Improving your mobility is crucial for surfing because it directly affects your performance, safety, and overall experience in the water. Here are some reasons why mobility matters for surfing:
1. Enhanced Maneuverability
Surfing requires dynamic and quick movements, from paddling to popping up on the board, carving, and executing manoeuvres. Improved mobility allows you to move your body more freely and fluidly, enhancing your ability to perform effectively.
2. Better Balance and Stability
Maintaining balance on a constantly moving surface like a surfboard requires flexibility and stability. Improved mobility in your joints and muscles helps you maintain better equilibrium, reducing the chances of falling off the board. Win!
3. Increased Range of Motion
Surfing involves a wide range of motions in the upper and lower body. Good mobility ensures that you can execute these movements with ease and without strain. This is especially important for executing powerful turns and maintaining control on the wave.
4. Injury Prevention
Proper mobility can help prevent injuries by ensuring that your muscles and joints move properly. Improved flexibility reduces the risk of muscle strains, joint sprains, and other common surfing-related injuries that will keep you out of the water.
5. Efficient Paddling
Paddling is a fundamental aspect of surfing, and it requires a lot of shoulder and upper back mobility. With better shoulder and thoracic mobility, you’ll be able to paddle more efficiently, catch more waves, and stay out in the lineup longer.
6. Faster Progression
Beginners will find it challenging to adapt to the movements required for surfing. Improved mobility accelerates your learning curve by allowing you to grasp the necessary techniques more easily.
7. Comfort and Endurance
Surfing is physically demanding, and spending long hours in the water can make you sooo tired. When your body is more mobile, you’re likely to experience less fatigue, which translates to longer and more enjoyable surf sessions.
8. Confidence and Fun
Surfing is not only about technical skills; it’s also about enjoying the experience and having fun. When you feel comfortable and confident in your body’s ability to move, you’ll likely have a more positive and enjoyable time in the water.
To improve your mobility for surfing, consider incorporating stretching routines, yoga, and targeted exercises that focus on the muscles and joints used during surfing. Developing a consistent mobility routine can lead to significant improvements in your surfing performance.
Try these surf specific mobility workouts on SurfGirl Premium:
Paddle Specific Surf Mobility
Do you think that a lack of overhead mobility may be holding you back when you’re paddling? In this video, Emilia explains the importance of working on full body mobility to improve our surfing, with an emphasis on the upper body and thoracic spine for paddle specific training. Incorporate this into your routine and you’ll feel a difference, we promise!
Full Body Mobility for Pop Ups
Looking to improve your pop up & level up your surfing? Try out our 25 min full body mobility flow with Emilia. Popping up to your feet requires good level of mobility in the hips and flexibility in the hamstrings, elements that are often neglected in our training. Follow along this session and learn how to work on these. To do some of the movements in this workout you will need a pole/broom handle – it will make sense in the video!
Post Surf Stretch and Mobility
Stretching and flexibility can be the key to improving your surfing. Plus performing a post surf stretch helps to reduce soreness and aid recover. So give this short stretch routine a go after you’ve surfed, it will help with the aches and pains of surfing!
Pilates for Surfing
Fire up your surfing muscles and lubricate your spine to improve your paddling, pop-up and balance whilst in the waves. These movements also help prevent aches and pains associated with surfing.
