The Outex water housing is a fairly simple, yet effective system that is comprised of a tough, rubberized bag and a smart sealing system to protect your camera from the elements (water, snow, mud, etc.) Because it is a pliable rubber material, it is super light, unlike the bomber, heavy duty water housings that you might be used to seeing in surfing. In fact, the first time I used my Outex, I was pretty sketched on submerging my Nikon! Kicking out through the shore break at C-Street in Ventura with my hermetically sealed Nikon I thought, “Well, I’ve gotten a lot of great shots with this camera in three years, if this is the end of it, so be it.” But not too worry! Outex aptly handled everything the ocean threw at me that day, and my first photo mission in the water was a success.

Pros:
Tactile feel. With the somewhat thin rubber housing, you retain “tactile feel” of your camera. That is to say, you can still feel the knobs and levers of your camera as you normally would

Lightness. Again, because of the material of the housing, added weight is not an issue. Your camera weighs more or less the same with an Outex

Price point. Starting at $249 Outex is an great way to protect your camera from the elements and get you out into places you normally wouldn’t go (i.e. the ocean, rivers, lakes, etc.)

Quality. So far, Outex seems like it is a really well made, quality product. The rubber housing itself seems durable as do the straps that come with it. I am hopeful that I will get many sessions out of the Outex and that it won’t tear or puncture too easily

Cons:
Because Outex is made of rubber, and is not transparent, you can’t easily see your settings. My first session with Outex, I  could only hope I hadn’t knocked my setting to something other than “Automatic” while putting it on. Turns out, it had stayed on Auto and I got the shots I’d hoped for.  In subsequent uses, I have applied a small piece of tape over my rotating settings lever to ensure it won’t rotate or slip out of Auto mode. I’ve found this to be a quick and easy solution to this issue.

For heavy duty surf photography, I don’t think the Outex is the call. I would be a reticent to swim out with my camera in heavy surf where I had to dive deep or where there might be a chance of getting hit by a surfboard. Outex is IP08 tested for 10 meters (about 30 ft), so, it can handle diving under waves which is good

Overall, I am jazzed on Outex. It has allowed me to get in the water with my digital SLR and that is the coolest thing about it. I can now get pretty solid water shots that I was never able to get: surfing, paddle boarding, even swimming. All of these water perspective shots are now possible, thanks to Outex. I look forward to capturing many magical moments with my Nikon and Outex.

The basic setup starts at $249 and includes the rubber housing, lenses (optics & viewfinder) plus strap holder. Outex works with virtually all the major SLR and DSLR major brands out there. To learn more or to purchase, check out, www.outex.com. There you can use their handy tool in the Shop section, to get the right Outex for your camera and lens.

My Nikon wrapped in an Outex and ready to hit the water.

One of my first shots in the water with Outex.

Water shot of Coach Scott Adams, Ventura, Calif.

Bluebird February morning. Manhattan Beach, Calif.

It would be really tough to get this shot and angle from land.Toby @ Rincon.

Surf Stronger: What are your three “must haves” for a surf trip beyond boards and suits?

Serena Brooke: iPod, a good book, my phone.

SS: What are your three all time favorites surf destinations?

SB: Mentawaii Islands, J-Bay, Cloud 9.

SS: Favorite recent road trip?

SB: Lennox (Australia) in a camper van with the girls for Keep A Breast Foundation.

SS: What advice would you give someone going on their first international surf trip? Obviously “Remember your passport!” … what else?

SB: Get a local map, know where you are geographically, get out and explore!

SS: Favorite activities when the surf is flat?

SB: I like to stay active for sure — bat ball, skating, raquet ball, snowboarding.

SS: Favorite food on a surf trip? Least favorite food on a surf trip?

SB: Faves include fresh fish and veggies. Least favorite, weird meat dishes.

SS: Tips for making friends with and respecting the locals?

SB: Don’t drop in, take some interest in the local culture, explore, and smile!

The payoff to long flights, boring layovers, and long boat rides. Serena in the Mentawaii Islands.

Serena and friends making the most of a crowded flight.

Some of the best surf trips are the ones closest to home. Serena camping it in Lennox Head, NSW, Australia.

