Top Surfing Workouts to Boost Your Wave Riding Skills

Looking to boost your surfing skills but don’t know where to start? Many surfers face the challenge of improving their performance on the waves without the right training regimen. Surfing workouts are essential for building the strength, balance, and endurance needed to excel in the water. This post will explore the best exercises to enhance your surfing abilities, focusing on core strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. By incorporating these targeted workouts, you’ll ride the waves with greater agility and confidence. Join us as we dive into workout routines, expert tips, and strategies to elevate your surfing game.

Core Strength Training for Surfers

Building a strong core is essential for maintaining balance and generating power during maneuvers. Surfing requires consistent stability, especially when paddling, popping up, and navigating waves. Incorporating these core exercises will help you stay grounded and agile on the board.

Plank Variations

Forearm Plank: Hold a forearm plank for 30 seconds to 1 minute, focusing on keeping your hips level with your shoulders.
Side Plank: A side plank strengthens the obliques, which are crucial for turning on the waves. Perform each side for 30-45 seconds.
Plank to Push-up: Transition between a plank and push-up position for 15-20 repetitions to activate both the core and upper body.

Dead Bugs

Dead bugs challenge your stability and coordination while engaging your core. Lie on your back, arms extended to the ceiling, and lower opposite arm and leg simultaneously while maintaining a stable spine. Perform 10-15 repetitions per side.

Leg and Lower Body Strengthening

Stronger legs are key for explosive power when paddling and popping up, as well as for holding your stance during turns and maneuvers. These exercises help you build strength and endurance in your legs.

Squats

Bodyweight Squats: Perform 3 sets of 15-20 bodyweight squats, ensuring your knees track over your toes and you maintain a straight back.
Jump Squats: Adding a jump to your squat increases explosiveness, which translates to faster pop-ups. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Bulgarian Split Squats: Elevate one foot behind you on a bench and squat down with the front leg. This move helps strengthen the legs unilaterally. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg.

Lunges

Walking Lunges: Step forward into a lunge, keeping the knee over the ankle. Add dumbbells for extra resistance. Perform 3 sets of 20 reps (10 per leg).
Reverse Lunges: Take a step backward into a lunge, which reduces stress on the knees. Complete 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg.

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges engage your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, improving your ability to generate power when popping up or driving through turns. Hold each bridge for 2-3 seconds at the top. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.

Cardiovascular Conditioning for Surfing

Endurance is crucial for maintaining energy levels throughout your session. Surfing requires sustained efforts of paddling, popping up, and riding waves. Integrate these cardiovascular exercises into your workout to improve stamina and overall performance.

Interval Training

Sprints: Run at full speed for 20-30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat for 8-12 rounds. Sprints improve explosive power and recovery.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Combine exercises such as burpees, mountain climbers, and jumping jacks in 20-second bursts with 10-15 seconds of rest. Do this for 20-30 minutes.

Rowing

Rowing machines mimic the paddling motion in surfing and provide an excellent cardiovascular workout. Aim for 20 minutes of steady-state rowing or interval sprints for 10-15 rounds of 1 minute of intense rowing followed by 30 seconds of rest.

Mobility and Flexibility Exercises

Surfing involves dynamic movements that require a full range of motion. Mobility exercises help maintain flexibility and prevent injury, especially in the hips, shoulders, and back. Incorporate the following stretches and mobility drills to keep your body limber and ready for action.

Hip Flexor Stretch

The hip flexors can become tight from paddling and the repetitive motion of surfing. To stretch, step one leg forward into a lunge position and gently push your hips forward. Hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Thoracic Spine Rotation

Twisting motions are common in surfing, so it’s essential to keep your spine mobile. Sit cross-legged, place one hand behind your back, and twist your torso to one side, using the other hand for support. Hold for 20-30 seconds per side.

Downward Dog to Cobra Stretch

Downward Dog: From a push-up position, lift your hips high, aiming for a straight line from your hands to your feet. Hold for 30 seconds.
Cobra Stretch: Transition into a cobra by lying on your stomach and pushing up with your hands to extend your back. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Shoulder Mobility Drills

Surfers rely on strong, flexible shoulders for paddling and maneuvering on the waves. Perform shoulder circles, wall angels, and resistance band stretches to keep your shoulders healthy and mobile.

