Surfing is roughly half paddling, a lot of waiting and just a few precious seconds of riding. The stronger your paddle, the more waves you catch; the faster your pop-up, the more of those waves you actually ride. You do not need a gym to improve either. This 30-minute routine targets the muscles and movement patterns that matter most for surfing, and it is designed to be done at home two or three times a week.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Start with gentle movement to raise your heart rate and open your joints:
- 1 minute of arm circles forwards and backwards
- 1 minute of cat-cow on hands and knees
- 1 minute of world's greatest stretch (lunge with rotation), alternating sides
- 1 minute of light skipping or jogging on the spot
- 1 minute of slow pop-ups on the floor to rehearse the pattern
Paddling strength
1. Prone Y-T-W raises
Lie face down, forehead on a small towel. Lift your arms in a Y shape, hold two seconds, lower. Repeat as a T and then as a W. That is one round. Do 3 rounds of 8. This strengthens the lower traps and rotator cuff — the muscles that keep your shoulders healthy through thousands of paddle strokes.
2. Resistance-band pull-downs
Anchor a band above head height. Kneel, arms extended, and pull the band down to your hips in a paddling motion, keeping your elbows high. 3 sets of 15. This mimics the power phase of the paddle stroke.
3. Superman swimmers
Lie face down, arms and legs extended. Lift your chest and legs slightly, then "swim" your arms in a freestyle motion for 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds. Repeat 4 times. You will feel it in your lower back and shoulders — exactly where paddling burns.
Pop-up power
4. Explosive push-ups
From a push-up position (knees down is perfectly fine), lower slowly and push up explosively so your hands leave or almost leave the floor. 3 sets of 6–8. Power in the push is what gives you time to bring your feet through.
5. Pop-up drill
Lie on your stomach as if on your board, hands under your ribs. In one movement, push up and jump your feet under you into a low surf stance, front foot between where your hands were. Stand, reset, repeat. Do 3 sets of 10, focusing on silence — a quiet landing means control. Film yourself once in a while to check that you are not stepping up on a knee.
6. Deep squat holds
Sink into a deep squat with heels down, chest up, elbows pushing your knees apart. Hold 45 seconds, rest, repeat 3 times. Good ankle and hip mobility is essential for a low, stable stance.
Core and balance
7. Plank with shoulder taps
In a high plank, tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then swap, keeping your hips as still as possible. 3 sets of 20 taps. This trains anti-rotation stability, the same control you need when your board wobbles.
8. Side plank with rotation
From a side plank, reach your top arm under your body and then open it up to the ceiling. 3 sets of 8 each side. It builds the obliques you use to twist into turns.
9. Single-leg Romanian deadlift
Stand on one leg, hinge forwards with a flat back while your free leg extends behind you, then return to standing. Hold a light weight or water bottle if you like. 3 sets of 8 each side. Great for balance, glutes and hamstrings — and for protecting your knees.
10. Lateral lunges to surf stance
Step wide to the side into a lateral lunge, push back and land in your surf stance with a small twist of the torso. 3 sets of 10 each side. This links hips, legs and trunk rotation in one surfy movement.
Cool-down and mobility (5 minutes)
- Child's pose with arms walked to each side — 1 minute
- Thread-the-needle shoulder stretch — 30 seconds each side
- Low lunge hip-flexor stretch — 45 seconds each side
- Cobra or sphinx pose to open the chest — 1 minute
- Box breathing: in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4 — 1 minute
A simple weekly plan
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday | Full 30-minute surf workout |
| Tuesday | Surf or swim 30–45 minutes |
| Wednesday | Yoga or mobility 20 minutes |
| Thursday | Full 30-minute surf workout |
| Friday | Rest or easy walk |
| Weekend | Surf! (and a short pop-up practice) |
Notes for women
Many women notice that energy, strength and recovery change across the menstrual cycle. There is no need to follow a strict plan — just listen to your body. Some women feel strongest and most explosive in the first half of the cycle and prefer mobility and technique work in the days before their period. Stay hydrated, eat enough protein and prioritise sleep: those three things drive progress more than any single exercise. If you are pregnant, postpartum or managing an injury, check with a doctor or physiotherapist before starting a new programme.
Track your progress
Write down how many pop-ups you can do in 60 seconds with good form and how long you can hold a plank. Test again after four weeks. You will likely feel the difference in the water before the numbers change — waves that used to slip away will start to feel catchable.
Frequently asked questions
Two or three short sessions of 20–30 minutes per week, combined with regular surfing, are enough to see a real difference within a month.
No. A mat, a resistance band and a pair of light dumbbells or water bottles cover everything in this workout.
Practising the pop-up itself, slowly and with perfect form, followed by explosive push-ups and deep squat mobility.
Yes, especially freestyle. It builds the same shoulder endurance and breath control that paddling needs.
