the Same Thing Each Time – Mix It Up!
If you see the same guy in the same corner doing the same bicep curl, do not do this. By mixing up the variables of your routine, for example, starting with a lighter weight the first set, and ending a little heavier is a great way to approach your set.  Also remember to train a particular muscle as many different ways you safely, know how. If you don’t mix it up, your body will NOT get the results you desire.

4. Training Is Accumulative:

If you have 10 minutes here 10 minutes there, it all adds up. Do not let your goals suffer if your day goes not the way you planned or if your scheduled workout time is interrupted.   Do not use “I don’t have enough time” as an excuse.

5. Working out Every Day

Everyone deserves a little rest. If you don’t allow your body to recover and repair itself, you could risk the effects of over-training and become injured. I’ve seen this happen even to the best of athletes. Know your limits and use common sense. Pain is not gain.

If you want to hire Maui’s best fitness specialist, contact Suzie at http:www//suzietriansmaui.com

Enjoy a free 30 minute visit with her so she can help you on your way to health and better lifestyle today!

To see Suzie on Face Book:

http://www.facebook.com/suzietrainsmaui

Besides being one the world’s best surfers and stand up paddlers, Buzzy Kerbox is one of the best, most experienced surf  instructors I know. He’s coached me and his tips and experience were awesome.  His knowledge and expertise as a professional waterman will take you to new levels, whether you are visiting Maui and want to get to your feet fast and have a great time, or if you’re a serious competitor.

Buzzy teaching on Maui

“I offer private and small group surf lessons for beginners to experts.  I have been teaching for over ten years and have got thousands their first rides and coached others to their first National titles. I know how to make surfing as easy as possible and fun for all ages. I also teach SUP from beginners to coast runs.”

Here are some photos of Buzzy surfing JAWS and stand up paddling! :

Buzzy is also a professional photographer. Here’s a shot he took of Robby Naish and Jason Polakow at JAWS:

Call Buzzy for your first and best surf adventure on Maui, or if you want to experience our N. shore and do a SUP down winder he can be reached at:

808-870-8449   or visit his website at:       http://www.kerbox.com/shopcontent.asp?type=home

See you on the water!

Aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT

www.suzietrainsmaui.com

As a fitness professional on Maui, I appreciate the outdoors, but I also demand a well constructed shoe that can take me from the beach back to the studio.  I recently discovered the best of both worlds, a shoe called the Kia’i Trainer made by Olukai Premium Footwear.

The first thing I noticed was the high-grade materials and design. Not too radical, but supportive enough to take the demands of the beach or outdoor training, or in my studio. I liked the breath-ability in the toe box when things heated up after a few sets of squats.

The stability, medial and lateral went well noticed as I shifted from unstable platform to a more stable platform.  Often times while performing reaction drill training with my clients. I have to move quickly from side to side. The shoe offered me the action and performance I required.

Then it was out to the beach. It’s rare that I train on the beach wearing shoes, but if the day requires me to change up the terrain I’m prepared. I liked the way the shoe did not rub around my ankle after I purposely ran along the water’s edge.  I also ran the dunes while my shoes were a little wet. It was no problem.

I’m really fortunate to have discovered such a versatile shoe. Besides having a shoe where you can remove and wash the foot bed, the OluKai company’s support to the local community here on Maui and in other communities is really important to me.

photo by Simone

To learn more about OluKai and see more of their products, click here.

In good health and aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT

The OluKai Kia’i Trainer is the official training footwear of the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association (HLA). Part of the proceeds from sales help support the HLA’s Junior Lifeguard Program.

Local all around waterman, Eddie Ogata introduces new services for Maui. Surf, snorkeling and stand up paddle lessons/tours!

Check out his website at:  http://www.mauiboysurf.com

To Contact Eddie, call : 808-870-7550  e: mauiboysurf@hotmail.com

Suzie Cooney,

Suzie Trains Maui  http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com

Click on the image above or click here for all the photos of how to get amazing abs!

To see the entire abs series photo click on link above!

Absolutely Amazing Abs

by Suzie Cooney • May 25th, 2010 • Category: Gym+Training, Videos+Tutorials

We all want to look and feel great with strong abs all year long. I’ve selected a few of my favorite ab exercises for you to try and get results!

AB PRAYERS

This is an excellent exercise that you’ll feel immediately and get nice results for your upper and lower ab region.

Preparation: Sit with feet slightly apart. Heels down, toes up. Lightly clasp hands. Lean back to where you can begin to feel your abs protruding without risking low back compensation. With good posture and shoulders back, focus on keeping your chest or sternum in a straight line. I recommend doing this in front of the mirror.

