http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/h...ulders-flexible-strong-and-injury-free_40541/ i don't know about you all, but it takes me a while to get loose after a day of work, or not being in the water for a few days. i go to the gym regularly, but i do a lot of lifting, so it's not exactly keeping me loose like yoga would. i think adding these exercises are a perfect compliment to a gym routine as well as a good idea in general for anyone working in an office trying to stay loose and fit.
I can definitely appreciate this, since I have tendonitis in one shoulder. It affects my paddling, but if Bethany Hamilton can paddle with one arm - I can't really complain.
Yoga is awesome.....I used to do the yoga for surfers. Now, I have a wii and do it on there. Weight lifting + Yoga = killer sessions
In the "Surf Stronger" workout you do all of your weights while on an exercise ball. Also situps and push ups on the ball too. Having to keep your body balanced while doing any type of exercise makes a BIG difference. Your weak areas are exposed a lot more than on a floor or a bench. The other thing is, balance on one of the main features of our sport. So the fact that you're "balanced" while working out does carry over in the water. There are also a number of dynamic exercises in the regimen that use legs and arms together in a single motion - just like we do when surfing. And the workout has a yoga based warm down. I was very skeptical when I coughed up the $$ for the video, but I'm sold. Definitely worth every penney. (Micah has the DVD in the Swell Info store - I did an iTunes download)
Ya very good point. When I was at the gym the other day, I saw a guy doing squats (probably nearly 300 pounds) while on the indo board. I was ****ing amazed!!! It was crazy, especially knowing how hard it is to do that weight in normal squats! To do that on an indo board is phenomenal!
Wow, that is insane. Wonder what the gym's insurance company would think? In the Surf Stronger workout you're usually lying or sitting on the ball (I think the proper term is "stability ball"). Nothing as challenging as Indo Board squats. The ball is great for stretching on. You can really develop some great flexibility in your neck and back. Again, something that's very useful in the water.
I gotta say, anybody squatting 300 lbs on an indo board is a jack ass. Cool he can do it but the risk of serious injury is not worth it.
I've been doing a great exercise that seems to work alot of muscles required for surfing. Stand, bend over to touch floor kick legs backward into your standard "up" pushup position. kick legs back to standing position and then stand up. Repeat until your heart is racing and your fatigued Not only will you get out of breath (good cardio), but you'll feel burn in your shoulders and legs as well. Also it at least seems like it could help with balancing into pop-up position while surfing. Personally, I still think nothing beats surfing to get in shape for surfing. Yoga, weighlifting swimming etc...I think that helps maybe 5-10% at best and only really provides any noticable difference to surfing for your top professional surfers. Just my opinion though.
yes, that's totally true. the problem is, when you work m-f and don't have 50 vac days, it's hard to surf as much as you'd like. going to the gym is just somethign i enjoy doing, so why not add exercises beneficial to surfing while you're at it?
I agree. You have to do surfing excercises in between surfing, especially during flat spells. Otherwise, you'll see the difference paddling out in head-overhead surf during the next session. While everyone else is gasping for air, it feels good have the stamina/strength/endurance to pick up where you left off in your last surf session. I've done excercises for my paddling and try to run 2miles/day about 4 times a week when I 'm not surfing. It has helped me. As long as you have the right paddling techniques already down, light lifting (so you don't lose flexibility) and cardio go a long way to staying out in the water longer and catching more waves. Since we only get a few days a week usually for decent surf, you have to keep yourself ready for the next day of surfing. Just my two cents, but whatever works for you.
Popups also take certain muscles which require a quick explosion. These take time to build up too. When I surfed on longboards, I always used my toes to popup which isn't the right way if you plan on going to a shortboard. You learn quickly on a shortboard that your toes hang off the board and you can't use them. This habit was hard to get used to. I did popups in my house every day after that with my knees bent to insure my toes weren't touching, about 50/day for months. I still do them every now and then on land. It has now made it effortless and I use my entire upper body to now pop up which seemed impossible at first. Pop up exercises are good for some paddling muscles too and if you do them fast it gives you some cardio too.
Yes the risk of injury is probably huge!!! ha. I can hardly do 8 reps of 275 on flat ground! But I personally don't know the guy so I can't say if he's a jackass... I mean, there aren't that many biddies in that gym worth impressing so i honestly don't know... haha. maybe he just does it because he's already done all of the other exercises in the book and he just wanted a challenge. who knows
