Our recommendations before surfing
Do you want to give it all in your next surf session? In this blog article we leave you a series of tips, recommendations and exercises to do a complete pre-surf training.
Surfing is a sport that requires a good physical shape, since during its practice it is necessary to make use of strength, endurance, power, balance and coordination. Therefore, it is important to start with a good preparation.
A good pre-surf workout will not only help you warm up your muscles and joints, stretch to start surfing safely and smoothly, but will also help you gain confidence, flexibility and improve your posture and technique when surfing, so you can enjoy this sport to the fullest!
Our basic tips before surfing
- Set some goals. First of all, keep in mind that you must set goals adapted to your knowledge of surfing, your physical ability and endurance. You should not force yourself, the key is to practice and set small goals to improve.
- Be informed and prepared. Especially if you are a beginner, it is essential to observe and learn about the characteristics of the beach before entering the water to surf. To be prepared for a good surfing session, find out about the types of waves, the weather conditions, the best time to surf…
In Surf City El Salvador, for example, the ideal time to surf is early in the morning, when the tide is low and there is less chance of strong wind.
- Take into account the necessary equipment. To go surfing you not only need your surfboard, it is also important to use sunscreen and bring drinks to hydrate yourself frequently. Remember to take your time observing the movement of the waves and identify the currents. Knowing which direction the water is flowing in the lineup will help you make your surf session more efficient and memorable.
- Warm up before you start. A good warm-up is essential to prepare the body for surfing. This way, you will increase your body temperature, warm up your muscles and joints, activate your musculature, and prevent possible injuries.
Training exercises
Pre-warming up.
A good warm-up should last between 5 and 10 minutes and include low and medium intensity exercises to work the joints and specific parts of the body.
To do this, you should start with smooth and coordinated rotational movements of all joints: neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles. Then you can do a short run to work the whole body, increase body temperature, increase blood flow and activate the body.
Series of apneas.
Good breathing is essential for surfers, as they must be able to hold their breath underwater without any problems during the rolls. Therefore, before starting to surf, a recommended exercise is to take long, deep breaths for a few minutes. First do it statically, in full motion and then in the water.
The apneas, besides helping you to gain concentration, will help you to prepare your respiratory system and gain muscular capacity.
Shoulder and back exercises.
Working the shoulders and back is very important, as they are a basic area for good paddling. To achieve a strong and resistant upper body for surfing, it is important to perform shoulder and back exercises to achieve power and resistance and reduce fatigue.
Exercises include push-ups, weights, scapulae openings and one-handed balancing.
Leg work.
Leg exercises are also of great importance to train strength and power and improve balance.
We recommend strides, squats, one-legged squats, stair climbs, stair climbs and lunges.
Core zone activation.
The core area is composed of the abdominal area and the lower back and is the center of gravity that unites our body. Therefore, this area is key to improving balance, stability and coordination.
You can do sets of crunches, front planks, side planks and roll outs.
Power and resistance exercises.
Finally, to improve your power and endurance you can do interval training to work on these two fundamental qualities for surfing.
You can start by doing sprints and standing up fast and straight to work on strength in short periods of time, and running or swimming to work on endurance.
Surf skate.
As an extra, we also suggest the practice of surf-skate, a perfect technique to practice surfing skills out of the water that will help you refine your technique, improve your posture and physical performance.
You can practice it before surfing or as a practice out of the water when the conditions are not ideal for surfing and you want to train. In this article we tell you more.
In Surf City El Salvador we have the best locations and beaches to prepare you before surfing and enjoy our waves to the fullest.
And if you want to learn to surf from scratch, discover all our surf schools here, we are waiting for you!
