Upper Body Strength

Upper body strength and endurance are critical for surfers for both paddle fitness and for taking off on waves. There is nothing worse than trying to paddle back out for a set and having your arms burning with fatigue, only for you to struggle out and then mess up the take off because your arms were too tired from paddling.

The best functional exercises to achieve a stronger upper body involve a combination of pulling and pushing movements. Pulling exercises such as the chin-up or rows will improve back and arm strength. Pushing exercises such as the push-up will help strengthen the shoulders, chest and arms and keep your overall upper body strength balanced.

Here are some example exercises from our program Total Surfing Fitness - Functional Training for Surfers:

Stability Ball Push-Up

• Perform a pushup with your hands on a stability ball.

• To make it harder, place your feet on a bench.

One-Arm Row

• Kneel with one knee and one hand on the bench and the other foot on the ground.

• Keeping your back straight and abdominals braced pull the dumbbell to the side of your torso and then slowly lower to full extension.

• You should keep your elbow tucked close to your body throughout the action.

• Do the desired number of repetitions and repeat using your other arm.