Surfing fitness

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board
board
WA
29 posts
WA, 29 posts
30 Jan 2009 10:29am
Hi all

I have always surfed minimum 4 times a week so i have always had quite good fitness. I am now getting a bit older(and have a hectic job) and only get down about once a week. The thing that worries me is that I usually go on 4 or 5 good surf trips a year and am now struggling to keep up with my mates who still surf heaps. Also when the surf is big it really stressful if you lack fitness.

Does anyone have any good fitness(not surfing) that can help with keeping surf fitness.

By the way I am also trying to up the volume of surfing at the same time!!!
KEARNSY
KEARNSY
WA
1322 posts
WA, 1322 posts
30 Jan 2009 3:54pm
YEh I can totally relate to this, especially through the summer flat spells

How old are you???

I have been surfing for 20 years or so and am approaching 30 fast later on this year. If I hav'nt surfed for a few weeks(rare) I can usually get my paddle power and fitness back over a coupla days If im in the water for at least 5 hours a day.
Usually takes a pretty good swell though for me to be that motivated though.

As long as ur eating well, stretching regulally and dont smoke you should be able to keep up.
I recently started going to "spinn class" on the bikes at the gym with my chick.
A great work out that really hammers ur whole body believe it or not. Good perv too.Smash a few sets of sit ups, push ups and a jog or a swim every few days and ur styling. I noticed a real differernce.

Hope this helps get ya buff

Good luck
spot1
spot1
WA
1588 posts
WA, 1588 posts
30 Jan 2009 6:11pm
or learn to kite surf
Rick23
Rick23
WA
83 posts
WA, 83 posts
31 Jan 2009 5:23am
I'd say if you went swimming 2 times a week, don't smoke, dont drink heaps and do some stretching, you should do fine!
beastsurf
beastsurf
WA
902 posts
WA, 902 posts
1 Feb 2009 11:12am
Running up hills and rowing machines work well. A cheap way to get all whats good about a gym is to join a surf club. Generally you get a key to the gym and there is plenty of free advise from fittness gurooos.
theDoctor
theDoctor
NSW
5786 posts
NSW, 5786 posts
1 Feb 2009 1:30pm
personally i've had to come back from injury quite a few times (once i did near three months in hospital and when i got out i barely had the strength to walk to the letter box), and i've found that push bike riding and swimming laps work the best for surf orientated fitness.

you really need to concentrate on aerobic exercise as apposed to anaerobic where you might bulk up in a gym.

and don't smoke, eat sugar or white bread and go real easy on the alcohol (like nil if you can)
KEARNSY
KEARNSY
WA
1322 posts
WA, 1322 posts
1 Feb 2009 1:14pm
beastsurf said...

Running up hills and rowing machines work well. A cheap way to get all whats good about a gym is to join a surf club. Generally you get a key to the gym and there is plenty of free advise from fittness gurooos.


+ they might also let you wear the cool "Dick togs"
the walks
the walks
WA
448 posts
WA, 448 posts
1 Feb 2009 9:12pm
spot1 said...

or learn to kite surf


i agree its a very good way to maintain your weight

beastsurf
beastsurf
WA
902 posts
WA, 902 posts
2 Feb 2009 9:28am
Nothing wrong with the old budgie smugglers mate.
beastsurf
beastsurf
WA
902 posts
WA, 902 posts
2 Feb 2009 9:32am
Those spin bikes look good. I think swimming laps is proberbally the best all round for fitness and fixing ailments. I had a bad back there for a while and the chiro and physios had nothing on swimming laps.
board
board
WA
29 posts
WA, 29 posts
2 Feb 2009 1:00pm
Thanks for all your responses

I am only 28 and I dont have any issues with my weight or even general fittness I just find that surfing really wares out my arms.

From the sounds of it swimming is going to be the most effective excersise for me to do.

I do Kite but I find that does not really help with paddling fitness.
KEARNSY
KEARNSY
WA
1322 posts
WA, 1322 posts
2 Feb 2009 9:36pm
beastsurf said...

Those spin bikes look good. I think swimming laps is proberbally the best all round for fitness and fixing ailments. I had a bad back there for a while and the chiro and physios had nothing on swimming laps.


Yeh totally , to hell with handing over big $$$ to Chairo's n Physio's. I had lower back problems for a while there. I must have gone 4 or 5 times over a fortnight I reckon.

It was'nt untill I started to swing off the over head crane at work and use my body weight to stretch my spine out before I noticed any difference. All I had to do was "hang" for a while and get the weight off it.
Funny how sometimes the simplist conclusions work the best

KEARNSY
KEARNSY
WA
1322 posts
WA, 1322 posts
2 Feb 2009 9:39pm
board said...

Thanks for all your responses

I am only 28 and I dont have any issues with my weight or even general fittness I just find that surfing really wares out my arms.

From the sounds of it swimming is going to be the most effective excersise for me to do.

I do Kite but I find that does not really help with paddling fitness.



If ure arms are getting tired build up to doing sets of 30 push ups. Alternate sets with elbows in and elbows out. . this should crank ur shoulders (elbows out) and biceps (elbows in) . Also try jogging using dumbels . Hold ur arms out for as long as possible while on the run. Man It floggs me aye!!
shonofear
shonofear
QLD
8 posts
QLD, 8 posts
23 Feb 2009 8:49am
Hey there,
Ive also been looking into best exercises to maintain fitness for surfing and ended up buying a fitness routine for surfers from www.surfstronger.com
I got the surf stronger 1 as a digital download and had a look today,
looks like its got some exercises targeted at paddling muscles but its more with light weights and a fitness ball.
I mainly wanted it for good leg exercises as I'm sometimes to lazy to go for a run,
plus my work involves me sitting on me @ss for long hours on a pc so i lack leg strength a lot compared to people working on their feet all day.
I was actually surfing yesterday and i felt really unfit just doing a few weaves rail to rail with 3 turns on 1 wave and me legs were burning, nothing worse than feelin unfit
anyway,
time 4 changes
Cheers
pooman
pooman
WA
293 posts
WA, 293 posts
24 Feb 2009 9:07am
spot1 said...

or learn to kite surf


...or turn gay... :P
planesailing
planesailing
WA
380 posts
WA, 380 posts
1 Mar 2009 2:18pm
I just paddle in the pool with the leg rope attatched to the sides.
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