Surf Stretches

Before each surf, stretching is so important. When I first started surfing, my friend pointed over to a couple of Japanese surfers who were stretching on the sand and laughed. 'Look at those wallies!' he scoffed, 'It's 2 ft, what the hell do they think's gonna happen? Probably saw some pro-surfer do it on a dvd or something!

Surf Stretching

At the time, I thought it was funny too, couldn't understand the reason for doing stretches before a surf session in 2 ft waves, then one day I actually saw a former pro-surfer stretching before heading out into 2-3ft on-shore chop.

I approached him and asked why he was stretching so much for these conditions, surely he wouldn't get hurt in this, his reply opened my eyes.

It's not the size or the injuries I'm stretching out for bro, it's so I am limber and can perform better! I am not worried about ripping a muscle, I want to rip the wave!

After that I thought why not give it a try, and now spend some time stretching before I paddle out. So below are a few of the stretches I do to limber up before I paddle out and rip!

Here are the stretches!

  • I start by rolling my head around to limber up my neck, in surfing where you look is where you go and it is so easy to tweak your neck in the moment, just watch a slater dvd that guy rips his head all the way round in each turn.
  • Hand down the middle of your back, pushing your elbow to get the stretch, you need to loosen up for all the paddling your're going to do.
  • Stetching for Surfing
    Hand down the middle of your back
  • Touch your toes, I tend to bounce down slowly letting my weight take me to full extension, don't force it or you will cause an injury before you even get wet!
  • Pull my feet to my arse, stretch them quads, they are the most fundamental part of any maneuver
  • Standing on the sand with 1 foot crossing over the other knee, then twist from the waist looking over your opposite shoulder, right foot over twist to the right
  • While standing, arch your back and reach for the stars, lock your fingers palms facing up. Breath in as your hands go up, hold, breath out as hands go down.
  • I also do a lunge and stretch, stand in the split position right foot in front left leg straight at the back. Bend your right knee, so you are in the lunge position. Chest and eyes forward. You should feel it stretch your hip, thigh and groin on your left side. Change and do the right side.
  • Lastly stand up shake loose, strap on the leg rope and go rip!

There are lots of variations on this, and not one system is better than another, try different stretches and work out which stretching routine works best for you. If you do yoga, it will really help

Stretching
Lunge Stretch

Other Tips

Stretching is also the time that we can be watching the surf and deciding where we want to be in the water. Watching and stretching for at least 2 lots of set waves will help you to understand what you are about to paddle out into.

Next >>> Surfers Mindset

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