Paddling exercises

[cravenbiker]

Hi, I don't get as much chance to get to the coast as I like but next time I go I would like to be a little bit more conditioned. Anybody tell me the best exercise I can do to help build up the shoulder muscles that I'll be using when paddling? I'll be working on the cardio with jogging too.
Thanks

[dtc]

Have a read of this http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 (if I can direct people to another forum!) which talks a lot about paddling and technique and a few other associated things.

There is nothing that will improve your paddling as much as paddling. Swimming is obviously the closest activity and should be your main activity (I have seen people say 'put your board in a lake or dam or river and just paddle', which is a great idea if feasible).

There is no way to build up shoulder muscles other than through resistance exercises (ie lift weights). That said, its not just your shoulder muscles, its your back muscles as well, so don't forget them.

If you google around there are about eleventy billion exercise programs. I am a bit of a gym bunny (um, the male version - gym hare?) myself and could probably give you 50 shoulder and back exercises off the top of my head. However, if you are beginner to weights, read up on and watch training videos for: pull ups/chin ups, shoulder press, bench press and rows (which are, respectively, vertical pulling, vertical pushing, horizontal pushing and horizontal pulling). Those four exercises will cover you for your first 3-5 months (and there are plenty of variations just within those).

However, dont be a 'popsicle' - all upper body and no lower body. Do some squats (look up goblet squat to start), leg presses, unilateral leg exercises - split squats and the unilateral RDL, which is excellent for balance as well. Core exercises (not sit ups - bad! Look for Pallof presses and anti rotation activities). If you don’t have access to a gym, look for body weight versions of these exercises (eg bench press = push up), although you can be a bit limited for some things.

That said - I have done strength training at least 2 or 3 times a week for the last 15 years and I don’t live near the beach; and think swimming is very boring and hate doing it, but I ride a bike for 1/2 hour every day for cardio and, well, I totally suck at paddling. I assume I am better than I would be without the gym and cardio, but the gym and cardio don’t cure the problem.

Paddle and swim. Resistance exercise is good for your health, so do that as well.

[cravenbiker]

Very comprehensive! I was half expecting someone to come back and say swimming (I'm going to local pool tonight) . LOVE the Popsicle reference ) - it describes it perfectly! Right, got to go, for some swimming to do. Great reply- thanks.
Tris

[dtc]

If you dont want to do full on gym sessions, I would concentrate on doing push ups and pull ups plus core exercises (eg planks) plus single leg lunge variations (including with elevated back foot) and maybe box jumps. None of these require weights and will work the main 'surfing muscles' involved in paddling and the pop up.

There are plenty of variations to keep you amused (eg: for push up, there is the standard push up, clap push up, spiderman, single leg, decline, triangle etc etc)

Apart from the pull up, you can do them at home in front of the TV if you want. For the pull up, find a handy tree, or the monkey bars at childrens playgrounds are good.

The body is fantastic at adapting to specific stresses, but not so good at transfering that adaption. For example, if you jog you get fit for jogging quite quickly, but it wont help you ride or swim. I've seen lifters bench over 200kg who cant do a pull up, because the force required is a different plane (bench - horizontal push, pullup - vertical pull). This is why nothing helps paddling anywhere near as much as paddling.

[RonG]

I'm still convinced that one of the best weight routines to prepare for and stay fit for surfing is based around the fast (Olympic) lifts. Snatches, jerks, and cleans are all explosive exercises that teach you how to move quickly and generate power. When you think about it, surfing isn't so much about absolute strength as it is about applying strength quickly, and the explosive lifts train that. There's a reason Crossfit and other "functional" strength and conditioning programs make it a core component of their systems.

You need endurance for paddling, but being able to move quickly (think "pop up"), especially when you're already a bit fatigued, is a handy thing.

[cravenbiker]

Ok, I'm going to give the swimming for cardio and push up, pull up and sit up combo a go for a bit also mixed with the odd trip to the beach. See how that improves things. Thanks for the input.

[dtc]

I'm still convinced that one of the best weight routines to prepare for and stay fit for surfing is based around the fast (Olympic) lifts. Snatches, jerks, and cleans are all explosive exercises that teach you how to move quickly and generate power.

I agree as a general concept; but wouldnt recommend anyone try O-lifts without a good coach and a good base in resistance exercise.

You can do an explosive version for any lift - lower the weight slowly, pause then explode to lift the weight as fast as you can. Cross fit and other 'functional' schools will be just as good as standard weights for most people, in terms of surfing assistance.

[RonG]

I'm still convinced that one of the best weight routines to prepare for and stay fit for surfing is based around the fast (Olympic) lifts. Snatches, jerks, and cleans are all explosive exercises that teach you how to move quickly and generate power.

I agree as a general concept; but wouldnt recommend anyone try O-lifts without a good coach and a good base in resistance exercise.

Agreed. I had good instruction, and a good coach when I competed. There's certainly technique to learn, though the basics of power cleans and power snatches can be taught pretty quickly. What I like best about Olympic lifting is that it's by definition a full-body workout, which I think is ideal if you're training for a sport (like surfing). People in search of the "popsicle physique" need not apply

I think any kind of good conditioning-oriented exercise will be useful for surfing fitness. Even something like sets of burpees - grueling, and pretty good training for the popup IMO.