“5 ways you can significantly improve your paddling by improving your thoracic and shoulder mobility, scapula control and pulling strength.”
In the realm of surfing, the time spent paddling greatly surpasses the moments riding waves. The efficacy of your paddling technique profoundly influences not only the number of waves you catch but also your endurance in the water today and your longevity in the sport for years to come. Indeed, refining your paddling movement and efficiency is not merely about immediate gains; it’s an investment in your surfing journey, ensuring you maximize your time on the water today and sustain your passion for the waves well into the future. In this article, we delve into the top 5 paddling exercises meticulously crafted to bolster your paddling prowess.
Shoulder injuries are, bar none, the most common surf-related chronic injuries for surfers. This correlates with the time spent paddling. To improve your shoulder movement and function, you need to enhance your posture and upper (thoracic spine) mobility first. If you sit at a desk all day, you are bound to have suboptimal posture. Poor posture equals poor joint alignment, which leads to inefficient range of motion, force production, tissue stress, muscle strain, and joint grinding.
A sequence to improving your paddling involves;
Mobility & Joint Health
It’s essential to prioritize mobility and joint health in your training regimen. Attempting to force extensive joint motion where there is limited natural mobility can lead to discomfort, inflammation, and soreness in the joints. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that your upper spine, shoulder blades, and shoulders have adequate mobility. This involves implementing exercises and stretches specifically targeting these areas to improve their range of motion and functionality. By promoting mobility in these key regions, you not only reduce the risk of joint-related issues but also enhance your overall movement quality, allowing for smoother and more efficient performance in surfing and other physical activities. Remember, nurturing joint health is a proactive approach to longevity and sustained performance in sports and daily life alike.
Fitness, Work Capacity, Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning (General)
A consistent regimen of general physical activity that engages your entire body, raises your heart rate, and boosts your blood pressure is fundamental for achieving physical competence in the water. Our bodies need to be able to cope with physical stress effectively. Incorporating high-repetition strength work, low-repetition strength/power work, and cross-training to tax whole-body energy systems will cover most aerobic and anaerobic bases. Examples of activities that will help build your general work capacity include metabolic weight training, interval/sprint training, walking, swimming, running, cycling, trekking, rock-climbing, bouldering, martial arts, kicking a ball, or chasing your kid for an hour.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Strength Training (Specific)
Achieving mastery in surfing requires more than just riding waves—it demands proficiency in a variety of movements specific to the sport. These movements encompass a spectrum from endurance to strength and power. Key exercises include pull-ups, which build upper body strength and grip endurance essential for paddling out and maneuvering on the board. Single-arm pulling and rowing exercises target the muscles involved in paddling, promoting balance and symmetry in movement. Incorporating back extensor and postural exercises enhances spinal stability, crucial for maintaining proper alignment and preventing injury while riding waves. Deadlifts, renowned for their ability to strengthen the posterior chain, offer benefits in both power generation and injury prevention. Additionally, exercises focusing on middle and lower trapezius strengthening contribute to shoulder stability, ensuring optimal performance and longevity in the water. Complementing these movements with posterior shoulder strengthening exercises helps prevent imbalances and potential shoulder injuries common in surfers. Finally, core training rounds out the regimen, providing the foundational stability necessary for executing maneuvers with precision and control. By prioritizing correct technique and comprehensive training in these surf-relevant movements, surfers can enhance their performance, resilience, and enjoyment of the sport.
The video above demonstrates 5 of my top mobility/strength exercises in helping optimise paddling mechanics.
1. Shoulder Clock
The shoulder clock targets multiple angles of shoulder mobility and upper spine rotation. You can start with bodyweight alone and progress to holding 1-2kg. The weight helps to mobilise as well as lightly strengthen the moving shoulder by challenging your shoulder stabilisers from multiple angles. Elevating your body so that your arm drapes over the side will increase the mobility and stability demands. Take one slow, full inhalation to bring your arm out to the side, and then exhale to return to the start position. Complete 5-10 reps per side, daily!
