Beth, I am heading to the Mentawais August 12. Other than my regular handball, basketball, and surfing, I haven’t done much to get in shape. Since I am spending so much money to get there and surf, naturally, I want to make the most of it. Currently, due to work and sloppy conditions in San Francisco during the summer months, I haven’t been surfing nearly as much as I would like to before my trip.
Could you recommend some exercises or something that will help me get in shape for my trip so I can maximize my pleasures.
Thanks, Jay G. – San Francisco (7/2/01)
ANSWER:
Hey Jay, How stoked are you for your trip?!? I hope you have been able to get out a little lately to enjoy this little south pulse we have been seeing.
As for training to get in shape for your trip, there are several things you can do. If you belong to a gym, you can do a bunch of lifting using a bit lighter weights and higher reps to mimic the paddle stroke. By doing lighter weights and higher reps, you won’t build any unnecessary bulk while maintaining aerobic strength for paddling. You could also incorporate a few “burst” sets which mimic the paddle stroke when trying to get into the wave. It is not a bad idea to strengthen your lower body as well (quads, gluts, and hamstrings) to make for stronger turns and to prevent potential knee injury.
If you don’t use the gym, you can still maintain upper body strength through pushups (6×15), dips (3×20), and pull-ups ( 3 sets of how many you can bust out). DO NOT forget sit-ups. I recommend doing at least 200 4x/week of super solid sit-ups. Try to isolate your lower abs as these are the muscles which help prevent injury of the low back and aid in over all strength while paddling and maneuvering on the wave.
I would try to either run or bike a bit to maintain cardiovascular fitness. As surfers, I don’t think we realize how high our heart rate gets while surfing, especially at OB where we fight hellacious currents and gnarly paddle-outs. Not to mention that cardiovascular fitness helps with recovery and enduring 3 sessions per day. I would try to run at least 30 minutes and to ride for at least 1 hour, 3X’s per week.
You could always get in a swimming pool and swim at least a mile. There are several public pools in SF. I hate to swim in a pool after years and years of being a competitive swimmer and prefer surfing for an hour regardless of conditions. I am not afraid to get in and surf wind swell just to stay surfing fit so that when the next swell hits, I am ready.
AND NEVER FORGET TO STRETCH. Your muscles can not be at their full potential when tight. A little stretching goes a long way. Let me know if you have more questions. Enjoy your trip and let me know how the waves were.
Hasta, Beth (7/3/01)
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