Hint: he trained really, really hard. And if this video is accurate, he trained and continues to train all day long. What do I do? I sit in front of a computer spewing random and not-so-random thoughts; stress eat breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner, and dinner; and only occasionally motivate myself to go to the gym to lift weights or hit the mitts with my boxing coach. Makua Rothman is Big Wave World Champion. I, needless to say, am not.
How exactly does he do it? I’m glad you asked. Here it is in 6.5 steps…
1. First and foremost, he has Rob Garcia in his corner. Who is Rob Garcia? No one other than the FREAKIN’ STRENGTH TRAINER FOR THE GOLDEN BOY OSCAR DE LA HOYA.
My boxing coach is one hell of a coach, but no Rob Garcia. And unlike the Rothman-Garcia relationship, me and my coach only meet when I get out of work on time/he is available and I feel up to putting myself through the paces.
2. Then he starts in the morning with black coffee and half a grapefruit.
With breakfast, he is already 10 steps ahead of my sausage, egg, and cheese. I take my coffee black, though, so there’s that. You win some, you lose some, I suppose.
2.5. For lunch? Salads.
Don’t even ask.
3. Between his grubbing down — however much I don’t consider neither his breakfast nor his lunch “grubbing down” — he is on to cardio.
Now here is a commonality. I also do cardio. I surf, snowboard, and skate. I even (in)frequently run. Two, MAYBE three days a week doesn’t count? Back to square one.
4. After cardio, he attacks those speed and ballistics drills, basically anything that embodies the explosive properties he employs when surfing, especially on unstable platforms.
Slow down, pal. Give me a breather, now.
5. If all that cardio and all those speed and ballistic drills are not enough to have you ralphing up your lungs, there is his evening session of combat training, stretching, and core.
I’m going to sit this one out.
6. And back at it the next day.
Lay day for this kid.
You know what? The more I think about it, the more I’m just fiii-iiine not being the Big Wave World Champion.
That being said, you do you, Makua. You do you.