Balance and Stability Training

Balance plays a vital role in surfing, as it affects your ability to control the board and execute smooth turns. Strengthening your balance improves your overall surfing skills and helps you stay centered in challenging conditions.

Balance Board Training

Using a balance board or a wobble board simulates the instability of a surfboard, forcing your body to engage stabilizing muscles. Start with simple balance exercises, holding for 30 seconds and gradually increasing time as you progress.

Single-Leg Stands

Performing single-leg stands on a flat surface or on a balance pad can help improve proprioception and ankle stability. Hold each side for 30-60 seconds. Once proficient, add small movements like reaching or twisting to challenge yourself further.

Bosu Ball Squats

The Bosu ball provides an unstable surface that forces your body to engage multiple muscle groups. Stand on the flat side of the Bosu ball, performing squats for 3 sets of 10-15 reps to increase your balance and leg strength.

Upper Body Strength and Endurance

A powerful upper body is necessary for paddling, popping up, and performing maneuvers in the waves. Focus on building both strength and endurance to paddle effectively for long periods and handle the physical demands of surfing.

Push-ups

Standard Push-ups: Start with 3 sets of 15-20 reps to build strength in your chest, shoulders, and arms.
Wide Push-ups: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart to activate more of the chest. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Triceps Push-ups: Place your hands closer together to target the triceps. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Pull-ups

Pull-ups are an excellent way to build upper back and arm strength, which is crucial for paddling. If you cannot complete full pull-ups, use assistance bands or a machine. Aim for 3 sets of 5-10 reps.

Lat Pulldowns

Lat pulldowns target the same muscles as pull-ups but are more accessible for beginners. Use a cable machine to perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps, focusing on pulling your elbows down toward your hips.

Agility and Reaction Time Drills

Surfing requires quick reflexes and the ability to react to changing conditions on the water. Agility drills sharpen your ability to make fast decisions and execute them smoothly on the wave.

Ladder Drills

Single-Leg Hops: Hop through each square of the agility ladder using one leg at a time. Perform 3 sets of 30 seconds per leg.
In-and-Outs: Step in and out of each ladder square with both feet simultaneously, working on foot speed. Complete 3 sets of 30 seconds.

Cone Drills

Set up cones in a zigzag pattern and sprint through them, weaving between each cone as fast as possible. This drill improves lateral movement and quick direction changes. Perform 4-6 sets of 10-15 seconds per round.

Ball Drops

Stand with a partner or against a wall, and have them drop a tennis ball or small object randomly. React by catching it before it bounces twice. This exercise helps improve your reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Do 3 sets of 10-15 drops.

Surf-Specific Strength Training

Surfing demands power, endurance, and coordination across all muscle groups. These specialized exercises will replicate the movements you use in the water, improving both your strength and your surfing technique.

Paddle Simulation Exercises

Resistance Band Paddling: Attach a resistance band to a sturdy object and simulate paddling motions. Aim for 3 sets of 20-30 repetitions per arm to build strength and endurance.
Kettlebell Swings: The kettlebell swing mimics the explosive motion of paddling while strengthening the core and legs. Perform 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Surf Pop-Up Drills

Practice your pop-up motion on land to enhance your speed and fluidity when transitioning from lying on the board to standing. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 pop-ups, focusing on smooth, controlled movements.

Medicine Ball Slams

Medicine ball slams develop explosive power and full-body coordination, which is key for quick and powerful movements on the wave. Perform 3 sets of 15 slams, focusing on core activation.

Recovery and Injury Prevention

Recovering properly after your workouts and surf sessions is vital to prevent injury and ensure your body remains in top condition for the next session. Focus on rest, stretching, and hydration to aid recovery.

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling helps reduce muscle tightness and improve blood flow, allowing your body to recover faster. Roll over your quads, calves, back, and shoulders for 30-60 seconds per muscle group.

Rest and Sleep

Ensure you get adequate rest and sleep to allow your muscles to repair and grow stronger. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to optimize recovery.

Hydration

Stay hydrated throughout your workouts and surf sessions. Dehydration can lead to decreased performance and increased risk of injury.

Conclusion

Incorporating these workouts into your training routine will build the strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance needed to improve your wave riding skills. Consistency is key, and with dedication, you’ll notice significant improvements both on and off the water. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced surfer, these exercises will take your performance to the next level.