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Last updated: June 20. 2007 1:28PM
SPORTS
Body By Surf: Exercises to Get You Wave Ready
But McGee, who learned to surf during summer vacations at Morehead City as a child, does enjoy the challenge of a triple-overheader (a wave three times his height) when he visits Hawaii or Puerto Rico. He hopes to return to Hawaii this summer and needs to be in prime shape when he’s surfing the face of a 15-foot wall of salt water.
So McGee, an attorney in Wilmington who also enjoys the occasional round of golf, enlisted the help of Patrick Smith, personal trainer with 100% Fitness.
Smith prides himself on tailoring workouts to a client’s sport-specific need. No stranger to surfing, he knew exactly how to help McGee, as Smith has a handful of surfing clients on a program that focuses on core strength, paddling strength, balance and endurance.
Having a solid core is important for more reasons than one. Obviously, it’ll make you look good when you’re carrying your board out to the water, but more importantly, Smith says, when a surfer is making an instantaneous decision on whether to jump on a wave, he needs a strong midsection. “Having core strength will definitely help you perform better,” he says. “If you’re fit in your core and other areas, your reaction time is better.”
Some of the exercises mimic the motions of a day of surfing. There’s an exercise with bungee cords as resistance and different versions of a “spring up,” in which goes from paddler to surfer.
Smith says building fast muscle fibers is the key to having the “explosive strength” to make a quick transition in the water.
Tara Jones also works out with Smith. She’s a beginning surfer, and she has become a master at the Indoboard exercises. Not too many years removed from her cheerleading days at South Brunswick High School, Jones can slide from one end of the Indoboard to the other without losing balance, but McGee still needs some work.
“I tried it once and that board went flying across the room,” McGee said.
Looks like somebody should keep to the real waves.
EXERCISE 1: SWIMMING WITH RESISTANCE
Jimmy uses resistance bands to strengthen his chest and shoulders and also to enhance his endurance for paddling through pounding waves. Punching alternately with his arms, he’ll do two or three sets of 50 repetitions.
EXERCISE 2: SPRING-UPS
This exercise helps you prepare for getting up on your board, which requires leg and core strength (and agility). Start by laying down in a push-up position. Jimmy pushes himself up into surfing position, engaging the arms, legs and core muscles. Exercise builds strength and endurance. Two sets of 10 repetitions.
EXERCISE 3: SPIDERMAN PUSH-UPS
This alternative to a standard push-up simulates some of the motions involved in popping up on to a surfing position. As he bends his elbows and lowers his body, Jimmy brings a knee to the side, which incorporates the obliques. Three sets of eight repetitions.
EXERCISE 4: INDOBOARD SQUAT
Tara demonstrates an advanced move on the Indoboard. The squat is performed as normal, working primarily the lower half of the body. But the Indoboard adds an extra challenge, keeping the stabilizing muscles engaged, and forcing the core abdominal muscles to provide balance.
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