Page 23 - AASP Spring Newsletter 2015

minutes) and allocate points for radical “With the acknowledgment can be looked at as a model for the practice

maneuvers in the most critical section of that every emotion we feel, of MAC. The sport itself is inherent to

the wave with style, power, and speed to both positive and negative, are mindful-awareness. However, like any

maximize scoring potential (Association byproducts of our thoughts. How skill it must be practiced and incorporated

of Suring Professionals, 2004). When we react to circumstances in our into daily life in order to reap the ultimate

time limits, wave jockeying, minimum life is our choice alone. When you rewards. While the empirical research

wave counts, and an unpredictable ocean become mindful of your thoughts, continues in the ield of MAC, we can look

are factored, the ability to utilize mental you can control or set yourself toward this alternative method of mental

skills training may ultimately enhance the free from the non-enhancing training and learn from these athletes

optimal performance of the professional feelings or emotions like stress who truly embrace “being in the moment”

surfer.
and fear.”
for optimal performance. As best said by

big wave surfer, Greg Long, “Everyday I

attempt to live a mindful, health conscious

Contrarily, big wave suring requires Does the environment and changing life with a goal of learning and growing

surfers to paddle into or be towed out to conditions of suring promote a more from every experience,” (Bennett, 2004).

waves that are at least 20 feet high and natural adaption to the practice of MAC

sometimes in excess of 50 feet. The sheer than other athletic endeavors? Levin and

volume, strength, and force of these Taylor (2011) hypothesized that suring References

monstrous waves require extreme mental might affect mental and emotional states.
Bennett, R. (2004). The surfers mind: The complete,
discipline for safety and performance. Big They described a state of meditation found practical guide to surf psychology.

wave surfers cannot afford to overthink. in surfers characterized by dissociation, Victoria, Australia: Surfer’s Mind.

Their life could depend on having a clear an ability to focus on the sensory world, Kashdan, T. B., & Ciarrochi, J. (2013). Mindfulness,

mind. The ability to “free the mind” and and disregard for personal concerns; acceptance, and positive psychology:

The seven foundations of well-
“execute” is what the most successful they viewed suring as a mindfulness- being. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger

competitive surfers embrace. In addition, based activity. Levin and Taylor (2011) Publications.

being mindful or “in-the-moment” can also noted that meditative states are Levin, B. J., & Taylor, J. (2011). Depression, Anxiety,

help the surfer harness the ocean’s known to produce higher levels of the and Coping in Surfers. Journal of Clinical

energy and provide greater conidence “feel-good chemicals” serotonin and Sport Psychology, 5(2), 148.

Martin, M. (2006). High performance thinking for
and motivation for all the obstacles dopamine. They theorized that surfers in a
professional surfers. In J. Dosil (Ed.),
encountered in suring (Bennett, 2004).
state of mindfulness may be experiencing
The sport psychologist’s handbook: A
the same thing. This would naturally guide for sport-speciic performance

contribute to a state of “low.” This state enhancement, (pp. 504-524). West
Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mindfulness and Suring
of “meditation” or “low” is consistent

with mindfulness.
Professional big wave surfer, Greg Long

described his use of MAC (as cited in

Bennett, 2004):

Conclusion

Competitive suring and big wave suring

AASP Newsletter // Spring 2015 // What Suring Can Teach Us about Mindful-Acceptance-Commitment

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