52 Cris Mills - Surf Strength Coach

Still stretching your hamstrings and doing crunches to improve your surfing? That's cute—but also outdated.

In this no-holds-barred conversation, surf strength coach Cris Mills (of Surf Strength Coach and the Surf Athlete App) joins host Michael Frampton to talk DNS, chronic pain, back injuries, morning routines, surfing culture, homelessness, and the surprising connection between gut health and mental resilience.

• Hear Cris's raw story of injury, burnout, and the unconventional path to building a global surf training brand

• Learn how DNS and breath training helped him (and thousands of surfers) escape chronic pain

• Get straight talk on what actually improves performance and longevity for surfers beyond their 30s

Press play and learn how to bulletproof your body, train smarter—not harder—and live a surf-optimized life without breaking yourself.

Key Points

• Michael announced a surfing shortboard workshop in Malibu on January 25th and 26th, focusing on surfboard design, wave reading, and surfing techniques.

• Chris discussed his health issues, attributing them to childhood nutrition, lifestyle, and surf trips, leading to heavy treatments and ongoing health management.

• Chris shared his journey from initially planning to study law to transitioning into fitness training, particularly focusing on surf fitness.

• Michael and Chris discussed the benefits of DNS (Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization) for pain relief and improving physical self-awareness, with Michael sharing his personal experience with DNS.

• The conversation touched on the challenges of chronic pain, the importance of financial capacity for health treatments, and the role of nutrition and lifestyle in managing pain.

• Chris mentioned his experience with gut health protocols and their impact on his brain chemistry, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to health.

• The discussion highlighted the severe homelessness problem in America, particularly in cities like Los Angeles, and the need for systemic changes to address it.

• Chris described his relationship with the ocean and surfing as integral to his life, despite not being part of the traditional surf industry.

• Michael and Chris discussed the importance of gaze stabilization and vestibular training for brain health, especially after traumatic brain injuries.

• Chris introduced his app, Surf Athlete, aimed at helping individuals improve their surfing through strength and conditioning programs.

https://surfstrengthcoach.com/

For the passionate surfer—whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer—this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we'll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we're here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more—so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner or intermediate Surfer to advanced.