Surfing and Fitness
Surfing and fitness go together and they are both goals. Surfing creates fitness and fitness makes for better surfers. Most professional surfers cross train out of the water.
Creating a Fitness Routine
Surfing and fitness can be the foundation of a healthy routine. I personally surf, bike, walk, swim, and train in the gym. Fitness is aerobics, resistance training, nutrition, and rest.
Contrary to popular belief, muscle is built in the resting period, not the exercise period. What muscle needs to build after exercise is nutrition and rest. Nutrition is carbohydrates, protein, and water.
Rest is not using the same muscles for strenuous activity for one or two days depending on the intensity of the exercise. Nutrition should be consumed each four hours because that is the lifetime of usable amino acids.
Nutrition
Nutrition should include a carbohydrate and protein meal two to three hours before exercise so the muscles have glucose and protein. 600 calories of carbohydrates are enough for the liver to absorb 400 calories, the muscles about 150 calories and the blood supply about 80 calories. I like a big breakfast because my body has used all its glucose while sleeping.
Selecting Your Exercise Level
Beginner exercisers should engage in low intensity aerobics and low intensity weight training. Aerobics can include 150 minutes a week of walking, biking, swimming, or tread milling. Low intensity resistance training is using 50% of capability for weights and 20 to 25 reps in three sets for each exercise. Consider 10 to 12 exercises as a circuit.
Moderate exercisers who already engage three to five times a week can add intervals to aerobic training to increase their VO2 max and capability for more strenuous feats like racing in 10k’s or doing triathlons. Their resistance training can be 60% to 80% of Maximum One Time Rep with 12 to 16 reps in circuit of 10 to 12 exercises.
Serious exercisers might be interested in performance for racing or building maximum strength and size. These exercisers will add aerobics intensity up to 95% once a week with the balance of time spent in lower intensities although might still include intervals. Weight training will include one session a week at 80% to 95% of maximum one time rep with only 4 to 6 reps. Serious and moderate exercisers might work every day but on different muscle groups and most likely rest two days.
Professional or Advanced Exercise Routines
Professional surfers surf most days and work resistance and flexibility in the afternoons. Surfing and fitness can help an individual reach performance goals with sport specific muscle groups given extra focus.
For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, see the Home Page
For Coaching for greater health and fitness
For Personal Training and/or Surf Lessons see my Training Website
For Packages for Surfing and Fitness combined or separately