Surfing is an exciting water sport that involves riding waves on a surfboard, typically on the ocean. It combines athleticism, balance, and an understanding of ocean dynamics, where surfers paddle out to catch waves and then ride them towards the shore.
Surfing has evolved from ancient Polynesian traditions into a globally popular activity enjoyed by people of all skill levels, from beginners to professional athletes. Whether for recreation, competition, or simply the thrill of being in tune with nature, surfing has a unique cultural significance and offers a deep connection with the ocean.
SURFING COMES IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORMS, EACH WITH ITS OWN UNIQUE STYLE AND APPROACH TO RIDING WAVES. HERE ARE THE MAIN TYPES:
Shortboard Surfing: The most common form of surfing, using a short, narrow board (typically 5 to 7 feet). Shortboards are fast and agile, allowing surfers to perform sharp turns, quick maneuvers, and aggressive tricks on the waves.
Longboard Surfing: This style uses a longer, more stable board (usually 8 feet or longer), which allows for smoother, more flowing movements. Longboarding is known for its graceful style and the ability to ride smaller, slower waves.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP): In SUP, surfers use a long paddle to propel themselves while standing on a larger board. This type of surfing can be done on flat water, in rivers, or on waves, making it a versatile option for surfers of all levels.
Big Wave Surfing: For experienced surfers, this involves riding massive waves, often over 20 feet high. Big wave surfers need specialized, larger boards and must have advanced skills in both wave selection and safety.
Tow-in Surfing: In tow-in surfing, surfers are pulled into waves by a jet ski or boat using a tow rope. This allows them to catch waves that are too big or too fast for traditional paddling.
Wave Pool Surfing: A newer type of surfing, performed in man-made wave pools that generate consistent waves. This allows surfers to practice in controlled conditions, regardless of ocean conditions.
Bodyboarding: This style involves riding the waves lying on a smaller board, using fins for propulsion. Bodyboarders often perform maneuvers in the wave’s barrel or tube, a highly technical part of the wave.
Kneeboarding: A variation of surfing where surfers ride the waves on a smaller, shorter board while kneeling instead of standing. It requires a different set of skills and offers a unique riding experience.
Longboard Nose Riding: A specific longboarding technique where surfers ride the board toward the front, often standing near the nose of the board for extended periods, achieving a graceful and traditional style.
Hybrid Surfing: This is a mix of shortboarding and longboarding techniques, with surfers using boards that are between 7 and 8 feet. Hybrid boards allow for a more versatile and fluid style.
Para-surfing: For individuals with disabilities, para-surfing involves using specialized equipment and techniques to ride waves, with adaptive equipment to accommodate various mobility needs.
Each type of surfing offers its own unique experience and appeals to different surfers depending on their skills, preferences, and the type of waves they enjoy.
Surfing is an excellent workout that provides a full-body exercise, engaging multiple muscle groups and improving cardiovascular health, balance, and flexibility. It involves paddling, balancing on the board, and maneuvering the waves, which can help build strength, endurance, and coordination.
While you don’t need to be in perfect shape to start surfing, it can be physically demanding, so having a basic level of fitness will make the learning process easier and more enjoyable. Surfers often develop strong upper body and core muscles from paddling and maintaining balance, as well as improved leg strength from standing on the board and riding the waves. If you’re not in great shape, you can still begin by focusing on building stamina and strength through activities like swimming, yoga, or light cardio. Starting with beginner lessons and gradually increasing your fitness as you progress can help you feel more confident and capable on the water.
Knowing how to swim is essential for surfing. While you don’t need to be an expert swimmer, being comfortable in the water and having basic swimming skills is crucial for safety and confidence.
Surfing involves paddling out to the waves, duck diving under them, and sometimes getting pushed underwater when you wipe out. If you’re caught in a strong current or knocked off your board, knowing how to swim will help you stay safe and return to your board.
Basic swimming skills like treading water, floating, and swimming short distances will significantly improve your experience in the water, making it easier to navigate the surf and respond to unexpected situations. Many beginners start with lessons that also focus on water safety and basic swimming techniques, so if you’re not comfortable with swimming yet, it’s a good idea to practice those skills before heading out to surf.
WEIGHT LIFTING AND SURFING COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER QUITE WELL, AS STRENGTH TRAINING CAN IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE IN SURFING BY BUILDING THE MUSCLES NEEDED FOR PADDLING, BALANCE, AND EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENTS ON THE BOARD.
