Easy to Follow Core Training Exercise for Surfers

21 November, 2016

Ever since you’ve started surfing, you might have heard of “core strength” for numerous times now. But have you really understood its meaning and how it is a vital part when improving your surfing skill? Let’s check what Surf & Sun Australia coaches have to say about core strength and the role it plays on your surf skill.

Body equilibrium and endurance are just some of the things that the core strength supports. Without the core strength surfers would surely experience fatigue easily, loss balance and face numerous injuries. This importance of the “core” is the reason why a lot of surfers exercise to gain core strength and stability.

What is Core Stability?

It is defined as your body’s ability to protect the spine using the muscles located in the torso. Together with the protection of the spine, core stability also impacts the body’s ability to properly coordinate the movements of both upper and lower body. This does not necessarily refer to the perfectly sculptured abdominal muscles that you see in television ads. Core stability has a more in depth source, the transverse abominis, the muscle that needs to be well developed to gain core strength.

Developing Your Core Strength

Just making sure that we are on same page before starting with any training exercise, having a well-developed abs does not necessarily mean that you have a functional core. So, make sure that you have erased that conception in mind.

Start off with the basic leg lowering exercises wherein you’ll be lying on your back with both legs full extended above your hips and your hands firmly planted on your side. Slowly lower your left leg while maintaining the right leg on its upward extended position. Make sure that the heel of your left leg maintains a small distance from the floor. Hold the position for a moment before slowly returning the left leg to meet on its upward extended position. Repeat the same exercise for your right leg. The key factor that needs to be maintained while doing this exercise is the spine lying completely flat against the surface.

Next is planking, a well-known exercise for the core muscles. Most beginners will have a hard time maintaining the plank position for 60 seconds. Don’t beat yourself up, over time while you continuously doing plank exercises you will be able to endure a 60-second plank. Planking increases the endurance of your core muscles. It might appear easy but enduring the muscle contractions within your core while maintaining the position makes planking a challenge.

If these simple and intermediate level of core training exercises are easy for you, you can always do roll-out trainings using a gym ball. But for beginners, it will be better to start off with simpler exercises that will help you gain core stability and strength.

Surfing requires you to gain a physically fit body to maximize the fun in doing maneuvers. Spending time to make sure that you are fit to learn how to surf better will make you improve your skills easier.