124 SurfGirl Magazine
W
e spend 85% of our time paddling whilst
surfing, and this is what fatigues surfers the
most. A strong paddling technique can get
you out of trouble in a rip and also to outer
reef breaks far from shore, with enough energy in reserve
to have an explosive session and make it back to the
beach again.
Swim training is also your weapon against fear once
you’re back on your board, as when you take off on a
wave confidence is key. If you fully back yourself that the
wave you go for is going to be yours, it most likely will be.
Being a strong swimmer helps to crush doubts, as you
know that you are physically capable of swimming back to
shore and taking care of yourself.
I’ve created a mini training programme that’s designed
for the pool, but elements could be taken into any body of
water suitable for swimming.■ Training Programme
Warm up with 5-10 lengths of mainly front crawl, as this is
the stroke most like paddling a surfboard – strengthening
the back, shoulders and triceps. You can also include
backstroke to counter the muscles used in front crawl
and butterfly to push yourself. Try to only use breaststroke
as a treat if you are tired, as this stroke is least similar to
paddling.
Try each of the exercises below for 1-4 lengths,
depending on your swim fitness level, focusing on
technique and keeping a steady pace. Break up the drills
with 1-4 lengths of solid front crawl, focusing on power
and speed to give your session the combination of slow
and fast exercise (interval training). We naturally do interval
training when surfing, with bursts of dynamic movement
when catching a wave coupled with periods of gentle
movement around the line-up between sets. This will
increase your lactic acid tolerance, allowing you in time
to work harder for longer, and resulting in a higher level of
aerobic fitness.■ Hand paddles
Using hand paddles increases the resistance of your armpull, allows you to develop increased upper body strength
and makes you think about your technique. The extra
surface area of the paddle highlights any crooked arm
pulls.■ Ankle swimming elastic
Using ankle elastic restricts your feet and causes your
lower body to sink into the water, causing a drag. This
extra weight makes you work harder to pull yourself
through the water, engaging your arms, chest and your
core muscles, which are heavily relied on in surfing. This
exercise will make paddling your board afterwards feel like
a dream, as the exercise is very challenging.■ Closed fist freestyle
With your closed fist there is less resistance and therefore
you are forced to fire up your stroke rate, swim more
effectively and make more use of your forearms to become
more aware of your length of stroke and engage your core
muscles.■ Warm down
Warm down with a couple of lengths of head up front
crawl to mix it up, followed by a blend of your favourite
stokes (even if that is breaststroke), so that your last
memory of your training session is a good one.Swimming really is the best way to stay surf-ready and is
also the perfect exercise during pregnancy and coming
back from injury, as you’re weightless in water and the
pressure is taken off your bones and joints, allowing you to
have a proactive recovery. As an adrenalin-chasing surfer,
swimming can admittedly be a bit dull and you may find
your mind wanders, however it’s a great time to practice
visualization – a key tool to improve in all sports. Really
imagine yourself paddling and catching the best waves,
or what your top turn might look like. Whilst you have all
those fantastic feel-good endorphins racing through your
body, you can inspire and motivate yourself to take your
fitness and surfing to the next level!IN AN ENDEAVOUR TO BE AS FIT AS WE CAN TO SURF, WE ASK
THE EXPERTS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THEIR SPORT. IN THIS
ISSUE WE TALK TO SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR KATE SPARKS, AND
ASK HER ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SWIMMING FOR SURFING.
SWIM
TRAINING
ask the experts