Additional information
Surf as much as possible in a healthy way
Good injury prevention training will help you get physically and mentally prepared for surfing.
Load management
Load management may be one of the most important thing you can do to prevent surfing injuries. Load management is about finding just the right amount of training. Many factors can increase the risk of injuries. For example, spikes in training- or competition loads. The body adapt very well to more load in training, as long as the increases in load are gradually.
Reduce the risk of shoulder pain
During paddling the dominant movement of the shoulder is internal rotation, while pulling and pushing the body through the water. Imbalanced training and overuse injuries might be the result and possibly contributes to the fact that many surfers suffer from overuse injuries in the shoulder. Shoulder exercises that focus on strength and stability, and helps to train antagonist muscles that reduce muscular imbalance will reduce the risk of shoulder injuries.
Perform better and reduce the risk of injuries
This training program include exercises for stretching, coordinative training, strength and stability. With surfing, for example, you will need spinal rotation to carve into your turns, lower limb stability to land airs and stay compact in the barrel, shoulder mobility and strength to paddle. With this program, all above mentioned aspects of surfing are targeted. You can put extra emphasise at those exercises that help you work on the weaker characteristics of your body, for instance mobility for some surfers, strength for others.
Three levels of exercises
The first level exercises could be used for two different goals. You can do the quick version of level 1 as a warm up before your surf session, right at the beach. Or you can use the level 1 exercises for training purposes, even when you have no access to training facilities. The level 2 and 3 are designed for more intense training of surf specific characteristics. While following the injury prevention program, focus on your technique first before you progress to heavier exercises.
Exercises
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Surf squats
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World’s greatest stretch
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Walking diagonal lunge
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Dynamic up- and downward dog
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External rotation seated with dumbbell
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Mobility routine
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Wall Slides
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Retraction
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Scapular push ups
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Dynaband squat
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Butterfly
Surf squats
Purpose: to enhance mobility in the whole chain of movement
Start in squat stance
Look up to the left
Swing your left arm up and rotate your upper body, moving your back knee inwards
Swing your left arm up and down while moving to the other side
Then swing your right arm up similarly, rotate your upper body and again move your back
knee inwards
2 x 10 repetitions
World’s greatest stretch
Purpose: stretch hips, spine, shoulders, active mobilisation
Start on hands and knees
Place right foot on the outside of the right hand
Lift up your knee until the back leg is extended
Keep big toes of both feet connected to the floor during the exercise
Start to slide with backside of the right hand underneath the left arm and rotate back untill your fingers point to the ceiling
10 repetitions at each side
Walking diagonal lunge
Purpose: to stretch the hips dynamically and to warm-up the spine and fascia
Put both your arms in the air, the shoulders stay parallel to the hips
Step forward and a little to the side
Drop your back knee
Walk forward with the arms raised
4 x 10-20 meters
Dynamic up- and downward dog
Purpose: to enhance mobility and activate core stability
Sit on hands and knees, with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders
Extend your knees, remain your back straight: downward facing dog
Your knees can be flexed if you lack mobility
Lower your body down
Straighten the elbows, extend you back and look up
Move back to downward facing dog by pushing your hips back and up again
5 repetitions
External rotation seated with dumbbell
Purpose: to improve shoulder strengt
Sit with your knee bent
Lean your elbow on your knee, so that your elbow is at shoulder level
Pick a dumbbell weight
