From a New York Times article last week entitled "Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?": "There’s growing dissent among sports scientists about whether all of this attention to the deep abdominal muscles actually gives you a more powerful core and a stronger back and whether it’s even safe."
Perhaps standard core-exercise protocol over the past decade has been a tad misguided? Here, Peggy Hall provides a safe and surf-specific way to get stronger where it counts:
Boat pose is one of the best yoga maneuvers to strengthen the core muscles of your abs and back. Why do you want a strong core? For more powerful carves and cutbacks, less fatigue on your paddles back out, and to keep any back pain at bay.
Check it out right here, and see how Taylor puts the pose to good use.