Many people wonder what is involved in Preparing for the First Surf Lesson. Most people find that surfing is more technical than they expected and way more tiring. They always this is a really good workout. The paddling is the most tiring aspect of surfing and one type of exercise most people don’t include in their own work out sessions.
Surfing is a full body sport. Flexibility is really important. Young people still have plenty of flexibility and can move smoothly through the steps, but adults and sedentary people have lost the flexibility in their hamstrings, buttocks, and lower back.
The Basics of Surfing Demands and Preparation
When the new student gets into the water for the first surf lesson, they learn how to roll over on the surfboard. This is important because if you don’t get on the surfboard correctly, you can’t catch a wave. It is important to hold the board up with the top facing your body and then roll over with it onto the water with one smooth action. Throwing your feet over the back to land on the tail puts your body straight as a pencil in the middle of the board.
Timing the wave is crucial. When the wave is 15 feet away, the surfer rolls over and begins three easy paddles. By then the wave is pushing the tail and the surfer paddles hard three times to get in front of the wave. Now he puts his hands on the surfboard in a man’s push up position and pushes up. Upper body strength is needed to get the chest off the surfboard.
Now comes the flexibility and lower body strength. The surfer puts one foot on the surfboard under their butt so they can stand on it. Flexibility is needed here. Then the surfer is pushing off the board and standing on the rear leg. He is suspended for a second as he lifts his upper body and moves the other foot to the front of the board. (doing it once for practice will indicate which foot you prefer to have forward).
This is a smooth action that requires strength in proportion to your weight (power to weight ratio) and the flexibility to move all your body parts smoothly. People that do not have full body strength and flexibility struggle with the crucial phase of standing up on the surfboard. Once up and in the right posture, riding to the beach is relatively easy.
The best exercises to prepare for these demands are pushups, burpies, deadlifts, and squats. The untrained can do everything without weights. YouTube can demonstrate the right form for squats and deadlifts. Weights can be added soon to create greater strength. These exercises will loosen the hamstrings, buttocks, and lower back so that smooth pop ups can be achieved.
Why not be physically ready to improve learning?
27 Great Exercises for Surfing
Read Other Posts:
Beginner Surfers Learn on Soft Tops
5 Steps to Improve Surfing Performance
3 Ways to Catch Real Surfing Waves
Training to Ride the Surfing Short Board
Short Board Surfing Techniques
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