Surfing is quite possibly one of the most enjoyable water sports around. It is one of the only sports that requires a mixture of all aspects of fitness; strength, endurance, agility, and balance. By training these specific areas you are setting yourself up to become a better surfer.
Strength when it comes to surfing is simply the ability to propel your body through the water, and the power needed to obtain a standing position on the board. There are an infinite number of strength building exercises, however, to achieve maximum satisfaction while surfing it is best to follow a surfing-specific routine. The most noted method to build muscle strength is the lifting of weights in a series of repetitions or “reps“. A beneficial surfing exercise to follow is known as the “Shoulder Roll“. The shoulder roll is executed by holding a light free weight (5-10 pounds) in each hand and slowly rolling your shoulders in a circular motion, while keeping the back straight. Always follow proper back care! By building up muscular strength, you are gaining the ability to surf larger and rougher conditions.
Endurance in fitness is simply the ability to withstand muscle strain for a period of time. In surfing 90-95% of your time spent is in the process of paddling. Many surfers would agree that paddling is probably the most strenuous part of any surfing experience. One method of building paddling endurance is known as “suicides“. Suicides can be performed by paddling in pre-set time increments, and by increasing that time every repetition. For example, the first repetition would be 10 seconds of non-stop paddling; the second would be 20 seconds of non-stop paddling; and the third would be 40 seconds. So on and so forth. This method will drastically improve your ability to sustain hours on the water.
Agility is very important in pulling off impressive maneuvers such as cutbacks and sprays. One noted method to increase agility is to do “figure runs“, or simply run in the pattern of a specific figure or shape. Cross-training with “street surfers” or long boards is a beneficial way to see an improvement in your agility. These boards are similar to skateboards, and generally range from three to five feet. Long boards, like skateboards, have four wheels and 2 “trucks“. By using a long board you will notice that your actual surfing will be more fluid, yet aggressive. The “street surfer” is a perfect way to practice your surfing techniques on a flat or mushy day.
In our world of surfing, balance is crucial. Balance is what differentiates between a killer aerial, or simply falling off the nose of the board. Then again, not everyone is born with balance; it is one of those things that are gained with practice and time. However, the learning process can be sped up with the use of a few different tools. The main method to improve balance that we will discuss is a stability ball. A stability ball is simply a large rubber-like ball filled with air that can be used for a variety of exercises; ranging from core workouts to balance training. Stability balls increase targeted muscle strength which in turn provides increased balance.

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