Are surfing exercises really necessary? Most surfers are in pretty good shape, and surfing itself is a good workout. But did you know that there are five dimensions to surfing fitness? That’s five different types of exercises to help you get the most out of your precious time in the water. If you’re not addressing each of these, you’re allowing these problems to creep into your surf sessions:
* Fewer waves to ride, because it takes you too long to paddle out.
* Less quality on each wave you ride, because it’s too difficult to maneuver the board and your body.
* Overall shorter duration of your sessions, because you fatigue more quickly than you should.
* Increased risk of injury, because you’re forced to over-exert yourself or use improper form.
Until you’re serious about getting into top surfing condition, you won’t realize just how many waves you’re missing or what kind of moves you’re currently prevented from doing. Commit yourself to each of these five areas of surf fitness training to become the best surfer you can.
The Five Types of Surfing Exercises
1. Cardiovascular: while brute strength has its place in surf training, you also need to be able to endure long periods of exertion. You don’t want to be exhausted after just a few minutes of paddling. Running is the most common way of increasing cardiovascular fitness; try varying terrains and altitudes to help you get the most out of your workout.
2. Core stability: the importance of core strength for virtually all physical activity gets more and more attention everyday, and it’s no different with surfing. Almost all of your time is spent resisting the force of the water, so it’s critical for your abs and back muscles to be in good shape. Crunches, abdominal presses, planks, and bridges are good surfing exercises in this area.
3. Upper body: you use your chest and shoulders quite a bit while surfing, especially when paddling and when popping up to ride a wave. The bench press is probably the most popular upper body exercise, but other useful ones are lat pulldowns, tricep pulldowns, curls, and even simple pushups.
4. Flexibility/mobility: one of the most overlooked areas of fitness, and not just among surfers, is flexibility. Stretching will make you more flexible and mobile, which will allow you to accomplish more on your board. You can do simple stretching exercises almost anywhere, and yoga is an option for a more structured activity. Pretty much every muscle can benefit from stretching, including hamstrings, calves, pectorals, and the lower back.
5. Lower body/balance: strengthening your lower body will help you balance on your board and make more advanced moves. Properly working out your legs also will help you avoid injury to your ankles and knees. Examples of lower body surfing exercises are squats, lunges, hip abductions and adductions, and calf raises.
If you’re not improving your body in each of these five areas, surfing can still be enjoyable, but you’re selling yourself short. Don’t be afraid to spend more time in the water, ride more waves, and have more fun. Don’t let another surf season go to waste!
