Train Like a Yogi Surfer!
Brad Bennett

“Duck Dive, Duck Dive” – a phrase Brad Bennett had never heard before he started surfing four years ago. The water has always been Brad’s passion; he has been diving for 25 years. He is so much a diver that he spent years cleaning the bottoms of boats in San Diego boatyards while they were in the water. Despite the sea lions and what the nasty sea threw at him, Brad found himself still out there cleaning away day after day because of his pure passion for being in the water. But it was just four years ago that Brad found a new passion in the water that made him feel, “This is it, this is what I have been searching for in my workout routine”.

One sunny afternoon, he was pushed by some good friends to try surfing. Brad went out into the sea and never looked back. Now he surfs three to four times per week for two to three hour sessions. “I get all of my cardio from surfing!”

He continued a passion being in the water, this time on top. “Surfing has given me a new feeling of being. It’s hard to explain what I mean, but it is like a whole new fresh look at my life. It’s a sense of being free when a wave comes and pushes me along the sea. It’s the same freeing feeling I get with my daily yoga practice.”

Brad and his wife Cindy share this passion for practicing yoga and for what yoga has brought to their lives. Their passion was so great that five years ago they opened a neighborhood yoga studio in South Park, San Diego called Ginseng Yoga. (www.ginsengyoga.com) “Yoga has always been at the core of my life. What I enjoy most about the yoga lifestyle is the way I eat and perform throughout my day in helping people moving forward and staying positive. The food of the yoga lifestyle brings me into my third passion which is cooking. I do most of the cooking and food shopping so I pick the best stuff out for my family.”

Now Brad is another great example of real people who find balance in life using all different types of sports. Examples like these can help us move forward and stay positive. These are people who have their own secret to staying fit and keeping fit year after year. They practice the art of balancing fitness into all parts of their life.

For Brad, the Spiritual piece of the Circle is his most powerful. He feels that his spiritual side guides him through life. Surfing is a form of meditation for Brad and it brings him into a state of being Divine. “Ishwara Pranadhana” which means “constant awareness of the Divine”. For me, as long as I remember to be humble and that all I have comes from the Divine then it flows, then everything seems to work and flow for me. When I forget this and I start to think that I am the reason for anything, then my ego gets in the way and everything gets stuck.”

“Duck Dive” - Brad has this on his license plate on his truck, so I ask him what it means. He says it is when a surfer is paddling out into the water and a big wave comes, you need to dive under the wave with your board and when doing so you look like a duck diving under water and the board between your legs looks like a duck’s butt.

Today, fitness is about balance. If you don’t find balance in your life you can never reach your peak with fitness and stay in shape year after year. Instead, you will find yourself starting all over again every January. What is balance? It’s a mix of all your values! Values lay the groundwork for goals. Goals lead to the fulfillment of your mission. Your mission leads to the realization of your life’s work and your legacy. All it takes is drive, passion and a mission in mind for yourself.

This is a great look at a person who practices yoga and surfing - the love of being in the water and just being in life is what you will learn from someone like Brad. I ask Brad, “What do you consider yourself to be?” and his answer was “Just be”.

This is what Brads circle looks like!

Personal Passion - "Surfing is definitely my passion. I would say it’s almost an addiction."

Career & Financial - "I am in the people business. Helping people move forward and stay positive."

Community - "We are surrounded by positive, wonderful, caring individuals. I get fulfilled from work when I see someone leave my studio and maybe be just a little bit nicer and add something positive to the world. That is what makes me feel good – moving people forward."

Health & Recreation - "I stay fit now because I want to be doing what I am doing now when I am 80. If I don’t do it now, it is only going to get harder and harder as I get older. Plus, I might not have tomorrow, so I have to do it today!"

Household - "I pretty much do all of the cooking and grocery shopping in the house. I love my three-layer Joyce Chen bamboo steamer that I got for $12 at Cost Plus and all you do is put water in the bottom and fish or vegetables in the layers and the bamboo makes it taste really authentic."

Family & Friends - "Our life is centered around our little six-year old girl."

Spiritual - "I meditate every day. Not always sitting meditation, in fact surfing is the most intense form of meditation for me. I try to incorporate my spiritual practice into everything I do."

Balance is what fitness is about today. What does your balance wheel look like? By satisfying and nurturing all areas of the wheel, you can achieve balance in your life. Remember, the wheel represents your values, which in turn lay the groundwork for your goals. Identify your passion, set your goals and align all aspects of your day to realize your life’s work!