HERE’S HOW WEIGHT LIFTING CAN SPECIFICALLY BENEFIT YOUR SURFING:
CORE STRENGTH
Your core plays a central role in surfing. It stabilizes your body while you’re paddling and helps you maintain balance when riding waves. Weight training exercises like planks, Russian twists, and cable woodchops can target your abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back to improve overall core strength.
UPPER BODY STRENGTH
Paddling is one of the most physically demanding parts of surfing, requiring strong shoulders, arms, and back muscles. Weight lifting can help build these areas with exercises like:
Lat pulldowns (to strengthen your back and shoulders)
Overhead presses (for shoulder strength)
Rows (for back and biceps)
Tricep dips or push-ups (to strengthen arms for paddling and pushing yourself up to stand on the board)
LEG STRENGTH
Having strong legs will help with popping up onto the board and maintaining balance. Key exercises for building leg strength include:
Squats (for overall leg strength)
Lunges (to work the quads, glutes, and hamstrings)
Box jumps or plyometric exercises (to improve explosive strength, useful for quick maneuvers)
EXPLOSIVENESS AND POWER
When you’re surfing, you need to generate quick, powerful movements to turn, carve, and react to changing wave conditions. Explosive lifts like deadlifts, power cleans, and kettlebell swings help build fast-twitch muscle fibers, giving you the power to move quickly on the board.
ENDURANCE AND STAMINA
Surfing involves a lot of paddling, which can be tiring over time. Weight lifting, particularly with higher reps and moderate weights, can improve muscular endurance. Incorporating circuit training with compound movements can also mimic the endurance required for continuous paddling and wave-riding.
INJURY PREVENTION
Weight lifting helps to strengthen your joints, tendons, and ligaments, which can help prevent injuries while surfing. Strong muscles support your body’s movements and absorb some of the impact when you wipe out or take a hard fall, making your body more resilient.
HOW TO COMBINE WEIGHT LIFTING WITH SURFING
Periodization: If you’re training for both sports, you can alternate between weight lifting and surf practice to avoid overtraining. For example, you could focus on heavy lifting a few times a week, with surfing or surf-specific workouts on the other days.
Cross-training: Doing functional exercises that mimic surfing movements (like stability ball exercises or resistance band drills) will help improve your surf-specific performance.
Flexibility: Make sure to stretch and include mobility work in your routine, as flexibility in the hips, shoulders, and legs will enhance your range of motion on the board.
By incorporating a well-rounded weight lifting routine, you’ll see improvements in your surfing ability, and you may notice that the strength you gain in the gym helps you stay out on the waves longer and recover faster.
To get stronger for surfing, focusing on specific muscle groups that are heavily engaged while paddling, popping up, and riding waves will be key. Here’s a breakdown of the best lifts for each body part to build the strength and power needed for surfing:
UPPER BODY (SHOULDERS, BACK, AND ARMS)
The upper body is essential for paddling, controlling your board, and maintaining balance.
Shoulders:
Overhead Press (Barbell or Dumbbell): Strengthens your deltoids and shoulders, critical for paddling and maintaining balance on your board.
Lateral Raises: Target the middle deltoid for better stability in the shoulders during surfing.
Front Raises: Improve the front deltoids, helping with paddle power.
Back:
Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns: These target the lats and upper back, helping with paddling and posture.
Barbell or Dumbbell Rows: Strengthen the back, especially the lats and traps, which are key for paddle strokes and maneuvers.
T-Bar Rows: Focuses on building strength in the upper back and stabilizing muscles, improving your paddling power and shoulder control.
ARMS:
Bicep Curls: Important for pulling yourself through the water and grabbing the board.
Tricep Dips or Close-Grip Push-Ups: Strengthen the triceps, which are essential for pushing yourself up to stand while catching a wave.
Core (Abs, Obliques, and Lower Back)
A strong core is crucial for stability, balance, and generating power during turns.
Planks (Front and Side): Build overall core strength, including the abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back.
Russian Twists: Target the obliques, which are crucial for rotation and maneuvering on the board.
Cable Woodchops: Mimic the twisting motion used in surfing, building rotational strength and flexibility in the core.
Deadlifts: Strengthen the lower back, hamstrings, and core—important for maintaining stability on your board.
