Programs / Sport-specific
Surf Fitness
A six-week, three-day plan for paddling endurance, a snappy pop-up, rotational power, and shoulders that last a full session.
- Length
- 6 weeks
- Days / week
- 3
- Session time
- 45–60 min
- Level
- Intermediate
Who it's for
Surfers who already spend time in the water and want better endurance, a cleaner pop-up, and more durable shoulders and hips. Also useful for returning surfers who need a land plan between swells. This is not a learn-to-surf course.
Goal
Build paddling and trunk endurance, practice a fast, organized pop-up, and add rotational and single-leg power that carries to the wave.
Equipment
- A mat and a bit of floor space
- Dumbbells or kettlebells
- A resistance band
- A bench or low box
- Optional: a swim, a surf, or a paddle session as a fourth easy day; a medicine ball; a pull-up bar
Warm-up
- 2–3 minutes easy jump rope, bike, or shadow paddling on the floor
- Shoulder CARs, 5 each direction, then 8 band pull-aparts
- Thoracic rotations in a half-kneeling or open-book position, 6 each side
- 5 slow pop-up rehearsals on the floor, no speed yet
Cooldown
- Easy walk or easy shoulder circles, 2 minutes
- Pec doorway stretch and posterior-capsule stretch, 30 seconds each side
- Hip flexor and 90/90 stretch, 30 seconds each side
- If a shoulder feels pinched, skip overhead work the next day and keep the range comfortable
Weeks 1–3: Shoulders, pop-up, and aerobic paddling
Weeks 1–3
Two strength-and-skill days and one longer paddling-endurance day. Keep pop-up practice snappy and stop it before it gets sloppy.
Day 1 — Pop-up power and pushing
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop-up practice on the floor | 5 | 4 crisp reps | Skill, not a race | 45 sec | Hands under the chest, eyes up, feet land under you. Reset every rep. |
| Push-up or elevated push-up, 2-second lower | 3 | 6–8 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Single-arm landmine or dumbbell press | 3 | 8 each side | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Three-point or chest-supported row | 3 | 8 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Prone Y / T on a bench or the floor, light | 3 | 8 each shape | RPE 6 | 60 sec | Thumbs up, no shrugging toward the ears. |
| Side plank with a gentle reach-under if the shoulder allows | 2 | 20–30 sec each side | — | 45 sec |
Day 2 — Paddling endurance (land or water)
35–50 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic paddle, swim, or land substitute | 1 | 8 x 45 sec moderate / 45 sec easy, or 20–25 min easy continuous paddle/swim | RPE 5–6 on the work, easy on the rest | — | Land substitute: 8 rounds of 20 shoulder-friendly ‘prone pull’ reps on a bench plus 30 seconds mountain-climber-easy or a brisk walk. |
| Band or cable face pull | 3 | 15 | RPE 7 | 45 sec | |
| Dead bug or bird dog | 3 | 6 each side, slow | — | 45 sec | |
| Optional easy mobility: 90/90 transitions and pec stretch | 2 | 5 transitions each way | — | — |
Day 3 — Rotation, legs, and trunk
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat or heel-elevated squat | 3 | 8 | RPE 7 | 2 min | |
| Single-leg RDL or supported single-leg hinge | 3 | 6–8 each side | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Medicine-ball rotational throw or band woodchop | 3 | 6–8 each side | RPE 7, crisp | 60 sec | Rotate through the hips and mid-back, not by yanking the low back. |
| Hip thrust or glute bridge | 3 | 8 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Suitcase carry | 3 | 20–30 m each side | RPE 7 | 60 sec | |
| Finish: 4 easy pop-ups, then 30 seconds of easy shadow paddling | 3 | as written | Skill | 30 sec |
Weeks 4–6: Make it more specific
Weeks 4–6
Keep the same days. Add a little density to paddling intervals and a little speed to pop-ups, without letting either one get sloppy. Week 6 trims a set from each strength movement.
Day 1 — Pop-up power and pushing
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop-up practice, a little faster | 6 | 3 crisp reps | Skill, still clean | 30–45 sec | If the feet start landing wide and late, slow down. |
| Push-up or deficit push-up from handles | 3 | 6–8 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Single-arm press | 3 | 6 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Row variation | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 90 sec | |
| Prone Y / T and a light band external rotation | 3 | 8 and 12 | RPE 6 | 60 sec | |
| Hollow hold or dead bug | 3 | 20–30 sec | — | 45 sec |
Day 2 — Paddling endurance
35–50 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intervals in water or land substitute | 1 | 6–8 x 60–75 sec moderate / 45–60 sec easy, or 25–35 min easy paddle/swim | RPE 6–7 on the work | — | Week 6: stay at 6 rounds, smoother, not longer. |
| Face pull and a light farmer carry | 3 | 12–15 and 20 m | RPE 7 | 60 sec |
Day 3 — Rotation, legs, and trunk
45–60 min
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / work | Intensity | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet or front squat | 4 | 6 | RPE 7 | 2 min |
| Single-leg RDL | 3 | 6 each side | RPE 7 | 90 sec |
| Rotational throw or chop | 4 | 6 each side | RPE 7 | 60 sec |
| Hip thrust | 3 | 8 | RPE 7 | 90 sec |
| Optional jump: squat jump or box step-off to a soft landing, only if joints feel good | 3 | 5 | Easy, quiet landings | 60 sec |
| Pop-up + short ‘paddle’ finisher | 3 | 3 pop-ups + 20 sec shadow paddle | Skill | 30 sec |
Scaling
Paddling work can be a swim, a prone swim-pull on a bench, a light dumbbell prone Y/T/I, or an easy surf session counted as endurance, not as a hammering. Elevate push-ups and pop-ups to a bench if the floor is too aggressive. Swap medicine-ball rotational throws for a band chop or a tight rotational press. Do not crank into a sore shoulder.
Notes
If you surf or swim on a fourth day, keep it easy and technical. Place the hardest land day away from your longest water day. Pop-up practice is skill work — crisp, not sloppy and exhausted.
These programs are general educational guides, not personalized coaching or medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before starting a new training plan, especially if you have an injury, a medical condition, or you are returning from time off. Learn the movements first, scale the load and volume to your current ability, and stop any exercise that causes sharp or unusual pain. When a lift or skill is new — particularly Olympic weightlifting, sprinting, or contact-sport work — consider in-person coaching. You are responsible for how you use this information.
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