Are you eager to hit the waves and make the most out of the upcoming surf season? Preparing your body with targeted exercises can significantly enhance your performance and enjoyment in the water. Whether you're a seasoned surfer or just starting out, incorporating these 10 physical exercises into your routine will help you build strength, stability, and endurance for an epic surf season ahead.
1 - Plank Variations:
Standard Plank: Hold a plank position on your forearms and toes, keeping your body in a straight line.
Side Plank: Support your body weight on one forearm and the side of your foot, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Benefits: Planks strengthen your core muscles, which are essential for stability and balance while riding waves.
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2 - Squats:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your hips down as if you're sitting back into a chair, then return to standing.
Benefits: Squats build lower body strength, including your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, helping you generate power for paddling and maneuvering on your surfboard.
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3 - Lunges:
Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, then return to the starting position.
Alternate legs and repeat.
Benefits: Lunges improve leg strength and stability, crucial for maintaining balance and control while riding waves.
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4 - Push-Ups:
Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart, lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, then push back up.
Benefits: Push-ups strengthen your upper body, including your chest, shoulders, and arms, which are essential for paddling power and pop-up strength.
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5 - Burpees:
Begin in a standing position, then squat down and place your hands on the ground.
Jump your feet back into a plank position, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back towards your hands and explosively jump up.
Benefits: Burpees are a full-body exercise that builds strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness, simulating the dynamic movements of surfing.
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6 - Dumbbell Rows:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, hinge at the hips to lean forward, and extend your arms towards the ground.
Pull the dumbbells up towards your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower them back down.
Benefits: Dumbbell rows strengthen the muscles of your upper back and arms, enhancing your paddling efficiency and posture on the surfboard.
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7- Russian Twists:
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet lifted off the floor, holding a weight or medicine ball in front of your chest.
Twist your torso to one side, then the other, while keeping your core engaged.
Benefits: Russian twists target your oblique muscles, improving rotational strength and stability for better turns and maneuvers on the waves.
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8 - Jump Squats:
Perform a standard squat, but instead of returning to standing, explosively jump up as high as you can.
Land softly and immediately lower back into a squat to complete one repetition.
Benefits: Jump squats increase explosive power in your legs, mimicking the explosive movements required for popping up on your surfboard.
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9 - Bicycle Crunches:
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, lift your shoulders off the ground, and bring your knees towards your chest.
Extend one leg while simultaneously twisting your torso to bring the opposite elbow towards the bent knee.
Alternate sides in a pedaling motion.
Benefits: Bicycle crunches engage your core muscles, including your rectus abdominis and obliques, improving overall core strength and stability for surfing.
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10- Swiss Ball Stability Exercises:
Perform exercises such as Swiss ball pikes, rollouts, and hamstring curls to challenge your stability and core strength on an unstable surface.
Benefits: Swiss ball exercises improve balance, coordination, and proprioception, enhancing your ability to maintain equilibrium on a moving surfboard.
And thats it guys: incorporate these 10 physical exercises into your training regimen leading up to the surf season, and you'll be better equipped to tackle the waves with strength, stamina, and confidence.
Remember to listen to your body, stay consistent with your workouts, and enjoy the journey of becoming a fitter and more capable surfer.
Get ready to catch some waves and make unforgettable memories in the ocean! Dont forget to check our level 2 surf courses here in Peniche (HERE).
You will need this fitness training for sure ;)