Workout That can Make You a Pro Surfer

Surfing, as a sport can be enjoyed throughout your lifetime that is not only fun and exciting in nature but also cathartic. There is just something in it that comes from riding the waves and heals one from the inside. It is a great sport but at the same time, it is also a great workout that will enable you to burn a lot of calories so that at the end of the day you stay fit.

However, in order to enjoy surfing as a pastime, you need to engage in a few workouts. In order to help you out so that you can work out in peace, here is a list of five workouts that you definitely need to do if you are a surfer or you aspire to be one. The list starts with:

5 Workout That Can Help You to be a Pro Surfer

Balance

The first and foremost thing that you need in order to surf is balance. The balance required in order to serve is not a general sense of it but a very high sense of it even though chances are that most of the rides that you take as a surfer won’t be long enough so it has a huge effect on your sense of balance.

What can you do to increase your sense of balance while surfing? You can practise by standing on a balance board and by doing a variety of squats and lunges. Don’t worry if you don’t own a balance board. In the absence of one, try standing on the floor with one foot and by keeping your eyes closed. This in most cases is enough to increase your balance.

Try to do the aforementioned workout for more than 30 seconds so that by the end of it you are more or less prepared for future situations where you’ll definitely need to have more balance. Like everything in this world, practicing this will improve your balancing skills so don’t ever skip this step while working out.

Practicing chin-ups can also help you when it comes to improving your balance. To start your initial chin-up exercise, grab hold of a chin-up bar. Grab it in such a way that your hands are right above your shoulder and from that position, let yourself hang.

This is the starting position, after which, you can try to hoist yourself until your chin is at the same level of the bar or is a bit above it. In order to transform this into an ideal workout, restrict the number of the reps to two sets only, and between them, make sure to take some time off for a minute or two so that your body can breathe.

Initially, it will be hard to perform that many reps so give your body enough time to heal and slowly practice as much as you can just so you can reach that level over time.

Core

When it comes to a surfer, strong core muscles are an absolute necessity as they play a crucial role when it comes to stabilizing the torso which will, in turn, help you to paddle, balance and rotate through the turns. In order to achieve core strength, you need to perform side planks that will reach through in order to increase your core strength. Doing the side plank and all other reaches through exercises will ensure your ability to add rotational components to the muscles by emphasizing your oblique muscles.

However, before you jump headfirst into the world of planking, you need to build your core strength first and that can only be achieved by doing push-ups since they work on multiple muscle growths, all at the same time.

It will also help you to build your upper body which when accompanied by good strength will make it easier for you as a surfer to paddle and reach the waves in time so that you don’t miss the waves meant for surfing. It will also help you to go for a quick dive and then pop right back up on the board. Doing push-ups will ensure that you receive fewer shoulder injuries while surfing. There is no limit when it comes to how many push-ups.

Start with doing how many push-ups you can do initially and from there move up the chart as your core and muscle strength grows. If you want to spice up your push-up routine, you can try adding some weights to your back or elevating your legs. Once your body is accustomed to the routine of doing push-ups, move on to planking which is one of the hardest exercises you can do. Only do it for a few minutes and you’ll feel that every muscle in your body has fired up.

To do it, first, position your body belly-down as you would usually have done during push-ups but instead of moving up and down while doing it, practice supporting your entire frame in your forearms. Don’t forget to keep your frame straight during planking. Just like push-ups, there is no time limit to this. Do it as long as your body is comfortable doing it.

To do a side plank with reach through, plank yourself on that part of your body that is present on the right side and is closest to the floor. In order to stabilize your frame, stack your legs and use your right forearm. Follow this by strengthening your left arm and by moving your face in such a way that you end up looking towards the sky.

Follow this up by moving your left hand so that it reaches behind your body. Keep on following your left hand with your head and eyes. Don’t let your hips drop and to get the most result out of this workout, keep your torso braced. Generally, you can do one to three sets of 15 to 20 reps per side after your body is familiar with the process of planking.

Leg Strength

In order to increase your leg strength, do single-leg squats. Squatting is a crucial step when it comes to a surfer’s workout since it enables the surfer to get on the board quickly and stay at the same place without moving about. Squats also play a huge role when it comes to increasing the surfer’s stability and endurance.

Every surfer’s workout should also include at least 3 sets of 12 squats each. Adding squats to your surf workout has never been easier. You can add it by primarily using your body weight. Once you have mastered the squat pattern, follow it up with extra weight which you can add from your lower back, ankles, knees, and hip area. This will help you to develop the core, the hip, and the leg strength which as a surfer will enable you to perform your best.

Initially, try standing on your right foot and lifting your left foot until it’s 5 inches above the ground. Follow it up with keeping your right foot aligned with your middle right toe and then further lower it down so that a single 45-degree angle is formed at the knee bend.

When you initially start with squats, do only five reps on each leg while holding your left foot up for about 3 to 5 seconds in the lowest position. In order to spice up your squat session, increase the depth of your squats.

Running Exercises

No matter what fitness regime you do or you are thinking about doing if it is concerned with building your endurance, chances are it will include a lot of cardio and the surfer’s workout is no exception to this rule.

The most effective and simplest way of increasing your physical endurance is by simply going out and then, going for a run. There is no limit to how many times you can run in a day or how long you can run in a day.

Run as long as you can, run as long as your body permits it. Running will not only improve your lung capacity but will also manage your body weight so that it stays at the optimum level and strengthens your leg.

Strengthening your legs is a basic necessity when it comes to surfing as chances are you’ll probably surf for many hours. Initially, set a running routine. For instance, it can be for half an hour, three times a week. If you don’t have that much time on your hands, you can still run in short bursts of speed or partake in long or moderate runs and your body can still reap the benefits of running.

Only ten minutes of intense speed burst run with short periods of rest between them will also do wonders when it comes to increasing your endurance.

Paddling

A surf session usually consists of 50% paddling and it can be safely said without any doubt that if your paddling muscles are not conditioned, chances are you will have to cut your surfing session short. So, in order to not do that, practice relaxing your muscles, before you get into the water.