If you’ve ever spent any time on a surfboard you know how physically hard and intensely demanding your surf can be. In order to become a great surfer, you must have mental and physical strength and focus every minute you’re in the water. In this article, we’ll be covering some tips and techniques that will enable you to develop and maintain the stamina, strength and balance necessary for optimum surfing ability. Recovery time is also important to think about. If you are sore or worn out after a surf session, you’re much more likely to miss those next awesome waves. Here are some good tips that you can incorporate into your surfing workout in order to spend more time surfing better on bigger waves.
Surfing is more than just having balance, you must be strong and able-bodied. You must possess upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength and balance, in addition to flexibility. The best surfing workouts will include both aerobic and anaerobic exercises, as surfing demands both physician and energetic system stamina. Alternating between the two systems, remembering to target all your involved muscle groups will ensure you are reaping the full benefits of your surfing workout.
Critical Tips for Maximizing Your Surfing Workout –
#1 – Focus on Core Strength First
Core strength is referencing the muscles in your back and abdominal region. They keep your spine straight and strong and keep your body balanced. Surfing involves lots of rotating, balance and twisting. Having solid core strength will ensure safety and decrease your chances of injury. Adding exercises to include your neck, chest, back and hips will help to ensure that your core isn’t overpoweringly strong, therefore throwing you off-balance. Strengthening your core will increase your ability to surf very quickly. Some exercises to try for core strength would be squats, back extensions and stability ball twists.
#2 – Yoga!
If you haven’t already realized the power of incorporating yoga into your workout, now is the time! Why Yoga for surfers you may ask? Well, yoga allows you to strengthen and stretch every single muscle used in surfing. It is also guaranteed to make you a better surfer by increasing your balance, your stamina…even your mental focus! It can offer you stretches that will improve your muscles in the areas you need it most, such as your rotator cuffs for paddling, and your core muscles to help you stand up on your board quickly and with balance. Not to mention the fabulous breathing techniques you’ll learn and practice that will increase your lung capacity greatly. Practicing yoga when the swell is gone is a great way to help you say conditioned and prepared for when that swell comes back! Some recommended poses would be downward facing dog or the plank.
#3 – Don’t forget to stretch
Stretching and flexibility are absolutely necessary for anyone serious about surfing. If you become sore after a surf, that muscle soreness can prevent you from being completely on top of your game. All that paddling and the impact from the waves can really put stress and strain on your physical body. This is why adding a good stretching regime to your exercises is so important. Not only do you decrease your physical soreness, you also increase the chances that you will not become injured. You must remember to stretch both before and after a good surf, in addition to adding it to your regular exercise routine. Stretch everything from your neck to your ankles!!!
#4 – Remember Nutrition
Proper nutrition will ensure you can stay in the surf longer and have fewer negative side effects when you spend a lot of time in the waves. Using common sense is key. Eat as close to nature as you possibly can, be aware of your higher nutritional requirements because of the high activity and be sure to eat protein, carbs and healthy fats at every meal. Feed the brain and feed the body! And always, always remember to stay hydrated! Limit caffeine and drink a minimum 100 oz of water every day…more on a scorcher.
These tips are sure to help maximize your surfing workout!
Mike Coolage has been surfing since he could walk. He has surfed all over the world with some of the best professionals and many unknown rippers. He has been training people to surf and building his own surf boards when the surf is flat.

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