Surf Fitness & Nutrition

[ccrider1]

surfing is the best workout for surfing, but to mix it up, cross country skiing and backountry splitboarding or snow shoeing w/ poles all work really really well for your cardio endurance and for your shoulder, back and leg muscles. Plus its way more fun the "working out". Of course cycling is great all around for fitness and balance. If you hit all three mountain, road and moto your shoulders get strong indeed. Free riding a mt. bike also makes the majority of waves you get to drop in look very reasonable. And of course the snow and skate board are great training for the actual "surf" part of surfing. have fun, stay strong --happy new year!

[north_of_45]

Here's an answer from Surfline


Gents, I'm currently landlocked in Chicago for the winter, and I'm looking for a workout routine that will keep me in shape until I get to Costa and Panama in the late spring. I have a choice: I can join a brand new gym without a pool, or a pool only. Perhaps I can join the gym and pay for pool sessions, but I'm trying to think economics here also. So to get to the point, can you recommend a training routine?
asked by Space


Nick Carroll, monster paddleboarder, surfer and oftime magazine editor -- not to mention general fitness nut -- responds. This could be worth printing out and tacking to your wall:

First things first: Pool, pool, pool. Your element is water, and the priority through this long long winter is to stay in contact with it. So let's start there.

Next priority is to maintain your paddling fitness. Given the presence of a pool, and a good approach to swim training (ie. actually DOING it, as opposed to avoiding it!), you can actually hit the water next spring in better shape than when you left it.

Get a good pair of swim goggles, a pair of swim trunks, and you're ready to go. Check out the very simple swim workout below:

THE 1500-METER SURF SWIM TRAINING SESSION (a la WTFK)
(4 - 5 times a week, all done freestyle, except where indicated)

1. Jump in and swim 400 meters, nice and smoothly, not too quick, not too slow. This is to warm up and loosen your whole body.

2. Take a short rest, just a couple minutes. Let the heart rate return to somewhere near normal.

3. Do a set of short quick sprints. You're probably swimming in a 25-meter pool, so do this:
8 x 25m, each one pretty much as quick as you can, with a 20 second break between each 25m. (Or start each 25m exactly 40 seconds after you started the last one - a 40-second "interval". Intervals keep you honest.)

4. Take another rest. That little sprint set should've limbered you up and got some heat running through your brain and body.

5. Now a set of sturdy strengtheners.
5 x 100m, smooth and strong, with a 30 second gap between each 100m. (Or on a 2-minute interval.)

6. Take another rest. That should've opened your lungs right up and got some endorphins moving. Healthy tingling through body, etc.

7. Now a finish-off power set.
6 x 50m, with a 20 second break between each. (Or a 50-second interval.)

8. Roll right into a slow "warmdown" 100m, swim very gently, 25m free, 25m backstroke, 25m breaststroke, 25m free to finish.

9. Drink a couple pints of water.

Most surfers will feel some odd muscles twitching after a couple of these session, but it won't be too bad - not as bad as if you hadn't done any kind of upper body work.

After four or five weeks at this pace, you'll be ready to tune it up a bit. Try this one out every second session:

THE 2500-METER 6-8-FOOT SURF PSYCHER

1. Jump in for the 400-meter warmup gig.

2. Rest for a minute or so, then straight into this:

3. Serious strengtheners:
10 x 50m, first five on a 2 minute interval, second five on a 1min-50sec interval. (Don't give up on number eight, either!)

4. Rest for a couple minutes, then:
10 x 50m, first five on 1 minute, second five on 45 seconds.

5. Rest for a minute or so, then (ha ha!):
8 x 25m UNDERWATER, each on 1 minute. (You can use a set of swim fins on this one -- not a bad investment.)

6. 6x50, swimming 25 free, 25 other stroke - backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly. Your choice of the other stroke. (If you can mmanage it, try to revolve twice through the three - I know butterfly is a real trick.) Each 50 on 1m15s.
6. Rest for a couple of minutes, then swim right through the remaining 600m without stopping, but doing 25m backstroke for every 75m freestyle. Slow yourself down through the last 100, down to warmdown pace.

Keep drinking nice clean fresh water a LOT during the days before and after your sessions, it'll flush out a lot of exercise byproducts and keep your muscles loose and soft. If you don't do this, you'll hurt your kidneys and liver and your recoveries will be slower.

Spend the bucks you've saved not joining a gym on a good massage from time to time --or just save for a couple new boards.

Any good pool center will have some sort of swim group or program where you can hook up with other people and maybe train with 'em a bit, swim training is way easier with a couple buddies.

Good luck!

[spray]

Spend the bucks you've saved not joining a gym on a good massage from time to time --or just save for a couple new boards.

What? I joined a gym just so I could gain access to a pool.

[nm]

Spend the bucks you've saved not joining a gym on a good massage from time to time --or just save for a couple new boards.

What? I joined a gym just so I could gain access to a pool.

I think the point of that statement is.............you don't have to join a gym to have access to a pool. There are still plenty of pools around that are inexpensive to use.......in relation to the cost of joining a gym. (And really, why join a gym if all you're going to use is the pool.)

