Kelly Starrett - Waterman 2.0

Waterman 2.0: Optimized Movement for Lifelong, Pain-free Paddling & Surfing Dr. Kelly Starrett with Phil White

Copyright 2018 Dr. Kelly Starrett and Phil White

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part (beyond the copying permitted by US Copyright Law, Section 107, fair use in teaching or research, Section 108, certain library copying, or in published media by reviewers in limited excerpts), without written permission from the author.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-0692070659

EBook ISBN: 978-0-692-14952-2

Softcover: 978-0-692-17103-5

Images their respective owner

Generic water images throughout Shutterstock

Book cover and layout design by theBookDesigners

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This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment and education only. While best efforts have been used, the author and publisher are not offering legal, accounting, medical or any other professional services advice and make no representations or warranties of any kind and assume no liabilities of any kind with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness of use for a particular purpose, nor shall they be held liable or responsible to any person or entity with respect to any loss or incidental or consequential damages caused, or alleged to have caused, directly or indirectly, by the information or programs contained herein.

The discomfort described in this book relates to the normal range of stress reactions. If you believe for any reason that you have physical or mental symptoms that require medical attention, get proper help immediately.

CONTENTS

THE WAY OF THE WATERMAN

To me, the term waterman is rich with meaning. From a physical standpoint, it means being a well-rounded individual who has the skills to perform multiple disciplines with a variety of boards, boats and your own body. Mentally, a waterman needs a deep understanding of the ocean that allows him to read the conditions so that he can excel in any situation. Then theres the relational aspect. My wife Gabby has said that the ocean is the only woman she will share me with and that shows how meaningful my relationship with the water is. There are also the friendships that are forged with others who have the same love of the water. These are built through all the highs and lows that being out on the water presentshaving fun, being scared and sometimes risking our lives. We have a mutual reverence for the ocean and the activities we partake in.

Waterman culture also has a spiritual component. Im a better person after Ive been out surfing or paddling than when I left the house. When youre in harmony with the water you develop a sensitivity to it that goes beyond the physical. We can become so self-important in life and I welcome the honesty of the water and how being out in the most dynamic setting nature has to offer reminds me of my true insignificance. The magnitude of the ocean gives me a sense of perspective, which is amplified when it unleashes a little of its power. If its possible to learn spirituality, then the majesty of the sea is the ultimate teacher. People sometimes ask me how I conquered a certain wave and I find that peculiar. When you surf a wave theres no conquest involvedif you behave well and with respect, then you make it through.

To experience the full benefits that being a waterman offers, you dont just need that kind of knowledge. Your body also needs to be up to the challenge. Kellys work represents an opportunity to better understand yourself and how you move, so that you can fix errors and become more efficient and resilient. This book will not only help you improve your performance, but also make you more durable by offering a counterbalance to the repetitive motions that can wear you down otherwise. If I had known Kelly earlier, I believe that I wouldve avoided a lot of the injuries that came from being in compromised positions and not knowing how to fix myself. When issues arise, I can go to Kelly in full confidence, trusting that he can help solve the problem and get me back to enjoying the ocean.

As youll discover when you read his story, Kellys vocation comes from the purest intentions. He needed a better way to heal himself and once hed done so, became determined to use what he had learned to help as many people as possible. Then you add in his first-hand experience on the water and continual pursuit of knowledge and you have something really special. Hes determined to make a positive difference and you can only benefit from that. Ive incorporated Kellys techniques into my daily life to help me move better on and off the water, improve my recovery and reduce the chance of getting hurt in the future. In the following pages, youll find tips and tools that are highly applicable to your life and are effective in the real world. Kelly has helped me to become a more sustainable watermanI know this book will do the same for you.

Laird Hamilton

KAUAI

INTRODUCTION

You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.

Bruce Lee

Do you remember the way you felt the first time you caught a wave, stood up on your SUP or peeled out of an eddy? Stoke doesnt even come close, right? The glide across the water, the spray on your face, the sense that this was it, the thing youd been searching for, and that youd do forever. From that moment on, you lived for getting back out on the water, knowing that sensation was accessible again and again.

So where did it all go wrong? Maybe it was the day you woke up with a lower back so sore you felt like you couldnt get out of bed. Or perhaps it was that horrible burn in your shoulders that wouldnt go away, no matter how many ibuprofens you swallowed. It mightve been when your hand suddenly cramped up when you were driving back from the beach. Something had changed, and the lifetime you were once certain youd spend on the water was now in question.

Thats why we wrote this book. We believe that you can indeed spend the rest of your life enjoying the water sports you love without the pain, movement restrictions and tacked down tissues that have become the norm. That you can access free power, strength and endurance that will take you to the next level. And that you can do it all without special equipment, thousands of dollars in medical bills or the painkillers that one veteran paddler told us had become her second religion.