LEGS (QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, GLUTES, AND CALVES)
Leg strength is vital for popping up quickly and maintaining balance while riding waves.
Squats (Barbell or Dumbbell): A compound movement that builds overall leg strength, particularly in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. It mimics the lower body power needed to pop up and ride waves.
Lunges (Walking or Stationary): Focus on the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, helping with stability and the motion of getting up on the board.
Romanian Deadlifts: Target the hamstrings and glutes, which are essential for explosive power and balance.
Step-Ups: Build leg strength and stability, which are necessary for the control required when surfing.
Calf Raises: Strengthen the calves, which helps with balance and power in the lower legs when maneuvering on the board.
EXPLOSIVE POWER AND ENDURANCE (FULL BODY)
Surfing often requires explosive movements, especially when generating speed on waves or making sharp turns.
Power Cleans: A great full-body lift that develops explosive strength in the hips, legs, and upper body—ideal for quick movements in the water.
Kettlebell Swings: Help build explosive power in the hips, glutes, and core, which are crucial for quick pop-ups and fast reactions.
Box Jumps: These help develop lower body explosiveness, which is useful for fast, powerful pop-ups and maneuvers.
Medicine Ball Slams: Improve full-body explosiveness and core stability.
FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY
Flexibility plays an important role in surfing, especially for smooth and controlled movements on the board.
Hip Flexor Stretching: Prevents tightness in the hips, which is key for fluid movement and balance.
Thoracic Spine Rotation: Enhances flexibility in the upper spine, which helps with twisting motions while surfing.
Dynamic Stretching: Incorporate dynamic stretches like leg swings or arm circles into your warm-up to increase mobility.
Sample Workout Plan For Surfing Strength
Here’s a basic workout plan to incorporate into your routine:
Day 1: Upper Body Focus
Overhead Press (4 sets of 8-10 reps)
Lat Pulldown or Pull-Ups (4 sets of 8-10 reps)
Dumbbell Rows (3 sets of 8-10 reps per arm)
Bicep Curls (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
Tricep Dips (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
Day 2: Lower Body & Core Focus
Barbell Squats (4 sets of 8-10 reps)
Walking Lunges (3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg)
Romanian Deadlifts (3 sets of 8-10 reps)
Planks (3 sets of 30-60 seconds)
Cable Woodchops (3 sets of 12 reps per side)
Day 3: Explosiveness & Endurance
Power Cleans (4 sets of 5 reps)
Box Jumps (3 sets of 10 reps)
Kettlebell Swings (4 sets of 12-15 reps)
Medicine Ball Slams (3 sets of 12-15 reps)
Calf Raises (3 sets of 20 reps)
Day 4: Active Recovery or Flexibility Training
Dynamic Stretching
Yoga or Mobility Work
Swimming or Light Paddling for endurance
By focusing on these lifts and exercises, you’ll be building the key strength, stability, and explosiveness needed for surfing. The goal is to gradually increase intensity while keeping form in check to prevent injury. The better your strength and endurance, the more effective you’ll be out on the waves.
Powerlifting can be beneficial for surfing, but it’s not specifically tailored to the demands of the sport. Powerlifting focuses on maximal strength in three main lifts: squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
While these lifts build significant overall strength, they may not fully address the movement patterns and endurance required for surfing, which demands more functional strength, explosiveness, and stamina.
However, incorporating powerlifting into your routine in combination with other training can still have advantages for surfers:
BENEFITS OF POWERLIFTING FOR SURFING:
Increased Maximal Strength: Powerlifting builds maximal strength, especially in the lower body (squats, deadlifts) and upper body (bench press). This can give you the raw power needed for explosive actions, like popping up on the board and paddling through waves with greater efficiency.
Core Stability: Both the squat and deadlift engage the core significantly. A strong core is essential for balance and stability while surfing.
Joint and Tendon Strength: Powerlifting is great for strengthening the tendons and ligaments, which can help prevent injuries, especially in the knees, back, and shoulders—areas that are under stress in surfing.
Building Overall Muscle Mass: The added muscle mass from powerlifting can be beneficial for surfers who need strength and power. However, focusing on body composition (without getting overly bulky) is important for surfing, as it requires a mix of muscle and flexibility.
