Research has shown that compared to recreational surfers, competitive surfers have greater upper-body strength and aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
There have also been strong positive correlations found between lower-body strength and surfing performance. So if you commit to regular strength exercises specific to surfing, you’ll put yourself in good company.
And while strength training isn’t a panacea for surfers, strength exercises can enable you to surf harder and longer. And it can reduce your likelihood of getting injured.
With that in mind, here are 15 strength exercises for surfers that you’ll want to incorporate into your routine.
(Disclaimer: Before starting any workout routine, consult your doctor. Also, don’t do any exercise that causes you pain.)
1. Deadlifts
You can do deadlifts with a barbell, dumbbell, on one leg or both. With good form, this exercise will work your glutes, hamstrings, core, lower back, and trapezius, all vitally important muscles for surfers (and everyone else really).
You can vary your deadlifts by doing single-leg deadlifts, barbell deadlifts, or dumbbell deadlifts. Go for 3 sets of 6 – 10 reps with a heavy but comfortable weight.
Check out this video for a demo of the dumbbell deadlift:
2. Suitcase carry
Find a heavy dumbbell, pick it up with one hand, hold it by your side, and stand tall. Then, walk 20 – 40 yards. Put the dumbbell in your other hand, and repeat. Do 3 sets. And that’s all you have to do to execute a perfect suitcase carry.
For your efforts, you’ll work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, lower and upper back, traps, lats, abs, arms, and hand muscles.
Best to do this one with a dumbbell but a suitcase with a good handle filled with something heavy works too.
Check out this video demo for perfect form:
3. Nordic hamstring curl
The nordic curl targets your hamstrings, which are super important for stabilizing your knee, particularly your ACL. With all the knee twisting involved in surfing, this is one strength exercise you shouldn’t skip if you want to lessen your chance of knee injuries from surfing.
To execute the nordic hamstring curl, stand up on your knees and find someone or something to hold your feet down. From that tall position, slowly lower your torso with your back straight toward the ground. Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
The goal is to control yourself all the way to the ground but start by going for a range of motion that lets you get to at least 8 reps and progress from there.
Check out this video for a demo:
4. Rear-elevated split squats
Strengthen your quads, glutes, hamstrings, abs and lower back while you work on stability and balance with the rear foot elevated split squat. For this one, you’ll get into a lunge position with your rear foot elevated on a bench.
You can start unweighted and then progress up to a weight you can do between 8 and 12 times for 3 sets with good form.
Check out this video for a demo:
And if you have any pain doing this one, check out this article for variations.
5. Deep Goblet or Barbell Squats
Deep squats will help you improve your hip, knee, and ankle mobility while also strengthening your glutes, quads, hamstring, adductor, hip flexors, and calves. If you don’t have the mobility for a deep squat, try elevating your heels on a slant board or plate stack.
Go for 3 sets of 8 – 12 reps with whatever weight allows you to do 8 to 12 reps. Then progress up as you get stronger.
Check out this video for a demo:
6. Seated external shoulder rotation
Unless you make a point to avoid it with strength exercises, as a surfer, the muscles on the front of your rotator cuff are going to become overdeveloped relative to the muscles on the back of your rotator cuff. This will put pressure on your shoulder joint, and it’s why shoulder injuries are the most common surfing injury.
The seated external shoulder rotation is a must-have for your surf strength routine. Go for 2 sets of 8 – 10 reps, then go down in weight to something you can do at least 15 times and go until you burn out. This will help build endurance.
This one’s hard to explain in writing, so just check out this video for a demo:
7. TRX Y Raise
This is a great strength exercise for surfers for the same reason external shoulder rotations are. The Y raise targets your upper and mid back as well as your shoulder-stabilizing muscles. And you can do it with dumbbells, cables, plates, or a TRX bar.
I like to do it on a TRX suspension trainer because I can combine it with a face pull. Go for 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps and increase your backward lean for greater resistance.
Check out this video for a demo:
8. Single-arm cable press or single-arm incline press
Chest presses are a fundamental exercise for building strength. And they’re great for the muscles—chest, triceps, and shoulders—that you need when paddling and popping up.
And doing them with a single arm helps you work on your core stability, also super important for surfing. You can do them with a cable or a dumbbell on an inclined or flat bench. I prefer the incline bench because it bothers my shoulder less. Whichever option you choose, go for 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps.
Here’s a good video demo of a chest press with cable and on a bench.
9. Single arm rows
Rows are another fundamental lift for building strength and are especially important for surfers who tend to get overdeveloped chest and anterior deltoids. Doing rows helps you strengthen the muscles that support your shoulder in your upper back which reduces stress on your shoulder while paddling.
Like a single-arm press, you can do rows with a dumbbell using a bench for support or with a cable. Either way, 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps. Here’s a good video demo of the dumbbell version and the cable version.
10. Plank variations (no equipment needed)
Planks work the muscles in your abdomen and obliques that support your spine and pelvis, which enable proper alignment on the surfboard. With straight planks and side planks, surfers can control their movements better and reduce their risk of injury.
Aim for 30 to 60 seconds with good form. Check out this easy demo of a straight plank:
11. Face pull
Target your rear deltoids, rhomboids, and upper back—three muscle groups that are often underdeveloped in surfers—with the face pull. Like a single arm row and external shoulder rotations, face pulls help you reduce the stress on your shoulder that comes from paddling.
You’ll need dumbbells or a cable machine with a rope attachment to do the face pull. Aim for at least 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Here’s a demo of face pulls with dumbbells and another demo with the rope attachment.
12. Glute bridge (no equipment needed)
The gluteus maximus (your butt) is the largest muscle in your body, and it’s super important for surfers to develop. The glute helps you get to your feet and stay there while also driving through your turns. Plus, lower back pain, which is super common in surfers and office workers in general, is often caused by weak glutes.
Do a glute bridge by pressing through your heels works your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and your hamstrings. Aim for 3 sets of 8 – 10 reps and add resistance when that gets too easy.
Check out this quick demo to see how to do it:
13. Bear crawl shoulder tap (no equipment needed)
Hit the bear crawl shoulder tap for a powerhouse workout for your chest, shoulders, arms, legs, abdominals, and obliques. This one will also get your heart rate up so I like to do it at the beginning of a workout to get my whole body warmed up.
To do it, get down on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and push off your knees onto your toes. Then switch off touching your hand to your opposite shoulder for 20 total reps, 10 each side, for 3 sets.
Here’s a quick video demo:
14. Supermans (no equipment needed)
As I mentioned, lower back injuries are super common in surfers, so here’s another good strengthening exercise for your erector spinae. Your erector spinae are very important for back extension and it’s the muscle that the superman exercise primarily targets. It’ll also hit your upper back, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles.
To do the superman, lay down on your stomach with your legs straight and arms extended above your shoulders. Without looking up, lift your arms and legs with control about 6 inches off the ground. You should feel your lower back muscles working.
Hold that position for 3 seconds (keep breathing) and then lower back down. Repeat for 8 to 12 reps for 3 sets.
Here’s the video demo:
15. Woodchoppers
This final exercise will challenge your trunk, hip, and shoulder stability. And it simultaneously works your back, shoulders, butt, abs, and chest. Plus, turning a surfboard requires big rotations, it’s a super functional exercise for surfing.
You can do this exercise with a dumbbell, resistance band, cable machine, or kettlebell. You can also do it in a kneeling, half-kneeling, or standing position. However you do it, aim for 8 – 12 reps, 3 sets.
Here’s a video demo of the standing variation of a dumbbell chop:
