TOP TIPS To Help Make Your Wetsuit Last Longer!!!

Although its the quickest way to dry your suit for the next session, hanging it up in direct sunlight means a shorter life for your neoprene. 

Next to buying a new board, investing in a fresh wetsuit is one of the most expensive purchases a surfer will make in a given year. With most new suits retailing above £300, you want your investment to last. We rang up Joanne Huebner of Froghouse Surfshop in Newport Beach for advice on extending the life of your rubber. With more than 20 years of experience repairing neoprene, she knows how to get your suit through another winter.

Fit Matters:

Having a comfortable suit that fits will not only make for a better session but can also extend the life of your suit. “If your wetsuit doesn’t fit properly, you’re not only going to be uncomfortable, but you’re going to be slowly ruining your suit as well,” says Joanne. “If your suit is too small, you’re constantly stretching it out further than it should, putting tension on the seams and rubber that will lead to holes and tears.”

Dry it in the Shade:

One of the absolute worst things you can do for your suit is to leave it in the sun. “It’ll dry out all of the rubber and shrink it up, which means you’re gonna start creating some holes and tears. Dry your suit out in the garage or in your shower, but never leave it to dry out in the sun.”

Don’t let it Rot:

One of the quickest ways to shorten the life expectancy of your suit is to wad it up and throw it in your trunk. Not only will your car smell like a gas station urinal the next time you get in, but if left soaking wet for too long, the rubber in the suit will begin to deteriorate. When you do hang your suit, don’t hang it wet over a hanger. “If your suit is soaking wet and you hang it on a regular small hanger, you’re actually stretching it out. The weight of the wet rubber will pull at the legs and stretch out the suit, creating tension in the shoulders that can lead to tears and holes. Drape your suit over something wide so there’s no tension pulling at any part of the suit.”

Desalinate:

The salt from the ocean can be one of the biggest factors in killing your suit. After each session, wash it off in fresh water, inside and out. “I’ve seen a lot of people bring in their suits and you can tell that they’re not washing it all the way off and only doing it halfway. You’ll see that the ankles and other places that they didn’t clean will start to tear.”

Kill the smell:

If your suit’s grown a bit ripe and no amount of freshwater rinsing seems to do the trick, there’s still hope. Fill up your bathtub with warm water and add a splash of Woolite. “That seems to help out a lot if your suit gets too stinky,” adds Joanne. “But keep in mind one of the worst things you can do is to throw it in the washing machine. If you just soak it in the tub with Woolite, that’ll do the trick.”

Utilize The Warranty:

Shit happens. Zippers break, seams tear, holes abound. Despite taking the utmost care for your suit, problems will inevitably arise. Fortunately, most good suits come with a warranty. Use it. “Most people that come to me for repairs come in with problems that could have been fixed with their warranty, but they waited too long,” says Joanne. “When you get a new wetsuit, take note of the seems zippers, knee patches and leg holes. Most of the problems can be replaced by the company. Just save the warranty card and your receipt.”

5 Must Know Ways to Improve Your Breath Hold For Surfing

We all love surfing and pushing ourselves to get bigger, better & gnarly waves. Progressing and improving are all part of the game. So inevitably you’re going to want to feel comfortable in some of those bigger condition hold downs and knowing you can hold your breath for over a minute or 3 is a good way to start

(1) Do Exercises

While there is no way to increase your lung size, there are many ways to increase the amount of air your lungs take in, and the efficiency with which they capture oxygen. In particular, it helps to exhale fully before taking in the breath. Any cardiovascular training or interval sprint training to help get you out of breath will help

(2) Lose Weight.

Any excess body fat or unused muscle will reduce your body’s efficiency in using oxygen, so to help keep it efficient make sure you’re in great shape and lighten the load.

(3) Quit Smoking.

Quitting will considerably increase your lungs’ ability to release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen.

(4) Eating Well

Eating well is critical to improving your breath hold making your body as efficient at transporting oxygen and conserving energy. Fruits vegetable proteins, vitamins and seeds can all help improve blood flow and the efficiency of oxygen transfer.

(5) Practice

Before practising your breath hold – Breath, inhale and exhale slowly from deep within your diaphragm. By doing this, you will start to slow down your heart rate and help your lungs get rid of low-quality air try to breathe for 5 seconds in 5 seconds out trying to push every last drop of air out doing this for 2 minutes will help maximize the efficiency of your lungs and increase your lung capacity do this for two minutes, and be sure that when you exhale, you push out every last “drop” of air.

Before you hold your breath push every last bit of air out then take 7 short breath until your lungs are filled 80-85% so that you still have room to relax. Always do this with a partner as it’s possible to lose consciousness without warning.6

Splash cold water on your face. It has been observed that putting a person’s face in contact with cold water triggers bradycardia, or the slowing of the heart rate, which is the first phase of the mammalian diving reflex.

Whilst holding your breath Relax every muscle in your body. Try to relaxed your body and think about something else other than holding your breath. Totally relaxed thoughts almost getting to a Meditative state. This intern will lower your heart rate helping your body consume less oxygen by mentally focusing on slowing your heart beat, it is possible to lower your heart rate significantly and increase the time you are able to hold your breath for. Concentrate this distraction technique will help when held underwater and teach you to relax whilst you’re being held down.8

Exhale slowly. When you can’t hold your breath anymore, try to avoid exhaling all the air in your lungs in a mad rush. First, exhale about 20% of your air, then inhale again so that oxygen gets to your most critical areas faster. Then you can exhale and inhale completely.

Repeat these steps 3-4 times per session. It is not recommended to do this anymore, as it could damage your lungs and body. Try one session in the morning and one session at night if you wish. Keep practising and before you know it, you will be able to hold your breath for several minutes.

Another great surf specific way to train your breathe hold is to hold your breathe for as long as you can then when you exhale breath out slowly talking another full breath in and repeating the breath hold minimizing the time you have to get extra breath just like being held down on a few waves in a row you might not be able to get a clean breath and have to survive on very little

Tips

• The urge to breath is caused by a build-up of carbon dioxide in your body, not a lack of oxygen.
• Try not to think about holding your breath. If you think about pleasant things, you’re less aware of the breathing reflex.
• Relax your body waiting for the wave to let you up helping to conserve your energy
• Restrain yourself from swallowing when you start feeling fatigued; this will slow the increasing desire to surface.

Warnings

• Never try to hold your breath past your maximum capability, you might go unconscious.

When you’re practising holding your breath, please do it in a safe, controlled environment under professional supervision.