DRAWBACKS OF POWERLIFTING FOR SURFING:
Lack of Explosiveness: While powerlifting develops strength, it doesn’t prioritize the kind of explosiveness needed for surfing. Quick reactions, explosive pop-ups, and fast turns require dynamic, fast-twitch muscle fiber development, which powerlifting doesn’t directly target.
Limited Functional Movements: Surfing requires a lot of specific movement patterns, including rotational movements and balance. Powerlifting doesn’t focus on these motions. For example, it’s not going to help much with the twisting motions needed for carving waves or maintaining body control on the board.
Lack of Endurance: Powerlifting generally focuses on strength and not muscular endurance. Surfing requires you to sustain effort over a longer period, especially when paddling out or riding waves. This could be a limiting factor unless you add in more conditioning or endurance-focused exercises.
HOW TO INCORPORATE POWERLIFTING WITH SURFING:
If you’re already into powerlifting or want to include it in your routine for overall strength, you can make it work by combining it with surf-specific exercises:
Lower-Body Power: Continue doing squats and deadlifts, but add explosive movements like box jumps, plyometric lunges, and kettlebell swings to work on fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Core and Rotational Movements: Incorporate exercises like medicine ball slams, Russian twists, and cable woodchops to build rotational power that will help you maneuver on the waves.
Upper Body Strength and Endurance: Continue with presses and rows for general upper-body strength but add exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and lat pulldowns to build endurance, which is crucial for paddling.
Active Recovery and Conditioning: Integrate swimming, light paddling, or cardio on your off days to work on endurance, something powerlifting alone doesn’t address.
Powerlifting can be a useful part of your training if your goal is to increase overall strength, build muscle mass, and prevent injury. However, it should be supplemented with more dynamic, functional, and endurance-based exercises to fully enhance your surfing abilities. Combining powerlifting with surf-specific training, explosive lifts, and conditioning will give you the best of both worlds for improving your surfing performance.
WE’VE COVERED A LOT OF THE KEY ASPECTS OF COMBINING SURFING AND WEIGHTLIFTING, BUT HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS, INCLUDING DIET AND NUTRITION, THAT CAN ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE IN BOTH ACTIVITIES.
IMPORTANCE OF MOBILITY AND FLEXIBILITY
While lifting weights is important for building strength, surfers also need good mobility and flexibility to perform well. Surfing requires a lot of dynamic movements, such as twisting, turning, and quick adjustments of your body position.
Stretching and Yoga: Incorporating a flexibility routine, such as yoga, will help prevent stiffness, improve your range of motion, and keep your muscles limber. It also aids in recovery after intense workouts and long surf sessions.
Foam Rolling and Massage: Regular use of a foam roller or professional massage can help keep your muscles supple and reduce the chance of injury.
THE ROLE OF CARDIO AND ENDURANCE TRAINING
Surfers need both strength and cardiovascular endurance. While weightlifting builds strength, you need to work on your cardiovascular system to handle long paddles, repetitive actions, and extended time on the water.
Paddling Simulators: A great way to simulate the paddling motion and improve cardiovascular endurance is by using paddling simulators or even just swimming. Swimming is excellent for building the same muscles used in paddling and will give you better stamina in the water.
HIIT Workouts: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be an excellent way to build both strength and endurance. HIIT workouts that alternate short bursts of effort with rest periods are good for mimicking the bursts of energy needed when surfing.
Longer Surf Sessions: If you live near the beach, try to get in more time in the water, as this is the best way to improve your cardio for surfing.
BALANCE AND STABILITY WORK
Balance is one of the most critical components of surfing. Building stability in your core and legs will help you stay on your board and make quick adjustments to your body position.
Balance Training: Incorporating balance exercises, such as standing on a BOSU ball or balance board, can help mimic the unstable environment of the water. This kind of training will help improve your proprioception (awareness of your body’s position in space), which is crucial for maintaining balance while surfing.
Single-Leg Deadlifts and Lunges: These exercises are great for building single-leg strength, which is essential for the quick weight shifts and turns that you need when surfing.
DIET AND NUTRITION FOR SURFING AND WEIGHTLIFTING
A well-balanced diet is essential to fuel both your surfing and weightlifting. Your nutritional needs will depend on your training intensity, surf frequency, and body type, but here are some general guidelines:
Macronutrients
Protein: Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. Aim for around 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on your training intensity. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, and protein powders.