Rotate your shoulder inwards to a horizontal position
Make sure to keep the shoulder low
3x10 repetitions each arm
Mobility routine
Purpose: To warm up the shoulders, neck and upper back
Start with asymmetric arm swing
Fold your hands behind your back and open the chest
Then rotate your head from side to side, while you rotate your arm
5-10 repetitions of each exercise
Wall Slides
Purpose: To improve shoulder mobility
Sit on a stool with your back against the wall
Try to touch the wall with the upper and lower back
Try to push your elbows and wrists against the wall
Slide with the elbows and wrists up and down over the wall
3 x 6 repetitions
Retraction
Purpose: to strengthen interscapular muscles and extenders of upper back
Prone position
Slightly Lift up your head
Tuk your chin in, making sure your nose faces the floor
Move your shoulderblades away from your ears and towards each other
Your arms are active but they stay on the floor
3 x 8-16 repetitions
Scapular push ups
Purpose: To improve scapular stability, core stability
Start in a push-up position, your elbows are extended during the entire exercise
Keep your arms straight while dropping down the chest
Your shoulder blades will slide towards each other
Push your hands into the floor and thereby lift the chest, push your shoulder blades out and forward
3 x 10 repetitions
Dynaband squat
Purpose: To improve leg and hip strength
Put an elastic band around the knees, just above the kneecap
Squat down while maintaining knees over toes
3 x 8-16 repetitions
Butterfly
Purpose: To improve upper back and shoulder strength
Lay down in prone position
Extend your upper back like in surfing
Tap the ground next to the hips and in front of you
Maintain the back extension
3 x 10 repetitions
Scorpion
Purpose: To enhance spine mobility
Lay in prone position
Remain both arms on the floor during the entire exercise
Bend your right knee, lift your right hip up in the air as far as possible
Try to touch the floor with your right toes on the left side of your hip
3 x 10 repetitions to each side
90-90 stretch
Purpose: To improve hip mobility
Situp straight with the knees in a 90 degrees angle
Drop the knees to the right and then to the left
Try to maintain an upright back
3 x 10 repetitions
Sidelying windmill
Purpose: To increase shoulder and spine mobility
Lay down on your left side, right hip pointing up
Your lower leg is extended
Make a fist with your right arm, with your thumb pointing downward
Keep your elbow extended during the whole exercise
10 repetitions to each side
Dynamic balance rotational squat
Purpose: To enhance balance and mobility in the whole chain of movement
Start in squat stance on upside down bosu ball
Rotate to the right and swing the right arm high up
Rotate to the other site, left arm up, right arm up down
Perform with a continuous swing from left to right
Keep an active back leg and control the knee
2-3 x 8 repetitions
TWVW
Purpose: To improve upper back strength
Lay down in prone position
Lift your shoulders, extend the upper back
Keep facing the floor, your chin tucked in a little
Extend the arms to the side (letter “T”)
Pull the elbows and shoulders down (letter “W”)
Extend the arms forward (letter “V”)
Go back to the letter “W”
3 x 8 repetitions
One legged squat
Purpose: to improve strength and stability of the leg
Stand on one leg and hold your other foot up
Squat until your knee starts moving inwards, even if this means you bend only a few degrees
Come back up until the knee is fully extended
4 seconds down, 2 seconds up
3 x 8 repetitions
Jumping lunges
Purpose: Improve lower limb stability and strength
Start in lunge position
Your back knee almost touching the floor, front knee above ankle, torso straight
Jump and alternate your legs
Make sure your front knee is straight above your ankle and flexed in a 90 degree angle. The pelvis is horizontal
3 x 10 repetitions
Push up+
Purpose: Improve shoulder and arm strength
Perform a scapular push up
Alternate with a normal push up
2-3 x 8-12 repetitions
Ball throwing in surf stance
Purpose: To improve core stability, reactivity
Stand in a squat position with the side of your body facing a partner or a wall
Throw a medicine ball sideways towards the partner or the wall
Keep your hips aligned and only rotate your upper body
2-3 x 8-16 repetitions
Scapular pull-ups
Purpose: To enhance shoulder strength and coordination
Hang down from the bar, arms extended, feet off the floor
Try to pull your shoulder blades backwards and downwards in the direction of your lower back
Relax, and descending your body as far down as possible
Hold each position (up and down) for 1 second
