Hang ten and Catch a Wave in YEG

Sometimes, usually in the deep of Edmonton winters, I like to close my eyes and dream. I go to my happy place. There, I can see a white, sandy beach from where I float. Palm trees are waving in the wind. Towels of every colour and size are lined up along the beach, ready to dry off those fresh from the water, or provide a bed for others that worship the sun. Children are giggling as they chase the waves into the ocean, and squeeling as it rushes back to the shore. My own babies are digging in the sand, searching the damp grains for water. Their little blonde heads are glinting in the light. I can feel the firm, smooth surface of my board beneath me as I rock in the waves. My legs dangle below me, patiently resting. My hair is slicked back by water and I can taste the salt on my lips. As I close my eyes and tilt my head towards the sky, I can feel the sun kiss my cheeks.

The waves are coming in faster, now. Those closer in are using the momentum to skim towards the shore, but I am waiting. One wave. Two waves. I look over my shoulder and see my swell. Laying down, I trust the strength of my arms to paddle. My toes dangle, feeling the wave behind me. As the powerful element picks up the rear of my board, I hold myself stong. I push through, and stand. I'm up! -Holy $h!t I'm up!- I feel the emotional rush of "up!": it requires much more than brute strength to move through the motions and trust in yourself to stay afloat. I face towards the shore, make my mark and slowly cruise in.

All of a sudden, the air becomes cool and the sun fades. The palm trees disappear. I can no longer feel the warm water beneath me or taste the salty air. The roar of the ocean fades into the noise of the city. I return to Edmonton, once again. Not bad, but it certainly isn't Hawaii. I have a strong love for surfing as it embodies so many of the principles in fitness that guide me. It is low impact, and is a perfect balance of core, cardio, and strength. Most of all, it's fun! And, very recently, I was able to get back up on the board and get my butt handed to me right here in Edmonton.

I first heard about the Surf Studio in passing conversation. It was described to me as "yoga on a surf board". Say what?! After digging a little deeper, I found out that it was so much more than your basic flow. The Surf Studio has a sch

edule that provides a low impact, high intensity program geared towards gaining strength and increasing your stamina. I wasn't sure if any of this applied to me, but as I have already sworn to reaching out of my little weight lifting box *see my bucket list*. I contacted the beautiful and courteous Natasha from the studio, who promised me a family friendly atmosphere, and jumped on in.

Like any 3-year-old, Boo is a honey-ham. And Moose? Well, his nickname is "Moose" for a reason! So, whenever I hear "family friendly" my gut still twists and turns with as much fear as I would feel gambling all my money at Black Jack on Freemont Street. I just picture Moose smashing things and Boo licking the windows. Remember: I live with tiny terrorists. But, I threw caution to the wind and signed Boo and myself up for Family Shred, anyway. It's a half hour class on Thursday nights at 6pm. I didn't know what to expect, so I was pleasantly surprised to find when we arrived that, not only is the studio big (and child proof!) but that there are actual SURF BOARDS on rockers!!! Within seconds Boo was on one, holding on to Natasha's hands and hanging ten. Her smile at that moment could have lit up ten city blocks, and confirmed that I had won this gamble.

With the music on and a little table was set up with crayons and paper in the back in case the class lost her attention, and we jumped right in.

I guess I didn't know what to expect. My preconceived notions had led me to underestimate just how much my heart would race in 30 minutes. Natasha began the class with a warm up, explaining that everything is done twice

. I liked this method as the first set was always my worst while I tried to find my balance/confidence, but by the second time around I was giving my full "oomph". The boards have an adjustable level of resistance for your stability, and finding your balance takes as much mental work, as it does muscular. Games are played during the family shred to get both parents and kids up and moving on the boards, while keeping the attention of the latter. In this class, and in all the other classes, exercise is much more "play" than it is "chore". As we moved through sets similar to what I use in my training -squats, lunges, sit-ups, etc- I found I could not stop smiling. I won't lie: I fell. I was sweating, and trying to keep my breath. Afterwards, I was sore. But, watching Boo work through some of those moves and for us to have that much fun, I felt like I had found a tiny escape from the prairie life.

Natasha mentioned her previous experiences that led to the opening of the Surf Studio: originally a form of physical rehab while she healed from injuries caused by more high impact sports, she discovered that this was a passion she wanted to share with the community of YEG. Further, she found that many fitness establishments secluded parents with young children from their practices. This didn't sit right with her. With this as her foundation, Natasha opened the Surf Studio at 8708 51 Ave NW this past spring and made it her mission to create a fun and welcoming environment that people of all ages and physical ability can enjoy. The Studio provides an array of classes for every level of fitness, and has enough variety to keep the attention o

f the hightest commitment-phobe. As a mom who solely chose her gym membership based on available child care, I can vouch for the high level of "child acceptance" at this studio. Not all classes are open to young children, but knowing that they are available does make it easier to plan an evening workout or midday training session without the worry of arranging childcare. Plus, think of how well they will sleep after!

As I sit at the computer I find myself humming Bob Marley, my head bobbing from side-to-side: "I shot the sheriff, but, I didn't shoot the deputy." I acknowledge the fact the my abs are still tender from my visit, while I flip through the Surfset schedule to see which class I want to join next. Will it be burn (interval training), build (a class centered around body building), or party wave (a combination of the two)? Oooo! Beach break! I may not have the time, the money, or my husband's blessing to take off to Hawaii to get in a good workout -or a tan- but; I certainly can get my fill here in Edmonton with help from Natasha and the Surf Studio. Bonus: the kids, and hubby can always come with. Shaka brah!