Surf Fitness - Train for the surf course

Train your surfing technique at home

You can improve your posture with these exercises. Correct posture is extremely important when surfing. It's the only way to protect your body from tension and injury. It is the same for all surf fitness exercises. We've put together the three most important points for correct surfing posture for you here:

1. Shoulders away from the ears
   You tend to pull your shoulders up when you're exhausted. This tenses the neck. So from now on, the rule is: shoulders back and down! Always try to pay attention to this.

2. Chestbone out
   Upper body straight, chestbone up, no hunched back.

3. Don't hollow your back
   With your chestbone out, it's easy to get a hollow back. Never let your lower back sag (e.g. when doing push-ups or core exercises). You can prevent a hollow back by pulling your belly button towards your spine. Tighten your stomach and protect your lower back - also a good tip when paddling.

Hopefully, these three simple exercises will help you improve your posture when surfing. If you want even more tips and tricks for learning to surf, you can read through our blog posts on learning to surf.

Our paddle exercise

Our paddle exercise with tubes originally comes from swimming training. It is used there to add power to every stroke outside the water. This is because you train with more resistance with the tubes than in the water. This exercise gives you exactly the strength you need to paddle into the line-up quickly and to paddle into a wave with power. Of course, swimming is also ideal for surf training. On the one hand, you train in the same element as when surfing and on the other, you train almost the same muscle groups when crawling.

1. Step
   Place the tube at hip to chest height around a round object, e.g. a railing, a heating pipe a railing, a heating pipe or use the Thera-Band door anchor to secure the tube in a door or window.
   

2. Step
   Bend forward so that your back is straight and parallel to the floor. This is easier if you bend your knees slightly. You should now be in line with the tensioned tubes with your arms outstretched. A mirror can help you to see if your back is really straight. Bring your head in line with your spine and adopt the correct posture.
   

3. Step
   Now bring the tube to the desired tension by changing your distance from the tube anchorage. More distance means greater resistance. A green tube is usually sufficient for this exercise at the beginning, followed by a red one later on.
   

4. Step

   The exercise begins with your arms stretched out in front of your body. Now bring your arms back as if you were paddling or crawling. Bend your forearms so that they form a 90-degree angle when they are under your body. The upper arm and upper body also form a 90-degree angle. It is particularly important to maintain your posture here to avoid pulling your shoulders closer and closer to your ears. Start slowly and not with too much resistance. It is better to learn how to perform the exercise correctly first. The arm pull now continues until the arms are stretched at the back. This is the phase just before exiting the water and gives you and the board in the water an extra kick.
   

5. Step
   Now bend your arms forward again and start the second repetition.
   

6. Step
   Make 20 to 30 repetitions and pay constant attention to your posture. This exercise is technically the most difficult.

Take-off exercise for the chest: No. 1
This exercise is great preparation for the take-off, but also for a powerful, deep duck dive. This take-off exercise is actually like a push-up, only on the ball. The ball makes this exercise much more difficult, as you have to keep your balance over the ball at the same time. Please make sure that the training surface is clean and that there are no sharp objects on the floor.

Lie down with the ball

1. Lie down with your chest on the ball. Place your hands in the middle of the ball so that your fingers are pointing downwards. Legs stretched or slightly bent. The feet together make it harder - feet apart make it easier. This exercise is much easier if you only get down on your knees instead of your feet.

2. Start the push-ups now, but always pay attention to your posture: sternum out - shoulders down - don't let your stomach sag.

3. Do as many repetitions as you can manage. Or, if you don't want to go quite so extreme with this exercise, stay two repetitions below your maximum.

4. If your muscles are exhausted, you can also use the bounce effect of the ball for the last few repetitions - and push yourself to do a few more repetitions.

Take-off exercise for the core: No. 2
This take-off exercise engages the core, which is so important for surfing. The take-off is not a movement that only comes from the arms, but rather a pull of the legs under the body. You need strong abdominal muscles or a stable core for this leg-under-the-body pull. This exercise is actually the exact movement sequence of the take-off. Do this exercise for a quick take-off. It helps beginners to learn the take-off. Intermediates will have fewer problems in the green wave, and advanced riders will find this exercise helpful in steeper waves.

Exercise description:
Exactly the opposite of the push-up: legs on the ball, hands on the floor. The closer the ball is to your hands, the easier the exercise becomes. Placing only the tips of your feet on the ball is very difficult. The knees on the ball make it easier.

The sequence of the take-off exercise:

1. Starting position:
   The arms are stretched. Tense your core - belly button towards your spine. Maintain your posture.
   

2. Movement:
   Now pull your knees towards your chest and stretch them out again.
   

3. Posture:
   When things get strenuous, it's easy to lose the correct posture. So be careful: always keep your shoulders away from your ears and don't sag with your stomach.
   

4. Repetitions:
   Do this exercise until you can't do it any more or lose your posture.
   

5. Variation:
   As a variation, you can pull your knees alternately to the left and right of your body, i.e. diagonally, as if you were doing a regular or goofy take-off.

Balance exercises with the Indo Board
Balance exercises are versatile. Here we present an exercise with the Indo Board. As soon as you have managed to stand, the real surfing feeling begins. To keep your balance, you can prepare your leg muscles for the balancing act. This exercise is important for beginners to get used to the wobble and for advanced surfers to make longer, more powerful turns.

Many people have bought the Indo Board after trying it out at our surf camp. It's not only fun, but also ideal for targeted training. Start on carpeted floors or a yoga mat, as these slow down the movement. Avoid smooth surfaces such as parquet at the beginning.

Safety note:
Make sure there are no objects nearby that you could bump into. Make sure you have a clear area and don't practise directly in front of the TV.

Indo Board Balance: Squat with the Indo Board

1. Starting:
   Start in a doorway and hold on with both hands before getting on the Indo Board. The aim is to find and hold the center of the board with both feet.
   

2. Exercise without help:
   Once you have the board under control, you can perform the exercises freely. Don't worry, you'll have the board under control after 10 to 15 minutes.
   

3. Knee bends:
   From a standing position, bend your knees slightly and lower them to a 90-degree angle. Then come back up and keep your balance. Make sure that your knees do not point over the tops of your feet. A variation would be to go into a surf stance. Train both sides: regular and goofy.
   

4. Repetitions:
   Do 20 to 25 repetitions or train until you can't do any more. You will notice that this exercise works your legs differently than on the floor. On the Indo Board, you can train endlessly and do tricks.