Computer Shoulders

This November I’m learning how to surf.

Today was day one.

If I’ve learned anything today, it’s that surfing is fantastic for people who spends all day hunched over a computer screen.

It’s not the surfing; it’s all the paddling out to get to the waves. You lie down on your board, lift your chest up and work all those unused muscles behind your shoulders.

The session this morning was exciting. I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve never been on a surfboard before. The surf school taught us how to ‘pop-up’ onto the board.

Then I went back in the afternoon. Practiced everything I learned.

Then I went back again in the evening.

I had one long beautiful ride all the way into the beach, and I did it standing up. It was incredible.

I thought it was going to take me weeks to be able to catch a wave.

I’m super impressed with day one.

I will be spending 20 hours surfing this month before I decide whether I continue.

Josh Kaufman wrote a book about rapid skill acquisition, and he reckons 20 hours is roughly the amount of time you need to be able to pick up a skill well enough to start having fun with it.

3 hours down, 17 more to go.