[body like a surf pro ] - easy surfing...

[BODY LIKE A SURF PRO] © www.easysurfingfitness.com

2 Thank You | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

Easy Surfing Fitness Workout Guides

Copyright © 2013 Easy Surfing Fitness

Email: [email protected]

URL: www.easysurfingfitness.com

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication

may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a database and retrieval system or transmitted in any

form or any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior

written permission of both the owner of copyright and the above publishers.


3 Thank You | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

Thank You

…for purchasing this surf fitness program!

This surfing fitness program was created using our experience with personal training of over

hundreds of people wanting to improve their fitness levels to enjoy longer surf sessions, less

wipeouts, better balance and longer rides.

We are committed to giving back to society and to communities that are not as lucky as we

are. Therefore a proportion of sales of this fitness program will be donated to SurfAid

International.*

SurfAid International is an international charitable organization working in the Mentawai

Islands of Indonesia and surrounding regions. It was founded by Dr. Dave Jenkins of New

Zealand in 2000, after he visited Indonesia on a surf trip and saw health problems of the

local people. SurfAid, in partnership with communities and government, works to prevent

disease, suffering and death through educational programs and health promotion that aim

to change poor health behaviours and reduce the risk from natural disasters. Their

community-based health programs involve education in nutrition, hygiene, healthy

environments, and disease prevention, including mosquito net distribution.

Visit www.surfaidinternational.org to learn more or to make a donation to a worthwhile

cause.

* This donation is a voluntary donation by Easy Surfing Fitness. Using SurfAid logo and their description does not imply

that SurfAid endorse this book. We have no relationship with SurfAid other than making a regular donation from our

sales.


4 Disclaimer | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

Disclaimer

This program is designed for fit and healthy individuals over the age of 18 only.

Do not perform any of the exercises in this program until you have been shown proper

technique by a qualified fitness professional. If you experience any pain, discomfort or

dizziness, stop exercising immediately and consult your doctor/physician.

All forms of exercise pose some sort of risk. The following exercise and workout guide is not

intended as a substitute for any workout or dietary plan that may have been prescribed by

your doctor.

This book is meant to supplement proper exercise training. As with all exercises or nutrition

programs, you should get your doctor’s or physician’s approval before beginning.

If you have any chronic health problems or have not worked out regularly for a period of time

and are considering starting a new regiment, consult with a doctor to make sure you are

healthy enough to do so.

If we mention any specific companies or organizations, it does not imply that they endorse

this publication.

We hope you enjoy the book and that it gives your surfing and fitness a tremendous push

forward!


5 Disclaimer | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

Table of Contents

Thank You ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Disclaimer ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6

6 Essential Steps to Body Like a Surf Pro ............................................................................................................................ 7

Basic Guidelines ................................................................................................................................................................ 32

Weekly Training Schedule ................................................................................................................................................. 33

What you need for Easy Surfing Fitness Training ............................................................................................................. 34

Easy Surfing Fitness Workout Guide ................................................................................................................................. 37

Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................... 40

About Us ........................................................................................................................................................................... 42


6 Introduction | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

Introduction

Surfing truly is one of the world’s coolest sports! There is no better feeling than catching that

long, perfect wave. You are sitting there on your surfboard, looking out on the ocean - and

you suddenly see the horizon rising… as the peak continues to roll closer you rotate your

board, looking for that perfect position, and start paddling as fast as you can. Then, in one

swift yet agile motion, you pop up on your feet as your board catches the wave, feeling its

power and speed! You are flying – and you feel like the king of the ocean! It is a moment all

surfers can relate to: when the combination of adrenaline, balance, and speed all come

together and form that perfect moment. All the power of a massive body of water travels

thousands of miles, hits the shore and breaks, all so one random surfer can catch a wave and

be absolutely stoked for that moment.

When you think of it, is there any other sport that connects nature with people more than

surfing? It may look simple to a non-surfer, but in fact, we surfers are also ‘readers’ of the

ocean and nature – we check out surf reports and wind and swell charts, looking for the best

combination of swell size & direction, winds, tides and even moon phases!

Not only is surfing an incredibly cool and fun sport, but it requires you to be in great shape

physically and mentally! The beauty of surfing is that you can learn at any age. Nowadays,

learning how to surf is easier than ever. Between all of the surf schools catered to beginners

as well as a wide selection beginner-friendly softboards, learning to ride waves has become

more accessible than before; you just need to get out there and learn the technique. One

thing that the vast majority of surfing schools don’t teach you is the physical foundation you

need to prepare your body for the demands of this sport. Most surfers, after spending a long

day out on the water, will have arms and legs that feel like noodles - surfing puts different

kinds of physical demands on your body than other sports. The training regimen for surfers

must be catered to building a physique that is flexible, explosive, strong, and has great

balance. ESF workout guides will give you a wide array of exercises that will promote

muscular endurance, flexibility, strength, balance, and explosiveness. If you neglect the

physical aspect of this sport, it will be very difficult to get the most out of all your sessions

and your surf trips.

There are certain muscle groups that you must develop to be effective in water and get the

best out of your surf session – and the Easy Surfing Fitness workout guides will help you

develop the strong shoulders, arms, core, legs, balance and overall power you will need to

keep up and enjoy surfing.


7 6 Essential Steps to Body Like a Surf Pro | © www.easysurfingfitness.com

6 Essential Steps to Body Like a Surf Pro

Unlike most surfing fitness books and programs on the market, this book is not just a

workout guide. As a surfer, you are probably reasonably in shape (and if not, then you will

tremendously benefit from applying the information in this book) from regular surfing and

you might even go for a run/to gym on occasion. This is all great, because your body is made

to move - run, swim, lift, turn, carry objects… However, it is not just the way you use your

body that matters for your surfing, and your life. The way you maintain it matters equally,

although this is often overlooked by most surfers. What you eat and what you do before and

after your workout, run or a surf session will impact the results you get long term.



