FEEL-GOOD FITNESS... THE LA WAY

father as he nails half pipes and kickflip tricks like it’s second nature.

TJ is just eight-and-a-half years old, but has already been singled out by the Venice skateboarding community as a potential Olympics contender.

“TJ’s training for the Olympics already?” I ask our tour guide, Dan Levy from Juice Magazine, also a keen skateboarder.

“Dude!” he replies, “Everyone’s training for the Olympics right now.”

I make a mental note to look out for TJ’s name in 10 years’ time.

I notice the super-cool skateboarding collective whizzing past with ocean wind in their hair don’t look like they’re working out, but they all have calf muscles of steel. mention my nerves, are put to the test as we try out another of the new-to-be Olympic sports for ourselves; surfing.

We drive for half an hour along the Pacific Coast Highway over to surf mecca Malibu for a lesson with Aqua Surf School on Surfrider Beach. Lessons are from around £90 for 90 minutes.

Being a big fan of the ocean but a wimp when it comes to deep water, I’ve already decided to bow out and watch. But infectious instructors Allen King and Jackson Englund have other ideas.

They point-blank refuse to let me miss out.

“The waves are beyond mellow today, trust me,” Allen reassures, and then jokingly tells me to “man up”.

Having just returned from Hawaii where the waves were “gnarly” (yes, this surf language is alive and kicking), Allen explains that Malibu and Santa Monica are ideal for beginners, but the wilder winter months are better suited to intermediate level and upwards.

Still thinking about it, I tug on my