Building fitness to start surfing through swim workouts

[quimby]

I want to start taking surf lessons in the near future, but first I know I need to build a base level of fitness and stamina. I've taken a few lessons in the past, and I only lasted about 10-20 minutes in the ocean popping up halfway to my knees, so i want to make sure next time I last for an entire lesson. I haven't been swimming laps lately, but I'm about to start again, and I also do pushups a couple times a week (I'm up to 80 pushups broken up into five sets). I've been doing swim workouts of about 1650-1750 yards, and I occasionally worked in sets where I did 50 yard reps breathing once every 4 or 6 strokes.

My question is, is doing sets where I breath less often like that a good way to build my fitness and stamina for surfing (along with other ways, of course)? If it is, would it be a good idea to step it up and sometimes swim laps where I breathe once every 8 or even 10 strokes?

Also, is swimming that many yards per session enough as far as swimming to build the kind of stamina and endurance needed for surfing? If not, how many yards should I eventually increase that to?

[dtc]

2000 yds is a reasonable aim. But don't swim 2000 at a steady slow pace. Swim lots of short (50-200) laps hard with short (10-30 sec) rests (eg 100 on 1.50 min, or whatever your times are) for about 1000yds. Then a few slower 400-800s or some all out 50s but with longer rests.

Surfing doesn't involve paddling for 20 min, it's 5 or 10 seconds hard or maybe 1-3 minutes at a slower pace.

Trust me, while you might not get the 'satisfaction' of hitting a big number, it will translate much better into surfing benefits to go harder but shorter

Hypoxic training isn't really that effective or necessary for most surfers. No harm in doing a few laps but it's not an method that will improve endurance or speed or power

[Big H]

Swimming a mile per workout? You'll do ok....add stretching and jumping rope (4 - 5 sets of 3 min sets with a 30 sec breather....boxing training but really builds your wind).

[BoMan]

With short arms and a 24 inch log, it’s difficult for me to S-stroke under the board and power into bigger waves. Swimming gives me the strength for a 3 hour sesh but not enough speed.

400 free warm up
8x50 fly/breast
8x50 free sprints
8x50 fly/breast
8x50 free sprints
4x100 IM
400 free cool down

Don’t ask me to give up my log…I love the ride…but I’m keen to hear your advice and thoughts about a Surfline article. Luke and Joel may be onto something for this T-REX guy.

SURFLINE: Advice from the world’s best - How To Maximize Your Stroke

LUKE EGAN [Former World Tour surfer/Parko's righthand man]
1. Touch your chin on your board when paddling for a wave.

JOEL PARKINSON [World Title runner-up
1. The more hollow the wave, the deeper and harder the paddle stroke.
2. The mushier the wave, the more you want to stay on top of the water with a lighter, less-water-penetration, quicker stroke.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/surfline-health--fitness-paddle-power-advice-from-the-worlds-best-on-how-to-maximize-your-stroke_41384/

[waikikikichan]

On Waikiki beach, the beach boys do a 1-hour lesson. Some off the beach schools do a 2-hour. Some customers tell us, "well, the other company does 2-hours compared to your 1 hour." We always tell them, "most students don't make it to 45 minutes anyways, so why pay for 2 hours ?"
My recommendation is to do Burpees. The paddling part will come as you keep going surfing. The Burpees will get you from prone to standing, which you can't practice in the pool.

[dtc]

With short arms and a 24 inch log, it’s difficult for me to S-stroke under the board and power into bigger waves. Swimming gives me the strength for a 3 hour sesh but not enough speed.

400 free warm up
8x50 fly/breast
8x50 free sprints
8x50 fly/breast
8x50 free sprints
4x100 IM
400 free cool down

Don’t ask me to give up my log…I love the ride…but I’m keen to hear your advice and thoughts about a Surfline article. Luke and Joel may be onto something for this T-REX guy.

SURFLINE: Advice from the world’s best - How To Maximize Your Stroke

LUKE EGAN [Former World Tour surfer/Parko's righthand man]
1. Touch your chin on your board when paddling for a wave.

JOEL PARKINSON [World Title runner-up
1. The more hollow the wave, the deeper and harder the paddle stroke.
2. The mushier the wave, the more you want to stay on top of the water with a lighter, less-water-penetration, quicker stroke.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/surfline-health--fitness-paddle-power-advice-from-the-worlds-best-on-how-to-maximize-your-stroke_41384/

If you really want to maximise the surfing part of your swim training then concentrate more on free than the other strokes. But mixing it up is good for general health, muscle balance etc. looks like a good routine so long as you have short rests between those sets of 50s. Don't be afraid to mix it up with 4x100 or 2x200 now and then (or even something like 2x50, 2x100, 2x200 - or that in reverse)

As to the paddling tips, yes, head on the board. I often end up scraping the bottom of my nose (the bit between my nostrils!) in forcing my head down - always a good look at work with scraped skin peeling off your nose. It's just the weight transfer, pushing the board nose flat and maximising surface area/streamlining (reducing drag) and hence acceleration - as the wave gets closer you arch your back etc as needed. It's probably also a more mechanically effective position for power strokes (head down like swimming rather than arched up)

[Big H]

I did a "race", father/daughter teammate thing at their school's aquatic day last year......had to swim one length of the pool then climb out, run around and get in and swim one length of the pool, then climb out.........you get the idea. Me and the other surfer fathers were scoffing and laughing before the thing began.....

