If you’re tired of standing on the shore watching surfers do their thing, it’s time to get out on the water yourself. Luckily, San Diego is one of the best places to learn how to surf, but you need to be in good physical condition to get the most out of your retreat.
Start putting a focus on surfer exercises within your workouts before you arrive at your first lesson. This will make you a great first-timer, allowing you to focus on fundamental surfing skills rather than pushing your body’s strength and endurance.
HERE ARE FIVE SIMPLE SURFERS’ EXERCISES YOU SHOULD BE DOING:
1. PUSH-UPS
Between carrying around your board, paddling out, and pushing up to stand, surfing requires an intense level of upper-body strength. This is why push-ups are one of the best surf training movements out there.
You don’t need a gym or any sort of equipment to do a proper push-up. All you need is some open space and the will to become a better surfer. Make push-ups a part of your morning wake-up routine, or put them at the beginning or end of your daily workouts.
Learn how to do a proper push-up before you get started, though.
2. PULL-UPS
As useful as push-ups can be, they focus mostly on the chest. To train your back for the upper-body test of surfing, you need to do pulling motions. Pull-ups are the most effective and accessible pulling workout available.
Again, you don’t need much to do these surfer exercises. If you have a sturdy bar somewhere outside your home or a playground nearby, you’re all set.
Try doing at least 5-10 pull-ups every single day. This gets your body used to the motion and builds up your strength to do sets of 10-15, or maybe even more, within one workout! You’ll notice the difference every time you grab onto the bar, and you’ll definitely be glad you did this once you get out on the water.
3. AB WORKOUTS
Paddling out is mostly upper-body work, and standing on and maneuvering a surfboard takes a lot of leg strength. But, you’re always using your abs while you surf, and as such, core training is a must-have component of your surfing workouts.
The good news is you can target abs in a wide variety of ways. Get on the ground and do some basic sit-ups or crunches. Or, stick your legs out and do leg raises either to the side or up and down.
OTHER AB WORKOUTS INCLUDE:
pikes
planks
russian twists
rollouts
flutterkicks
leg raises
You don’t have to do all of these every day. But, you do need to challenge your abs in some form during all of your workouts.
4. ROWING EXERCISES
Just as it’s good to mix up the kind of ab workouts you do, you should start to diversify your upper-body training as you advance through surf training. A great way to do this is with a rowing machine.
Rowing targets the back, the chest, biceps and triceps, and your core. Some people even feel a bit of tension in their legs, too. It takes a bit of focus to complete a lengthy set on the rowing machine, though. Begin with warm-up and/or cool-down sets of 5-10 minutes, then make rowing a more integral part of your routine.
5. CARDIO EXERCISES
Rowing is a form of cardio, but sometimes, you need to do more. Swap out your warm-up row for a run every once in a while. Or, make it a point to go on a long run during your rest days.
This will transform your surf training. Running builds endurance, challenges all the muscles in the body, and even supports balance training, which you’ll also need a lot of while surfing. You can opt to bike, do HIIT, or get on an elliptical as well.
FROM SURFER EXERCISES ON LAND TO FEELING THE POWER OF THE SEA
There’s something about surfing that no other sport or adrenalineactivity can compare to. The surfing community is full of wonderful, inspiring individuals who freely accept others into this tribe.
When you’re out there on the water, though, it’s just you and the sea. Surfing connects you with nature in such a powerful, beautiful way, and the surfer exercises above will help you prepare for this experience.
Feel the rush for yourself. Click here for information about lessons, retreats, and more!