Carbohydrates: Carbs are your body’s primary energy source, especially for endurance activities like surfing. Surfers need quick energy for paddling, pop-ups, and catching waves. Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes in your diet for sustained energy throughout the day.
Healthy Fats: Healthy fats support brain function and help with recovery. Focus on sources of omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, avocados, nuts, and olive oil. These also help reduce inflammation, which is important for recovery after both surf sessions and intense workouts.
Micronutrients
Electrolytes: Surfers often spend long hours in the water and can lose electrolytes through sweating and exertion. Make sure to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, spinach, and sweet potatoes, which are rich in potassium and magnesium. Hydrating with coconut water or an electrolyte drink can also help.
Vitamin D and Calcium: Strong bones are essential for both lifting and surfing. Vitamin D (from sunlight or supplements) helps with calcium absorption, while calcium-rich foods (like dairy, leafy greens, and fortified plant milks) are important for bone density.
Meal Timing
Pre-Workout Nutrition: Eating a balanced meal 1-2 hours before lifting or surfing can provide sustained energy. Aim for a combination of carbs and protein (e.g., oatmeal with protein powder or a banana with peanut butter).
Post-Workout Nutrition: After intense activity, your body needs to recover. Consume a meal with a mix of carbs and protein to replenish glycogen stores and aid muscle repair (e.g., chicken with quinoa and vegetables or a protein shake with fruit).
Hydration: Staying hydrated is key. Dehydration can impair performance and recovery. Drink water throughout the day and consider consuming electrolyte-rich drinks after long surf sessions or weightlifting workouts.
RECOVERY
Both surfing and weightlifting put a strain on your muscles, so recovery is just as important as training. Here are some key recovery strategies:
Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Sleep is when your body repairs muscles and recovers from the stress of both surfing and weightlifting.
Active Recovery: Engage in low-intensity activities, such as light swimming, walking, or yoga, to keep blood flowing to sore muscles and aid in the recovery process.
Stretching and Mobility: As mentioned earlier, incorporating stretching and mobility work after your workouts will help maintain flexibility and prevent injury. Dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches after can improve flexibility and range of motion for surfing.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR SURFING AND LIFTING
While whole foods should always be the foundation of your diet, some supplements can enhance performance and recovery:
Protein Powder: A convenient way to ensure you’re meeting your protein needs for muscle repair and growth.
Creatine: A well-researched supplement that can enhance strength and power output, which may be beneficial for explosive movements like pop-ups or quick turns.
BCAAs (Branched-Chain Amino Acids): These can help reduce muscle soreness and support muscle recovery, especially if you’re training intensely.
Omega-3s: Fish oil supplements are great for reducing inflammation and supporting joint health.
Magnesium: Helps with muscle relaxation and recovery, especially if you’re feeling tight or experiencing cramps after a session.
To improve both your surfing and weightlifting, focusing on strength, endurance, flexibility, and proper nutrition will set you up for success. Strength training will enhance your paddling, explosive movements, and overall control on the board, while a well-balanced diet and proper recovery will ensure you’re fueled and ready to perform at your best. By integrating these practices, you’ll notice improvements in your strength and endurance both in the gym and on the waves.
Incorporating weightlifting and conditioning into your surfing training routine is an excellent way to enhance your overall performance, strength, and endurance on the waves. Surfing requires not only the ability to quickly pop up on your board, but also the endurance to paddle through waves, the stability to stay balanced, and the explosive power to make sharp turns and carve through the water.
While surfing naturally builds some of these skills, complementing it with a solid weightlifting routine can greatly improve your physical capacity to handle the unique demands of the sport.
Weightlifting focuses on building raw strength, particularly in the lower body, core, and upper body—all of which are essential for a successful surf session. Squats and deadlifts will enhance leg strength for better paddling and explosive pop-ups, while upper-body exercises like bench presses, rows, and shoulder presses will help improve paddling power.
Strengthening your core through weightlifting movements, such as deadlifts or squats, and supplementing with rotational exercises can provide the balance and stability necessary for quick adjustments while surfing. These benefits go beyond just performance; they also help prevent injury by reinforcing the muscles and joints that surfers rely on the most.
However, it’s not just about strength; conditioning is crucial to ensure you have the stamina for long surf sessions. While weightlifting develops your power, cardiovascular training, and specific endurance work, such as swimming or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), will give you the energy and muscle endurance to stay in the water for longer.