There are 6 principles Body Like a Surf Pro is based on:

• Eating and drinking healthy & living foods and ditching processed foods, sugars and

acid-forming food;

• Building a strong and lean mid-section using a series of core and rotation exercises;

• Focusing on muscular endurance (and not necessarily on muscle volume);

• Focusing on body-weight exercises instead of fancy machine equipment;

• Having a solid pre- and post-workout and pre- and post- surfing routine;

And most importantly:

• Being consistent with your approach and doing the small things right every day

(healthy food choices, consistent workouts and sticking to one plan rather than trying

new approach every week).



1 - Alkalize Your Body

Your body’s pH is measured on a scale 1-14, where 7 is balanced, below 7 is acidic and above

7 is alkaline. Human body functions best when it is in a slightly alkaline state.

Alkalizing your body is one of the best overall things you can do for your health and overall

wellness. This will also translate into an increased level of physical fitness, energy, alertness

and muscle recovery. An alkalized body is running like a perfect machine. Besides abundant

energy, your skin will be better, your sleep will improve and your body won’t store excess

fat.

Most people are not in an alkalized state. If your body is in the opposite state, acidic, you are

putting yourself at risk of major health issues and limiting your potential physically, mentally,

and with your surfing!

Having an alkalized body means that you are properly fighting off diseases and drastically

decreasing your risk to cancers and other life threatening issues. It is much harder for cancer

cells to grow and spread when your body is alkalized. When your body is in acidic state, they

can spread like wild fire. This is why your lifestyle, and what you put into your body, is so

important.

Besides helping you live a longer and healthier life, it will also translate into an increase in

energy. Putting factory-made energy drinks (full of sugar and chemicals) and other artificial

stimulants in your body is not the best way to increase energy and focus, and the same is

true when you drink a lot of coffee. The reason that the market with energy drinks has taken

off in recent years is because the majority of the population is actually very unhealthy and is

not getting the proper energy and fuel they need from their diet – most of us are looking for

a quick fix.

This section will offer a very simple and effective guide to help all of you alkalize your body

and become healthier and full of energy. The recipes that we include are all very simple - you

will be able to make the same smoothies, salads, and green drinks we recommend with just

a blender/juicer and easily accessible ingredients.

This is an easy and practical guide for anyone looking to naturally increase energy, focus,

muscle recovery, and overall wellness. The recipes will be a huge boost to your overall

health and this will translate into you being a better surfer and see much quicker results with

the exercise program.



Foods to Eat for Body Like a Surf Pro

You might agree that if you want to grow and improve any part of your life, you will want to

learn from and model the actions of those people that achieved whatever your current goal

is, and more. Anybody that has become a champion knows how to be the best. And no

matter what your current physical goal is (more energy, less body fat, longer rides, longer

surf sessions, better balance, powerful turns or more stamina in water), massive part of that

is what you put into your body.

It has become quite well known that tennis champion Novak Djokovic has taken his game to

the next level immediately after making changes in his diet – dropping diary and gluten from

his diet. Kelly Slater (you might recognize the name) starts his day with a glass of lukewarm

water and lemon slice (to alkalize and cleanse his body after sleeping, smoothen bowel

functions and help the immunity), then has a vegan smoothie with fruit, greens, sprouts and

almond or coconut milk (or sometimes just the fruit). To hydrate himself during the day, he

drinks coconut water. He is a fan of quinoa and other lean protein sources like chicken, and

eats a big share of vegetables and fruits. In an interview last year, he said: “I have a basic

rule of thumb with food: If I can’t pronounce any ingredients—if there’s any propyl-anything,

or whatever—I won’t eat it or put it on my body.”

Brian Conley, free surfer that you might know from the movie “Lost Prophets – Search for

the Collective”, is a strict raw vegan that only eats fresh organic food.

Even though it is absolutely true that everybody’s body is a bit different and reacts to

different foods individually, let me share with you the list of foods that are most likely

beneficial for your body.1 Why? Because these are all live, fresh foods. These are either

neutral or alkaline foods that improve your body pH balance, help you prevent diseases,

contain vitamins and minerals and are not made in a factory. Hence you shouldn’t be

surprised that all of the below are natural and non-animal products. If you can incorporate

these into your diet 70 percent of the time, you will reap the benefits of an alkalized body

with increased energy and mental vigour - guaranteed!

The most alkalizing foods are the following vegetables and fruits: Spinach, broccoli, onion,

parsley, asparagus, lemon, lime, figs, grapefruit, mango, papaya, lima beans, turnips, sweet

potato, sprouts, seaweed, cantaloupe and pumpkin seeds. Eating these foods raw or adding

1 Of course, I don’t know whether you have a particular allergy or a special dietary need, dear reader.



them to your diet will help you increase your energy levels. It can be as simple as having a

glass of pure water with a squeeze of lemon or lime first thing in the morning.

There is a long list of moderately alkaline to neutral foods, and you shouldn’t be surprised

that all fresh organic vegetables make the list. Some are more alkaline than others, but they

all give you nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibre while pushing the pH levels of your body

in the right direction. Besides veggies, other alkaline to neutral sources are herbal teas,

wheat grass, raw sugar, sea salt, extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, fresh buttermilk,

buckwheat, avocado, lentils, homemade hummus, almonds, soy milk and most fruits.

Make sure that the fruit you consume is all organic – especially strawberries and apples.

These are two of the most sprayed crops.