As you twist, keep head and chest pointed straight ahead. Attempt to touch the floor with your hands. Engage your abs, and really FEEL them as they assist you to bring back your hands mid line of your body and then to the other side.

The speed should be a fast to moderate tempo. I would try at least 3 sets of 25. Keep breathing fast, short breaths!

Progression: Try a medicine ball of 4-8 pounds or a dumbbell. Use the weight to get into a rhythm. Don’t let your arms take over.

AB CHEST LIFTS WITH EXTENDED LEG

Targets upper AND lower abs at the same time! This exercise has amazing results.

Preparation: Place hands behind head, DO NOT lock fingers. Gently support head in nape of neck with fingertips.

Extend either leg and lift slightly off floor. If any lower back discomfort, raise extended leg higher. Tilt your pelvis towards you to encourage a nice, low back pressed to the ground. Bend knee of opposite leg. Imagine a pulley on your chest lifting you to the ceiling. Make sure you are looking above your eyebrow to prevent elbows from falling forward.

Lift chest and shoulders off floor and force your abs to contract. As you lift, hold that contraction for a count of 2, breath out. DO NOT allow your shoulders to come back to the floor, but keep the abs taught at all times. If you notice your elbows winging forward, look up and flatten them out, otherwise you’ll strain your neck and the exercise will have little effect.

Start with 3 sets of 25. Breathe out on the way up. Remember to build endurance and stick with it. You’ll soon notice that it will take you more reps to start feeling it. That’s a good thing!

BOSU AB CHALLENGE

The BOSU is a popular platform that adds new challenges and really can make your workout more fun and efficient. Here is a fun progression that demonstrates how to target your abs and obliques. This takes getting used to and if you’re just starting, you may quiver just a bit.

Preparation: Sit on top of the BOSU and scoot a little towards the floor, just below the center of the BOSU. Place your hands behind you to support your low back. As you begin to lean back you’ll notice your stomach protruding. This is a good indication that you are on target to begin.

Begin by contracting abs and pulling knees towards you, then fully extend your legs until they’re almost straight out in front of you.

Then to target the obliques, sit on your side with one hand in front of you and the other behind you for support, and do the same. You may need to find the sweet spot to get in this position. Be patient. Make sure your hip flexors or legs are taking the load, and really focus on the obliques.

ADVANCED AB EXERCISE: THE GIGANTE AB CHALLENGE

INDO Board introduced the Gigante Training Disc, which was actually designed for stand up paddling and surfing balance fun. But I have found many other things to do with it. (See my recent article for Athleta here »)

There are many progressions you can do to make your ab workout on the Gigante fun and extra challenging. This 24 inch disc inflates up to 12 inches tall. For our workout, I’ve inflated it to about 5 inches. It’s more stable this way.

Similar to the BOSU, sit on top of the Gigante and place your hands behind you. Bring your knees to your chest, then extend your legs away from you. You are guaranteed to shake, quiver and wiggle — this is the fun part! I try to get my center very calm and still, and get very focused.

And then try your obliques! Remember, this disc moves in four directions so controlling it with your abs is hard work. But I promise it will get easier!

Then we progress once more to a medicine ball of 4–8 pounds. I’m using an 8 pound medicine ball. A simple dumbbell will do too.

Lastly, we took lots of photos to get this right and you can see I found this to be fun and challenging. This time I raised the 8 pound medicine ball above my head slightly to help me with balance! Try different angles with the medicine ball if you like. Positioning your outer thigh more on your hip is your starting point. This progression really requires quick reaction to the Gigante, then finding the sweet spot before you go into the extension.

As you can see there are many different ab exercises to choose from. The key is to mix it up and never allow your body to get used to one exercise. By selecting fun ab exercises you will be more likely to see results sooner because they won’t be such a dreaded part of your workout. I tell my clients they will never ever do a traditional sit up in my studio or on the beach. Why, when there are way more fun things we can do?

Also keep in mind one cannot spot-reduce a specific body part. Being fit and healthy is a total body effort. Including a smart cardio program, making better food choices, and eating smaller portions all contribute to weight loss and toning.

I tend to do abs last in my training routines because your abs support you and keep your body upright while you are working out.

Lastly, remember just when you start to get uncomfortable is when your body will change.

Be well and healthy!

Warm aloha,

Suzie Cooney, CPT
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Photos by Simone Reddingius. See more of her beautiful work & action photography on Flickr.com »