apologies per this being a bit off the topic of surfboard design.
i am curious to what others are doing to start in surfing shape while not surfing.
thanks
tim
I just got these things and I can tell you they are worth every cent… TRX fitness straps. They are a body weight training aid. I saw a personal trainer using them in the gym and thought they looked pretty nice, did some research, bit the bullet and bought them, and am I glad I did. They will run you about $200, but like I said, they are worth it. I use these 3-4 times a week and throw in some cardio and I am as fit as I have been in a while. The great thing about these is that you can simulate (to a certain extent) your padle stroke with resistance. Go to www.fitnessanywhere.com to check them out.
I went to Mexico last summer for a surf trip and I knew that my arms just weren’t in the shape I wanted them to be, so I looked online for any workout I could find. I went ahead and ordered the e-book from Surfitness.com for about $20 and it’s a great workout. All it uses is a medicine ball, balance ball, and resistance straps. All of these can be bought cheaply at any sports store. I only did the workout for about 4 weeks before my trip and I rested a few days before I left. I did it 3 days a week, and on the off days I would paddle my surfboard in a swimming pool with a tether around my ankles for about 15-20 minutes. Basically, in less than a month, without actually surfing at all, I was in great paddling shape. I highly recommend it.
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I would paddle my surfboard in a swimming pool with a tether around my ankles for about 15-20 minutes.
This is an awesome way to get back in shape for paddling… I used to do this too… Even gets your ribs all toughened up again.
my daily routine is stretch in am, and go for a run or bike ride.after work it is surf, run, bike or warm up on a stationary bike then swim laps.unfortunatley, i am having some neck issues wich has cuased me to cutback on the surf and swimming for a while.
I’ve been using the TOTAL GYM that Chuck Norris sells on those infomercials. You can mimick paddling very well, it really works your entire upper body. I’m 6’4" and 220 lbs and I used it for a month everyday before I went to the north shore in November and I surfed every day for at least 6 hours a day for 7 days. I live at the Jersey Shore and as you all know Hawaii is totally different ballgame, I would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have constant surf especially when you put on the old 6/5 wetsuit.
Good Luck
Tom
for paddleing i swim and lift. i want to bring a surfboard to the pool and paddle it and i know i can do it since i am a lifeguard but my board is too far away
I paddle in a lake for about two hours straight. I think I cover around two miles. Throw in some sprint intervals like you’re going for a wave. If there is a little wind chop, its a pretty gnarly workout. I can go for a marathon surf session with ease, even if I haven’t surfed in six months. You can’t beat endurance paddle training.
I used to do the 30 minute pool session, but going to a lake and going for distance is superior. You will paddle laps around your friends. My only advice for people who try this is not to let yourself develop “lazy paddle posture.” You have to really maintain the head up, shoulders up, feet un-weighted posture, since that is the best way to catch a wave. (Skydiving posture, only the core on the board)
I do that posture on a longboard but my feet are down on a short board. I never knew that was the correct position…
I try to swim in a pool as much as my schedule will allow.
"I do that posture on a longboard but my feet are down on a short board. I never knew that was the correct position… "
I think its personal preference, and it depends on the board too. But when your core is truly centered, you can make those late beach break drops with a quick weighting of the groin area, or the knees, or, lean forward with the chest for an early catch and give two strokes with ease.
I only say that because when I started paddling pools and lakes, I got a lazy (almost like I was sleeping) position, and it translated badly to surf sessions. Practice how you want to play, I suppose.
swimming, different core type exercises, burpies, elliptical machine for arms and legs, stretching. Eat right and slown down on the beer.
12 oz curls…
preferably with an amber lager, or a dark ale.
Cycle to work everyday 20 mins each way. Riding through traffic really improves your reflexes (although may shorten life expectancy) Yoga twice a week. Yoga won’t help with paddling but really improves your surfing if you don’t surf frequently
I’ve done a lot of swimming throughout my life, and while it kept me in excellent condition healthwise, there’s no substitute for paddling on an actual surfboard. The difference in stroke, while subtle, seems to be very different. Paddling in open water is superior due to boredom of paddling in place. I recommend a water proof ipod or at least a boombox near the pool. I almost got that Chuck Norris Gym thingy, but space and price pushed me towards the Surfitness workout. I was able to simulate paddling pretty well by laying on the balence ball with my toes on the ground, balance ball between abs and floor, then anchor resistance bands to a point in front of you about shoulder level (while laying on ball). Get far enough back that there is minimal resistance when arm is fully extended in front of you. With a handle in each hand, you can copy a surfboard paddling motion. The balance ball is about the width of a longboard, so you actually have to keep your arms out from the side of your body. This is the main difference between a swim stroke and a surf stroke, in my opinion. While swimming, you keep your arm as close to your body for efficiency, but in surfing, you have to account for board width, as well as keeping your head up while paddling, which the balance ball works very well.
shaggin
ditto what silly said
Beer, Pizza, and practice holding my breath while eating pizza and drinking the beer!
Burpeeeee!
i like to combine the silly and the swied methods…at the same time. maximize your workout thru multitasking!
the TRX from fitness anywhere is really good – perfect for surfers in my opinion for many reasons (www.fitnessanywhere.com)
fitdeck is also a good workout in my opinion (www.fitdeck.com)
finally, perhaps the best overall would be crossfit’s WODs (www.crossfit.com)