Foods to Consume in Moderation or Avoid

There are many food items that are highly acidic to put in your body. These will be

counterproductive to your alkalized diet and should be either avoided, or balanced with

alkaline foods. What’s the difference? Some foods like commercial fruit juices, frozen pizzas

or fast food (burgers, chips, kebabs) do not give you much in terms of nutrients you need,

but stuff you up with sugars, saturated fats and carbohydrates that turn your core into a fat

pouch and make you feel bloated and tired. Other foods, like quality (preferably organic)

meats (chicken, turkey breast, beef steak, fish…) give you good protein that is essential to

build lean and strong muscle – so you want to eat these foods (unless you are a vegetarian),

but balance them with alkaline food (previous chapter) – predominately lots vegetables,

salads and healthy fats (nuts, avocado, olive or coconut oil). I was talking about good and

consistent habits earlier: having a steak with chips and gravy is bad for your body, makes you

feel stuffed, run down and tired, especially if you smash 3 beers with it. Good quality steak

or grilled chicken with a large salad, sweet potato mash and boiled broccoli/asparagus and a

mineral water with lemon slice is a much better choice – muscle building, nutritious and

equally tasty! As long as you keep the portion sizes reasonable and don’t eat too late at

night.

You typically want to aim for a 70/30 ratio between a food that is considered alkaline and a

food that is considered acidic. The closer you can keep to this ratio, the better your mental

clarity, energy, focus, and lean muscles will be! I guarantee you that this thing by itself,



without even getting into a workout routine, will make you a healthier surfer and improve

your body from within. If you think about it: Earth surface is roughly 70% water. Human

body is composed of roughly 60-70% water. Ideal human diet is also made up of 70% water-

rich, fresh, living foods.

Highly Acidic Food List

Coffee, alcohol, sugar (and everything that includes it – pastries, cakes, breads, chocolate,

commercial sweets etc.), processed dairy, canned food (tuna, tomatoes, fruit etc.), meat

(especially processed meat and red meats), fruit juices (other than freshly squeezed), black

tea, artificial sweeteners (all diet products) and ready-made meals. If these foods are

prevalent in your diet, your body is definitely in acidic state and you are not getting the most

out of it. Looking over the list, most of these foods are a product of modern society – quick

fixes, non-natural energy sources and factory-made food that are making us fat. My best

advice is: If you want to be a fitter surfer, a healthy person and have energy for your busy

daily schedule, the best thing you can do is ditching sugar, swapping canned and ready-made

meals for fresh produce, cut down on alcohol, cut down on dairy products and eat only fresh

grilled or steamed meat with lots of vegetables.

If you have a sweet tooth, it is probably because your body lacks minerals like magnesium

(prevents chocolate cravings) or chromium (regulates your blood sugar levels). If you really

want to eat sugars, then stick to fresh organic fruits (whatever is in season) and Manuka

honey. Always have a protein or a good fat with your sugars, which will slow down its

digestion and will prevent the sugar high/low situation. For example, have some nuts with

your fruit or chocolate (I am talking about a real chocolate here, 70+% cocoa). Post workout,

a blended banana, almond milk, berries and nuts is a great combination.

Note that artificial sweeteners are on this list and the main reason why they are so bad for

your health. All diet sodas and the majority of sugar-free and fat-free food items have

artificial sweeteners in them. It is best to avoid these altogether, or consume these in

extreme moderation.

© www.easysurfingfitness.com | www.easysurfingfitness.com 13

Other Acid-forming Foods

Tortillas, white bread, sourdough bread, eggs, ketchup, mayo, mustard, soy sauce, rice, fish,

cereals, microwaved foods, peanut butter, dark chocolate, frozen veggies.

As per above, you don’t have to stop eating these foods, but making smart choices and

healthy habits, and balancing these foods with alkalizing sources will make a big difference

for your surfing and health over time.

Here are examples of how you can make smart choices in terms of putting the best possible

surfing fuel to your body and feel great in or out of water:


acid-forming food the solution

milk Try almond milk or rice milk instead

dairy products Eat smaller quantities if you don't want to stop eating cheese or

yoghurt. Have salad with your cheese and nuts with your yoghurt.

Only use fresh and organic sources - don't eat cheap/processed stuff.

chocolate Have magnesium supplement daily (great for muscle recovery as

well), stick to dark chocolate with nuts and eat smaller quantities.

alcohol The less you drink the better for your body. Alcoholic drinks are

sugars and toxins going straight into your blood stream. The “lesser

evil” is a clear spirit (like good quality vodka) + clean mixer like a fruit

smoothie, or mineral water with a slice of lime/lemon.

coffee Stick to fresh roasted unsweetened coffee with a dash of full cream

(slows down the caffeine) and don't drink more than 1-2 per day. For

a good quality sleep at night, avoid drinking coffee in the afternoon.

canned food Stick to fresh food.

ready-made meals Go for fresh, homemade food. In emergency (travel or any other time

you are outside of comfort zone of your home and you can’t cook or

go to a health store), go for combination of fat & protein, rather than

carbs and fat. Canned or frozen vegetables, eggs, ham, meats,

cheese, bananas, nuts, coconut oil, veggies, fish – even some of the

stuff I normally wouldn’t endorse, but still heaps better than refined

sugars and carbs combined with fats. Take this as an “emergency

mode”.

animal proteins Don't overeat, as your body will not utilize all that protein in one hit.

Balance your meat and fish with lots of vegetables - salad, sweet

potato mash or steamed veggies.

white carbs (bread,

pasta)

Either wholegrain (brown) versions or gluten-free products. Gluten is

a protein in wheat that is hard to digest for most people.

commercial fruit

juices

Fresh juices made of combination of fruit and vegetables (e.g. apple,

carrot, celery & ginger).

ketchup, mayo,

mustard

Eat in moderation.

margarine Use little bit of real butter, or even better: spread avocado or mixed

nut spread (almonds, chia seeds, Brazilian nuts, cashew etc..) over

your toast.

white rice Brown or wild rice

frozen

fruit/vegetables

Fresh fruit/vegetables

black tea Herbal teas


Action: Make a shopping list of 20-25 groceries that are fresh, healthy, make your body

stronger and alkalize and energize your cells. E.g. blueberries, avocado, quinoa, almonds…

Make a recipe list of 20 healthy and lean alkalizing meals to cook at home.

