SurfPulse » yoga

Fundraiser for Dana Pifer in Pacifica on Sunday, February 28, 2010

matt — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:29:19 +0000

Friends are hosting a special fundraiser for Pacifica surfer and yoga instructor Dana Pifer at the Pedro Point Firehouse on Sunday ,Feb. 28. This event will help offset Dana’s living and medical expenses as she undergoes chemo and radiation for breast cancer. She should be able to surf again in the Fall. Dana will continue to teach yoga this month up to the start of her treatment. Check out her classes here: www.oceanyogapacifica.com  

BENEFIT PARTY FOR DANA PIFER 
When: Sunday, February 28, 2010 1:00 PM–5:00 PM
Where: Pedro Point Firehouse, 1227 Danmann Ave, Pacifica. 
How much: Entry fee is $20 per person (kids get in free).  

Bring friends and enjoy great food by Pacifica surfer/chef Derek Burns (of the Surf Spot), beer, wine, and live music by Mark Sessler & DJ Jeremiah. Don’t miss the great Silent Auction organized by Elizabeth Pepin, featuring generous donations from local artists and businesses, including artwork, photography, surfboards, wetsuits, massage gift certificates, and more.

Dana is well known in the Pacifica community for her dedication to improving the well-being of others through her yoga practice, dog-walking business, and her love of the ocean. (Note: Direct donations can also be made to Dana Pifer, P.O. Box 754, Pacifica, CA 94044. ) 

A special thank you goes out to the Pedro Point Community Association, Mary Ellen, Elizabeth, Derek, Sarah, Jenna, Sharon, Barbara, Camille, Lena and many others for making this happen.

Yoga Class Benefit for Surf for Life on Sunday, January 24, 2010

matt — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:18:25 +0000

This year’s 2010 project: Building a community suspension bridge in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. The people of Puerto Viejo need a walking bridge to connect their community. Yoga taught by U.C. Berkeley’s renown and top yoga instructor Toni Mar. Proceeds go directly to the cost of materials to build this bridge. Donations for attending the yoga class are fully tax deductible.

There are two classes at two different locations on the same day:

*First Class:
Sports Basement (Potrero Hill Location)
Location: 1590 Bryant St., San Francisco
When: Sunday January 24th, 11am-12pm
*Donations accepted yoga class. Participants receive a 20% discount to Sports Basement for that day.

*Second Class
Satori Yoga Studio
Location: 40 1st St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco (Between Market and Mission Streets)
When: Sunday January 24th, 1-2pm
*Donations accepted yoga class. Snacks provided after class.

*Space is limited so please arrive early.
*More information about Surf For Life here: http://www.surfforlife.org/
*More information about Toni Mar here: http://pe.berkeley.edu/instructors_toni_mar.shtml

2nd Annual It’s About Sea Life Benefit and Paddle-Out in SF from November 20-22, 2009

matt — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:53:29 +0000

The following is a press release for a great benefit (rumor has it that Tom Curren will appear on Nov. 20 to rock out):

SURF ADDICT PRESENTS “IT’S ABOUT SEA LIFE BENEFIT & PADDLE-OUT 2”, IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA, TO PROMOTE SEA LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO BENEFIT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: SURFAID INTERNATIONAL, SAVE THE WAVES COALITION, SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AND THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER.

Benefit – Friday, November 20th, 2009.

The benefit will take place in San Francisco – at the Aquarium of the Bay – in the evening of Friday, November 20th, 2009, from 7:30pm – 12am. Attendees will be able to visit the Aquarium tanks/tunnels during the event. Cocktail Reception kicks off at 7:30pm. Live Auction begins at 9:00pm. Silent Auction bids end by 9:00pm. Music and dancing follows.

Celebrity guests, artists, designers and pro-surfers are expected to attend. Daniel Castro Band www.danielcastro.com and Marc B. will www.marcbmusic.com will perform at the Aquarium of the Bay.

After-Party at the Hard Rock Café, at Fisherman’s Wharf, from 12:00am – 2:00am ~ Live Music by Tom Curren, Surf-Pro & Musician.

Paddle-Out – Saturday, November 21st, 2009.

In the morning of November 21st, at 9:30am, local surfers, ocean conservationists, animal & life lovers will perform a Ceremonial Paddle-Out, led by Rochelle Ballard, Pro-Surfer & Yoga Instructor (“Surf Into Yoga” DVD), at Crissy Field East Beach/Parking Lot. This will be an ocean and land ritual to offer prayers for all ocean creatures and sea-life protection.

The morning Paddle-Out Ceremony will be followed by an opportunity to speak to sea life protection and environmental non-profit organization representatives about their causes and quest to preserve the ocean and sea life. Paddle-out will be free and open to the public.

Yoga-Session – Sunday, November 22^nd, 2009.

