Top Exercises to Improve Surfing Athleticism and Performance


Introduction

Not many athletes are content with being mediocre. Whether we want to win more competitions, or we just want to be better overall, the desire to improve is within us all. 

Surfers are certainly not exempt from this. The answer is to just surf more, right? Not necessarily.

While spending more time catching waves can certainly improve your skills, there’s something to be said about doing additional work out of the water and in the gym. Performing exercises two to three times a week to increase your strength, flexibility, coordination, and control can go a long way to improving your surfing performance.

Below you’ll find a list of drills and exercises for you to try. While this is not an exhaustive list, if you’re serious about improving your skills as a surfer this is an excellent place to start.

Exercises to Improve Surfing Athleticism and Performance

Front Squats and Squat Jumps

The area that you’ll need the most strength for surfing is your lower body. In order to have the control needed to handle even the roughest waves, you’ll also need healthy joints with a full range of motion. And the best ways to improve your lower body strength and flexibility is with front squats and squat jumps. 

Front squats, when done correctly, help to build your core, strength in your back and knees, and flexibility. Squat jumps help you to build the coordination you need when loading up off the bottom of a wave without the risk of landing incorrectly. If you can master these jumps in the gym where it’s safer, you’ll have the muscle memory you need when out on the waves.

Pushups

Pushups

Surfing often requires pushing yourself up from the board and doing so quickly to catch the wave before it’s gone (or before it wipes you out). Performing pushups in the gym on a regular basis can help you to build the upper body strength you need to do this effortlessly in the water.

Dynamic Lunges

Riding the waves on a surfboard takes an impressive amount of hip flexibility, so it’s important to keep those hip joints limber and problem free. Any injury to your hips can seriously impact your performance out on the water.

Dynamic lunges area an excellent way to improve flexibility in both your knees and your hips, while also increasing your lower body strength as well. These will help you to twist and turn through the movements of the wave without any pain or injury.

Ring Chin-ups

Ring Chin-ups

Another factor that surfers need upper body strength for, is paddling the waves before pushing off. The best way to improve that is with ring chin-ups. Vertically pulling on the rings will help reinforce mobility in the shoulders and will add strength and control.

Don’t miss any more waves because your shoulders aren’t strong enough to paddle. 

Surf Workouts

Not even kidding, there are workouts inspired by surfing and designed to mimic the work your body does on a surfboard. All without ever stepping in the water. 

These types of exercises can help any non-surfers get into shape fast, but it can also be beneficial for surfers to improve their performance on the waves. They can be found at most gym classes, so check with your local gyms for more information.

Best Non-Gym Locations to Exercise

I get it. You’re a beach bum. The fact that surfing is your choice of sport says a lot about how much you like to be cooped up in a gym doing these exercises.

The great thing is that any of these exercises can be done anywhere. Make safety a priority and you can go wherever you want. 

The Beach

Of course, this is going to be the obvious first choice. Head to your favourite beach (Bondi Beach, Byron Bay, Noosa Main Beach, and Burleigh Heads in Australia are all excellent choices) with your surfboard attached on top of the roof rack tray

Find a time when the beach isn’t as crowded and let the sand and the water be your gym. Do your squats and your lunges and your pushups, perhaps some light swimming. Then grab your board and hit the waves. 

This will not only save on gas while driving between the gym and beach but will also keep you from paying costly gym membership fees.

Your Living Room or Backyard

Often the best place to work out is in the comfort of your own home. If you also have a large backyard, that can be even better, especially if the weather is nice. 

Some people will exercise first thing in the morning, to start their day. Others prefer to workout in the evenings to de-stress after a busy day. Then, perhaps, when your workout is complete you can kick back with a nice, cold mangorita and call it a night.

Hotels

If you go on business trips a lot, it can be difficult to find time to work out. Thankfully, most hotel rooms are spacious enough that you can do your exercises right there. Or you can take advantage of the hotel’s fitness centre (if they have one).

Go out to dinner with a few co-workers, complete with a taste of Stella Rose Black, then when you get back to your room suit up for some surf-improving exercising.

Conclusion

While surfing is worked out all on its own, serious surfers will want to always improve their performance out on the water. Catching more waves is an excellent way to do that, but equally valid is doing some exercises out of the water. Alternatively, one can also use a map like one found on this page and discover a good gym near them.

If you use the exercises above, you’ll be able to work on the strength and flexibility you need in the safety of your local gym. Or, if you’d rather, you can take your workouts wherever you want: to the beach, at home, or the hotel on your next business trip.