2 - Build a Strong Core

Surfing is a physically demanding sport and nothing can prepare you better to hit the waves

than an extremely strong, flexible, and stable core. The more developed your core is, the

better you will be able to rotate your hips for a bottom turn/snap/cutback, handle a big

wave, duck dive, and paddle out in the line-up. In almost every surfing movement, your

abdominals are directly or indirectly worked. If you are a fan of pro surfing, I’m sure you

have witnessed the chiselled midsection of all pro surfers.

In fact, here is a nice example of Kelly Slater showing his defined core.

Image credit: Action Sports Portal

There are several abdominal regions that you need to focus on to have a Body like a Surf Pro:

The obliques, lower abs, and upper abs are all target areas we will cover in this book. All

three are extremely important if you want to develop a well-rounded and functional

physique that will help improve your surfing and take you to the next level. Unlike other

muscle groups, you can work out your core pretty much every day, and in fact I highly

recommend it. Engaging your core muscles daily will give you the muscular endurance and

functional strength that will enhance your surfing ability.

Functional abdominal strength is quite possibly the most important factor for a surfer’s

body. Your abs are at the centre of everything you do on the surfboard. They are engaged in

every movement out on the waves, and the better developed they are the more prepared

you will be.

The most important aspect of your core training is the right technique. How do you

recognize that you are performing them right? Well, for starters you’ll feel it when even

during a simple-looking exercise, your whole body starts to shake. (You can begin just with a

simple plank and continue with more complex exercises as you get stronger.)


Action: Work out your core in every training. Plank, do Russian twists, perform AB wheel

rollouts or try advanced exercises such as landmines, TRX fallouts or plank on a Swiss ball –

at the very least 3x a week.

3 - Focus on muscle endurance, not necessarily muscle volume

Functional training is the foundation and backbone to any sports-specific training. When it

comes to surfing, instead of training to get really strong, put on a lot of muscle mass or

become a faster runner, Easy Surfing Fitness programs are tailored to a type of training that

is designed to make you a better & fitter surfer. All of the functional training exercises are

intended to help your body adapt to the complex movements that surfing requires, as well

as adapting your body to the flexibility, strength, balance and core mobility needed.

Functional training for surfing will help your body perform movements such as paddling,

duck diving, popping up and various manoeuvres on the wave more efficiently. To prepare

for these movements your body will need to train differently than what you are accustomed

to (even if you currently go to the gym and do a general toning or bodybuilding workouts).

Effective training for surfers includes specific upper-body exercises that will improve your

strength and give you better muscular endurance. Improving your muscular endurance in

your upper body is your main goal - remember that you are not a bodybuilder and you are

not trying to develop big and bulky muscles. You want to develop a lean, athletic, and

flexible body that will help get you up on the surf board with enough endurance to spend

the entire day surfing without much fatigue!

Very strong and bulky muscles will not necessarily give you the muscular endurance that is

required for a strenuous day out in the waves. If you took a huge weightlifter out surfing,

you would find that they tire quickly.

The following surf fitness training will also put a big emphasis on core stability and strength.

Regardless of your experience surfing, one thing is always evident: you will use all of your

core muscles! You will need to develop very strong and flexible external and internal

obliques as well as your main rectus abdomens muscles.

Lower body strength and power will also be emphasized and this workout guide is designed

to give you very good explosiveness and strength from your quads, hamstrings and calves.


The exercises we have picked will provide a great combination of strength, explosiveness,

balance and flexibility.

The goal of your surf fitness training is to utilize and train many different muscle groups at

the same time. This is not bodybuilding and isolating and training one muscle group at a time

will not help to develop your mobility. In book Cardio Workout For Surfers (Get in the Best

Shape of Your Life) we utilize the concept of high-intensity interval training as the best way

of training for explosiveness of surfing an building that ripped and lean body.

Easy Surfing Fitness training sessions are very unique; it is not about how much weight you

can lift, but rather how much strength you can apply towards your movements in water. If

you can’t apply strength to your surfing movements then what is the point of training?

Functional fitness will give you the kind of strength you can directly apply and control in your

movements. Laird Hamilton, famous big wave surfer, quotes: “There are guys who are

stronger than I am. Physically, they can squat more; but are they able to apply all that power

into the edge of the board and project it into the right part of the wave? The ability to put all

of your resources to work - that’s the real trick.”

The basis of the following workout guide is to help give you all around body strength that

you can apply when you surf, rather than just isolating specific muscle groups while the

others are static. Functional fitness will always keep the body guessing. These workout

routines were created to do just that - but feel free to get creative and add more variety to

your workout if you feel like your body is getting use to the routine.

Action: Make a decision: How do I want my body to look like? Like a bodybuilder? Rugby

player? Joel Parkinson or another pro surfer? Then follow the specific training and diet

program that helps you reach that goal.


4 - Ditch the Fancy Equipment and Perform Simple Body-Weight

Exercises

Many people are under the false assumption that they need fancy gym equipment and high-

tech machines to unlock their body potential. This could not be further from the truth. Most

of this myth has been developed over time due to marketing and therefore bodyweight

exercises have become extremely overlooked by our current culture. Everywhere you look,

there is the newest machine or gadget geared to improve your fitness and as a result, most

people assume that it is nearly impossible to get stronger and more fit using your body

weight alone. This guide will teach you that this common belief is not true.

