jacob gomez
jacob gomez
Surf Coach• Senior technician in physical and sports activities
• Specialized in the biomechanics of surfing
• Surf instructor
• Lifeguard
• Founder of Surf Training Madrid
• Consultant at Selina surf club
• Manager of 11 surf schools in 5 countries.
• General manager of surf dojo
Hello, my name is Jacobo and I was born in Madrid, a big city four hours from the nearest beach. It wasn't until I came of age that I found out about the existence of surfing, and I still thought that it was a thing of distant and exotic countries, something unattainable. At the age of 25, some friends invited me to go up to the north of Spain for a weekend to surf with them. Fascinated with the possibility, we set out on a journey, the journey that started it all.
I had always been good at sports, but I remember when I first went into the sea with a surfboard, I couldn't even keep track of my friends. I felt that all my efforts lacked efficiency and I understood almost nothing of what was happening around me. Even so, in that state of exhaustion and uncertainty, I experienced for a few moments how all the doubts and worries that had always been ringing in my head were completely silenced. For the first time in my life, I had the feeling that I was where I wanted and needed to be. Exactly that year I was beginning my studies as a senior technician in Physical-Sports Activities, so I decided to immediately start researching how surfing was trained. To my surprise, unlike other disciplines, I found that there was almost no information or research regarding its biomechanics. Because for many years it had been seen more as a lifestyle than a sport. This had a huge impact on me, as it was also the most physical and complex sport I had ever tried. It was there that the light bulb went on: if I became a good specialist in this field, it would not only lead my career in one direction, but it would be my gateway to this world, also learning to surf. The lines of learning and research were focused on biodynamics, movements, avoiding injuries and learning processes of the sport.
Despite the fact that I was studying in my hometown, which may sound contradictory if one talks about surfing, I discovered that there was a large community of surfers in the Spanish capital. Some from the coast, but residents in Madrid, others from Madrid who took advantage of the weekend to travel to the coast. By the time I wanted to realize it, I had a large group of surfers of different levels for whom training was especially important, since they couldn't surf every day. It was then that my first venture emerged, and I founded Surf Training Madrid, a specific physical preparation center for surfing, in a city 400 km from the nearest beach. A crazy concept that exceeded all expectations and turned what was going to be an end-of-study internship into a 4-year project. On weekends we traveled to the different surf schools with which we collaborated throughout Spain, Portugal and Morocco. On these trips, the surf coaches from the respective schools gave us the guide on technical aspects to take into account to reinforce or correct them during our surftraining sessions that we did twice a week. We also did surfskate training and organized events, workshops and exhibitions.
Hello, my name is Jacobo and I was born in Madrid, a big city four hours from the nearest beach. It wasn't until I came of age that I found out about the existence of surfing, and I still thought that it was a thing of distant and exotic countries, something unattainable. At the age of 25, some friends invited me to go up to the north of Spain for a weekend to surf with them. Fascinated with the possibility, we set out on a journey, the journey that started it all.
I had always been good at sports, but I remember when I first went into the sea with a surfboard, I couldn't even keep track of my friends. I felt that all my efforts lacked efficiency and I understood almost nothing of what was happening around me. Even so, in that state of exhaustion and uncertainty, I experienced for a few moments how all the doubts and worries that had always been ringing in my head were completely silenced. For the first time in my life, I had the feeling that I was where I wanted and needed to be. Exactly that year I was beginning my studies as a senior technician in Physical-Sports Activities, so I decided to immediately start researching how surfing was trained. To my surprise, unlike other disciplines, I found that there was almost no information or research regarding its biomechanics. Because for many years it had been seen more as a lifestyle than a sport. This had a huge impact on me, as it was also the most physical and complex sport I had ever tried. It was there that the light bulb went on: if I became a good specialist in this field, it would not only lead my career in one direction, but it would be my gateway to this world, also learning to surf. The lines of learning and research were focused on biodynamics, movements, avoiding injuries and learning processes of the sport.
Despite being very happy with the experience I was acquiring and the direction that the Surf Training Madrid project had taken, I felt that I was moving away from the true objective of all this: being in the water and learning to surf. I had to follow that first feeling.
