Surfing Waves

Well im going on another surfing trip to my local beach which is a ferry ride and 4 hour drive(boo) and I have decided to try and get into the best shape I can for it. I bought Fit To Surf by Rocky Synider and its been helping alot. I was just wondering what swimming technique is the best to train your paddling muscles?? Thanks.

The front crawlstroke, aka the Freestyle stroke, is the stroke most similar to paddling. I'd recommend trying for 600 meters without stopping (don't care about speed) three times a week and then increasing it by 100 meters every two weeks.

Thanks alot. I also bought swimming gloves would they help me at all?



My front crawl is not the best technique ither it is 3 strokes then breath right?

I personally don't use the gloves for my swimming. I utilize techniques (i.e. streamlining and efficiency as well as good form) from the Total Immersion book. It really helps complement Rocky Snyder's guide, which I use as well.

Ah ok just a few more questions. How many laps is 600M and how do you do the front crawl? I am also enjoying Rocky's book it has taught me a lot.

get a pull bouy that goes between your legs.

get a pair of paddles a little bigger than your hands, and upgrade to larger paddles as you get stronger.

600 m is 12 laps long course, 24 laps shortcourse

to do freestyle, use long strokes, one at a time
your hand enters the water as far out as you can reach and extends down until your elbow straigtens. do the same with your other hand and repeat. make sure you bend your elbows on your recovery

thawkwood wrote: I utilize techniques (i.e. streamlining and efficiency as well as good form) from the Total Immersion book.

The problem with the total immersion technique is that its great for swimming, but doesnt train the muscles very well for paddling - its TOO efficient!

To strengthen the muscles for paddling (rather than improving swimming technique, which is obviously important as well) it can be more useful to use a 'poor form'


One way is to hold a float between your legs, and try to keep your head up while you do a front crawl stroke. Its probably the nearest you can get to 'paddling' in a pool without a surfboard, and its fleshin' hard work and trains the muscles nicely

That reminds me, must get in the pool today - this flat spell is doing no good at all for my surfing fitness!

lol, i can swim to save my life, im the slowest swimmer alive, but you put me on a surfboard and im off like a bullet

bluesnowcone2000 wrote: im the slowest swimmer alive, but you put me on a surfboard and im off like a bullet

Yeah, Im cr@p too
But put me on a surfboard and Im off like.... a brick, lead balloon, tortoise, tectonic plate (pick the slow, sinking thing of your choice)

a led dingy

on the rare occasions I get down to the pool, I do alot of frontcrawl with out using my legs - creates a helluva drag and is bloody hard work!

Thanks alot im just gona put my gloves on a float in between my legs and im off.

Just the subject for me. Being a competitive swimmer for 18 years does come in handy when surfing, but it's not exactly the same.
I would suggest mixing up your swim sessions, swimming with various strokes/techniques, these help you to develop a feel for the water which is the most important component of swimming that relates to paddling for surfing. Try doing all 4 competitive strokes. The front crawl/freestlye will help build up a basic strategy for paddling as well as making it easier to increase your aerobic capacity. Backstroke works muscles in the opposite direction and is good if you have a hard time maintaining a regular breathing pattern in freestyle. Breaststroke is relatively calming/relaxing once you get the hang of it, and gives you a good workout, and is probably the best way to develop a feel for the water. Butterfly is good if you ever are going to do a 2-armed paddle or paddle on your knees (saw this a lot in hawaii).
As for Total Immersion, don't get me started on that, there have been many discussions on the swimming message board that I also frequent. It's a lot of hype for very little results. Just my opinion.

Thanks SDCali what do you think about the gloves good or bad idea? After I use them I feels my arms have gone through more of a workout.

The webbed gloves - guys I surf with who use them credit the gloves to giving them more power in the paddle, so they're better able to catch waves.

Never used them myself, but look interesting.

I've heard the word "kook" tossed around a lot when webbed/paddle gloves are brought up...

Driftingalong wrote:I've heard the word "kook" tossed around a lot when webbed/paddle gloves are brought up...

To be used for training, in a pool, in private only perhaps...?

Patrick__69 wrote:Thanks SDCali what do you think about the gloves good or bad idea? After I use them I feels my arms have gone through more of a workout.

You can use them to mix up your workout, but don't use them all the time as they can negatively impact your feel for the water and overstress your shoulders. I usually use plastic hand paddles because they have holes that water can go through so you still feel the water, and they come in a lot more different sizes than the gloves.

I've heard mixed opinions on Total Immersion. I still go for long distance swims, trying to go as efficiently as possible, typically without goggles. I also swim breast and side-stroke (or Swimmer recovery stroke) as well and am trying to integrate them into my surf-fitness...