....not laughing now....I did well amongst the Dads but got shown up by a chubby 6th grader....someone wrote once about swimming laps then climbing out of the pool to do various calisthenics at certain intervals.....they have those VitaFit tracks in some public parks back home where there is a running trail that winds through various exercise stations with signage that describes easy, medium and hard options at each interval - pull ups, dips, sit-ups, etc. You stop, do the exercise, then go back to running. Much harder and a better workout than I originally thought it would be.

[CosmicQ]

I have not done this yet, but I am planning on using the kick boards they have at the pool and just paddle it just like a surfboard for a number of laps while using a pull buoy. If it slips out, I'll just buy my own and put a little wax on it. Swimming is great, but when paddling, you usually have your back arched up which seems to make your arm motions slightly different than a regular swim stroke.

[oldmansurfer]

Swimming like lots of other sports can be a relaxing thing but you need to challenge yourself to get the greatest benefit so swimming 1750 yards in 2 hours is not so great exercise but if you can do it in 20 minutes then it is much better. I imagine if I were doing swimming to get into shape for surfing I would alternate between around 10 laps long distance type swimming and then 1 lap full sprint then then 10 slower and 1 sprint. You need both long distance and sprint paddling to be good at surfing. The long distance gets you out to the break without being too tired to catch a wave and the sprint paddling is what you need to catch a wave. So while it isn't quite the same as paddling a board there isn't any closer exercise that you can do other than just getting on a board and paddling for the same length of time. Many of the great big wave surfers who need to have the most paddle power and endurance are accomplished long distance paddlers as well. but you need a place to safely paddle a board. Swimming is great because you can do it in a pool with a lifeguard in case you get into trouble there while pushing yourself. On your own you need to be more conservative and careful.

[RinkyDink]

My question is, is doing sets where I breath less often like that a good way to build my fitness and stamina for surfing (along with other ways, of course)? If it is, would it be a good idea to step it up and sometimes swim laps where I breathe once every 8 or even 10 strokes?

I would suggest that you breathe freely during your workout. Actually, I would encourage you to focus on your breathing during your exercises and make sure you're getting good air flow. Your muscles need the air and I suspect that good breathing is key to building strength. If you want to focus on holding your breath, then practice that separately. If I'm really working out hard, but not breathing properly I find that I feel a bit woozy after a set. Sometimes I even get really tired during my workout when my breathing is restricted. That's not a good condition to get yourself into when you're in water. It's possible to end up fainting during a workout if you're not getting the oxygen you need.

[Big H]

I want to start taking surf lessons in the near future, but first I know I need to build a base level of fitness and stamina. I've taken a few lessons in the past, and I only lasted about 10-20 minutes in the ocean popping up halfway to my knees, so i want to make sure next time I last for an entire lesson. I haven't been swimming laps lately, but I'm about to start again, and I also do pushups a couple times a week (I'm up to 80 pushups broken up into five sets). I've been doing swim workouts of about 1650-1750 yards, and I occasionally worked in sets where I did 50 yard reps breathing once every 4 or 6 strokes.

My question is, is doing sets where I breath less often like that a good way to build my fitness and stamina for surfing (along with other ways, of course)? If it is, would it be a good idea to step it up and sometimes swim laps where I breathe once every 8 or even 10 strokes?

Also, is swimming that many yards per session enough as far as swimming to build the kind of stamina and endurance needed for surfing? If not, how many yards should I eventually increase that to?

What you are talking about is called Hypoxic Training; there are arguments for and against, the obvious one against being shallow water blackout and ensuing drowning death if someone does not rescue your floating body.

As a scuba instructor and scientific diver we used to have to practice long distance swims with a snorkel (part of a qualification for diving on a US Park Service Archeological project included being tested for snorkelling with fins and mask for 1.5 mile swim). Having to breathe through a small aperture while exerting yourself meant breath control and felt like a harder workout as you limited how much air you could gulp down.

Hypoxic Training - Google it; start with this: http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArti ... 1&mid=8712

[RinkyDink]

My recommendation is to do Burpees. The paddling part will come as you keep going surfing. The Burpees will get you from prone to standing, which you can't practice in the pool.

986c5-burpee.png

Burpees are excellent, but I think doing land popups on a practice board like a foamie (fins removed) are better. You develop a sense for popping up and twisting your torso by doing the land popups. You can also work on sticking your landing by planting your feet where you want them. Just my two cents. You can't go wrong with either exercise in my opinion.

[Oldie]

Burpees are excellent, but I think doing land popups on a practice board like a foamie (fins removed) are better. You develop a sense for popping up and twisting your torso by doing the land popups. You can also work on sticking your landing by planting your feet where you want them. Just my two cents. You can't go wrong with either exercise in my opinion.

Or combine it. I do both, 30-45 burpees and 10-20 land pops a day and feel it helps me.