Advocate Q&A: Matt Sharman
Talk us through a typical training week…
My training is totally dependent on the swell in that particular week. Bodyboarding at the elite level is like tennis or golf, you have to dedicate an enormous amount of time performing dedicated practice to keep improving and stay in flow. Typically when there are waves, I will bodyboard 3-5 times per week for up to 2 hours at a time (sometimes a lot more, if it's pumping). I will also do 2 x two hours of total body calisthenics conditioning and 6 hours of stretching, yoga and specific recovery work.
What does your routine look like before a typical surf session?
Before a bodyboarding session, I perform a full warm up for 10 minutes, which usually consists of jogging and a specific dynamic flexibility routine that I have adopted over the last few years. I also perform some breathing exercises, which help prepare my mind and slow my heart rate (particularly important when the waves are huge). My warm up before conditioning sessions is different. Beforehand, I perform some basic dynamic flexibility moves, before doing a warm up set of the exercises I will be doing in the session.
Do you do anything differently pre-competition?
In the immediate week before competition, I will rest as much as possible and really focus on my recovery, flexibility and mind set. At that late stage, all of my conditioning is done and it's all about saving my energy for the intensity of professional bodyboarding competitions.
Do you use active recovery sessions and what do you normally do?
Absolutely yes. Bodyboarding at the elite level is incredibly tough on your body, particularly on the lower back and shoulders when landing big airs. I am also 40 now, so I am not quite as elastic as I used to be. This makes a focus on recovery especially important. I've had a recurring lower back issue that I manage via a mixture of specific stretches and by using the Movewell Peanut and Anywhere Roller.
You’ve had the MoveWell Complete Pack for a while now…what’s your favourite thing about MoveWell?
Obviously the products are fantastic and very effective in aiding recovery. But, my favourite thing about Movewell is the company ethos and people involved. As an ocean athlete, it is very important to me to work with people with similar values and who genuinely care about the natural environment.
Thank you. Where can people find more about you?
Anytime - stoked to be on the team. You can follow my journey on Instagram here: