Shoulder/back tightness

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Hang from a bar/tree branch whatever you can find. Can switch between dead/active hang. Start slow as you won't be able to do much but build up to being able to dead hang for 1min+ do daily.

Where abouts are you ?

I try to loosen the shoulders every day for a few minutes. Been on the broomstick for a while now...also dead hangs, foam roller and a baseball - especially good in and under the scapula. Have a bit of a go under the armpit and lats as well. Take it easy and find the tender spots and target them....hurts so good.
Lakey's hubby has some tips (below)....There are plenty of you tube videos, find something that works for you though.

Chris Mills is on the money too.

A new thread .

Checking out your expert advice .

You guys really seem to know a scapula from a spine ) .

I have NFI and a big poppycock warning ,

Have surfed for 50 years plus ( making another comeback ) and am 64 .

Every day I was able to surf 3 times , I could hardly surf the next day lol !

Knots , spasms , sore eyes , reef cuts , sunburn , itchy places, rashes ,cuts , stings , near drownings , dehydration ,bumps , other sporting injuries from almost every ONE really long surf in the Ments .

And love it . Then cold beer :) and food .

With time , my body doesn't recover as quickly , so I have to be fitter ( the really hard bit ) .

Surfing for me now , is catching waves and , bloody STRONG pop ups !!!

Ridding is easy .

It is easier to stay fit , than to get fit .

If I go and surf for a surf , now , my main aim is to not get injured .

Used to be a specific number of waves .

Hanging from a bar ( a pub ?:) and lying around broomsticks for 1 minute may help U guys but I need to do a bit more .

Prepare , stretch/yoga , surf , recover and stretch AND get ( and give myself ) massages .

New tip for me - any sore spot or knot , even from a new spasm , that is NOT a sprain/tear,that U can reach and especially , find ( there are deep muscles everywhere I didn't know I had at your ages haha ) U CAN massage . A sprain , ice and wait 2 days , then massage .

Basic stuff .

My suggestion , only .

Don't do , as I used to do , massage it towards the heart .

U find the SOREST spot , breath , and push hard with your fingers , fist , elbow , whatever , as HARD as U can stand ( it REALLY hurts ) and hold it .

Anyone can help . Your miss's's will love doing it lol .

Amazingly ( for my brain ) the pain slowly subsides in one minute ish , hold the same pressure UNTIL the pain is gone . Give it rub and the knot goes away . No pain the next day .

If there is ,repeat .

It works much better and quicker than rubbing ( don't need oil ) and doesn't hurt as much the next day .

Surfing is like life .

You have to go through some pain to have fun .

Keep surfing U spring chickens and breathe !

And don't listen to me .

+1 for dead hangs.

I've set up a chin up bar on the deck near the front door. Walk out the door, I do a minute hang, same goes before I walk back in. Weekends I rack up a lot of time.

Occasionally do slow chins. Though really it's the stretching and release from dead hangs that keeps me doing them. Try to really relax so your joints stretch and take the strain.

stand with back to wall and place a tennis ball between find the sore spots and massage in with movement. + dead hangs

I use a baseball on the wall or underneath me lying down to hit sore spots in my neck, back, legs etc. Works a treat.

Hey Houli,

Check your overhead mobility.

When we paddle, effectively it’s an overhead movement if you have limitations here it’s going to impact your paddling and time to fatigue.

Your overhead mobility will tell you where you’re tightest, as a guess it’ll be your lats which are heavily used when you paddle intern cause the rhomboids to tighten.

Let me know if you need more help?

Houli77 wrote:

Nearly 50 now and finding that whenever I surf too much I end up getting these tight knots in back either side of spine but totally related to shoulder. If u reach over your shoulder, there’s that little patch between scapula and spine. Any suggestion for releasing this?? Surfed 3 times yesterday and almost can’t paddle today

Number 1: Loose weight. It's amazing what will happen to your joints when you're not overweight.
Number 2: Stretch
Number 3: Deep breath work 3 x per week - release trauma that your body holds.
Number 4: Meditate
Number 5: limit booze

Number 6: Limit keyboard warrior time to 23 hours per day.
In my 50's I suddenly got a weak left leg which made popping up near impossible. A CT scan revealed severe spondylolisthesis in lower back causing 3 bulging discs.
My dad gave me his inverter machine and within a couple of weeks I was back surfing like a 39 year old. Now whenever I feel a bit of a twinge, I hang upside down by my ankles for awhile and haven't had a problem since. Not for everyone but it sure seemed to fix me. Cheers.

On dead hangs

Was at my physio/gym yesterday and asked my physio about dead hangs.

He confirmed that they are a great stretch as others have said above however he cautioned me about diving straight in.

He explained that as a dead hang puts pressure on the whole shoulder as well as aiding release in the shoulder blades best start by slightly supporting your body weight with one foot on the ground and building up sets starting at 15-20 seconds.

For anyone with long-term pain issues, I recommend this. Short 5 minute clip that might get you thinking differently about pain.

Recommended to me by a sports doc that I've been seeing. I've been out of the water now for about 4-5 months with an injury. Hopefully not too much longer...

if on facebook check out page range of motion. lots of posts with good mobility exercises. Hips, back, shoulders
https://www.romfit.com/en-au