Exercise for Surfing

[Lister87]

So to build up the right muscles what excercises would work best to get in shape better for surfing?

I mean at the minute i run twice a week, 30-40 sit ups a day, and do weights, but wondered was there any others that would come in handy?

[Dr Rev]

Swimming helps loads, keeps you supple and fit !

[myate]

Swimming, going to the gym, running whatever...all helps. Yoga is great too I find. But the best way is to surf as much as possible....pretty simple really!

[Beachbumhippie]

Swimming

[rto3]

swimming for the paddling, but deffinately pushups for like duck diving, recovering, and pushing up and stuff. also yeah running is great for endurance.

[mowflow]

Look at doing plyometric push ups as you want to develop the fine twitch muscles for explosive power (great for pop ups). Weights will build bulk and develop different muscle groups in the upper body than the main ones for surfing ie lifting weights mainly involves pushing, surfing/paddling is generally pulling. If you use weights do lots of repetitions with light weights. Like everyone says swimming is the best. Martial arts are also great for developing balance and fine twitch muscles.

[Stone Fox]

One thing I did try was wedging a couple of swimming floats under my chest in the pool and paddling up and down the pool like I was on a board, except with my legs dragging.

I'm pretty sure it helps, the same muscles start burning in about the same time!

The only downside is you get some funny looks! :p

[The Fafanator]

Look at doing plyometric push ups as you want to develop the fine twitch muscles for explosive power (great for pop ups). Weights will build bulk and develop different muscle groups in the upper body than the main ones for surfing ie lifting weights mainly involves pushing, surfing/paddling is generally pulling. If you use weights do lots of repetitions with light weights. Like everyone says swimming is the best. Martial arts are also great for developing balance and fine twitch muscles.

Funny you should say that, I have been doing Karate for over 7 years (and kickboxing for a year, but it is quite similar.), and after I got used to the water and catching waves, I started to get the hang of things quite fast.
So I geuss it does really help. But surfing is the best exersise for surfing. (Duh)

[parrysurf]

for me skateboarding is my cross exercise. an hour at the local park and my shirt is drenched with sweat. pumping figure eights in a bowl till your heart is ready to jump from your chest and your legs are screaming.

Swimming is the call for the paddle, or just paddle when it is flat.

down hilling on a skate is not asgood a workout as the skate park, but it will cross well with surfing too.


JUST DON'T CRASH, CONCRETE IS MUCH HARDER THAN WATER

[LOLRuss]

I'm looking into this too. My popup is slow as christmas, as I am obese.

I'm thinking about plyometrics? Breaking the popup down into two steps:

1) Pushup/ass in the air

2) Fast body-weight squat up

As fast as possible, in sets of motion 1 and then motion 2. Does this sound reasonable? I've never done plyometrics before

[mowflow]

It all helps LOLRuss. A good one in terms of pop ups is to do like a normal push up but on the up push, boost yourself right off the ground as high as you can. Gives you good explosive power in your arms. Do sets of 10 or as many as you can. Not sure if that's what you meant anyway.

Also any kind of squats are good for your legs. The same principal as used for the push ups can be applied to squats. eg. On the up push spring into the air, land, squat down, spring up again all in one smooth motion. Keep doing it til your legs turn to jelly.

Another good one for pop ups is something we call xxxxx jumps (try doing 50 and you'll see why). It's where you start standing up right, go down into a squat thrust, when the legs are outstretched in the squat thrust do a push up, squat thrust in, spring into the air and repeat, repeat, repeat..... That one will also improve stamina and general fitness.

[pkbum]

It all helps LOLRuss. A good one in terms of pop ups is to do like a normal push up but on the up push, boost yourself right off the ground as high as you can. Gives you good explosive power in your arms. Do sets of 10 or as many as you can. Not sure if that's what you meant anyway.

.

Wow thanks for this advice, I thought my push up was good enough but I guess I need to put that extra juice to make me more stronger to pop up.

[BCspicoli]

Another good one for pop ups is something we call xxxxx jumps (try doing 50 and you'll see why). It's where you start standing up right, go down into a squat thrust, when the legs are outstretched in the squat thrust do a push up, squat thrust in, spring into the air and repeat, repeat, repeat..... That one will also improve stamina and general fitness.

In the hockey training world, these are called burpees! as they make you burp from the motion, and eventually you'll probably puke from exhaustion if you do enough of them. lol oh boy do i miss my days puking at hockey training, burpees suck but they do they trick for sure!!

im thinking of doing a variation. start down on ur chest, do an explosive low stance pop-up, then jump off ground, raising knees as high as possible off the groud, then land, drop to chest down, then repeat starting with pop-up again. hmmmmm..... maybe ill wait to try since i just ate.

[uglystick]

So to build up the right muscles what excercises would work best to get in shape better for surfing?

I mean at the minute i run twice a week, 30-40 sit ups a day, and do weights, but wondered was there any others that would come in handy?

all of the replies so far have been good, but dont forget stretching is probably one of the most important exercises which would help your surfing. Being flexible and allowing you muscles to use their full potential is a must if your keen to maximise your surfing ability.

[Otter]

Just surf more. That's the best exercise to prepare for surfing. Everything else is fine, but surfing is where the rubber hits the road.

[LOLRuss]

So to build up the right muscles what excercises would work best to get in shape better for surfing?

I mean at the minute i run twice a week, 30-40 sit ups a day, and do weights, but wondered was there any others that would come in handy?

all of the replies so far have been good, but dont forget stretching is probably one of the most important exercises which would help your surfing. Being flexible and allowing you muscles to use their full potential is a must if your keen to maximise your surfing ability.

I have to stretch my hamstrings before, after and all through the day just to keep them from hurting all the time and cramping up in the water.

[flyingvee]

but surfing is where the rubber hits the road.

cool quote - right on the money, man

[Sar]

So to build up the right muscles what excercises would work best to get in shape better for surfing?

I mean at the minute i run twice a week, 30-40 sit ups a day, and do weights, but wondered was there any others that would come in handy?

all of the replies so far have been good, but dont forget stretching is probably one of the most important exercises which would help your surfing. Being flexible and allowing you muscles to use their full potential is a must if your keen to maximise your surfing ability.

I have to stretch my hamstrings before, after and all through the day just to keep them from hurting all the time and cramping up in the water.

I suffer quite badly from tight hamstrings and the BEST stretch I find is the yoga position of the 'downward facing dog'. You may already do it - just thought it would help.

[b-lag]

run as fast as you, as far as you can, while holding your breath. do that a few times a day and you won't believe how much your stamina increases while surfing.

[ANZAC]

Just surf more. That's the best exercise to prepare for surfing. Everything else is fine, but surfing is where the rubber hits the road.

Absolutely!

And some stretching or yoga.