3 x 4-6 repetitions
Surf stance jumps
Purpose: Improve leg stability and strength
Take your surf stance and jump into the air 20-50 cm
Land in your surf stance position
Hold for one second and jump again
Keep looking forward and focus on active legs and strong knees
3 x 8 repetitions
Jump squat at bosu ball
Purpose: To enhance advanced stability of landing
From a higher surface, jump onto the flat surface of the bosu ball with 2 feet, ending in a squat position
Keep the surface of the bosu ball horizontal during landing
Keep your body compact, your knees above the ankles
2-3 x 8 repetitions
Shoulder mobility
Stand up straight
Holding a stick at both ends in front of you against your thighs, palms facing backwards
Bring your left hand up until overhead
Lower the left arm down so the stick is behind you
Now move the right arm up to the overhead position
And bring that arm down too to get in the starting position
3 x 10 repetitions
Animal Flow Scorpion
Purpose: Improve functional movement and stability
Start on toes and knees
Lifting your knees slightly off the floor
Lift your left leg up behind, open up your hip as far as you can
Then rotate back, moving your left knee towards your right elbow and sink in your hips
From there on repeat with other side
5 repetitions to each side
Plyometric box jump
Purpose: To train your stability and explosive strength
Jump forward, off the box
Land on 1 foot and keep the stability by keeping your knee bent
Without pausing, jump again, this time you land on 2 feet
2-3 x 8 repetitions
Spine routine
Purpose: to keep working on your breathing and breath hold skills
Sit down on your knees with the feet flexed, spine in neutral position
Hold your arms in the air and look upwards
Grab your left wrist with your right hand and bend sideways
Rotate to the right. Reverse the exercise
Bend forward touching the ground as far away as you can
Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing backwards
Hold your breath during the spinal routine to keep working on your breath hold skills
1-3 rounds
TWVW
Purpose: To improve upper back strength
Lay down in prone position, lift your shoulders, extend the upper back
Hold water bottles, stones or dumbells in your hands
Keep facing the floor, your chin tucked in a little
Extend the arms to the side (letter T)
Pull the elbows and shoulders down (letter W)
Extend the arms forward (letter V)
Go back to the letter W
3 x 8 repetitions
Prone paddle with elastic band
Purpose: To improve paddle strength and conditioning
Lay down on a big ball, legs extended, feet wide and touching the floor
Attach a rubber band in front of you and take it in both hands
Paddle with the resistance of the band and keep your posture
5 x 1 minute
Rotational Jump
Take your surf stance and get deep
Rotate 180 degrees while jumping in the air
Land in your surf stance with your back knee compressed towards the ground, but strong and stable
3 x 8 repetitions
Lat pull down
Purpose: Improve shoulder and back strength
Sit on a bench with the back straight
Adjust an elastic band above you slightly in front of you
Pull the elastic band down with your back straight
Note that you keep your forearms in line with the elastic band
3 x 8-16 repetitions
Pop-up surf squat with rotation
Purpose: rotational stability and strength of the whole body
Lie down prone on the floor
Do your pop-up followed by one surf squat to each side
Drop back down into prone position and repeat
Note that both heels are on the ground and you stay low after the pop-up
2-3 x 10 repetitions
Pull-up
Purpose: To strengthen the shoulders and the back
Hang on a bar
Engage shoulders down, away from the ears
Pull the chest up to the bar
Return to start position
3-4 x 4-6 repetitions
Cross-over external rotation
Purpose: To strengthen external rotators of the shoulder and interscapular muscles
Stand up straight
Have an elastic loop around a pole
Pull the elastic loop towards your forehead, ending with elbows in line with the shoulders, having them 90 degrees flexed
2-3 x 8-16 repetitions
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Play video
Surf squats2 x 10 repetitions
Play video
World’s greatest stretch10 repetitions at each side
Play video
Walking diagonal lunge4 x 10-20 meters
Play video
Dynamic up- and downward dog5 repetitions
Play video
External rotation seated with dumbbell3x10 repetitions each arm
Play video
Mobility routine5-10 repetitions of each exercise
Play video
Wall Slides3 x 6 repetitions
Play video
Retraction3 x 8-16 repetitions
Play video
Scapular push ups3 x 10 repetitions
Play video
Dynaband squat3 x 8-16 repetitions
Play video
Butterfly3 x 10 repetitions
