Signs of life

[headmount]

Aerobic capacity is my main challenge in doing... anything.  Even mowing the lawn.  Out on the water it's a few bursts and then R&R.  For me there's been an acceptance of the consequential abuse of my lungs when I was younger.  I screwed up and I gotta accept it, hang my head like it's some kind of fact of life.

Then a day like yesterday comes along and the mythological second wind returns with a passion.  Last two miles to the finish, none stop, no pain, plenty of air, power.  Great news but also perplexed.  What did I do right?

It's easy when everything is on the table for review.  But if something is positive??  Before you know it I'll be only wearing certain colors and hats.

[PonoBill]

It's been a lifelong challenge for me too, the thing that helped me the most was practicing breathing from my diaphragm and breath holding. I had fairly severe asthma before I started--80 to 85% maximum. Taking two inhalers--maintenance and rescue. Didn't expect to get better, just had to keep pushing through it and doing stuff even though I was puffing like a steam engine. Started doing diaphragmatic breathing to increase my breath holding capacity and my asthma went away. I'm at 102% generally when I get checked now. Not sure how that works, but I'll take it. I still have the inhalers but I haven't used them in two years. My doc pronounced me cured. Whenever I feel my chest start tightening up I up my practice and it clears up.

I'm no doctor, you should check with one before you start, and don't do like I do and practice in the car. If you're gonna conk out it best be on the sofa.

[Weasels wake]

No more straight pipes or joints!!!!
Vaporizers and atomizers allow you to continue your vice in a much more healthy way.  They can be kind of pricy but so is your health.
Lungs are one of those organs that have a self-healing capacity,,,,,,,, if allowed to.

[nalu-sup]

Hi Bill. Which side did you paddle yesterday? We did a late 3:00 start from Maliko (our first run since last fall, and the first on our new F16s), and the wind got really light about half way down the run, making for a tough paddle for Janet and I. My breathing was the only thing that was not a problem. With the lighter winds, the confused chop, and the narrower boards, we felt like we were  paddling in place for the last hour. My paddling strength (which was mostly spent on trying to stay upright) was not near strong enough to catch any bumps in the lighter wind, and after living at 9000 feet all winter, my paddling muscles were not capable of generating enough exertion for my lungs to even take notice. I was thinking about trying my shorter surf paddle to see if that could up my cadence enough to generate more speed even with less power per stroke.
Anyway, if you can figure out a way for us to do a little swap of some of my 9000' mountain lung capacity for your paddling strength and skill, you've got a deal.

[surfcowboy]

I feel ya, I hate aerobic exercise but I know I need it.

I will say, my back and shoulders are finally adjusting to prone surfing and it feels amazing. Now I just gotta do a walk around my neighborhood for more than 15 min.

[headmount]

Hi Bill. Which side did you paddle yesterday? We did a late 3:00 start from Maliko (our first run since last fall, and the first on our new F16s), and the wind got really light about half way down the run, making for a tough paddle for Janet and I. My breathing was the only thing that was not a problem. With the lighter winds, the confused chop, and the narrower boards, we felt like we were  paddling in place for the last hour. My paddling strength (which was mostly spent on trying to stay upright) was not near strong enough to catch any bumps in the lighter wind, and after living at 9000 feet all winter, my paddling muscles were not capable of generating enough exertion for my lungs to even take notice. I was thinking about trying my shorter surf paddle to see if that could up my cadence enough to generate more speed even with less power per stroke.
Anyway, if you can figure out a way for us to do a little swap of some of my 9000' mountain lung capacity for your paddling strength and skill, you've got a deal.

I was on Maliko as well on the earlier shuttle.  It was light for us also but I had a ski so it wasn't terrible.  But it was hot and if I'd been on my Bullet I woulda been sweating.  Yesterday turned on big time over on south side but we all blew it.  But today I didn't.  Got a great run over there to Andaz... on the ski again.  Yeah you can give me some of your thick blood though I'm feeling pretty solid now.  We had a bout of VOG last week and I think that got me a little in the lungs.

[supthecreek]

Yep... the gift of getting older comes with challenges that slow most people down.
Aging SUPsters have chosen a good path, that provides motivation without will power.

I am sure most of us feel it in our lungs, so it's great that HM aired the issue.
Thanks Pono, for the term "diaphragmatic breathing"... something I know I need to do more of.
I just googled some breathing exercises.