Stretches for Surfers - Complete Stretching Routine

Surfing is a full body workout, utilizing nearly every muscle group of the body. Whether you’re new to surfing or a seasoned pro, taking care of your body is an absolute must. Many surfers will target their muscles with exercises and weight training for surfing, but it is equally important to learn how to stretch the body after a session in the water. Before you get in the water, you might want to do some surf mobility exercises to warm everything up and get the body moving in the right way.

Although often neglected there are many benefits of stretching, especially after your workout. Regular stretching will help increase flexibility and range of motion, relieve some pain and soreness, and help protect your body from injury. Much like a workout routine, I recommend doing 3 sets of each stretch for at least 10-15 seconds. And much like a workout routine, stretching may take time to show improvements in the body!

Upper Body Stretches

Neck Bends

Let’s start up at the top of the body. Surfers are constantly using the muscles of their necks. You’re lifting your head and torso while paddling, looking over your shoulder for waves, and twisting your head all around while on the wave. A great place to start with surf stretches is right here at the top of the body.

You can start by gently resting your hands on the back of your head and letting your head hang forward. Don’t pull with your hands much on any of these exercises, just use the weight of the arm/hand to help the stretch. You can also tilt your head back to stretch the front of your neck, as well as to the sides to get a good stretch down through the traps.

Door Frame Stretch

This is one of my favorite chest stretches. All you need is a door frame and open door. This stretch helps open the chest really well, and you can do it with one arm at a time or both. Simply stand in a doorway with your arm on the door frame. Keep your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle, and lean forward until you feel the stretch in your chest. I like to do this with both arms on the door frame at the same time.

Dead Hang

The dead hang is a solid stretch for surfers. They allow you to lengthen through your whole spine and torso, but do require a little bit of work. You can use a barbell on a rack, a pullup bar, a hangboard, or anything else you can hang on. Using an overhand grip with the palms facing away from you, grab the bar and allow yourself to hang. Engage your core, keep your arms straight, and hold for 10-15 seconds.

Sleeper

The sleeper stretch is perhaps the best way to get some stretching in for your rotator cuffs. The group of muscles and tendons we call the rotator cuff is used quite a bit while paddling your surfboard. Often, my students have tight rotator cuffs without realizing it. To do a sleeper, lay down on one side in a comfortable position. With the arm that is down, extend it directly out from your body and bend your elbow to point your hand up toward the ceiling. Slowly use your other hand to push your hand down toward the ground, keeping your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle, feeling the stretch inside in your shoulder.

Lat Dorsi Stretch

There are many different tricep stretches, and this is one of my favorites for surfers. You’ll stretch your lats, triceps, and even your chest a bit. You can do this from a chair with a table in front of you, or on the ground using your bed. Simply sit or kneel down, rest your elbows on the surface in front of you, and drop your head and chest down and back. You’ll want to move your hips away from the surface, and feel the stretch through your triceps, lays, and chest.

Cross-Body Tricep Stretch

The cross-body tricep stretch is another tricep pose, but also hits your deltoids quite a bit. You’re probably familiar with this one, so I won’t go through the instructions. But definitely include it! It will help you get a good stretch in your tricep and your deltoids, which work hard to keep you paddling on your surfboard and popping up.

Extended Child’s Pose

Our last upper body stretch is really a whole torso stretch. It will help you lengthen in your lower back, lats, hips, glutes, and chest and upper back in a lesser way. It’s one of my favorite full body stretches, and will help your body recover after a long surf session.

To do an extended child’s pose, start in a kneeling position with your knees about hip-width apart. Sit as far back as you can, and extend your arms foreward. Resting your forehead on the floor, press your palms into the mat or floor and allow your chest to sink softly toward the floor. As an added bonus, move slowly to one side or the other to get more of a stretch up and down your sides.

