Catch22: Fit To Surf, Ollie Richardson

Editor's Note: Interview by Ken Wilson. Thanks to Ollie Richardson for answering the emails.

 Waterman Ollie Richardson has made a name for himself charging some of the biggest waves that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Surviving back-bending wipeouts, two-wave hold-downs, and the teeth of shallow reefs, it’s a wonder he’s still walking let alone charging cold-water slabs. I caught up with Mr. Richardson, the 32 year old weight training teacher and football coach at Newport High School, to get his thoughts on staying in shape and having the right mind-set to surf anything from foot-high SUP peelers to death barrels.

Ollie with his 10' 6" Envision gun. Photo by Asia Richardson.

1. What mental approach does it take to charge big waves?

Your mind-set will change with age and how in shape you are at the current time. If you are in shape and have been training hard, go out in bigger waves and push your limits. You will get an adrenaline rush that keeps you coming back for more. If you are out of shape or older, know your limits and what your body is physically capable of handling. Don’t go out if you are not 100% sure of your abilities or you are setting yourself up to have a bad experience or even worse…

2. What’s in your quiver?

I like to have a board for every possible wave from 1 foot to 50 foot plus. I have a 12’ SUP board that is 31” wide and 4” thick that I can take out on a foot-high day with my dog and have a blast [ed note: check out the pic by Andrew Ross]. I have a black lab named Bella and she loves to surf with me when the waves are small and I can even take my wife out with us too. For those of you reading this and thinking SUP boarding is stupid/dumb/lame, I challenge all of you to try it because it is a great workout from the top of your head to the tips of your toes and will make you feel so sore that you will think you got beat up while you slept that night. 

I have a 6’ 2” Al Merrick “Whip” for 5 ft clean waves and smaller; a 6’3” Elephant Board that has flat rocker and is a great barrel rider; a 6’4” RebelBoards Epoxy for when it is junky, 6 ft and smaller; a 6’6” Larry Bertlemann “Barrel Master” for when the waves are 6 to 8 feet and hollow; a 7’4” Gerry Lopez “Pocket Rocket” for clean, hollow 6 to 10 ft waves; a 7’11” Gerry Lopez “Mako” for 8 to 12 ft waves; a 8’4” Surf Prescriptions for any double overhead waves and a 10’6” Envision Gun for the serious waves like Tackle Buster Reef. I also have two Envision longboards that I ride during the summer, one “Bonzer” and one “Superfly”. The Superfly is the best longboard I have ever ridden in my life, it does everything in all types of waves and it has six fins…Yes, Six Fins! I ride the “Superfly” in all of the Pacific NW longboard contests and it is one of the main reasons that I win so many. If anyone is thinking of getting a custom surfboard contact Ralph Meier at Envision Surfboards (541-265-8703), you will not be disappointed.

I have four tow surfing boards, a 5’6” and 5’9” made by RebelBoards and Envision as well as a jet ski to get me out on the days that you can’t paddle. I get asked all the time how many surfboards I have, and when I say 12 to 15, people can’t believe it. It is necessary to have a proper quiver so you are ready for every type of wave you might ride. This allows you to select the right equipment and have the best possible experience out in the water.

3. Who are your sponsors?

A huge thank you to Ossies Surf Shop, Envision Surfboards & RebelBoards for keeping me outfitted with top of the line surfing equipment at team rider prices. I wouldn’t have the quiver or collection of wetsuits and booties without you guys. I also want to thank Ninkasi Brewing Company out of Eugene, Oregon for buying my Jet Ski gas for all of my tow sessions and giving me free kegs of beer. If you haven’t tried Ninkasi yet you are missing out in a major way, go buy some right now.

4. Whom do you usually surf with?

I surf with my friend Dan Hasselschwert (Ossies Surf Shop owner) the most. Dan and I push each other during every session, no matter whether we are towing 40 ft plus waves or 2 ft ankle slappers. I also love surfing with my dad and brother and all of my other surfing buddies. Going to the beach with someone who is looking to surf the same kinds of waves is essential. This person can also be another surf forecaster and help interpret where the best conditions might be. I have lived on the Oregon Coast my whole life and know how crappy the surf is in Oregon and how it changes every hour. When (and sometimes if) the surf gets good, you better make the right call because there might not be decent waves again for a very long time.

In the green at The Slab (you know if you know). Photo by Richard Hallman.

5. What surfers inspire you?

My dad and older brother are still two of my favorite people to surf with, they are always stoked and we love competing against each other. We all learned how to surf together in Coos Bay over 20 plus years ago with no wetsuits and one longboard and it has been a family affair ever since.

6. What’s your take on surf etiquette?

I teach people how to surf every summer and always put a huge emphasis on etiquette. I teach beginning surfers to not drop in or snake another surfer, to go down the beach, and to never paddle straight out into a crowded lineup. These are just a few of the many things I stress when it comes to surfing etiquette in order to keep the beginners from being dangerous around experienced surfing, which helps everyone have a positive experience.

7. How do you keep other people happy in the water?

This is pretty much impossible, but do your best to keep everyone else’s feelings at heart. Some people will scowl or yell at you just for being in the water while others will greet you with a smile. If you have good surfing etiquette and wait your turn, hopefully you will keep everyone happy.

