Surfing Waves

Hey guys, I'm new here and also new to surfing I started about a month ago.
I live in Morocco where we don't have coral reef or any big sharks so it's kind of consequence free, I tend to get exhausted after 30 minutes of paddling, how do you guys avoid getting tired and how long did it take you to get used to it, thanks a lot in advance

Who told you there were no big sharks there!?

When I started, I did lots of pushups, pull ups, dips, squats and a few other things along with a lot of stretching.....that and getting out surfing as much as I could helped, but like anything else, you need to build up to it.

Big H wrote:Who told you there were no big sharks there!?

When I started, I did lots of pushups, pull ups, dips, squats and a few other things along with a lot of stretching.....that and getting out surfing as much as I could helped, but like anything else, you need to build up to it.

The sharks we have are the size of my arm, nothing that could cause serious injuries or tear a limb off, the worst you can get is a scar other than that I've been doing a bit of stretching and pushups and my legs are already ripped from running and bicycle riding.

I really enjoy just paddling about if I am not actually able to catch any waves. Also if you do this try and do short bursts of intensive paddling with some more gentle paddling between to replicate paddling for waves.

There are resistance bands you can buy that you can use to practise when your at home (I have some and find them really good) however nothing will ever beat paddling for improving your paddling so if you can get in the water, do it.

Dex101 wrote:I really enjoy just paddling about if I am not actually able to catch any waves. Also if you do this try and do short bursts of intensive paddling with some more gentle paddling between to replicate paddling for waves.

There are resistance bands you can buy that you can use to practise when your at home (I have some and find them really good) however nothing will ever beat paddling for improving your paddling so if you can get in the water, do it.

Sounds good, the thing is I'm on holiday for a week so I'm going everyday but next week I have school, I come out at 4 PM on everyday excluding the weekend so I only have one day to go out, should the water be good at 4PM if the sunset is at 6PM? or do I just have to go on weekends like I am currently doing.

im also somewhat new and what ive found to help with my paddleing endurance is to just get out there and paddle. if its flat go paddle, if its to choppy to surf still go out and paddle in the shallows. Just go when ever you can even if all you do is paddle.

You should go in the morning....smoother seas, less crowds, 3-4x a week at least if you can.

Keep at it, other than doing pushups, pullups etc, there is no real substitute for building your paddling endurance than going out and paddling around. Like others said, try and get out as much as you can regardless of conditions. That's a great suggestion to mix in short bursts of sprint paddling to mimick wave catching as well. Also, work on your form, you'll want deep smooth paddles, with your arm goin straight down or under the board, and keep your feet together, don't drag them off the sides(not sure if that's an issue for you, but beginners sometimes have that habit to help with stability while lying prone).

Check your forecasts as well, it doesn't really have to do with the time the sun sets. Most afternoons are blown out over where I'm at, but we do have days where you get a nice glass off in the afternoons and conditions are definitely surfable. Agree with BigH, morning is usually your best bet.

As many have said, paddling in the ocean is the BEST, but if it's not practical, swimming in a pool really helps! I swim for an hour twice a week and can catch most waves I go for.

Drowning Bit By Bit posted some great ideas on this thread...
https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25968

My current workout.
200 free
8 x 50 butterfly
200 free
4 x100 IM
400 free
8 x 25 free sprints

You can also search "surf swimming workout" for more ideas.

oldgrom22 wrote:Keep at it, other than doing pushups, pullups etc, there is no real substitute for building your paddling endurance than going out and paddling around. Like others said, try and get out as much as you can regardless of conditions. That's a great suggestion to mix in short bursts of sprint paddling to mimick wave catching as well. Also, work on your form, you'll want deep smooth paddles, with your arm goin straight down or under the board, and keep your feet together, don't drag them off the sides(not sure if that's an issue for you, but beginners sometimes have that habit to help with stability while lying prone).

Check your forecasts as well, it doesn't really have to do with the time the sun sets. Most afternoons are blown out over where I'm at, but we do have days where you get a nice glass off in the afternoons and conditions are definitely surfable. Agree with BigH, morning is usually your best bet.

yeah I'm fairly new but I'm the geeky type so I did a bit of research beforehand, the way I paddle currently is legs together slightly above the water and my chest puffed up and I paddle elbows deep, not sure if it's easier to paddle on a smaller board but I'm having issues with a longboard currently especially when handling the waves all I do is turtle flip it and wait for the waves to go by and then try to turn it as quick as possible when catching a wave.

BoMan wrote:As many have said, paddling in the ocean is the BEST, but if it's not practical, swimming in a pool really helps! I swim for an hour twice a week and can catch most waves I go for.

Drowning Bit By Bit posted some great ideas on this thread...
https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25968

My current workout.
200 free
8 x 50 butterfly
200 free
4 x100 IM
400 free
8 x 25 free sprints

You can also search "surf swimming workout" for more ideas.

Might pick up a workout other than jogging, thanks for the advice

I used to surf long ago and then quit. When I decided to restart I was in poor physical shape. I got a set of dumbbells and started doing arm strengthening and shoulder strengthening exercises. I did those and fast walking/hiking for cardio for 6 months before I bought a board. While I limited my surf sessions to 30 minutes a week ,I never had a problem being too tired to paddle however as a safety precaution if I feel myself getting tired and there are dangerous conditions I go in before I reach that point (cut my usual 30 minutes a few minutes shorter). Swimming is probably better than that for paddling but actually paddling a board is the best.

oldmansurfer wrote:I used to surf long ago and then quit. When I decided to restart I was in poor physical shape. I got a set of dumbbells and started doing arm strengthening and shoulder strengthening exercises. I did those and fast walking/hiking for cardio for 6 months before I bought a board. While I limited my surf sessions to 30 minutes a week ,I never had a problem being too tired to paddle however as a safety precaution if I feel myself getting tired and there are dangerous conditions I go in before I reach that point (cut my usual 30 minutes a few minutes shorter). Swimming is probably better than that for paddling but actually paddling a board is the best.