So finally, against all fear and recommendation, I dared to make the decision to leave the project in Madrid and follow my dream of living on the beach and being able to surf as part of my daily routine.
I embarked on a trip through Central America with the idea of doing a collaborative tour with different surf centers throughout Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and thus be able to train other profiles of riders who wanted to take it to a high level. The trip began in Panama, where I contacted the Surf Dojo of Playa Venao, which I have been following for a long time. To my surprise, they knew about my previous project in Madrid and very kindly invited me to stay with them. It was there that I began to live a lifestyle that I would not have even dared to dream of a few years ago. In Playa Venao, already thinking about planning my next destination, it was where I met the Selina hotel chain that had the Selina Surf Club brand, an emblematic surf project led by Bruno Muchada. I told him about my intention to collaborate with them and he told me that they had precisely approved a budget to start implementing specific physical preparation programs in each of the surf schools throughout several countries.
We started in Jaco and Santa Teresa in Costa Rica and continued through more schools designing different guides and physical preparation services. We were able to contrast with the procedures that were followed at the time and thus increased the quality of services. The next step was to take over the reins of the hotel in Playa Madera (Nicaragua) as surf supervisor. After 4 months we were able to demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedures and the tremendous potential of the project. From there, and for the next three years, I was personally the manager of ten of the schools, selecting and training their respective Head Coaches, instructors and other team members, throughout Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador. and Mexico. In spots like Jaco, Tamarindo, Nosara, Montañita, Bocas del Toro, Sayulita or Puerto Escondido. It was a tremendously constructive stage, where I was able to develop myself and learn more training riders and about the operation of a surf center or school.
By the last year of this stage, Bruno, who had become my mentor, guide and friend, had accepted an offer at another hotel brand in Portugal, leaving the project and leaving me as sole supervisor at this time of brand transition.
After six months as manager of the surf school in Jaco (Costa Rica), and another six in Sayulita (Mexico), I received a call from Bruno, where he told me that they had contacted him looking for a profile to manage a surf center in Panama. , and that he had recommended me for the position.
Although it was not in my plans (neither had everything else been) I decided to embark on a trip with them. It was the center of Surf Dojo. They were looking for someone to take the project to another level and that was me. At that moment I felt that the evidence of synchrodestiny, closure and beginning of the cycle was overwhelming.
I started my journey with Frederic Lacoste, owner and founder of the Surf Dojo, who had invited me with no interest other than sharing and exchanging knowledge. After
some back and forth, I finally called Frederic and said goodbye to a few years of learning and experience at Selina to return, with my backpack, to Panama.
When I arrived at the Surf Dojo, this time as General Manager, I found myself with a bigger and more ambitious project than I had known four years before. Surf Dojo was turning into an extreme sports themed hotel. With a skatepark, wave ramps, surf school, kayaks, paddleboards, downhill circuits for mountain bikes, restaurants and a hotel. The concept was exceptional and the ambition of the project very great. It was a year of a lot of work and learning. But above all it was the experience that made me ask myself more deeply than ever: What do I really want to do? Logic could say that I had found the position of my dreams, the conclusion to a chain of synchronicities that had flowed in an almost orchestrated way. I had found myself, I was living a life that made me feel connected and fulfilled, I had achieved a level of surfing beyond anything I could ever hope for. It was time, after years of different choices and following opportunities presented at the right time, to be the one who drew the next steps.
In recent years I had poured a lot of energy into big and ambitious projects, dazzled by the potential and the possibility of affecting and reaching a large number of people with what we did. But ironically that was what caused me the feeling of not being able to do it. Despite all the good things, I always carried a feeling of frustration, for never reaching the true potential that I saw in the projects in which I was involved. Due to the magnitude and rhythm of things, it had been impossible for me to pay the attention and care that I would like to the small details, that which really mattered to me. And it is from this feeling of wanting more and guarding what seems valuable to me, where Holistic Surf is born.
It is time to share everything learned with you in a personal way. All the biomechanical, technical, environmental, mental and structural knowledge that has personally helped me achieve my goals and get to surf and live consciously and fully. For this I count on Lulú, my life partner and the other half in this project.
Will you join this trip?