No doubt the best way to get surf fit is by actually surfing.
We all know this, but recently it’s been difficult to get time in the ocean. If you’re landlocked and want to keep on top of your fitness for your next surf trip to Azul surf camp in Morocco, there are exercises to prepare you for surfing so you can really make the most of your time with us when it comes around. We would love to see you arrive to us strong, confident and frothing to catch as many waves as possible. Let’s keep your surf stoke alive!
Yoga
The benefits of yoga for surfing is immense, so for sure it’s good to keep on stretching with your next surf trip in mind. The Sun Salutation sequence is your friend here. A continuous practice of Sun Salutation will bring more strength, flexibility and tone to the body. It opens the hamstrings, shoulders, and the chest, as well as releasing tension. As you move through the poses, you lubricate the joints, and maintain a full range of motion in the body. All this will help you keep on top of your paddle stroke, turns and pop ups. Sun Salutations provide a full body stretch and good news it isn’t hard to memorise at all. Phew.
Surf Training
The Azul surf master Hucine has taken a break from getting barrelled and kindly put together some surf fitness exercises to help you with some explosive core strength. Try 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps to keep your shred skills high so that you will be taking all the waves when you visit us!
“I have put together some exercises to help you keep on top of your surf fitness and I look forward to seeing you soon!”
Hucine
Twisted Dumbbell Lunge
Holding one dumbbell at each end, inhale the arms up, then on exhale take the left leg back into a lunge, simultaneously lowering the arms and twisting the upper body to the left. Inhale back up to centre and repeat on the right side. This exercise will help you spray buckets of water on your turns!
Plank Dumbbells
Start in a plank position holding a dumbbell in each hand. Open your feet wider than hip width for a stronger base of support. Lift your left arm behind you as high as you can. Return to plank and repeat on the right side. This will make your surf pop ups seem like a walk in the park!
Six/Nine/Twelve O’Clock
Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, take the arms out for balance and root through your right foot. On the exhale bend the right knee and float the left leg back to six o’clock. Keeping your balance, bring the left leg forward and then out to nine o’clock. Bring the left leg back into centre and then exhale it forward. Bring back to centre and repeat on the other side. This will make your balance game rad!
Superman
Lie face down on a mat, with your legs straight and your arms outstretched in front of you. Raise both your arms and legs simultaneously, forming a bowl shape with your body. This exercise will make your core stronger than steal!
Burpee Pop Up
Lie face down on a mat, with your legs straight and your hands underneath your shoulders. Push up into plank and then pop up to your take off stance. Take a plank down to the mat and repeat on the other side. Mind surf and imagine yourself dropping into a glassy 6ft wave at Banana Point. Ahhh!
In/out Push Ups
Take a normal plank, lower to the mat, then on the push up spring the hands to the outside of the mat, lower down, then on the push up spring the hands back to normal plank. This exercise will help you with some explosive pop ups next time you hit the ocean with us.
Twisted Mountain Climbers
Take a normal plank and with your core engaged, bring the right knee to the right elbow, then twist to bring your right knee forward under to your left elbow… Return to plank and repeat on the right side. This works your core and helps loosen your hips for some gnarly turns.
Swinging Dumbbell Lunge
Standing in your surfboard stance and holding one dumbbell at each end, inhale the arms up and over to the right, then on the exhale swing down to the left, dipping the right knee into a lunge. Inhale back up to the right and start again. Repeat as much as you can/wish and then do the other side. Imagine yourself hitting the lip at the top of a perfect wave and then snapping down for a smooth bottom turn.
We hope you have fun with these exercises and we look forward to seeing you at Azul soon!
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