Surfing is one of the most exciting water sports. But if you’re reading this, you already know it! The sense of freedom and raw adrenaline is unmatched in any other sports.
While It might look easy, it actually requires a full-body strenght for balance, endurance, and agility.
The most important of all to successfully ride waves is core strength . It’s what you need to stay upright on the board or master advanced tricks.
Even as an advanced surfer, without a strong abs, you’re likely to struggle. So, if you want to improve your surfing significantly, read this carefully!
This guide will show you why strong abs is a must for surfers and what effective exercises you can do to develop it for a more powerful and controlled surfing.
What is Core Strength?
Having a strong core doesn’t only mean having six-pack-abs. It’s the powerhouse of your body, consisting of muscles like the abdominals, obliques, lower back, and pelvic floor.
Check the table below to understand the roles of the muscles during surfing:
| Core Muscle Group | Role in Surfing |
| Abs | Provides stability and balance and protects the spine |
| Obliques | Supports rotational movements for sharp turns and lip maneuvers |
| Lower Back | Maintains posture during paddling and prevents strain from wipeouts. |
| Pelvic Floor | Enhances stability, especially during pop-ups and on uneven surfaces. |
Why Strong abs is Crucial for Surfers?
Individuals who want to know how to surf should understand that a strong core is the heart of the sport. Without it, even standing up on the surfboard would be hard for you.
Aside from balancing on board, core strength influences nearly every aspect of surfing. Here’s how:
- Balance and Stability
The ocean and your surfboard can both be unpredictable. But with a strong core, you can stay balanced as you ride the waves. You can also adjust to the ocean surface constantly moving beneath you. - Power Generation
Whether you’re paddling out to catch the next set or popping up to ride a wave, your core provides the power needed to move quickly and efficiently. - Injury Prevention
Surfing can put a lot of strain on your body, especially your lower back. A strong core acts as a shield, reducing the risk of injury and helping you recover faster from wipeouts. - Wave Maneuvering
Want to master sharp turns, control your speed, or pull off advanced tricks? It all starts with a solid core.
Exercises to Build Core Strength for Surfing
The key to achieving a strong core and riding the waves like a pro is exercise. Like many other physical activities, exercise is essential to gain strong muscles for surfing. There are a variety of drills you can add to your fitness routine, some of which may require props like a stability ball and mat.
When working out, it’s best to repeat each exercise 12 to 15 times to obtain better results. You can do less than this if you’re just starting out.
WARNING: If you have health issues such as back pains or weak joints, consult a doctor before executing these core-strength exercises.
Without further ado, here are some effective exercises to train your core to work in harmony:
- Abdominal crunch
Aspirants who want to learn to surf must do an abdominal crunch. One of the classic exercises for core strength, it requires you to lie on your back. Then, you need to place your feet on a wall, with your knees and hips forming a 90-degree angle.
After that, tighten the abdominal muscles, followed by raising your head and shoulders off the floor. Hold for three deep breaths in that position before returning to your starting pose and redoing it a couple more times.
Be careful not to strain your neck in the process. To avoid injury, remember to cross your arms on your chest and refrain from placing them behind your head.
- Superman
The Superman exercise is another effective option that both rookie and expert surfers can rely on to strengthen their lower back. But unlike the abdominal crunch, where you need to lie on your back, this move requires you to lie on your stomach. Also, you would need a prop like a rolled towel or a small pillow. Place it under your hips for the back and under your chin for head support.
To begin, tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your right arm off the floor. Hold for three deep breaths before lowering your right arm. Repeat the steps with your left arm raised. Afterward, do the same steps with an elevated right leg and left leg separately.
- Plank and Side Plank
Plank is also one of the best exercises for core strength. To do this, you need to face down, with your forearms and toes on the floor. Place your elbows directly under your shoulders while your forearms are facing forward. Make sure to keep your head relaxed and keep your gaze on the floor.
Work your abdominal muscles, drawing your navel toward your spine. Maintain a straight torso and body, from your ears to your toes. Also, avoid bending or sagging and keep your shoulders down.
Hold this position for 10 seconds before slowly lowering your body to the floor. Over time, try increasing the amount of time to 20 seconds, 30, 45, or 60.
Doing side planks is another core-strength exercise beneficial for surfing. To do this, lie on your left side. Elevate yourself onto your left forearm, then put your left shoulder above your left elbow. While doing so, make sure to straighten your shoulders, hips, and knees.
Rest your right arm along the side of your body. Engage your abdominal muscles. Hold for three deep breaths. Repeat the steps on your right side.
If this isn’t challenging enough for you, try balancing on your left hand. Raise your hips off the floor and extend your right hand upward. Hold for three deep breaths. Do the same thing on your right side.
- Bridge
Learning how to surf demands core strength, and a bridge can also give you that. Also called a back bridge or a glute bridge, this exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent. Make sure not to arch your back or press it into the floor. Also, avoid tilting your hips.
Next, elevate your hips off the floor until they are at the same height as your knees and shoulders. Hold that position for three deep breaths. Slowly lower your hips and repeat the steps.
- Russian Twists
To safely execute quick turns in surfing, one must need rotational strength—something you can achieve through Russian twists. To do this move, you will need to be in a seated position with your feet lifted off the floor. Then, simply rotate your torso from one side to the other on repeat.
- Boat Pose
This yoga pose, also called Paripurna Navasana in Sanskrit, will help replicate the balance surfers need while standing on a board. It’s another seated exercise, but it focuses on balancing on your sit bones. Also, it includes raising the legs and extending the arms forward. The position appears like a boat, hence its name, but it looks like an inverted capital A, too.
Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds for beginners or 1 to 5 minutes for advanced.
- Stability Ball Exercises
Finally, stability ball exercises can help prepare your body for surfing, especially for handling unpredictable motions. How you may ask? Such drills allow the muscles making up the core and those surrounding the hips and shoulders to join forces to strengthen the body through a variety of movements.
Examples of this exercise include Stability Ball Jackknife, Stability Ball Hamstring Curl, Stability Ball Deadbug, Stability Ball V-Pass, and Stability Decline Push-Up.
Browse through the table below to find out more about these core-strength exercises, including their target muscles and benefits to surfers.
| Exercise | Targeted Muscle Groups | Surfing Benefit |
| Abdominal Crunch | Rectus abdominis (front of the core) | Builds endurance for maintaining posture on the board during long rides. |
| Superman | Lower back (erector spinae), glutes, shoulders, and hamstrings | Strengthens the lower back, essential for paddling and preventing injuries. |
| Planks | Abdominals, lower back | Improves overall stability and balance. |
| Side Planks | Obliques, core stabilizers | Enhances control during turns and rotations. |
| Bridge | Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and pelvic floor | Protects the lower back by supporting proper alignment and reducing strain during surfing movements. |
| Russian Twists | Obliques, abdominals, shoulders, hips | Builds rotational strength for sharp maneuvers. |
| Boat Pose | Entire core | Mimics the balance needed to stay steady on the board. |
| Stability Ball Work | Dynamic core muscles | Develops adaptability for handling unpredictable wave movements. |
Common Surfing Moves That Require Core Strength
Now that you know the significance of core strength in the sport and how you can develop it, let’s find out the specific surf moves where you can leverage this ability.
- Paddling
Paddling is a vital skill surfers must learn. It’s what you use to propel through the water and position yourself to align with an incoming wave. It requires strong lower back and abdominal muscles to produce powerful strokes—which can only be achieved with a solid core. With a weak core, it can lead to inefficient paddling and fatigue.
- The Pop-Up
This surfing move involves shifting from lying on your stomach to standing on your surfboard. All surfers must master this, as it builds the foundation for a steady and controlled ride. To execute this properly, your core muscles—such as abdominals, pelvic floor, and obliques—must work together for a quick, smooth transition.
- Bottom Turn
The bottom turn is a fundamental maneuver where a surfer turns at the base of a wave after descending its face. It highly relies on rotational core strength and balance, as it builds the direction and speed for the next action. This move prepares you for riding along the wave, performing a cutback, or attempting an aerial maneuver.
- Carving Turns
A carving turn is a smooth, arcing maneuver where the surfer uses the rail of their board to make a powerful and controlled turn on the wave face. This move is essential for maintaining speed, changing direction, setting up advanced tricks, and staying in the wave’s power zone.
- Maintaining balance
Balance is a fundamental skill in surfing, allowing surfers to stay upright and in control on the constantly shifting surface of a wave. It involves the teamwork of multiple muscle groups, sensory systems, and mental focus.
- Cutback
A cutback is a sharp turn back toward the wave’s breaking section. It requires rotational power and core stability to maintain control while redirecting your board.
- Duck Diving
This is a technique used in surfing to push the surfboard and your body under an oncoming wave. It allows you to get past the breaking waves and reach the lineup. It involves engaging the core to stabilize your body and drive the board through the water with precision.
- Tube Riding
This is a highly advanced surfing maneuver where a surfer rides inside the hollow part of a breaking wave, often referred to as the “barrel” or “tube.” Navigating inside the barrel of a wave demands full-body control and core engagement to maintain balance and react to the wave’s movements in tight spaces.
- Aerials and Advanced Tricks
Pulling off tricks like aerials and other advanced movements requires explosive power from your core to launch off the wave. You also need stability to land successfully back on the board.
Explore the table below to grasp a full understanding of what core muscles these surfing movements use and why core strength is essential in each one:
Core strength is the secret weapon every surfer needs
From staying balanced on your board to executing powerful moves and avoiding injuries, your core plays a role in it all. By prioritizing exercises for core strength, you’ll not only improve your surfing skills but also make each session more enjoyable and rewarding. So, grab your mat or other fitness equipment, start working on those planks, and get ready to dominate the waves!
FAQs
Q: Why is core strength such a big deal for surfers?
A: Your core is the foundation of almost everything you do on a surfboard. From paddling out to popping up to riding the wave, a strong core keeps you balanced, stable, and in control. Without it, you’d probably spend more time in the water than on your board!
Q: Does surfing really work your core that much?
A: Oh, absolutely! Surfing is like a full-body workout in disguise, and your core is the main star. Every twist, turn, and balance adjustment requires the use of your core muscles to keep you steady and connected.
Q: Can weak core muscles make surfing harder?
A: Unfortunately, yes. Without good core strength, staying balanced on the board becomes a real challenge, especially in choppy waters or during those sharper maneuvers. It’s like trying to drive a car with wobbly wheels—but way harder.
Q: How can I build core strength for surfing?
A: Planks, crunches, Russian twists, supermans, bridges, stability ball exercises, and yoga moves like boat poses are all great. But doing surf-specific exercises like balance board training will also do the trick. And don’t forget: just spending more time in the water naturally strengthens your core too!
Q: Is core strength only about balance?
A: No, it’s more than just about balance; it’s also about power. Your core helps transfer energy between your upper and lower body, which is crucial when paddling, popping up, or carving those epic turns.
Q: Do pro surfers focus a lot on core training?
A: You bet they do! Core workouts are a staple for surfers at every level. Even pros know they need a solid core to stay sharp and ride those monster waves.