On Sunday, November 22^nd, a Yoga Session will be led by Rochelle Ballard, at the San Francisco Bay Club. RSVP required and $15.00 suggested donation will be reverted back to IASL’s 2009 Fund to be distributed to beneficiaries. Rochelle Ballard’s new “Surf Into Yoga” DVD’s, www.surfintoyoga.com, will be available for sale and proceeds donated back to the cause.

Additional Info and tickets at www.itsaboutsealife.org and www.brownpapertickets.com

Check Out IASL 2008 Video and photos at http://www.itsaboutsealife.org/node/39. IASL’s 2008 video was Produced and Edited by Jason Gittens, from KDJ Productions (Black Surfer Documentary coming 2010). Photos by Rebecca Drake, from Squid Ink Photography.

IASL’s 2009 already confirmed partners and sponsors are Tom Curren (Surf-Pro & Musician), Rochelle Ballard’s “Surf Into Yoga” DVD, Daniel Castro Band, Marc. B.’s Band, Fuel TV, New Belgium Brewery, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Hard Rock Café Fisherman’s Wharf, ASR Biz, Hilton San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf, Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco Bay Club, Luba Muzichenko (Zephyr Real Estate), Roberto Vezzone Productions, Dragon Alliance, Randy Cone Surfboards, Wise Surfboards, Jed Noll Surfboards, Jeff Clark Surfboards, Alex Martins Surfboard Repair, Giant Reef Limo, Noriega Produce, Rip Curl, Golden Gateway STC, Dr. Ana Amaya, Vans Off The Wall, Sam Henderson Photography (Benefit), Charlie Zabielskis Photography (Paddle-Out), Pacific-Visuals Photography, Extension Clothing, Top Education Guide, OCSC Sailing, Fish Restaurant, Thinknicity, Total Performance Health, Golden Gate Cycles, Frank Lew (State Farm), Robert Harris (artist), Ian Ross (artist), K9 Intel, Skull Candy, Nor Cal Surf Shop, Trog Wear, US Pure Water Corp., DJ Juan Data, DJ Benjah, Doug Ross (Artist), Java Beach Café, BeachString, Wdzfx, Rusty Surfboards, SF Vodka, Carly Ivan Garcia(Artist), Weaver’s Coffee & Tea, Island Ukuleles, TheSurfersChoice, St. Supery Winery, Hernan Rojas (Artist), and Mavericks Surf Ventures, amongst others yet to be confirmed..

2nd Annual Women’s Paddle-Out on Sunday, October 4, 2009

adam — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:24:48 +0000

Here’s a fun little event for you all (especially the ladies) to check out. Guys, not afraid to be creepy? Then you should come too! I’ll be right there with you… volunteering that is. Here’s all the info:

The SF chapter of Surfrider Foundation invites you to the 2nd Annual Women’s Paddle-Out & Beach Cleanup! Share the stoke, meet new people, catch some waves or do some yoga, and then help clean-up Ocean Beach! Open to everyone! First 30 surfers receives a free Surfrider rashguard! $1 raffle for surf gear & Barefoot Wines! Sunday, October 4, 2009. Surf & Yoga at 10am / Clean-up at 11am / Volunteer BBQ at 1pm. North Ocean Beach at Stairway 17 (across from Beach Chalet). www.sfsurfrider.org/paddleout

Fundraiser for Uganda Women & Children in San Francisco on Thursday, September 24, 2009

matt — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:33:33 +0000

Our friends at Aqua Surf Shop in San Francisco are sponsoring a fundraiser for relief efforts in Uganda.

Come party for a good cause!!! Aqua is helping some good friends with an important fundraiser at 111 Minna on Thurs., Sept 24. This could be the simplest fundraiser ever —buy a ticket, party with beautiful yoga people, and dance to Sila and the Afrofunk experience and DJ Cheb i Sabbah, all while helping the cause.  SF to Uganda will raise money to help:

Build a birthing center in Uganda with staff, sterile supplies, support and education for women with HIV/AIDS.
To build a primary school for the children.
Improvement of orphanage facility and water systems.

Details are below, and you will definitely see us there!!! –Your friends at Aqua

111 Minna Gallery
Thursday, Sept 24, 2009 6:00 PM–Midnight
Tickets = $25+ (meaning if you can and wish to give more please do!)
Purchase tickets at Brown Paper Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/

Ask Beth: How can I avoid surgery on a torn rotator cuff?

beth — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:33:28 +0000

QUESTION: How can I avoid surgery on a torn rotator cuff?

