Professional surfer, Hannah Cornett, shares with you some of the best exercises for surfers in order to build core strength, improve balance, and work on leg muscle mobility.

1. B E S T E X E R C I S E S F O R S U R F E R S
C R E A T E D B Y H A N N A H C O R N E T T

2. • Surfing is a sport that
anyone can pick up at
any age, but it does
require a certain
amount of muscle
mobility, core strength,
balance, and leg
strength that can be
improved by partaking
in certain exercises.

3. • Whether you’re just
beginning or find
yourself at a professional
level, here are some
great workouts to help
improve your surfing…

4. • First, let’s talk about
balance.
• Balance is one of the
key aspects of surfing,
without having the
ability to balance on
the board, chances are
you will not stay on.

5. • Unfortunately, if you don’t
have good balance to
begin with, you won’t be
able to stay on the board
long enough to improve
your balance significantly,
so you’ll have to work on
your balance out of the
water.

6. • One great way to
improve your balance is
to stand on a balance
board and create a
routine that
incorporates squats and
lunges.
• If you don’t own a
balance board, or don’t
have access to one, try
closing your eyes and
standing on one foot for
over thirty seconds.

7. • Remember, the more you
practice, the better you’ll
get - so incorporate a
balancing exercise into
your daily routine, perhaps
even twice a day.

8. • Having a strong core is
another key element to
becoming a strong
surfer.

9. • Strong core muscles are also affiliated
with having better balance, and can
help your paddling and rotation
techniques when you’re riding a wave.

10. • One of the most beneficial
exercises to building
strong abdominal muscles
is the side plank reach-
through, where you
position your body on one
side in a plank position
and straighten your arm
that is closest to the sky.

11. • Then, look up at the arm
that is in the air and reach
it back underneath and
behind your body, keeping
a close eye on your hand.
• When you’re doing this, be
sure to keep your torso
tight and not to let your
hips drop.

12. • Complete around 15 to 20
reps on each side 2-3
times a day, and you’ll
soon notice that your core
strength and stability has
greatly improved.
• Finally, when you feel up
to it, add a weight in your
hand to make your core
even stronger.

13. • Single leg squats is
another effective
exercise for surfers to
practice because strong
leg muscles help you
stay in balance and in
control of your board.

14. • According to an article published by Active.com:
• “Single leg squats will develop the core, hip, and leg strength to perform at your
best. Stand on your right foot and lift your left foot about 5 inches off the ground.
Keeping your right knee aligned with your middle right toe, lower to a 45-degree
knee bend. Keep your back straight and your head in line with your shoulders.
Don’t let you knee track too far past your toes,” (5 Essential Surfing Workouts).

15. • Repeat 5-10 reps on
both of your legs, and
try to hold the lowest
position for 3 full
seconds.
• But, like with every
workout, if you feel like
you are pushing your
body too hard, slow
down and moderate
the exercise to a level
that works for you.

16. • Lastly, whether you live near the beach or by a pool,
getting in the water and swimming as often as you
can is one of the easiest ways to strengthen your
muscles for surfing.

17. • As you probably know, swimming is one of the best exercises
you can do for your body, since it has very little pounding
(unlike running) and actually works every muscle in your
body.

18. • Plus, surfing is about 50% paddling, and only about 5% wave-riding.
• So, if you don’t have strong muscles for paddling that you can build
by water workout sessions, you won’t last long on the surfboard.

19. • To start, you should warm
your body up by swimming
for 5 minutes straight
using a variety of strokes.

20. • Then, increase your speed gradually, starting with two 100
yard swims at a comfortable, but quicker than normal pace
(think of this as a jog compared to a walk).

21. • Then, do three sets of 50 yard swims at a quicker pace
(think of this as a run), and finally four sets of 25 yard
sprints (maximum pace).

22. • For an even more intense
workout, incorporate 10
pushups after each 50 yard
swim, and remember to
rest about 20 seconds
between each set.

23. • While you’re swimming, it’s also important to pay very close attention
to your breathing.
• As you probably know, surfing is a reflection of your breath control
and focus - a lot like meditating.

24. • So, as you practice your
water workout, work on
staying calm and relaxed,
especially as your heart
rate gets higher with
intensity and you feel the
need to come up for air.

25. For more information on how you can practice various
breathing techniques, check out Active.com's article here .
Pomaikaʻi (good luck)!