Body weight exercises, in my opinion, can be just as effective in building strength and

muscular endurance as any machine or free weight. Bruce Lee, one of the most athletic and

muscularly defined people to ever grace this planet, achieved it all using body weight

exercises. The majority of the best surfers in the world (Kelly Slater anyone?) also

incorporate many bodyweight exercise into their fitness routine.

The reason is quite simple. Bodyweight exercise directly transfers to surfing movement

better than weight room exercise and high-tech gym equipment. The exercises in this guide

also have the benefit of putting an excessive demand on your core and will thus help you

develop better core strength and mobility.

To put in plain and simple, these workouts and exercises will not only improve your surfing-

specific movements, but will sculpt you a flat, defined stomach (as long as you keep your

body fat below 10% (males) / 16% (females), that is). Your core is at the center of all of your

surfing movements so therefore for you as a surfer or athlete, it is vital to develop a good

and strong abdominals, obliques and lower back.

These exercises will also keep you safe from the many chronic injuries that come with heavy

weight lifting and unnatural motions that weight machines have. Surfing puts a big enough

demand on your body. You want your workouts to be kind to your joints and help you

develop the foundation to prevent injury.

The following program will help you develop enhanced strength, power, muscular

endurance, balance, coordination, and flexibility. These workouts are all designed for

surfing-specific movements and will greatly enhance your ability to surf better and for longer

periods of time.


You might be thinking: Aren’t bodyweight exercises limited? After a few weeks of doing

bodyweight exercises will I still feel challenged? How do you constantly adjust your routine

and challenge your muscles? Well, there are literally tens of bodyweight exercises you can

perform, not counting the variations of each.

You have the ability to work out every single muscle group using these exercises alone. Feel

free to get creative with these exercises and attempt different variations. There are 5 very

easy ways to make any exercise more difficult or add variation to it.

• Increase or decrease the amount of leverage with each movement,

• Perform an exercise on an unstable platform (Like the BOSU ball),

• Use pauses or static holds at the beginning, end, or middle of a movement,

• Increase the number of reps, or

• Shorten your breaks between the sets.

Every surfing movement consists of manipulating your own body’s weight so what could be

better for developing surfing specific strength and balance than body weight exercises?

Action: Unless you already own them, get a BOSU ball, Swiss ball and a foam roller for your

home gym. If you prefer to exercise in the gym rather at home, use them instead of all those

fancy machines that isolate muscles and do not force you to use muscle groups and improve

your overall balance.

5 – Solid pre- and post-exercise routine

If you asked an average surfer how much time they spend warming up before a surf session

you might get a perplexed look. This is because most people do not warm up at all! They

may do a few arm swings and immediately jump in water and paddle out, full speed. If I had

to guess, the average time spent warming up for most people is probably a minute or less.

This method has been a catalyst to injuries and muscle soreness for years. Your body needs

some time to stretch and get the blood flowing into key muscle groups before you can exert

maximum energy.

This chapter is meant to show you a full-body dynamic warm up. A good warm up will really

get the blood flowing and you should feel really loose and ready to go. If you don’t get your


blood flowing into your muscles properly before working out or doing any sport, they

become more susceptible to injury and will not perform to their max.

These warm up exercises focus on dynamic full-body stretches that engage all muscle groups

that you will use when surfing or working out. Even when you stretch before a surf session, it

is important to stretch muscles that are loose and limber with the blood flowing properly.

Stretching cold and stiff muscles can actually cause injury.

Following section will show you proper warm up and exercises to perform within 30 minutes

of your surf session or a surf fitness workout. I have seen many surfers not warm up properly

and pull thighs, calves, and even chest muscles. This guide is meant to give you the proper

warm up and cool down so this does not happen to you!

For the best results, one should perform “active” type stretches instead of the normal

(static) stretching routines. This will help to prepare your body for the physical grind that

surfing requires. While you are active-stretching, you are not holding the same position for

20 or more seconds. This can sometimes stretch the muscle too far and cause you to be

more susceptible to injury.

A pretty good rule of thumb is to warm up until you break a light sweat. The average

warm-up session should last anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on how stiff your

muscles and joints feel.

Skipping Rope Jog

The rope skipping helps you keep a fluid pace and also involves your arms. This many

experienced surfers’ favorite warm-up exercise because it challenges your agility.

Light Jog in Place

Just like it sounds, a light jog in place making sure you are involving your arms. As you get

looser, you can involve high knees as well. Do these until you feel like you are loose and

limber and the blood is flowing to all your muscles.

Jumping Jacks

Perform standard jumping jacks to get all of your muscle groups warmed up and fluid.


Rowing machine

In the gym, rowing machine is a great piece of equipment to use for a warm up because it

works the whole body. Before you start using it, talk to one of the personal trainers and ask

them to show you how to correctly use it so you don’t just use your hands or legs but

incorporate the whole body: shoulders, back, legs, arms and core. Brace your core, keep

your back straight and perform long, fluid strides.

Arm swings (Both directions)

Start with small arm swings and lead into bigger, full-range of motion arm swings. This will

help to stretch your pectorals, lats, and shoulders you will use intensively for paddling. Go

backwards too - as this will stretch and warm up a different set of muscles than arm swings

forward. Go in a slow and controlled motion.


BOSU Bodyweight Squats

An advanced exercise that will challenge all your tendons, joints, and muscles while forcing

you to keep supreme balance. Good balance is the key to success if you want to enjoy longer

rides and avoid falling off your board.

• Flip the BOSU upside down and slowly step on with feet shoulder width apart.

• Keep your core tight and squat down, just bending at the knees.

• Perform slow and controlled squats while focusing on your balance and core stability.

• For extra challenge, hold your hands above your head as you squat.

