

Top-ranking wakeboarder needs to be in top shape

Fort Lauderdale native Steel Lafferty, one of the world's top wakeboarders, came in 10th overall at the Red Bull Wake Open July 5-6 in Tampa. The event, which was broadcast on NBC, brought together 35 athletes.

He finished 12th last year, when he competed with a severe biceps injury.

A graduate of Westminster Academy, Lafferty has practiced throughout South Florida: at Crystal Lake in Pompano Beach, Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale, Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach and Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach. He's now training in the Orlando area, a wakeboarding mecca due to its many lakes, but returns regularly to visit family and attend Miami Heat and Dolphins games.

Q: Besides your sport, are there other reasons you keep fit?

A: Yeah, life is a lot better healthy. I live an active lifestyle all-around, playing basketball and skateboarding besides wakeboarding professionally.

Q: What's your workout routine?

A: I do a lot of gym stuff. More core [exercises] than anything else, because with wakeboarding I'm already doing a lot of pounding on my knees, so I'm not running a lot. And lifting weights is not important because I don't want to get big. I want to stay lean.

I'll sit on one of those big balls and stretch all parts of my body for 20 minutes. Then do 100 crunches. Then leg raises. Then I'll bring the pull-down bar down so my right elbow touches my left knee and then my left elbow touches my right knee. I'll twist with the medicine ball and hang from the chin-up bar while doing leg raises. Exercises like that. I don't keep track of my numbers, just keep going till I get burned out.

Between each of those exercises, I'll bike for five minutes to get my heart rate up. I do all that three or four times a week in the off-season. During the season, I do this workout only once or twice a week.

I love playing basketball for my cardio as well. I would love to play basketball every day, but [do it] two times a week usually.

Q: How tough is wakeboarding?

A: You're using legs, arms, everything. You've got to use your legs when you hit the waves for explosiveness, and core to keep you in balance. Use arms and upper body holding the handle. There's not one part of your body you don't use.

Q: How did injury affect you in last year's Red Bull Wake Open?

A: In the world, I was fourth last year overall. At Wake Open, I was injured, had torn my short tendon in my left biceps. Tore that pretty bad. But this year, 100 percent healthy. Although I just got over ear surgery. Blew out an eardrum wakeboarding and had to get surgery.

Q: Does your family keep fit?

A: My dad loves biking. He's a huge road biker. At 6 a.m., he'll go on a 40-mile bike ride with his crew. My mom loves to play tennis and go on runs. My older brother, he's pretty athletic. He likes to wake surf. My little brother is streamlined, perfect for running and biking. He bikes with my dad and has run cross-country.

Q: Do you smoke or have any other health vices?

A: I don't smoke. I'll have a cigar on special occasions. I'll have a few beers now and then with the guys. I try to not get too hammered because it takes me out of the game. If I get drunk, it's two steps back.

Q: What's your typical daily diet?

A: Definitely varies. I'm always on the road [competing] so it's hard to stay on a certain diet. I drink a lot of water. I don't drink a lot of soda. Red Bull if I need a pick-me-up or to focus on working out. Foodwise, I stick with fruits and vegetables — apples, bananas, easy stuff like that. If my body's craving something, I don't hold out because I know I'm working it off.

Q: Take any vitamins or sports-nutrition products?

A: Not really. Just drink a lot of water after working out and get carbs and protein.

Steel Lafferty

Age: 21

Residence: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando

Height/weight: 5 feet, 7 inches; 160 pounds

Occupation: Professional wakeboarder

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