training

I have to say that surfing every day will keep you fit, in tune with the ocean and also improve your surfing if you keep away from injury. I've never really ever done any other training but I hear yoga is very beneficial.

A gin and tonic followed by half a dozen stubbies and a vodka and orange for a night-cap.

In the absence of that, gym 3 times a week.

Hard cycle for 10 mins warm-up. Stretch, circuit work concentrating on leg and upper body strength, followed by 30 mins on the treadmill then warm down by swimming a click.

But, I've been a slack bugger lately.

Back into it this week.

Actually, like most sports, surfing doesn't really do a lot for fitness in a balanced sense. MR is a classic example. World champ, but a physical wreck. I know tons of surfers with stuffed backs, knees, shoulders. Surfers are also typically weak in the glutes and legs. A program strengthening glutes, hamstrings and lower back (main core) in balance with quads is good (hyperextensions). Use hanging knee raises to balance core strength. Chins strengthen back and all pulling muscles. Dips strengthen chest and all pushing muscles. Some sort of row further strengthens back and all pulling muscles. This is important for balance as pulling muscles (back) are by far the largest mass in the upper body, not chest, which most people wrongly emphasize... the hand, mainly a gripping machine unlike the foot, a pushing maachine, is the ultimate clue here. Nearly all of the above exercises are decompressing as well, which helps balance and create a strong healthy spine. If you do all of the above you'll enhance your surfing ability, and surf for as long as you like.

Like all sports you need to practice your skills, your technique, which includes and promotes speed and flexibility. Which is easy if the vehicle, the body is also trained separately to be healthy and balanced, or injury free.

2 years ago I moved from the south coast to Adelaide and due to not being able to surf after work I started at the gym, I can safely say I'm now surfing at a much higher level than when I was surfing with no gym.
I started just lifting weights to start with then started cardio, one thing I did notice with cardio is pushing yourself hard for a few minutes and then backing off to catch breath then going hard again it increased my lung capacity and found it was easier to race back out the back ( and out of the way of the bomb sets at parsons ). I could go on and on with different exercises but if you go onto www.scotthermanfitness.com it's a great site for exercises and plenty of video's to show proper form. Just make sure when trying an exercise for the first time use a light weight to make sure you have the form down packed before upping the weight ( I learnt the hard way as I tweeked my left shoulder and I'm still paying for it ).
As uplift said before core, legs and back are the main area's to work on however it is a good idea to make sure you hit all your muscles otherwise you'll end up looking all weird with some muscles bigger than others and you'll be happier with the results (as well as the missus).

Also if you want the best results in quick time get a basic meal plan in order, find out what your basal metabolic rate of calories is (what your body requires to maintain itself) then factor in what you using during workouts/surfs ect and add that too your daily intake. you will then know what you need too eat each day in calories to maintain where you are at.
If you want to loose body fat the subtract 200 calories from this number and you will loose fat, too add mass (muscle) add 200 calories. Try not to go under 200 cals otherwise your body will go into starvation mode and it will start to keep fat in stores (usually around mid section).
Once you have worked out what calories you want to hit the you need to workout your macronutrients ( proteins,fats and carbohydrates ) personal I aim for 70-80g of fats, 140-180g of proteins and around 200g of carbs. Most packaging tells you what's in it and if it doesn't a quick google search will tell you ( eg. protein in chicken ).
I admit I am not a personal trainer or nutritionist this is all that I have found out through researching on the net.

In theory it all sounds good and i wish i could do it, but if im not working, im trying to get a surf or finish stuff around the house, the closest i get to training is taking a walk down the beach with the missus and the dog.

They have some fitness thing for surfing where i live, but i never got it, because now instead of surfing after work there getting fit to surf?

There will be lots of different answers to your question.

As best as I understand gym programs that focus on functional exercises are best if you want to go down the gym route. Many weight programs offered by gyms isolate specific muscles or groups of muscles and while they may increase strength without proper warm up and cool downs including lots of stretching you may lose some flexibility or range of movement.

Some might say cross training is very good: e.g. swimming, bike, SUP and weight resistance exercises using your own body weight e.g. push-ups and dips.

For me craig is spot on. A daily surf will do wonders for fitness. And for amazing flexibility and injury prevention e.g. shoulders, lower back and neck in particular, there is yoga.

My only regret with yoga is I didn't start it when I was very young. The other gift yoga gives is increased mindfulness and in the surf and in life that is such a wonderful thing.

While I go to class I also use Ryan's excellent surf specific programs at home ........ http://surfbodysoul.com/blog/

Thinking more about this question today ( was boring at work ) and I think it all depends on a few key factor eg. what condition your body is at, where you are at with your surfing ability and what do you want to improve on with your surfing ( power, flexibility, endurance, stability, mentality or all of the above ). So if you can work that out then you can workout a plan of attack to improve in any or all area's to then progress with your surfing.