Beth,

I have been having a terrible time with my shoulder lately. Three years ago I partially tore my rotator cuff and impinged it surfing with webbed paddling gloves. I did phsical therapy and it got better, but it still troubled me sometimes. Lately, it sort of locks up on me and causes tremendous pain when I am doing some random movement, like lifting my arm up or putting on a shirt. It will then hurt considerably for a while, and limit my range of motion and my activities (can’t surf!). I’ve been practicing yoga for a little while now, and there are times when my shoulder will lock up in various postures (not weight-bearing postures). This is really getting me down—I want to avoid surgery, but it just gets worse and worse. I’ve also developed a sore neck on that side and wonder if it could be related. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Gareth

ANSWER:

Hey Gareth,

Sounds to me like you need to revisit your doctor and get a new diagnosis. If it isn’t getting better on its own and it is totally getting in the way of the things you love to do (not to mention things you have to do!) then go get some help! It is great that you started yoga; however, sometimes these kinds of injuries need complete rest prior to starting any kind of exercise. Some basic stretches surrounding the area are probably doable, but I would first go to a doc and then a physical therapist to get these particular stretches/exercises.

I am sorry this is flaring up again. Time to take care of the pain over the summer, before the fall spectacular really gets under way! Hopefully, that shoulder only needs a wee bit of TLC!

Let me know what the doctor says.

Hasta,

Beth

Ask Beth: How can I stretch tight muscles between my shoulders?

beth — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:17:06 +0000

QUESTION: How can I stretch tight muscles between my shoulders?

Hi Beth,
I am extremely tight between my shoulders, at my spine. It feels as though the muscles have become so tight there that they are causing a nerve pinch between my vertebrae.

I am trying some massage and stretching but it is really difficult to get this area isolated for stretching.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rama

(P.S. Your Q&A site is great!)

ANSWER:

Hey Rama,

I feel your pain…or used to until I started yoga. Yes, yoga has saved me from many an ache and a pain. I used to have the tightest rhomboids, back and neck and was constantly doing random stretches and going to a bodyworker. I finally got fed up and realized that I needed to stretch out my entire body from head to toe to get the whole spine area to release. I also found that 10–20 minutes of stretching one area was not enough to make changes.

So my suggestion to you would be to figure out a good overall stretch routine or get yourself signed up for some basic yoga classes to learn all the poses. The great thing about yoga poses is that many of them target more than one area. I found that yoga was strengthening my super-weak small muscles (especially in the back and lower traps) which gave my aching muscles a break.

Good luck and try to find the time to do this. Yoga has totally improved my surfing, not to mention several other areas in my life.

Hasta,

Beth

SF Surfer Alex Martins Going To India, But Only With Your Help!

admin — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 15:22:19 +0000

Ocean Beach ripper and Maverick’s Surf Contest invitee Alex Martins won a partial scholarship to travel to Mysore, India to further his yoga studies with the renowned Sri K. Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Research Institute www.ayri.org next year. Recently, Greenpath Yoga Studio awarded scholarships to Alex Martins and Erik Jacobsen to make the trip to India for an intensive 1-month course. However, Alex and Erik still need to raise another $2000 in order to make the trip happen. Please consider contributing to their travel fund. Even $5 could help these guys to seize a once in a lifetime opportunity. Visit Chipin.com to make a donation at https://www.chipin.com/invite/id/74244e1194b3c2a4.

Donations must be received by September 12, 2006!

How do I regain my flexibility since I started lifting weights?

beth — Thu, 12 Jul 2001 15:20:09 +0000

QUESTION: How do I regain my flexibility which has been limited since I started lifting weights?

Beth:I have been lifting weights for over a year now. I am enjoying the added mass and strength I have developed; however I seem to be losing flexibility as well as range of motion. The stretching that I am doing doesn’t seem to help so I was wondering if you had any insight or suggestions for me.-Jeff M.

ANSWER:

Hey Jeff,

Of course I have some suggestions for you, I am a woman, aren’t I?!? Weightlifting is an awesome way to stay strong and prevent injury if done properly. Did you have someone show you proper technique and put you on a good weight lifting program, or are you making it up as you go along? Are you doing a variety of lifting, or focusing mostly on chest and shoulders? Make sure in your routine that you are exercising all muscle groups. If you have been surfing a lot (or not due to the weather) you definitely want to focus on strengthening the opposing surfing muscle groups and to stretch the muscles you use for paddling.

I have finally committed myself to yoga in order to help me open up and stretch better. I have stretched in the past on my own and like you, I felt as though it wasn’t doing enough. I highly suggest getting into yoga at least 2 times per week so you have a structured stretching class which forces you to hold the stretch for a long time. I have been doing some intro to Ashtanga classes at a great studio on Lombard called Greenpath Yoga (between Pierce and Steiner). The instructor is a surfer/triathlete-turned-yoga-guru, so he totally understands our body type. I never could get into yoga but love this class. It is hard as hell and it really focuses on stretching,

strengthening, breathing, and balance. Perfect for surfing!!

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info. Pray for good surf or tons of powder!

Hasta, Beth