2. Prone Overhead Shoulder Hovers
These hovers target strength with your shoulders in flexion and external rotation. This is essentially strength with your arms overhead and with your palms turned upward, as if you are trying to hold water in the palms of your hands. Long time surfers get super strong in their downward pulling strength and internal rotation strength, therefore they need the opposing movements to balance their shoulder muscles. You can progress this by holding a 1-2kg weight in each hand, although bodyweight is typically challenging enough. Complete 10-15 repetitions.
3. Shoulder Hanging for Shoulder Mobility and Scapula Control.
Many shoulder issues can be relieved by more shoulder hanging. If you haven’t engaged in any hanging exercises since you were a kid, you may find it difficult to hold your full bodyweight at first, which can be a combination of inadequate shoulder range of motion, poor grip strength and weak shoulders. Use your feet on the ground to partially hold your body weight until you are ready to lift them off the ground. Start with double arm hanging (10-20 seconds) and then work up to single arm hanging (10s +). Achievable goals are 60 second holds for double arm and 15-20 second holds for single arm. Change grips regularly (overhand, underhand, neutral, wide, narrow and crossed over). Get into it daily if you can!
4. Shoulder Shrugs 5 Ways for Shoulder Blade Mobility and Control, Shoulder Joint Health and Front-to-Back, Top-to-Bottom Shoulder Strength.
- The first position is on your hands and knees. Aim to keep your head in line with your spine, your abs lifted, and your glutes strong. Move your shoulders only, bringing them together and then pushing them apart. Keep the rest of your body completely still.
- The second position is the Cobra – focus solely on moving your shoulders downward and upward. If your lower back feels compromised in this position, you can also use parallettes as shown in the alternative version of this movement.
- The third position is Inverted. Aim to have most of your body weight over your hands and shoulders. Focus exclusively on moving your shoulders upward and downward while keeping the rest of your body completely still.
- The fourth position is the Crab – extend your hips upward, keep your lower back flat, and lift your chest. Concentrate on pulling your shoulder blades together and then slowly relaxing them forward, without moving any other part of your body. Remember to keep your hips up.
- The fifth position is Hanging. This is a progression of the previous static hanging exercise. Squeeze your glutes to keep your lower back flat, hold your ribs down, and focus solely on pulling your shoulders downward and relaxing them upward. Keep the rest of your torso solid.Complete 10 repetitions per position, daily!
5. Pull-Ups for Pulling Strength and Power.
For effective paddling, you require significant control, strength, and power in your major pulling muscles – namely, your lats, upper back, and posterior shoulder muscles. Wide grip pull-ups, which engage all of these muscles, are a high-yield exercise to enhance your paddling performance.
If you need assistance with wide grip pull-ups, utilize a thick elastic or power band placed under your feet. Maintain proper form by keeping your shoulders down, chest open, shoulders back, and lower back flat as you execute the movement. Focus on maintaining good posture throughout. As you progress, you can gradually transition to thinner bands, bodyweight pull-ups, and eventually weighted pull-ups. Experimenting with different grip variations such as narrow, mid-width, wide, underhand, and overhand can also provide valuable training benefits.
As you embark on your journey to enhance your paddling prowess, remember that consistency and proper technique are paramount. Incorporating these top five paddling exercises into your training regimen can yield significant improvements in your strength, endurance, and overall performance in the water. However, it’s essential to listen to your body, progress at your own pace, and seek guidance from qualified professionals if needed. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a beginner enthusiast, prioritising your paddling fitness will not only elevate your skills on the waves but also foster a deeper connection with the ocean. With dedication and perseverance, you’ll find yourself riding the waves with confidence and grace, embracing the thrill of surfing to its fullest potential.
For flexible, comprehensive surf strength and conditioning training programs that you can follow from anywhere in the world, with or without any training equipment, head to surfstrengthconditioning.com