Surfing is a sport that demands a unique combination of skills, including strength, balance, agility, and cardiovascular endurance. While many surfers focus on building their core strength and balance through surf-specific exercises, it's equally important to pay attention to your cardiovascular fitness. After all, catching waves, paddling out, and riding the swell require considerable stamina. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of surfing-specific cardio workouts and provide some exercises to help boost your wave riding stamina.
Why Cardio Matters in Surfing
Surfing is not just about catching the perfect wave; it's about catching wave after wave and enjoying a long session out in the water. To do this, you need good cardiovascular endurance. Paddling out through waves or against a rip and constantly manoeuvring yourself into the correct position to take off require energy and stamina. Without proper cardio fitness, you might find yourself tired and struggling to stay on your board after just a few waves.
Surfing-Specific Cardio Exercises
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Swimming: One of the best ways to improve your cardiovascular endurance for surfing is through swimming. It roughly mimics the paddling motion and provides a full-body workout. Try swimming laps in a pool or heading to the ocean for some open-water swimming sessions. (see "Mavrex" below f you can't get to the pool or the ocean).
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Interval Training: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be very effective for surfers. Create a workout routine that includes short bursts of intense exercise, like sprinting on the beach or doing burpees, followed by brief periods of rest.
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Long-Distance Paddling: Practice long-distance paddling sessions in the open water to simulate the paddling required during a surf session. This will help improve your endurance and prepare you for extended time in the lineup.
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Cycling: Cycling is an excellent low-impact exercise that can enhance your cardiovascular fitness. It's also a great way to cross-train when the surf is flat.
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Jumping Drills: Jumping exercises like squat jumps, box jumps, or jump rope can improve your agility and leg strength while enhancing your overall cardio fitness.
In later blog posts we'll aim to dive into each of these to give a program for how you can include them in your dryland fitness regimes.
Mavrex: An alternative to Swimming is to use the Mavrex fitness trainer in a HIIT training workout. Mokan built the Mavrex surf trainer for those times when we can't get into the ocean.
Incorporating these surfing-specific cardio workouts into your training routine can make a significant difference in your ability to catch more waves and have longer, more enjoyable surf sessions. Remember, surfing is not just about the thrill of riding a wave; it's also about the journey to get there. Build your cardiovascular endurance, and you'll find yourself riding those waves with more energy and style. So, hit the gym or the beach, and start working on your surf-specific cardio fitness today!