Surfing is a demanding sport that requires constant training on and off the water. In addition to strengthening the body for surfing through sport specific training yoga too, can provide a wealth of benefits.
Why yoga?
Yoga and surf complement each other perfectly. Yoga practice develops strength, flexibility and balance. These are crucial when out in the water. Specifically it’s a fantastic way to build core strength, stamina, mental focus and better breathing techniques. The mental focus and the breathing can aid in reducing stress, which can be very useful when faced with big waves or other hairy situations. Physically, yoga is a great form of exercise when the surf is flat. It can help prevent injuries. It is also a great way to warm up before paddling out and to stretch out the body after a long surf session.
Most Important Yoga Poses for Surfing
Downward Facing Dog is one of the most widely recognized yoga poses. It is a rejuvenating stretch that lengthens the hamstrings and calves, stretches the shoulders and hands, and strengthens your arms, upper body and legs. The pose also lengthens and straightens the spine helping to prevent and relieve back pain. A bonus effect of downward dog is that it can alleviate stress by helping to calm the nervous system.
Eagle pose is fantastic for stretching the upper back and shoulders, and is essential before and after a long paddling session. These really are the muscles that get the most work when out in the surf. Eagle pose fortifies the latisimus dorsi, deltoid and trapezius muscles which will help develop your paddling.
Upward facing dog mimics the movement you make when you are getting up on your board. This brilliant pose builds up the strength in the arms, wrists and abdomen, and increases the flexibility of the spine along with releasing stress and providing energy. Practice this pose for a bit and you will find your pop-ups become much more effortless and you will experience less muscle soreness in your lower back after a long session.
The garland pose is a brilliant great stretch for the lower body. It helps to open up the hip flexors and to both stretch and strengthen the lower back. This pose is particularly good for surfers as it prevents cramps in your hips while in the water from sitting on the board for long periods of time. It is also a great exercise for toning the legs.
Warrior II is comparable to the stance surfers’ use as they stand up on their board. There is a lot going on in this pose and it provides a number of benefits for the entire body. It strengthens and stretches the legs, hips, groin and shoulders. It also helps to develop balance while building concentration and balance. Once you start to feel more at ease in this pose you will notice that it can energize your whole body.
Boat pose is an amazing pose for strengthening your abdominal and core muscles that also incorporates some balance work! This is a good pose to sharpen your focus as it is essential to breathe deeply to hold this pose for a sufficient amount of time to feel it burn. Concentrating on the deep breath is the best way to clear your mind and focus on the necessary task.
Tree Pose is a great yoga pose that helps to develop both core strength and body awareness. Learning to engage your core while standing up is a great tool for surfing, this pose heightens your proprioception and can drastically improve balance. Additionally it strengthens the thighs, calves, ankles, and spine, stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders.
Plank is an excellent pose for gaining strength and stability in your core and your shoulders. This pose will help you pop up faster and stronger. It is also a mentally tough pose that teaches us to breathe.
The locust pose stretches the chest, shoulders and abdominals, and strengthens the upper and lower back, arms and legs. This is a non-aggressive backbend that helps build the spinal support for all of the back-arching you do when paddling for waves.
Happy baby is the perfect yoga pose for the end of your practice when you’ve been back bending and working the spine. It is a calming posture filled with positive vibes! It releases tight hips, hamstrings and back muscles while also stretching the spine. This pose also helps to relax the mind.
Including Yoga into your Surf Routine
Once you start practicing some yoga before and after surfing, you will see the benefits in no time and you will find that you don’t have those aches and pains the next day. While I think that these are the 10 best yoga poses for surfing, I highly encourage you to try other poses, and to try out local classes with professional instruction. Experimenting with some yoga will improve your surfing now and keep your body in the condition to keep surfing for life. Perhaps even combine both sports and test out some Stand Up Paddle Yoga!!