By incorporating mobility exercises, yoga, and stretching into your routine, you’ll maintain flexibility, which is key for the fluid movements required in surfing, especially when twisting and turning on the waves.
Finally, nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting your training and recovery. Proper fueling before and after workouts, with a balanced intake of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, ensures you have the energy to perform at your peak and the nutrients needed to recover and repair muscles. Hydration and maintaining electrolyte balance are equally important, especially after long sessions of paddling or lifting weights. Supplements like creatine or protein powders can also enhance muscle recovery and performance, but they should complement a nutrient-rich, whole-food diet.
Integrating weightlifting, conditioning, mobility work, and a well-balanced diet into your training routine will not only improve your surfing performance but also help keep you in top shape for both short and long-term success. The combination of strength, endurance, balance, and recovery will give you the edge needed to tackle challenging waves and enjoy the sport to its fullest. By committing to this holistic approach, you’ll become a stronger, more resilient surfer, capable of handling both the physical and mental challenges that come with the sport.
TO DIVE DEEPER INTO HOW WEIGHTLIFTING, CONDITIONING, AND NUTRITION CAN IMPROVE YOUR SURFING, HERE ARE SOME GREAT RESOURCES AND PLACES TO LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION:
1. Surfing-Specific Training Programs
- Surf Strength Coach (surfstrengthcoach.com): This website is a great resource for surfers looking to improve strength, mobility, and fitness. They offer training plans and guidance on exercises that specifically target the muscles used in surfing.
- The Surf Fitness Bible by James Marshall: This book provides a detailed guide to building strength and conditioning for surfers. It includes both gym-based workouts and practical exercises for surf-specific fitness.
2. Weightlifting and Conditioning
- Stronger By the Day (strongerbysunday.com): A well-rounded resource for general strength training, which can be adapted for surfers. Look for programs focused on functional strength, mobility, and core stability.
- Bodybuilding.com: While it’s often geared toward bodybuilding, many of their programs and articles are focused on building strength, endurance, and hypertrophy, which can be helpful for surfers. They also offer articles on mobility, stretching, and nutrition.
- Examine.com: For research-backed information on supplements, nutrition, and how they relate to performance, Examine is an excellent source. They provide in-depth, science-based explanations on various nutrients and supplements.
3. Surf-Specific Mobility and Flexibility
- Yoga for Surfers by Eva & Ben Dummett: This book and online resources are perfect for improving flexibility, core strength, and balance specifically for surfers.
- Surfing Yoga (surfingyoga.com): This website provides tips and instructional videos on incorporating yoga into your surfing routine, which will help you enhance mobility, balance, and flexibility.
4. Online Communities and Forums
- Reddit (r/surfing, r/fitness, and r/strengthtraining): These online communities are great for discussing specific workouts, nutrition strategies, and sharing tips with both surfers and weightlifters.
- Surfer’s Village Forum: Another online community where you can find advice and experiences from other surfers regarding fitness, strength training, and performance.
5. Nutrition and Supplements
- Precision Nutrition: This site offers excellent resources on nutrition for athletes, including articles on protein, recovery, supplements, and overall nutrition to fuel your fitness and surfing goals.
- Breaking Muscle: Provides nutrition and fitness resources, especially geared towards athletes looking to improve performance. Their articles often cover nutrition specifics for strength training and endurance sports, including surfing.
6. Surf Training Apps and Videos
- MySurfCoach: An app that offers personalized surf training plans to improve strength, flexibility, and surf skills. It’s tailored to help surfers reach peak performance.
- Surf Training Programs on YouTube: There are many YouTube channels dedicated to surf fitness training, like The Surf Channel, which features workout routines specifically designed for surfers.
7. Books
- “The Surfer’s Guide to Strength Training” by Jodi Milner: This book provides specific exercises for building strength and endurance tailored for surfers.
- “The Ultimate Guide to Surfing Fitness” by Bruce M. G. Bishop: A good resource on improving strength, balance, and flexibility through exercises that translate directly to surfing.
By exploring these resources, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how weightlifting, mobility, nutrition, and proper conditioning can directly benefit your surfing performance. Whether you prefer books, online articles, or hands-on training programs, these options will help you build a solid foundation to become a stronger, more skilled surfer.
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