8. How do you stay stoked?

Make sure you are surfing for the right reasons, hopefully for fun and enjoyment to keep the stoke level high. There is nothing like surfing to keep you in touch with Mother Nature, where all of your daily decisions are based upon what the weather, tide, wind, and swell are doing. I can’t even begin to explain what if feels like to get swallowed up inside the green room and spit out clean… Euphoria!

The line at Tackle Buster. Photo courtesy of Mark Mcinnis.

9. How do you arrange things to be able to surf when it’s good?

This is a hard one for just about everyone. Basically the bottom line is try to find a job that you love with flexible hours because you don’t want to miss the surf when it gets good. Everyone really needs to take a hard look in the mirror on this one and decide what the most important things are in their lives and try to make all of those a reality.

10. Is your family on board with you surfing all the time?

This is huge because if you don’t have support to go to the beach and surf then you will feel guilty, mad, angry, or pissed off and it will lead to negative thoughts and bad vibes. Explain to those that love you how much surfing means to you and how it makes you feel. I'd like to thank my wonderful wife Asia and baby girl Olivia for supporting my surfing. 

11. What’s the right safety approach?

Taking safety seriously is the most important thing you can do to stay safe and have fun. Make sure you know the hazards on the beach, currents, tides, swell size, and wind direction before heading out to surf. We have the forecasting technology available to us in today’s world, use it! Don’t forget to use the buddy system and “know before you go.”

You make a living teaching high schoolers how to stay in shape. Let’s talk about your thoughts on getting and staying in surf shape.

12. What muscles do you use when surfing?

The main muscles you use are your deltoids (shoulders), triceps, and your upper & lower back, especially your latissimus dorsi (lats), and your legs. Strong core muscles are also needed, they keep you steady and stable as you paddle and these muscles initiate all body movement. 

13. How do you prevent surf injuries?

I don’t ever want to get surfers ear so I always wear earplugs to keep the water and wind out. I didn’t wear earplugs for the first ten years of surfing, but my dad, Spike, got me hooked on them and now I feel naked without them. Stretching before surfing is important to prevent all types of injuries and remember to always try to avoid getting hit by your board or someone else’s.

The drop at Tackle Buster. Photo courtesy of Mark Mcinnis.

14. How do you warm up before paddling out?

I usually run down to the water and do some high knees and jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. I stretch the quads, groin, hamstring, mid-low back, triceps, shoulders, and do a couple of yoga exercises followed by some push-ups. I like to feel like I am too hot when I enter the water and want my body to be as limber as possible.

15. What are your thoughts on yoga?

In my opinion, doing yoga is more important than cardio, strength training, and stretching because it combines all three. Yoga improves posture, flexibility, range of motion, muscular strength and endurance, and keeps you centered and focused. When I practice yoga two to three times per week, I notice improvements in the way I surf, especially when I am getting barreled.

16. What stretches keep you limber?

Neck, lower back, hamstrings, shoulders, triceps specifically, but you can’t stretch too much. Try to find a routine that works for you and I always suggest the more the better. This is the one thing that I often neglect, but it is one of the most important to prevent injuries and maintain flexibility and range of motion in your joints, tendons, and muscles.

17. How much shut-eye should you get?

Seven to ten hours depending upon what you need. It varies from person to person, but if you want to know for sure go to bed without setting an alarm and see what time it is when you wake up-that is how much sleep your body needs.

18. What cardio will increase lung capacity for hold-downs?

Running, swimming, biking, treadmill (exercise machines), basketball, ultimate Frisbee, or anything that you like where your heart rate is in your target heart rate zone for 20 plus minutes or more. If I were training for big waves I would focus more time and energy on swimming and underwater training (free diving, running on the bottom with weights, underwater lap swim, etc).

Getting pitched at The Slab. Photo courtesy of Mark Mcinnis.

19. What do you do for cross-training?

I play basketball and soccer, swim, lift weights, ride mountain bikes, and use a wide variety of board sports (snowboarding, wakeboarding, mountain boarding, etc.) to keep myself in good shape. Cross-training will ensure that you don’t get bored with the same thing week after week. Use a wide variety of activities that are fun and enjoyable to keep your excitement level up.

20. What’s the right approach to weight training?

If you have never done any strength training, I highly suggest getting a personal trainer or at least signing up for a session or two with a trained professional. It is easy to injure yourself when performing lifts with weight, so make sure you never sacrifice perfect form for how much you can lift. Start out with light weights and focus on correct form and posture while performing lifts that engage all major muscle groups. If you want to see the greatest improvements focus on the intensity of the workout. Intensity can be defined by short rest periods between sets (less than 1 minute), by your heart rate, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), or how much weight/resistance you are using. Basically, work as hard as you can with a high intensity and use perfect form on all lifting exercises!

21. What diet do you recommend?

Eat whole grains, organic (whenever possible), lots of green leafy vegetables, wide variety of fruit, and always carry healthy snacks with you daily to prevent yourself from making unhealthy choices. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium and never buy anything with hydrogenated oils. Shop at your local farmers’ market, co-op, Trader Joe’s, or natural food section and pay attention to ingredients and where you food is produced.

22. What does the future hold for you?

My future goals are to continue to improve as an overall waterman while trying to improve on my balancing act of family, friends, work, and surfing. If anyone knows the secret of keeping everything in balance please let me know.