Well I'm probably the definition of poor physical shape since I'm more of a computer guy, I program and make robots and stuff, not much of an outdoors person so this is my most recent hobby I picked up so it's going to take lots of work to adapt but from what my family and friends are saying it's a lot of fun and it seems so to me too.

icetime wrote:I tend to get exhausted after 30 minutes of paddling

What "kind" of paddling. Just paddling out to the break, just trying to stay in one place due to currents/rips, paddling to actually catch the wave ? In Japan's mostly beach breaks, you can almost walk out to the waves. In Hawaii, some places takes 15-20 just to get to the break.

icetime wrote:the way I paddle currently is legs together slightly above the water and my chest puffed up

Since you are a cyclist, you have to forget to use your lower body and just let the top do the work. Your legs are the biggest muscles and will take away the blood/oxygen from the arms. Let them relax. Don't try to hold them together and up off the deck. Chest too, any actions to lift or engaged the other muscles means less power/endurance to the arms. You need to find a nice rhythmic cadence to your paddle, just like spinning. Don't stand up on the pedals and mash them like a piston.

Question: what size/type of board are you riding ? Where are you positioned on the board ? Most beginners tend to be too far back. It acts like a snow plow.

If you can get to a pool, go swimming. It's not perfect, you will still tire out with the fast paddles, but you will recover faster and be able to stay out longer. Any cardio helps but swimming is the best.

Pull ups and rope climbing are good as well.

In the surf, don't be afraid to paddle out 10m past the take off zone and just sit on your board to recover for 3 or 5 minutes.

waikikikichan wrote:

icetime wrote:I tend to get exhausted after 30 minutes of paddling

What "kind" of paddling. Just paddling out to the break, just trying to stay in one place due to currents/rips, paddling to actually catch the wave ? In Japan's mostly beach breaks, you can almost walk out to the waves. In Hawaii, some places takes 15-20 just to get to the break.

icetime wrote:the way I paddle currently is legs together slightly above the water and my chest puffed up

Since you are a cyclist, you have to forget to use your lower body and just let the top do the work. Your legs are the biggest muscles and will take away the blood/oxygen from the arms. Let them relax. Don't try to hold them together and up off the deck. Chest too, any actions to lift or engaged the other muscles means less power/endurance to the arms. You need to find a nice rhythmic cadence to your paddle, just like spinning. Don't stand up on the pedals and mash them like a piston.

Question: what size/type of board are you riding ? Where are you positioned on the board ? Most beginners tend to be too far back. It acts like a snow plow.

Didn't know that about the leg muscles, I tend to walk out to the waves though since we don't have any coral so being on my board isn't necessary but I'm doing it anyways to build up muscle so I don't get tired in the future.
I'll try relaxing my legs more, I'm riding a foamie board, it's not a fish but it's not a longboard, I don't remember the size I'll ask next time I go surfing probably sunday, my arms got tired probably because I walked into the waves and handled the board with my arms, I'll try just paddling and turtle roll next time I go instead of walking in the water.

dtc wrote:If you can get to a pool, go swimming. It's not perfect, you will still tire out with the fast paddles, but you will recover faster and be able to stay out longer. Any cardio helps but swimming is the best.

Pull ups and rope climbing are good as well.

In the surf, don't be afraid to paddle out 10m past the take off zone and just sit on your board to recover for 3 or 5 minutes.

I'll give it a try, I'm assuming you're telling me to go far back where the waves don't break yet to rest, correct?
I don't have access to a gym, I'll probably sign up for one to get access to equipment I don't have at home.

Hallo iceman,
sounds like you have some nice surfing conditions. Here's what I did in the early years to increase endurance:

1. Rowing machine at high intensity
2. use light free weights in many arm and shoulder exercises
3. paddle long distances on flat days

I did these things religiously and it made surfing much more fun

icetime wrote:

dtc wrote:If you can get to a pool, go swimming. It's not perfect, you will still tire out with the fast paddles, but you will recover faster and be able to stay out longer. Any cardio helps but swimming is the best.

Pull ups and rope climbing are good as well.

In the surf, don't be afraid to paddle out 10m past the take off zone and just sit on your board to recover for 3 or 5 minutes.

I'll give it a try, I'm assuming you're telling me to go far back where the waves don't break yet to rest, correct?
I don't have access to a gym, I'll probably sign up for one to get access to equipment I don't have at home.

Yep, just paddle out past where the big/bomb sets might break and rest.

A gym is good but you can do push ups and pull ups on a lot of places, esp if you have access to a playground or a nice tree branch. Core work is good as well. Basically everything...

billie_morini wrote:Hallo iceman,
sounds like you have some nice surfing conditions. Here's what I did in the early years to increase endurance:

1. Rowing machine at high intensity
2. use light free weights in many arm and shoulder exercises
3. paddle long distances on flat days

I did these things religiously and it made surfing much more fun

I already do shoulder exercices with dumbbells, I don't have a rowing machine at home, there is definitely one at the local gym and for paddling on flat days, we rarely have flat days in my city, maybe when I'm visiting the capitol I'll go there since sometimes it's nice and flat.