Outdoor and exercise crazes come and go almost as fast as hairstyles and popular app games do. But every once in a while, a trend comes along that remains popular — think karate, which spiked in the ‘60s and again in the ‘80s, and it can still be found in almost every American city to this day. Back in 2013, one such trend arose: the stand-up paddleboard, or SUP for short. The act of standing on a floating piece of wood in a surfboard shape and paddling (or poling) yourself along likely goes back thousands of years, but the SUP craze can be traced back to one man — and he’s not even in his 60s yet! That man is famous surfer Laird Hamilton, a household name in a sport that doesn’t usually generate them. And Laird, along with the Waikiki Beachboys, showed the world a new way to hit the water in the first decade of the 21st century. Unlike other crazes, the gear was simple and the activity beginner-friendly. To start, you only need a paddle, a board, a life preserver, and of course, a place to go! It’s a new way to see the water, which only boosted its popularity. Even veteran water sports enthusiasts weren’t used to standing on the water instead of sitting in a boat! What’s ‘SUP? THE STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD CRAZE THAT NEVER WENT AWAY
But according to the industry’s own numbers, that popularity never died down. As it turns out, SUP is a good way to get around, and a lot of folks need that. Many cities, such as San Antonio, feature “paddling trails” that let SUP practitioners see the city in a new way or even commute via their board. How cool is that? If you’re looking for a new hobby this summer, it’s easy to rent a stand-up paddleboard and learn the basics. Take a class, head out into the water, and give it a shot. Who knows, you might be one of the thousands of Americans to discover a lifelong passion!
PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES Are They Right for Me?
PLYO-WHAT? Plyometric training involves a repetition of quick jumps, movements, or stretches that expand and contract certain muscles (typically the ones in your legs) at a rapid pace.
plyometrics, it’s best to break up sets of quick movements with slower recovery or cool down periods. For example, you can break up sets of squat jumps with a brisk walk or jog for a few minutes. WHO SHOULD TRY PLYOMETRICS? The high impact that plyometric exercises have on your body means that you should not do plyometrics if you’ve only recently been injured or if you suffer from chronic joint pain. Doing so could lead you to injure yourself further. With that in mind, you should only add plyometrics to your workout routine after a few months of letting your injuries heal. If you want to know how you can be fast on the field or quick on the court like you once were, talk to the PTs at Campus Commons Physical Therapy. We’ll help you determine which exercises are right for you at your recovery stage. Call us today at 916-927-1333.
The quick expansion and contraction not only increases your strength and
prepares you for reentering the world of sports but also strengthens your bones and joints, which could prevent other injuries from incapacitating you in the future. A few examples of plyometric exercises include drop bounce jumps, squat jumps, scissor jumps, step hops, single leg squat jumps, and skaters. You can find tutorials for any of these exercises online.
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 Before injuring yourself and having to do physical therapy, you may have played a sport that utilizes a lot of explosive energy. Now, it might seem difficult to transition directly back from the slow and deliberate exercises you practiced at our clinic to the quick motions you need to be effective on the court, field, or wherever you play. Don’t worry, though; you can bridge the gap between physical therapy and your favorite sport with a class of exercises known as plyometrics.
APPLYING PLYOMETRICS TO YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE
Even if you’re completely recovered and healthy, you should still have 48–72 hours between each plyometric workout. On the days you schedule
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