What's the best way to strengthen my arm muscles so that I don't get so tired surfing?
Answers:
This is really a matter of preference, but with the exception of a handful of professional surfers, I don't know a single surfer who lifts weights in order to improve their endurance (Kelly Slater himself readily admits that he does NOT lift weights...see the June 2006 issue of Surfing Magazine, "12 Things You Should Know About Kelly Slater").
While it can help build up some strength, it doesn't do much for your cardio (much more important when surfing than brute force), it can make you a bit top heavy, and, let's face it, if you're a surfer, how much time do you want to spend in a smelly gym?
Here are a few common, effective, and much more fun ways to strengthen your arm, shoulder, and back muscles, and keep you paddling hard all day long.
1. SURF EVERY DAY. Simply put, the best way to strengthen and improve any aspect of your surfing repertoire, is to simply do it as often as possible. Most guys in the water who surf great don't do much else besides surf. Nothing improves your paddling like, well, paddling.
2. GET A PADDLEBOARD. Okay, this is very serious way to turn yourself into a super buff paddling freak, and it requires some time and money. A lot of great surfers, Laird Hamilton in particular, are really into paddleboarding. However, it's kind of a sport all its own. The paddleboard itself is kind of like a giant longboard (ever see those huge surfboard type things on top of the lifguard trucks? those are paddleboards.) and has almost as much in common with a kayak as it does with a surfboard. It's made to cut through the chop and glide across the ocean surface as smoothly as possible, and unlike a surfboard, it's not really made to turn. The idea is to simply get out there beyond the lineup and, well, just paddle. Paddle for miles. Paddle in a race. Paddle accross the English Channel (like Laird and Buzzy Kerbox did years ago). Paddle just because it's something fun to do when the weather is nice and the waves are flat.
3. SWIM. If you can't surf every day, this is my personal favorite. People forget that swimming and surfing used to go hand-in-hand. The Duke himself was an Olympic gold medalist. Join a gym with a pool or start doing a masters swim group at the YMCA. Whatever. Just get in the pool and start swimming. Freestyle should make up the majority of your workout, but try to incorporate some butterfly and breast stroke as well. Even the kickboard is good for adding some strength to your legs (after all, paddling for a wave is only the beginning!)
If you're looking for a very specific workout regimen, check out Nick Carroll's excellent article:
http://www.surfline.com/community/whokno...
As da boyz will all say as you're paddling into the wave of the day, "Go! Go!! GO!"
Going canoeing - clothing suggestions?
weightliftingthey have to get tired to build muscle
Paddling your surfboard uses more of your shoulder and back muscles more than your arms. The best way to condition yourself is to keep surfing. For dry land exercises, push ups and pull ups will help. If you are looking for weightlifting exercises, do lat pulls and straight arm pull down to the front. You can also do bench presses and shoulder presses. If you do enough surfing you will not need to do any weight lifting.
More fun, less gym. Surf, sail, kayak, canoe.
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