When the waves aren’t firing and you’re staring off into space, you could be spending that time ensuring your next session is one to remember. There is nothing worse than wasting the first few waves of the day trying to “find” the board under your feet or body. Use these 5 tips to a stronger surf to ensure you’re on point as soon as you get wet.
Warm-Up
An essential part to any athlete’s performance is an extensive warm up. Elite surfers never hit the water without preparing themselves for the task ahead – so you shouldn’t either. Look at surfing from a mechanical standpoint – the angles we contort our bodies into, the forces we deal with from the waves, and the absolute pounding we take on a wipeout require our limbs to be both supple, yet incredibly strong. A proper warm up with loosen your muscles preventing injury and prepare them to fire so you can drive off that bottom turn to destroy the lip. Or sling a massive air.
Try This! The Better-Mobility Workout
General Surf Training
Surf training needs to mimic the conditions we spend our time in. Besides paddling, not many motions are repeatable. Your training should focus heavily on balance, stability, cardiovascular development, and explosiveness. Varying your workouts weekly or even daily is optimal to ensuring both your nervous system and muscles are pushed to better performance. Traditional weightlifting, kettlebells, TRX, balance trainers, and bodyweight exercises can all improve your surfing if accomplished with a specific goal. Try to think outside of the box and you’ll find the unpredictability of your workouts will improve your surfing by mimicking the unpredictability of the waves.
Try This! General Strength and Conditioning Workout (from The 21-Day Shred)
Core-Specific Surf Training
This is not to be confused with general surf training, core-specific surf training specifically targets the midsection. Since balance and stability are without a doubt the most important parts of surfing, training your core needs to be a top priority. Constant changes in direction, the ability to control off axis turns, and even the simple task of recovering from a “chop” in the wave, all hinge on your core being as strong as your surfing. Having your core conditioned will have you pulling off new maneuvers or surviving the worst face conditions all while making it look easy.
Try This! 8 Unconventional Core Exercises for Sick Power
Endurance Training
There is nothing worse than being caught inside by a monster set, gasping for air, with your arms unable to paddle. It has happened to everyone and it is not a very comfortable feeling. Endurance training for surfing can help reduce – because it will happen again – the frequency of utter helplessness. Beyond fighting your way to the outside, just think about the task of staying alive while being what I refer to as, “A G.I. Joe in a washing machine”. Endurance training will help in all areas of surfing whether you are on top of the water… or underneath it.
Try This! A “Muscle Run” Bodyweight + Cardio (from The 21-Day Shred)
Rest & Recovery
As surfers we spend all of our time surfing, thinking about surfing, or training to surf. The sport is a lifestyle but it is also one of the most physically demanding sports you can find. Take time to chill out, recover from a marathon session… and of course… talk to the girls. You have to take care of yourself out of the water, so you can perform while in the water.
Try This! The 10-Minute Yoga Fix
These five tips to a better surf will keep you in prime condition ready to snap, carve, and boost.
