Surf’s Up with Shawn Farnell

Surf's Up With Shawn Farnell

Photo: Gustavo Romero
Video: Matt Martin-Hall
Writer: Candice Currie

The sun hides behind hazy grey clouds of an early morning sky in Huntington Beach, CA.

Part-time lifeguard and student, Shawn F. waxes his surfboard eager to get out on the day’s first waves.

“Growing up, my parents would take me and my brother to the beach all the time. We started boogie boarding and one day I realized I wanted to surf, so our parents bought us boards and we taught ourselves.”

Shawn F. of Huntington Beach, CA has been surfing since he was 6 years old, the ocean has always played a positive role in his life. In order to improve his physical performance and maintain his active lifestyle, Shawn decided to join a gym.

“I joined LA Fitness because most of my lifeguard buddies have memberships and it was the closest gym to my house.”

“…being able to go to a gym gives me more structure in my workouts and makes me actually work out more consistently.”

“I generally use lighter weights. I start with running or rowing then I use machines that involve ‘pulling’ workouts then move to ‘pushing’ machines.”

“Then, I go to the Aerobics room and use the physio and bosu ball along with a weighted medicine ball, where I do workouts that target my core and muscles that help with surfing.”

“I enjoy being in a physical state that allows me to get up and go for a 6-mile run or surf for 3 hours and do it again the next day.”

“Be patient, not one wave is the same.”

“I am not the best at giving advice, but I look up to people who grind and work super hard to make their life better, either in school, work, physical fitness and/or hobbies. I try to surround myself with people who push me to do better.”