Mountain climber

• Start in a position similar when you do push-ups, supporting your body with your

hands and toes. Bend one knee and bring your leg up until that knee is below your

chest.

• Explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the leg that was bent and

bringing the other one with the hip and knee flexed, just below your chest.

• Repeat this routine for at least 30 seconds.


Skipping Rope Jog

A light jog while skipping rope. The rope skipping helps you keep a fluid pace and also

involves your arms. This many experienced surfers’ favorite warm-up exercis because it

challenges your agility.

Light Jog in Place

Just like it sounds, a light jog in place making sure you are involving your arms. As you get

looser you can involve high knees as well. Do these until you feel like you are loose and

limber and the blood is flowing to your muscles.

Jumping Jacks

Perform standard jumping jacks to get all of your muscle groups warmed up and fluid.

Now that your muscles are nice and loose let’s start with the main warm up exercises:

Warm-up & Dynamic Stretching Guide

Begin the exercise with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms locked across

your chest. You will rotate at your hips and do a full upper body rotation back and forth as

far as you can stretch on both sides. You should make sure your feet never leave the ground

and that you are getting a good stretch in your hip flexors and obliques.


This is an excellent exercise for overall hip flexibility and core

mobility. Remember to keep correct posture (straight back)

throughout this exercise as well as tensing your abs to prevent

lower back injury.

• Begin the exercise in standard lunge position with your

left foot ahead, and your hands on the back of your

head.

• Lower your back knee towards the ground stopping just

short of it - then rotate your torso to the left. If done

properly, you’ll feel a stretch down the front of your

right hip.

• Go back to the starting position and repeat the same

exercise for the other side; that means to go with your

right foot ahead.

This will simultaneously stretch your hamstring muscles as well as your quadriceps muscles of

the opposite leg.

• Hold your left foot and place it back with the heel of your foot on your butt

• Reach down keeping your opposite leg straight and stretch your hamstring.

• Repeat and do on the other side.


• This exercise will begin with you standing and preparing to do a straight leg march

while reaching your to touch your toes at the top of your straight leg kick.

• As you get looser, kick your leg as high up in the air as possible, stretching your entire

hamstring and gluteus muscle.

This is a great dynamic stretch and a yoga pose that will stretch out your back and

hamstrings.

• Fold the trunk of your upper body over your legs, which should be about 12 inches

apart with your weight evenly distributed over your feet.

• Slowly bring your face down to the ground while keeping everything else in vertical

alignment.

• Continue reaching down until you are able to get your palms on

the ground, or as close to the ground as possible.

• Hold this position for 5-10 seconds and slowly retreat back

to the starting position.

• Each time you go down you should be able to

stretch a little bit farther.

• If you are unable to get your hands to the

ground you should place them on your shins or

ankles.


We will finish off a warm-up/dynamic stretch routine with this pose for your lats, legs, torso,

and core.

• With your feet together, squat down as if you were going to sit on a chair.

• Lift your rib cage and get a good stretch down your entire lats and armpits as you

reach your arms in front of you or alternatively towards the sky.

• Your body will form a dynamic squatted pose and you should continue looking straight

ahead. This will help to stretch out your core muscles as well as your arms.

BOSU Bodyweight Squats

An advanced exercise that will challenge all your tendons, joints, and muscles while forcing

you to keep supreme balance. Good balance is the key to success if you want to enjoy longer

rides and avoid falling off your board.

• Flip the BOSU upside down and slowly step on with feet shoulder width apart.

• Keep your core tight and squat down, just bending at the knees.

• Perform slow and controlled squats while focusing on your balance and core stability.

• For extra challenge, hold your hands above your head as you squat.


Mountain climber

• Start in a position similar when you do push-ups, supporting your body with your

hands and toes. Bend one knee and bring your leg up until that knee is below your

chest.

• Explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the leg that was bent and

bringing the other one with the hip and knee flexed, just below your chest.

• Repeat this routine for at least 30 seconds.

Side to side leg swings

This is an amazing stretch for your quadriceps and hip flexors and really challenges your

groin area. This is a hard muscle to stretch out, and because of that it’s often neglected;

surfers often injure this muscle group. This is one of the most important dynamic stretches to

perform before a surf session.


• Hold onto any object in front of you while facing forward completely.

• Keep your toes pointed straight and swing your leg back and forth across your body.

Repeat with the other leg.

Remember that it is always essential to warm up your muscles so that they are loose and

limber. Even if it is just for 5 minutes, always start every surf or a workout with a warm up.

You should also make it a habit to do stretching at other times of the day. The more often

you engage and stretch your muscles the better progress you will have with your fitness

routine. The key to success with any sport and every physical movement is full range of

motion and mobility. These warm up exercises will give you a great base of dynamic

flexibility stretches that target key muscle groups you need for surfing workout.

Check out these video clips for some really good surf fitness warm-up routines:

Troy’s Warm-up Routine www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7H3enSP4qw

High Knee Spot Jogging –www.youtube.com/watch?v=qivnieI5xjA

Jumping Jacks –www.youtube.com/watch?v=I52ZZrhmMFo

Skipping Rope –www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_WXhjdaDFg

Pre- and post-workout routine: Foam rolling

Foam rolling is one of the most underrated activities you can do to enhance your fitness,

flexibility, and explosiveness. Foam rolling is a form of myofascial release and will give you

the ability to release tight and troubled muscle groups. Let me get into the science of why it

works and is so effective.


Action: Warm up before every single workout or surf session. Foam-roll the whole body

every time after you exercise. Check out Foam Rolling For Surfers.

6 - Consistency Is the Key

Every time you begin a new workout routine, take on a new sport or make changes in your

diet, your body will respond. You will be using different muscle groups, new techniques and

new stimulus to your body will result in the response – your muscles will have to adapt.

