Dr Oliver Farley shows young surfer Dale Cromhout from Havelock North Intermediate the correct technique while other members of the region's junior surfing team practise various training exercises.
Dr Oliver Farley shows young surfer Dale Cromhout from Havelock North Intermediate the correct technique while other members of the region's junior surfing team practise various training exercises.
Hawke's Bay's top junior surfers learned how attention to strength and conditioning can improve their performance and keep them competitive for longer at a unique training session in Hastings last week.
Dr Oliver Farley, NZ Olympic development coach for strengthening and conditioning, ran the session at the Hawke's Bay CommunityFitness Centre Trust performance gym for 10 members of the Your Solutions Hawke's Bay Boardriders' Club ahead of a trip to the national junior surfing competition being held at Kaikoura this week.
"I'm keen to help produce better-rounded athletes and coaches to bring the sport up nationwide," says Dr Farley, who holds a PhD in surfing enhancement performance.
He came to Hawke's Bay from Auckland at the invitation of the surfing club's community and development manager, Keri McKenzie, with support from the trust's sport development manager, Joe Payton, himself a keen surfer.
Attending the training session were boys aged 12 – 18 from a variety of schools around the region.
"These boys are naturally gifted and if they know how to look after themselves better, they can increase their longevity and if they're good enough, extend a professional career for longer," Dr Farley says.
Closely watching the boys in their warm-up and stretching exercises were Community Fitness Centre high performance coaches, who will continue to work with the young surfers in the future.
The coaches also had spent time with Dr Farley to learn more about his experience and knowledge gained working with the country's top eight male and female surfers over the past few years.
