4 Surf Workouts to Improve Your Surf Fitness

#1 - Surf Fitness Workout: Burpees — 3 sets & 8 reps

The first exercise you can do to help your surf fitness training is burpees! This exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body to increase endurance and prepare you for the life on a surfboard. Burpees also increase your strength and help you obtain the muscle memory needed for popping up on a surfboard. 

To start a burpee, simply jump up with your arms straight above your head and jump down to the ground, with your hand touching the ground on both sides of your legs. As soon as you’re down, push both legs back into a push up/plank position and do a pushup by bending your elbows. Finally, finish the burpee by jumping back up to start the entire process over again.

Burpees can be more challenging if you perform this exercise slow and controlled when bending your arms in plank position, and then you can use your strength to practice the ‘explosion’ movement of jumping up. For optimal results, do this exercise 3 times with 8 reps each, and watch your surf fitness training improve quickly.

#2 - Surf Fitness Workout: Plank With arm and leg movement — 3 reps of 40 seconds each

The following exercise you could do to work on your surf fitness is a plank. Planking will help you better engage your core and increase your upper body strength, which is exactly what you need when paddling out and riding hectic waves.

Complete this exercise by planking at least 3 times for 40 seconds each. Be sure to keep your back straight and do not dip your butt down (in other words, avoid having a banana back). To make the exercise more challenging, alternate your arm and leg movements to enhance your core and gain better stability. 

The plank position is great for putting your inner balance to the test. Don’t forget to add this exercise to your surf fitness workout routine if you want to increase your surfing performance.

#3 - Surf Fitness Workout: Shoulder Mobility Exercises

Shoulder mobility is absolutely essential for surfers. Paddling out to the waves takes a lot of upper strength and shoulder flexibility, so it is crucial that surfers stretch their shoulders to prevent painful pulled muscles.

The best way to enhance your shoulder flexibility is to do movements that will increase your shoulder’s range of motion. One way you could practice this is by using a long item, such as a stick or baseball bat, and holding it above your head with both elbows straight. Guide the stick slowly behind your back, to the left and the right, while keeping your arms completely straight throughout all of the movements. 

Perform this shoulder mobility exercise for a few minutes during your surf body workout to ensure these muscles are constantly stretched and prepared for paddling out into the water. Failing to stretch your shoulders consistently could lead to shoulder dislocations or painful soreness, which is the last thing you want to experience when planning a fun day of hitting the waves.

#4 - Surf Fitness Workout: Yoga Movements — 3 sets & 6 reps

Yoga is another fantastic surf workout that will increase your mobility, flexibility, and strength while on your surfboard. Not only do many yoga positions mimic your position on surfboards, but they also can enhance helpful muscle memory to improve your balance and keep your core engaged while surfing.

One great yoga movement is lunging while raising up your arms. Another is to low plank into the Cobra Pose, where you lift your body with your arms and stretch your legs back. Once in Cobra Pose, you can then stretch your back and shoulders by bending backwards to Child’s Pose. Here your arms are next to your ears, stretched straight in front of you and you’re sitting on your feet with bent knees. During each surf workout, try doing 3 sets of yoga movements, with 6 reps per set.

Yoga movements can really help with your pop-up and stability on the water. And not to mention, yoga is a great stress reliever and a pleasant way to relax after a challenging workout. Don’t hesitate to add yoga movements to your surf fitness workout routine.