Surfing Exercises

What do I need to do?

While surfing is a sport or recreational pastime that more or less everyone can do, it also requires you to be reasonably flexible and have good balance. These are areas you can easily work on at home if you are not a "gym jockey". When you think about how you surf - moving from a prone position to standing as a wave just catches the underside of the tail of your board, you can see why you need to be flexible and have balance. So what can you do to improve this?

Well unless you want your neighbours to think you are a complete nut, it might be a good idea to draw the curtains first. Go get your surfboard and lay it on the floor in your living room or any place that will allow you some space. Now make sure you are wearing suitable clothes that give you freedom of movement - hey you may as well don your board shorts and feel the part to! Now lie flat on your surfboard on your stomach - just as if you would if you were actually in the sea ( don't worry about those dust bunnies under the sofa or that dog toy behind the TV - concentrate on the surf ). Now using a paddling motion with your arms (see I told you it would be a good idea to close those curtains) and visualise that wave approaching, feel the motion as it rocks the tail end of your board and at that moment take two extra hard paddles and then place your hands flat on the board - as if you were going to do push ups - and lift your head and chest up - at the same time bringing your knees up and your feet underneath you so that you can stand. As you bring your lead foot forward (assuming you have already discovered if you are a natural, switch-foot or just all round goofy) make sure you don't drag it and push through the hips and legs, twisting at the waist so your favoured foot is directly under your chest and your other foot is approximately 15 behind - gently ease yourself into a standing position, keeping an even weight distribution between both feet and your knees slightly bent. Imagine doing that on the water and you can see why you need flexibility and balance - you will probably discover you have muscles in places you never knew about. With practice this will become easier.

Many surfers use yoga as a way to improve both their flexibility and balance as these two areas are very important - surfing isn't about brute strength - although some strength is required and can be improved through moderate weight training. Higher repetitions with medium weights three times a week is plenty to improve muscle strength. Endurance is needed if you are going to spend any length of time in the water and you can practice for this by swimming on the days you don't do the weight workout - varying it by doing sprints one day and longer distances another.

Not only will you get more out of your surfing time, you will look even better in those new surf clothes!