With that..........here's another workout. Good for pace work.

(25 meter pool) (Or.....if you swim where I swim......26.5 meter pool).

Warm up: 1x1000 free @ 15 minutes

Kick: 1x200 I.M.

Set 1: 5x100 free @ 1:30

Set 2: 10x50 free @ :50

Set 3: 8x25 stroke @ :30 (You may wish to make this set heads-up free)

Warm down: 100 easy

[spray]

Spend the bucks you've saved not joining a gym on a good massage from time to time --or just save for a couple new boards.

What? I joined a gym just so I could gain access to a pool.

I think the point of that statement is.............you don't have to join a gym to have access to a pool. There are still plenty of pools around that are inexpensive to use.......in relation to the cost of joining a gym. (And really, why join a gym if all you're going to use is the pool.)

With that..........here's another workout. Good for pace work.

(25 meter pool) (Or.....if you swim where I swim......26.5 meter pool).

Warm up: 1x1000 free @ 15 minutes

Kick: 1x200 I.M.

Set 1: 5x100 free @ 1:30

Set 2: 10x50 free @ :50

Set 3: 8x25 stroke @ :30 (You may wish to make this set heads-up free)

Warm down: 100 easy

It was cheaper. I get unlimited access to a pool 24/7 for under 20$ a month at a gym.

[nm]

Cheaper? Really? It costs me maybe 65 bucks a year for Tualitin parks & rec.....and I get to use any pool I wish. (Of course.....you have to live within the district to get that rate. So, Spray.....your point is well taken).

[spray]

No offense, but it IS cheaper. I could get an annual pass to Mt. Scott pool but they only allow lap swimming at certain times and on certain days. Not only that, getting a lane is pretty hard.

Yes I joined a gym just to swim. It is cheaper and is the only viable option I have. Maybe in Australia where Nick Carrol lives pools are more accessable?

[Wilbur Kookmeyer]

I got kicked out of Mt Scott rec center once....

Does that count?

I think you are right Sprayer.....in Multnomah County...you have very few options. You could join the Clack pool...but as a non-resident...the gym is cheaper. You could pay per swim at Clack, but lap swims are $2/session...resident or not...still cheaper with the gym. Plus the pool at Scott blows.

My friends kid cleared the pool there once. It was like something out of Caddyshack....."DOOODY!"

[spray]

Here are my tips regarding surfing nutrition and surfing:

-- Kill your television. If forced watch OPB.
-- Cross train. I know too many great surfers that can't run a mile. Surfing and swimming are one-dimensional sports. Play some b-ball. Run. Mix up your workout.
-- Become a vegetarian or vegan. Impurities get more concentrated the higher up on the food chain you eat. Your organs will thank you. The environment will thank you. Your surfing won't suffer either.

Just my 0.002.

[nm]

No offense, but it IS cheaper. I could get an annual pass to Mt. Scott pool but they only allow lap swimming at certain times and on certain days. Not only that, getting a lane is pretty hard.

No offense taken......read my response. Yes......you certainly have to weigh the cost/benefit of availability. If having access 24/7 and a lane to yourself is important........then, yes, the benefit (to you) outweighs the cost.

Yes I joined a gym just to swim. It is cheaper and is the only viable option I have. Maybe in Australia where Nick Carrol lives pools are more accessable?

Again..........if it's the only viable option you have...........then the benefit outweighs the cost. Win/win situation for you..........you get to swim......and supplement with a weight routine......if you so desire.

[Trunk Monkey]

-- Become a vegetarian or vegan. Impurities get more concentrated the higher up on the food chain you eat. Your organs will thank you. The environment will thank you.

I'm not convinced on that one. Besides, the 3 vegans I know are self-rightious, spindly, pasty and not very athletic. I also think it's odd that they were sporting leather (shoes, handbags, jackets) while trying give me a guilt trip over my cheeseburger (Tillamook cheese that is) ...

Now, I got some steaks on the barby that need flippin.

[nm]

Now, I got some steaks on the barby that need flippin.

Make mine med/rare!

[Ron Burgundy]

for the sake of getting completely off topic, yeah, i'll go with the monkey on this one. I tried cutting down on meats and doin the vegetable thing a few years back...it f*'d my stomach up all the time, i noticed my immune system was weaker, and i couldn't help but start watching more movies with hugh grant and natalie portman.

now i'm back to norm, healthy, and if i get bored, i just watch basketball, sportscenter, or the spice channel.

wanna be healthy? work out, and don't eat mcdonalds all damn day.

[chickenskin]

Well folks, I'm back in South Jersey, and it's time to say goodbye. One of the local shops has a message board, and I will be posting there. Had a bunch of days of decent surf so far, hopefully this link will work for you all. These were taken here in Ocean City around the holidays. See you on the inside.

http://7thstreetsurfshop.com/bb/viewthread.php?tid=3408

[nm]

Fixed the link for you T...................check in from time to time.

n.