Moreover, a “shiny toy syndrome” will result in you being very excited about your new

workout plan, new diet and new goal. Sound familiar?

After a few weeks, your body might not be as challenged as in the beginning, and you might

plateau. Your muscles will adapt, the routine will become familiar and you might start

skipping healthy meals, skipping training or surf sessions and going back to your old habits.

Let me tell you: If there is one thing that is stopping you from having an abundant energy,

longer surf sessions, lean body and improved flexibility and strength – it is yourself. The best

piece of advice I can give you when you plateau, is this:

Have a strong vision – then stick to the plan, challenge yourself and do the small daily

things right, consistently.


What I mean by that is if you write down your goal weight/ percentage of body fat, the

quality of surfer you want to be and have this goal written down and look at it regularly, you

will very likely go through the plateau and reach your goal. A friend of mine did another

trick: He visualized his “perfect body” by using Photoshop and matching photo of his face to

a photo of perfect body he found online, and looking at it every day before his workout.

Might sound a little creepy? Well, he eventually reached his goal and went through the

plateau without noticing, because he activated the neuro pathways that connected his

current reality with his goal and strengthened his vision daily.

One of my favorite quotes says: “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well,

neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

(Zig Ziglar)

Action: Visualize your goal, write it down and practice the basics daily.


Basic Guidelines

Easy Surfing Fitness training will challenge your whole body and certain muscle groups that

you may have not been working out before. It is vital to make sure you learn the basic

foundation that will help you prevent injuries and train correctly while undergoing training:

Perfect Form

It is extremely important to always use perfect form when doing any of the exercises in this

guide. It is not about the amount of weight that you are using, it is ALL about form. If you are

unsure of how to perform any of the exercises, you should make sure to ask a certified

personal trainer. Most injuries occur as a result of people performing exercises with poor

form. We do our best to show you the proper technique and give you the best guidelines,

but it is your responsibility to consult a professional before attempting any of the exercises

contained within; they will show you how to correctly perform each exercise in person.

Tight Core throughout Exercises

It is really important to brace your core when performing any of the Easy Surfing Fitness

exercises. This will not only build core strength and stability but will also help to prevent

lower back and other injuries. You will lightly flex your abs and keep a tall and solid

foundation throughout the exercises in this guide.

Posture is Key

Good posture is important in anything we do. It is even more important when training for

the intense sport of surfing. In itself, it will help prevent a lot of major injuries. One of the

best practices to always maintain throughout all exercises and movements is to brace your

core, keep your chest up, shoulders back and neck at a comfortable position. This position

alone will help to eliminate a lot of major injuries. You should stand up and practice this

position until it feels comfortable and second nature to you.


Weekly Training Schedule

Your workout schedule is built so that you don’t get stuck in one routine but you perform a

wide variety of movements and keep your body guessing a bit. At the same time, your

workout needs structure to it so that you use each muscle group during every workout.

The ideal number of Easy Surfing Fitness workouts is 3 per week, if you get a chance to catch

waves on your off days. During flat spells, or if you don’t live too close to the beach so you

don’t have a chance to surf regularly, do 4-5 weekly, but the ideal way of training is 3 Easy

Surfing Fitness workouts, 3 cardio or surf sessions/lessons and a day rest.

This workout guide by Easy Surfing Fitness is a tailored type of training that is designed to

make you better in water: catching more waves, avoiding wipe-outs and lasting longer in the

water. This kind of training will get you ready to perform surfing movements such as

paddling (and don’t worry, there will be lots of it), duck diving, eskimo rolls and getting back

quickly on your board, popping up and doing turns and manoeuvres on the wave.


What you need for Easy Surfing Fitness Training

• Comfortable workout clothes.

• Quality sports shoes. Invest in quality shoes that are comfortable, light and suitable

for jogging and gym workout. Do not exercise in thongs or sandals, especially not in

the gym where they normally don’t permit that. At home, you can exercise barefoot –

just like when you surf.

• Towel.

• Bottle of water. To keep your body hydrated at all times, especially when you

perform athletic activity. Drink at least 700ml-1 liter of water per training to make up

for the lost body liquids. Dehydration leads to fatigue, loss of strength, sore muscles

and headache.

• Gym membership or own basic equipment.

Easy Surfing Fitness workouts are built so that it is not necessary for you to have a gym

membership or own fancy equipment. Most of exercises use the weight of your own body;

however, in other cases you need additional resistance to build athletic strength.

Following are pieces of equipment you will find in every gym, or might want to buy if you

want to exercise at home:

• Dumbbells. Great for building stronger arms – you will spend most of time in water

paddling. For home gym, adjustable weights are more practical than fixed-weight

dumbbells.

• BOSU. A very useful training device for surfers – it is an exercise ball that looks like it

is cut in half and has a platform at the bottom. You can use it in endless ways to

improve your strength and balance.


• Swiss ball. Also called a fit ball, this soft exercise ball is very useful to stretch your

back and just like BOSU, it offers an endless variety of exercises to improve your

strength and fitness, while also challenging your stability and kinesthetic awareness.

• Barbell. Can be replaced by 2 dumbbells if you don’t have a barbell at home.

• Yoga mat or similar. For all bodyweight exercises that you will do on the floor such

as planking, hip raises or shoulder/arm raises.

• Foam Roller. By using your own body weight and a foam roller, you can perform a

self-massage or myofascial release, break up trigger points, and soothe tight fascia

while increasing blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues. This technique results in

softening and lengthening (release) of the fascia and breaking down scar tissue or

adhesions between skin, muscles and bones. Your muscles become looser and limber.

The foam roller not only stretches muscles and tendons but it breaks down soft tissue

adhesions and scar tissue.


