Sadly that Holiday joy tends to be tainted by those few extra pounds we tend to gain after days of scoffing grandma’s Christmas pudding and generally being rather lazy. However don’t dismay, here’s a helping hand with that “Get Fit and Healthy” New Year’s resolution.
You could consider me a bit of a fitness freak, at any given time you’ll find me in the boxing ring, swimming at the gym pool and of course spending hours on end in the ocean, surfing. The only reason I can spend hours on end in the ocean is because I like to keep myself at a certain fitness level.
Getting fit doesn’t require a gym membership. However you don’t really need that much space to get active. You’re living room will probably do, the road or beach as your running track, the communal pool or even a sturdy dining table could be used to do some pull ups on. It may take a little creativity to find a space but it’s not impossible.
Having that beach bod and getting surfing fit should be fun. Remember, the frequency of your effort will only lead to being stronger and seeing and feeling the results. You will most certainly feel the pay off when you can enjoy endless hours of surfing without having to come in too soon due to feeling unfit. Here are a few of my personal fitness regimes that anyone can realistically do. Reaching that desired level of fitness and maintaining it is not necessarily easy, but I guarantee you that effort leads to ease.
The warm up
Just as you would before any exercise, including a surf lesson or free surf, warming up is essential. The warm up should gently prepare the body for exercises by gradually increasing the heart rate and circulation; this will loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. Stretching the muscles prepares them for physical activity and prevents injuries. If I am restricted by space and can’t go for a light jog, I like to skip for a warm up. Skipping is great since it needs very little space and warms the entire body up for the exercises ahead.
The Burpee: Cardio
I know that the mere mention of the word starts to generate a bit of the urge to vomit for most people but Burpees are a full body exercise which virtually works every muscle in the body, this means that you can burn more calories in a lot less time. They may take a little time to grow on you but The Burpee can become your best friend.
You can do burpees almost anywhere as you are only using your own body weight. Burpees boost strength and endurance which will help when the surf is good and you just don’t want to get out of the water
How to
- Stand with your feet hip width apart and your arms down by your side
- Lower into a squat position with your hands flat on the floor in front of you
- Kick your legs backwards into a press up position and lower your chest to the floor
- Push your chest back up to the press up position thrust both feet forward so you are back in the squat position
- Jump up and raise both hands over your head (and again!)
The Push up : Strength
When you’re ready to build some paddling strength and develop a strong upper body and core, look no further than the push-up. The push-up is the least needy of exercises, no gym membership required, no fancy equipment and is an effective exercise for everyone from beginners to pro’s. Although popping up and riding a wave is the goal in surfing, without a strong paddle you cannot catch the wave to ride. So having a strong upper body is a key component in surfing. You can literally drop down almost anywhere and do a few pushups, even throughout the day when the moment allows.
How to do a proper push up
- Get into a high plank position.
- Place your hands firmly on the ground, directly under shoulders. …
- Lower your body. Begin to lower your body—keeping your back flat and eyes focused about three feet in front of you to keep a neutral neck—until your chest grazes the floor.
- Push back up.
The sit up
When whomever first said “no pain, no gain”, they were most certainly talking about yesterday’s sit ups session. Back strength is a predominant fitness trait as a surfer, both upper and lower back strength is needed and developed as a surfer, but what is back strength without the support of good abs/core?! A strong core and balance go hand in hand.
Your core is the essence of everything you do, from your day-to-day activities, to your athletic pursuits. It doesn’t matter how strong your arms and legs are if the muscles they’re attached to aren’t equally as strong.
A strong core is also responsible for your sense of balance. Balance not only requires equilibrium, but also good stability of the core muscles and the joints, particularly the hip, knee, and ankle. Once you’ve popped up, these play a huge role in surfing.
How to
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and you feet flat on the floor.
- Place your finger tips behind your ears.
- Pull your shoulder blades back so your elbows are out to the side.
- Brace your abs and then raise your body up towards your knees, shoulders should be lifted of the floor.
- Head always looking straight, no chin on chest and do not pull the head forward. Therefore, no strain on the neck.
- Roll back down to the starting position.
The next exercise is my absolute favourite for getting surfing fit…
The pool !
The best way to prepare yourself for a surf trip is, swimming (no surprise there) as it exercises all the right muscle groups. Front crawl is always best, it imitates the paddling motion in the ocean. If you are able to, get to the pool whenever you can – twice a week if possible. Aim for a minimum of 15-20 lengths per session, to start off with. Increasing the number of lengths as well as speed when you find 15-20 becomes a bit too easy. The trick with swimming as an exercise is that you can advance quickly. Effort equals ease, your improvement will most likely surprise you.
No matter your fitness level, the general benefits of swimming are yours to go out, grab and make your own. It has the power to give your muscles a makeover, transform you into a cardio king, and it’s simultaneously a pretty calming and tranquil activity, provided you are not drowning 😉
Technique in swimming is everything, below are 4 fundamental steps to perfecting that front crawl stroke.
Step 1: Body Position.
Keep your body flat, lie facing down in the water keeping your body in line with the water surface.
Step 2: Arm Movement.
This is what will propel you forward in the water. Getting this technique correctly from the start will help target those muscles used whilst paddling a surfboard.
Step 3: Breathing Technique.
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to breathing technique. I like to focus on my exhalation not my inhalation. The most common problem swimmers have with their breathing is not exhaling under the water. If you exhale under the water between breaths you only have to inhale when you go to breathe. This makes things much easier. It also relaxes you and helps greatly with bilateral breathing. This is so important and can make a massive difference to your swimming.
Breathing Tip 2. When you’re not breathing, keep your head still
Breathing Tip 3. Breathe Into The trough – Your Bow Wave Is Your friend
Breathing Tip 4. don’t lift your head forwards
Breathing Tip 5. don’t over rotate your head
Step 4: Leg Action
Make sure you’re kicking from the hip and not the knee. It’s a common mistake by swimmers. Which is a lot more effort and a lot less reward. Make sure your toes are pointed. When you swim you should always have your toes pointed, this presents a much lower profile to the water. Not pointing your toes will push water forwards when you kick, slowing you dramatically.
You can confidently implement even just a few of these activities into your day and be certain it will lead to more strength and stamina for not only surfing but every part of your life and you can definitely say goodbye to that Christmas bloat.