Core Stretches

Cobra (and Down Dog)

Moving on to the core, we’ll start with a cobra and a down dog. This is one of the best movements you can do for torso mobility and stretching, especially after surfing. Cobra pose will help you get a good stretch through your abs from top to bottom, while down dog will help you stretch the lower back and backside of your core. I recommend moving between these two positions, holding each one for 3-5 seconds, and going back and forth.

Seated Twist

A seated twist is a nice gentle way to get a good stretch along the spine and obliques. When you surf, you use these core muscles in almost every part of your time in the water. Especially if you’re turning and snapping, you’ll engage your obliques quite a bit. A seated stretch will help relieve some of this tension, and is key in protecting your lower back.

You can do this stretch by sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Cross your right foot over to the left side of your left knee. Turn your torso to the right, keeping your butt on the floor. You can put your left elbow on your right knee to help pull yourself into a deeper stretch. And of course repeat on the other side.

Side Bend

The side bend is a good way to get a stretch through your obliques and lats. You’ll also work the muscles around either side of your spine. You can do this stretch standing or seated, but my favorite variation is using a wall. Stand a couple feet away from the wall and put one hand on the wall. Facing your torso at a 90 degree angle from the wall, reach your other hand up over your head and toward the wall. Feel the stretch through the entire side of your body, and rest here for 10-15 seconds.

Lower Body Stretches

Kneeling Quad Stretch

On to the legs! You may think of upper body when you think of surfing muscles or soreness, but if you’re spending a lot of time on the wave you’re using your legs a ton. The kneeling quad stretch is a stretch for your quads, but also engages the hip flexors. I find it to be a bit more effective than a standing quad stretch to really get a deeper elongation.

You can kneel with one foot on the floor in front of you and with both knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Grab your back foot or ankle, and pull it up toward your but. You can also move your hips and torso forward to help deepen the stretch and hit the hip flexors. To maintain proper form, try to keep your hips even with each other as you move them forward.

Lunge Twist

Sometimes called the “world’s greatest stretch,” the lunge twist is definitely the best stretch a surfer can do in my opinion! This dynamic stretch will work your hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, thoracic spine, shoulders, obliques, chest, and upper back. That’s right, it works and stretches nearly every part of your body! Include it. Thank me later.

To do this stretch step forward into a deep lunge position. With your left foot forward, extend your right leg back as far as possible. Put your hands to the right of your left foot. Lifting your left hand, reach it up toward the sky. Your torso will open and hold this position for a few seconds before returning to start.

Hamstring Stretch

There are many ways to stretch your hamstrings, and I’ll offer just one here. But as a surfer, it’s important to stretch and take care of these huge muscles running down the back of your legs. When your hamstrings are tight, they’ll pull on your knees and calves as well as your lower back (and therefore the rest of your back). I like a simple leg-up hamstring stretch. Lift your foot up on a bed, chair, or table, keep your leg straight, and reach down toward your toes. It doesn’t matter how far you can get. Try to really pull your hips away from the surface as you reach toward your toes.

Butterfly

The butterfly stretch works your inner thighs, namely the adductor muscles. Doing this stretch will help release hip tension, help with your popup, and build flexibility and range of motion in the hips. It also can help ease lower back pain and strengthen your posture. You may bend forward when doing this stretch, but really focus on pushing your knees down toward the ground.

Pigeon

Pigeon comes from yoga traditions, and is a wonderful stretch for your hips, glutes and groin. Depending on where you’re tight or sore, you may feel this in different parts of your body. To do this stretch, start in a downward facing dog position. You can bring your right leg forward, resting your ankle behind your left hand and allowing your knee to drop. Let the hips drop as close to the floor as possible, and straighten the left leg out behind you. If you’re able, lean forward and rest your body on your forearms or even with your chest on the floor.

Calf Stretch

Finally, don’t forget to stretch your calves. A simple calf stretch against a wall will do the trick, but many people neglect their calves. You’re constantly engaging your calves on the surfboard and in the water, and tight calves can lead to ankle and knee injuries, as well as tight hamstrings.

More Posts