• Optional: Additional equipment for bodyweight workout, such as pull-up bar

and hyperextension machine


Easy Surfing Fitness Workout Guide

Easy Surfing Fitness workout is designed for you if you

• never surfed before and are anticipating your first lesson, or

• you are a beginner that is looking to improve your athletic ability and improve upon

your surfing fitness,

• you want to get fit for your upcoming surf trip to spend as much time in water as

possible

• or you are an experienced surfer and want to keep in a great physical shape and are

looking for a great surf-specific workout.

Adding more repetitions, extra weights and taking shot breaks between sets will challenge

you no matter what your current fitness level is.

The following chapters will teach your routines that will focus on your athletic strength,

endurance and balance. They will lay the foundation of the type of compound exercise

movements and flexibility you will need to succeed out there in the line-up.


• Make sure you perform each workout (A1, A2 and A3, followed by B1, B2 and B3 next

month and C1, C2 and C3 the month after) at least once a week.

• Take 1 day of rest between the workouts unless you work out 4-5 times a week (flat

surf spells or if you don’t leave near the beach)

• On your off days go out for a swim, a paddle or do some cardio. Cardio Workout for

Surfers will teach you some really high-intensity cardio workouts that will turn your

body into fat-burning machine in just 20 minutes per training session.

• Each workout routine consists of 3 circuits, which are made up of 3 exercises each.

That is: 3 x 3 = 9 exercises in total.

• Perform each circuit 2 times before going to the next one.

• Take 45 seconds rest in between each circuit (have some water) and only 15 seconds

rest between each exercise. This will keep your heart rate up, increasing your fitness

and stamina along with your strength. Your workouts will be sharp, focused and fast.


• Choose weights that allow you perform suggested amount of repetitions or time limit.

• Perform all exercises in a slow and controlled movement. The slower you go, the more

you challenge your body and build your muscular strength and endurance.

Correct breathing when you work out

• When you perform lifting or pulling exercises, breathe out as you exert power during

each rep, then inhale as you go back to the starting position. For example: as you lift

weight you breathe out, as you bring it back down you breather in.

• When doing crunches (sit-ups) or similar core exercise: exhale as you go up, inhale as

you go down.

Why is correct breathing so important?

• Avoid dizziness.

• Prevent higher blood pressure.

• Better release the carbon dioxide in your body.

• Properly oxygenate your muscles.


Conclusion

Surfing is without a doubt one of the world’s coolest sports. It will challenge you mentally

and physically in a way that you never knew was possible. In order to enjoy your surfing

experience to the fullest, you have to prepare your body for the physical challenge that the

waves present. This book is meant to give you the solid foundation needed so that you have

no physical limitations out in water.

A lot of the workouts will remind you of the importance of core strength and mobility. Along

with abdominal and back strength, developing a strong upper body is essential for you. This

workout guide has stressed the importance of muscular endurance as well as muscular

strength. The goal of the upper body workouts is not to develop big and bulky muscles but

rather to develop lean and athletic muscles with incredible muscle endurance. Easy Surfing

Fitness workouts are designed and tested to give you just that.

Developing your lower body is just as vital. The lower body exercises were designed to give

you strength, balance and to prepare you to absorb all shocks that uneven surface and

pumping waves present.

The biggest rule of thumb when following any workout plan for this guide is to listen to your

body! If you are heavily sore, or you feel like your body needs some time off from training or

surfing, then listen to it! If you feel tired and burned out, take a couple of days off, go for a

paddle, catch a few waves and refresh your routine by switching the exercises around a bit.

Especially at the beginning: You might have a muscle pain after a first couple of workouts so

you might need to take a bit of rest so that your body recovers, rather than doing a tough

cardio.

This book gives you an endless amount of different exercise combinations so make sure that

you are having fun, always keep the end result in mind and you will achieve much better

performance. Make sure you know WHY you are training so hard - and keep in mind that this

routine will make you a much better surfer. It is much easier to train at a high intensity when

you know you are improving every day. Think of each workout as one day closer to reaching

your ultimate potential as a surfer!

Eating well is just as important as training regularly and performing the right exercises. It

would be a shame to train hard and then stuff yourself with fastfood or eating heavy food

late at night and skipping breakfast. Do yourself a massive favour and eat well - reduce your


sugar and alcohol intake, stock up on protein-rich foods, put as many vegetables in your diet

as possible and eat fresh!

The team here at Easy Surfing Fitness wishes you all the best. Please drop as a line at

[email protected] if you have any questions or feedback. Train hard, eat well and

we’ll see you in the surf!


About Us

Who Are We?

Easy Surfing Fitness (www.easysurfingfitness.com) - a surfing fitness company with a

mission to “help all surfers reach peak levels of energy and fitness”.

Troy – surfing fitness specialist at ESF

Hailing from Florida, US, Troy grew up surfing Atlantic coast. He

attended World Renowned Sports Training Academy during

junior & senior year in High School, where he developed a

passion for exercise science, fitness, and nutrition. He has been

an athlete the entire life. In his work, he specializes in

maximizing human body's genetic potential with a strong

emphasis on proper nutrition and highly effective workout

routines. He is a Certified Health and Nutrition Expert, Fitness

and Health book Author, Fitness Model, Personal Trainer and

Supplement Spokesperson. Passionate surfer and fitness

professional, Troy’s workouts are fun, effective and fast. His

expert knowledge, experience and credentials are a backbone of Easy Surfing Fitness.


How To Connect With Us

• Visit our website: www.easysurfingfitness.com

• Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ImproveYourSurfing

• E-mail us: [email protected]

• Follow us on Facebook, Google+ & Twitter to stay in touch with the trending articles

& blogs on Surfing Fitness!

Click on the icons below >>

[body like a surf pro ] - easy surfing...

Documents