A votre sante!

The Surf Stronger Crew

Delicious navel oranges - both locally grown, and in season!

Surf Stronger: How did you get started in your profession?

Paul Frediani: I’ve been a personal trainer and fitness author for twenty years. I was a former Golden Gloves boxing champion living in New York City, and a fella saw me punching a heavy bag at the West Side YMCA. He asked me if I could teach him how to box, and introduced me to his friend, Danny Errico, who was opening a studio called Equinox. They hired me as a boxing instructor. Of course you know what happened to Equinox. That was my beginning.

SS: Describe your typical work day.

PF: Up at 4:45 a.m., down coffee and a banana, check my email, do a little homework, then grab a 60-minute workout. My first client is normally at 7:00 a.m. I finish at noon or 1:00, then lunch. Take my boys, Luigi and Bruno (English bulldogs) out for a walk; then I take a nap. Wake up, do a little homework, go back, train two more clients. Finish at 8:00 p.m. One night per week I run a triathlon training program at the JCC; two other nights I swim with a masters’ program. In bed at 10:30 p.m. Wake up and do it again. Weekends: BEACH TIME!

SS: Describe your favorite workout currently.

PF: I like to mix it up. I train with free weights, yoga, fitness balls, kettlebells, and TRX. I used to love to run, but that’s no longer in the picture for me. I’ve got this crazy idea that I want to do a 10-kilometer swim, so I’m working a lot on my swimming technique.

SS: How long have you been surfing?

PF: I started surfing in 1963 in Pacifica, California. To know what it was like, read my article called “Blessings of Water.”

SS: How did you come up with the idea to write a book on surf fitness?

PF: My son, Paolo, is an expert surfer in San Francisco. Around 1999 he called me complaining about knee pain. I did some research on surf conditioning and there was nothing out there.

SS: What was your approach to writing Surf Flex?

PF: I wanted to share with surfers my knowledge of the latest sports medicine and fitness protocols. Surfers were really out of the loop when it came to conditioning. Kinesiology, biomechanics, and exercise physiology were not part of the physical foundation required for surfing. Surfers just surfed.

SS: What was the reaction to your book?

PF: For the most part, the response was great. But surfers of my generation were like, “Dude, you’re selling out,” or “If you want to surf better, just surf!” Let me address the first response regarding selling out, which really pissed me off. If you don’t want to sell out, that’s fine. What you should do is plant a balsa wood tree, wait until it grows, carve it out, and make a surfboard. But if you surf on a foam or fiberglass board, wear a wetsuit or surf trunks, or use surf wax and a leash, you are supporting an industry whose purpose is to make money. Plus, my detractors have no idea about the time and effort it takes to write a book. They think an author makes millions. LOL! In the 10 years since I wrote Surf Flex, I probably made enough money to buy one surfboard. If I broke it down into how much I made per hour of writing, it would be about 10 cents an hour!

Regarding the lame idea that to surf better, you just have to surf—well, that is only half lame. Any activity or sport requires skill for the actual ability to comprehend the neurological movement patterns and put them into action. That’s skill. Yet there is not one sport today where skill levels and performances have not improved because of physical enhancement. Football players in the 1950s didn’t weight train because they thought it would make them slower. Nor did basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, or track and field athletes. You name it. Can you imagine what the performance levels in those sports would look like today if those athletes didn’t have strength and conditioning programs? Look at golf and how Tiger changed the game. Before Tiger, a gin and tonic was the only weight a golfer would lift. What makes surfing different from other sports?

SS: What is your philosophy on fitness and surfing?

PF: There is no doubt in my mind that surfing will become an Olympic event in my lifetime. There are three types of surfers: a very small percentage who want to compete; those who make it a lifestyle; and those who surf recreationally. Surfers who choose to compete need strength and conditioning. The level of athleticism required for today’s young surfers is going through the roof. Competitive surfing is no place to be if you’re just in shape; you have to be in ultimate shape. For those who chose surfing as a recreation or lifestyle, staying fit enhances the surfing experience and reduces risk of overuse injuries. For the mass majority of us, all we want is to surf as long and as well as we can; staying in shape gives us the best chance of prolonging our surfing.

