CORE TRAINING FOR COMPETITIVE SURFERS
ALEXANDER HOWE, CYNTHIA VELASQUEZ, AND AARON WYANT, MS
S
urfing is a water sport where the surfer’s purpose is
to catch and ride the best moving waves, control the
intricate movements successfully, all while performing
radical maneuvers when the opportunity becomes available. To
accomplish this, the surfer needs to have a tremendous amount of
technical skills in order to execute controlled maneuvers and ride
the wave to its full potential. However, for a competitive surfer,
skill alone will not be enough to reach their full ability; thus, having
a comprehensive strength and conditioning program will allow
the surfer to adapt and overcome the physiological demands of
surfing. The purpose of this article is to examine the demands and
movement patterns of the sport of surfing and provide sample
pre-habilitation, flexibility, and cool-down routines and a sample
circuit workout that can be integrated into a comprehensive
strength and conditioning program.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS
One of the physiological demands required for the sport of surfing
is the ability to activate the core musculature. A strong core will
allow for greater postural stability and extreme body positioning
on the surfboard. The aerobic energy system will be needed
for long, extensive paddling, and the anaerobic system will be
utilized for short and powerful movements, such as popping-up
to catch a wave. During paddling, a surfer will utilize their upper
body strength and use primarily their latissimus dorsi, pectorals,
and triceps. In competition surfing, surfers are subjected to
numerous 30-min heats where their best two waves (scores)
are recorded. Even though only two are noted, the surfers will
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continue to catch as many high-quality waves as they can in order
to attain the highest possible score. A comprehensive strength
and conditioning program for a surfer should include numerous
balancing exercises that will benefit the surfer because balance
training induces better reflex adaptations than traditional training
such as strength training (5).
SPORT-SPECIFIC DEMANDS
Many different movements are required in order to perform surfing
movements successfully, such as paddling, duck diving, holding
breath underwater, riding the wave, etc. A surfer will spend
approximately 50 percent of the time paddling, either slowly and
passively, or quickly and powerfully to catch a wave (2). As stated
by Mendez-Villanueva and Bishop, in competitive surfers, overuse
injuries appear to be becoming more common as surfers surf more
frequently and for longer periods of time, due to advancements
in insulated wetsuits, and the current level of professionalism (4).
As the increasing frequency of shoulder and upper-body injuries
is associated with arm paddling, upper-body pre-rehabilitation is
essential for competitive surfers to prevent chronic injuries. The
overuse injuries associated with paddling are believed to result
from cervical and lumbar spine hyperextension as well as the
repetitive rotation that accompanies shoulder joint movement (4).
Specified by Mendez-Villanueva, Bishop, and Hamer, surfers
spend between two to seven hours surfing each day for more
than five days per week (3). However, surfing is restricted to
environmental factors, such as seasonal and severe weather and
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