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Exercise
Tips
Helpful
exercises to build the muscles most
important in surfing. Thanks to
Mark Hoffmann of Surfitness for
contributing this information!
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Improve
your surfing performance in less
than 10 minutes!
This month we have worked up a great
core (the area between your hips
and shoulders) workout that you
can complete in ten minutes or less.
The core is usually the area where
most people lack proper development.
It is crucial to properly train
this area. A stronger core will
allow you to be able to surf with
more power, and also to function
normally in everyday life. Most
of us are usually working the abdominal
muscles with crunches or sit-ups.
That is okay, but most of the time
that leads to muscle imbalances
that will hinder your activity both
in and out of the water. We like
to train what we can see: chest,
shoulders and the good old six pack
(for many of us, a six pack in a
cooler). What about the backside
of your body (lower back, glutes,
hamstrings etc???).
What will lead to optimal performance
is training the total core, not
just the superficial muscles. When
you string together a series of
exercises in a circuit fashion,
you can really get the job done
in an efficient manner. We have
put together five exercises that
will rock your core, and get you
stoked for your next surfing session!!!
All you need is a stability ball
(SB), available at www.performbetter.com,
or at your local fitness store and
some good music. The best way to
check for sizing of a SB is to sit
on one, and check the angles of
your knees and hips. Both should
be at 90'. Please check with you
doctor before starting this and
any exercise program. Okay, lets
get going!
We will start out with a surfer's
push-up (fig 1.). Start with your
knees on the SB and your hands on
the ground underneath your shoulders.
Keep you bellybutton drawn in to
your spine, and lower your chest
towards the ground. You should not
feel any pressure in your lower
back, if you do, stop, and draw
that bellybutton back into the spine.
This will be the same for this and
very other exercise tin this circuit.
(If doing the push up with the ball
under your knees is to easy, roll
forward to the shins and eventually
the toes. When that gets too easy,
you can do them with your hands
on the ball.) Perform 10 repetitions
if possible, but if not, do as many
as you can with good form and control.
Next, we are now going into a knee
paddle (fig 2). Begin in the same
position that you were in for the
surfers push-up, you will draw your
knees towards your chest, and then
roll the SB back out to your start
position. Again do ten repetitions,
and stay pain free. Now we are onto
the hurricanes (fig 3), this is
one of my favorites because it really
tests your cores strength! Bring
your knees towards your chest, so
your hips and knees are at 90'.
With total control, rotate to the
side of your thigh, back up to the
middle, and over to the other legs
thigh. This one is a real beast!
Do 10 reps here, five per side.
Now we are onto the over the falls
(fig 4). Not something we like to
do when we are surfing, but I liked
the name. Start out with your forearms
on the ground, SB underneath your
pelvic region, and your legs straight.
Extend your legs upward, keeping
them straight, and keep your feet
together. At the top of the movement,
you want to take a picture, squeeze
your glutes nice and tight, hold
the position for a 2 second count,
and slowly return to the start.
Don't swing your legs in an uncontrolled
manner, and do not bounce them off
of the ball!!. Do a total of ten
reps here as well. On to the final
exercise of the circuit, the paddle
out (fig 5). After being in the
over the falls position, you can
just roll back to you feet and position
the ball in your mid section. Keep
you feet hip width, hands behind
the head and you bellybutton to
the spine. Extend upwards in a controlled
manner, and slowly return to the
start. Complete a total of ten reps
here, and grab a drink of water.
You have two more trips through
the circuit!! Again, I can't stress
enough that if you feel pain in
your lower back or anywhere else,
stop and re-adjust yourself. If
the pain continues, see your doctor.
You can complete this circuit prior
to or after your current training
program. It can be done 3 days a
week, every other day
I hope you gals are as stoked as
I am after you finish your training.
Get those Wahine cores rock solid
and stay positive! Please feel free
to contact us if you have any questions
regarding this or any other workout.
You can also check us out on the
web at www.surfitness.com.
Written by Mark Hoffmann CSCS, and
also co-owner of surfitness inc.
Fig.1 |
Fig.2 |
Fig.3 |
Fig.4 |
Fig.5 |
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