You can bet your life Greg Long’s adrenaline is pumping on this one.
There’s no feeling quite like pushing yourself to the edge. Whether its paddling out in the peak of a swell or teetering on the precipice of double black diamond for the first time, there’s a distinct mixture of horror and thrill when it comes to surpassing your personal limits. While no good can come from blatantly disregarding your current ability, striving for better helps you grow as an athlete. Additionally, as it turns out, facing your fears offers a couple health benefits as well. When the brain perceives the body to be in danger, it sends signals to the adrenal gland to release a series of hormones that work to keep you alive. Being realistic, these might not be significantly beneficial in the long run, but they’re a damn good excuse for you to rise to that next challenge, and go full throttle the next time you get butterflies in your stomach.
Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
When your brain perceives stress or trouble, it queues the adrenal gland to fire up their engines and get going. The glands then release large amounts of epinephrine that effectively put the body into survival mode. Your body operates at a heightened level, with blood pressure rising, eyes dilating, and your pulse racing. However, most importantly for our purposes, this response gives the body greater stamina and strength in stress inducing situations. This means that if you go for that massive jump with your heart racing, your body may be able to operate at an above average level and provide the strength you need to actually pull it off.
Norepinephrine
Under stress, the body also releases another hormone, norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is released both from the adrenal glands and the brain. It works to keep you focused and ultra alert in order to combat panic. It ultimately gives you the ability to think clearly and precisely even in a state of fear and stress. This means that when you paddle out in bigger surf than you’re used to, the norepinephrine released into your body may increase your ability to think with clarity. This in turn may help you make better decisions in terms of positioning, hence helping you stay in the right spot at the right time (you’ll still get worked, but maybe less frequently).
Cortisol
Cortisol is another hormone released by the adrenal gland. Cortisol balances body functions and body fluids, and when it is released under stressful conditions, it dictates where the body’s resources go. It shifts resources to high-priority body organs and processes essential for survival (think the brain and heart) while stalling resources normally directed toward organs not immediately needed (like the digestive system). This allows the body to operate at maximum efficiency when coping with a task the body perceives as critical for survival. This efficiency gives you the best shot you’ve got to succeed in challenging conditions and make it back to safety.
Additionally, healthy cortisol levels help manage blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the immune system. That being said, too much of a good thing is problematic, and when cortisol is released regularly on a long-term basis, it can be harmful to health. In other words, push your limits every once in a while, but don’t make it a daily routine.
Note: This is not medical advice, and you should always be smart about pushing yourself. Know you limits, and don’t be stupid!
