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Surfing fitness for surfing girls - learn how to get fit and stay fit for more fun in the surf
Surfing fitness! Surfing is a physically demanding sport and making sure that you are well conditioned will not only ensure that you have a safer time, it will also make it more fun. And that is kind of the whole purpose. The surfing fitness level you need to achieve is high. Training regularly before you begin surfing and then on days when it is flat will guarantee a better time when you get perfect surf. One of the initial priorities should be your cardio. A workout that emphasizes both sustained elevation of your heart rate and also intense bursts. Why both?
A few reasons, actually. Paddling all the time means that you need to have endurance. If you can’t paddle strongly enough to get to the wave you can’t catch the wave and you can’t ride the wave. That makes for a not fun day. Endurance is also important for that little thing we call breathing. When you duck dive under a wave or get held down when you wipe out, you want strong, conditioned lungs so you can come up not gasping for air. Intensity is necessary to get your body used to the burst of energy you need to catch waves. You also use a burst of energy when getting to your feet after you catch a wave. You don’t want to lose a perfect ride because you were just short of having that uuumph. Fitness surfing video - Pop Up (stand up) exercise Getting your cardio can mean swimming, running, the stair climber, rollerblading anything. As long as it gets your heart rate up into the target range and you can add in interval style training in power bursts you will get the desired effect. When you go out looking for surf and find nothing, don’t just turn around disappointed and head on home. Take off your shoes and go for a run in the soft sand. You’re already at the beach so why not take advantage of it and get some great exercise? It pays off. This is not only good for your general wellness and cardio conditioning. Using the soft sand also gives your auxiliary muscles an extra workout. These are the muscles that will help you in the finer points of balance when you get to your feet on your board. You have three areas you need to focus on for your strength conditioning, upper body, core and legs. Your upper body must be strong enough to paddle through a full session and push you up on your board. Your focus should be on your lats and shoulders. If you don’t have a gym membership pushups are a classic strengthener, plus it is the exact position you are in when trying to get up. You can work your shoulders with home weights doing raises, you want to mimic the motion you use when paddling. Fitness surfing video - Get a stronger back Core workouts are key. Every stroke paddling and every motion on your board uses your core muscles. Crunches are a necessity. Bicycle crunches, regular crunches, side crunches, ball crunches. You can’t be too rich, too thin or do too many crunches. Power in your legs, especially in your thighs is important. At a gym you should leg press, leg extension and leg curl. At home you should do squats, lunges and full extension jumps. At both the gym and at home you should do calf raises. A few hints, if given the option always choose free weights over machines. Your body uses auxiliary muscles to balance itself when using free weights that do not get used when you use machines. This pays off when you have finely tuned movements you need to make. These are those, “I didn’t know I had that muscle,” muscles. Fitness surfing video - Warm up tips Stretching. Always. Before and after every workout and every session in the water. Your body will thank you the next day. And you won’t be too sore to go out again the next day. You know Murphy’s Law would send a perfect swell the day you were to sore to go out, and that is no way to have fun. Return to Surfing Girls - Home page
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