SS: Some people say what you eat matters much more so than how active you are. Did you see the recent Time article, Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin?

PF: Are you f***ing kidding me? You want me to get started on that fricking article! You know, anything we can do to accommodate the fatties is fine with me, because sooner or later they will be knocking on my door and hiring me for results. There are lots of excellent facts in the article, but the problem that I’m already hearing at the gym is, “See, exercise isn’t going to help me lose weight.” If you use exercise as an excuse to make up for poor nutrition, you are absolutely right.

Several years ago I was hired to train Caroline Rhea, the comedian and host of The Biggest Loser. The deal was she would train once or twice a day for 30 days: spinning, strength training, and Pilates. At the end of 30 days, she hadn’t lost a single pound. In an article she wrote for Shape magazine, Caroline said, “I learned that you can exercise until the cows come home, but if you don’t eat right, you’ll just be another cow.”

We — and I mean this globally — are becoming a society that wants to make fat the new normal. Do you know that ten years ago, size 10 for women was actually size 8? We eat sh**, don’t move, and cry that we’re not getting results. Exercise is an essential part of life. We are meant to move, and if we don’t, we deteriorate. I recently visited my hometown in Italy and was appalled by what I saw. I come from a little hamlet surrounded by farmland, six miles from the Mediterranean. They built a supermarket there and it’s packed with people buying cellophane vegetables and fruits from other countries. You walk outside and 20 yards away, you can pick all the fresh fruits and veggies you want! What the f***? My friends say it’s more convenient to go to the supermarket, because everything is in one place and it’s air conditioned. Guess what? The Italians are getting just as fat as the Americans.

Here it is in a nutshell: If you want to eat healthy, consume fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and lean meats. If you can afford it, eat organic. Drink water and an occasional IPA. How complex is that? If you adulterate your body with processed foods, refined flour, and sugars, you won’t lose weight and you’ll increase your risk of illness. Exercise every day, period.

End of rant. Now aren’t you glad you asked? LOL!

SS: What do you think about the current state of fitness and surfing?

PF: I’m glad to say that the surf community has heard the message, and the state of fitness in surfing is evolving rapidly. I did my small share to impart the message, and now Surf Stronger has taken it to a higher level with follow-along workout videos, surf conditioning camps, and free fit tips at surfstronger.com. It’s awesome. I’m hoping to put together a surf conditioning expo in New York City, where all the surf conditioning players can show off their stuff.

SS: What’s your favorite wave or surfing experience?

PF: My favorite surfing experience is anytime I can paddle out with my son, Paolo, and my brother, Enrico. My favorite wave is one that I can stand up on!

Paul finishing a 1.7 mile swim in Rhode Island.

Paul training master diver, Jim Peterson, on a floating pier.

Paul and "Louie".

–

For more on Paul Frediani, check out his web site,  PaulFrediani.com. Or better yet, friend him on Facebook and get a daily dose of the man.

Stay tuned for more Surf Stronger fit challenges, coming soon!

The Surf Stronger Crew

Coach Scott demonstrating the challenging one legged ball pushup.

The Surf Stronger Crew

Holly looking comfortable in full neoprene, ripping. Photo: Mike Balzer

The challenge:

Perform as many one legged ball push-ups as you can in one minute, on one side. Rest one minute, then switch feet and attempt as many one legged push ups on the other leg.

Rules: Your chest must lightly touch the ball on every push-up — you can’t bounce off the ball. One foot must be on the ground, and the other suspended in the air. Do as many as you can in one minute on one leg, rest for one minute, then switch legs. Email us your numbers at info@surfstronger.com. Winner gets a free, limited edition, Surf Stronger “Mind, Body, Surf” t-shirt. Contest closes midnight February 12, 2009.

Disclaimer: Always consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program. The suggestions here are in no way intended to substitute for medical advice.

Ball push ups are just one of many effective surf-specific exercises from the original, best selling, Surf Stronger–The Surfer’s Workout, available on DVD and as digital download.

Ball Push Ups on One Leg -- a great surf specific exercise.

Limited edition, Surf Stronger, "Mind, Body, Surf" t-shirt.