5 Must Know Ways to Improve Your Breath Hold For Surfing

5 Must Know Ways to Improve Your Breath Hold For Surfing

IMPROVE BREATH HOLD

 

5 Must Know Ways to Improve Your Breath Hold For Surfing

 

We all love surfing and pushing ourselves to get bigger, better & gnarly waves. Progressing and improving are all part of the game. So inevitably you’re going to want to feel comfortable in some of those bigger condition hold downs and knowing you can hold your breath for over a minute or 3 is a good way to start

(1) Do Exercises

While there is no way to increase your lung size, there are many ways to increase the amount of air your lungs take in, and the efficiency with which they capture oxygen. In particular, it helps to exhale fully before taking in the breath. Any cardiovascular training or interval sprint training to help get you out of breath will help

(2) Lose Weight.

Any excess body fat or unused muscle will reduce your body’s efficiency in using oxygen, so to help keep it efficient make sure you’re in great shape and lighten the load.

(3) Quit Smoking.

Quitting will considerably increase your lungs’ ability to release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen.

(4) Eating Well

Eating well is critical to improving your breath hold making your body as efficient at transporting oxygen and conserving energy. Fruits vegetable proteins, vitamins and seeds can all help improve blood flow and the efficiency of oxygen transfer.

(5) Practice

Before practising your breath hold – Breath, inhale and exhale slowly from deep within your diaphragm. By doing this, you will start to slow down your heart rate and help your lungs get rid of low-quality air try to breathe for 5 seconds in 5 seconds out trying to push every last drop of air out doing this for 2 minutes will help maximize the efficiency of your lungs and increase your lung capacity do this for two minutes, and be sure that when you exhale, you push out every last “drop” of air.

Before you hold your breath push every last bit of air out then take 7 short breath until your lungs are filled 80-85% so that you still have room to relax. Always do this with a partner as it’s possible to lose consciousness without warning.6

Splash cold water on your face. It has been observed that putting a person’s face in contact with cold water triggers bradycardia, or the slowing of the heart rate, which is the first phase of the mammalian diving reflex.

Whilst holding your breath Relax every muscle in your body. Try to relaxed your body and think about something else other than holding your breath. Totally relaxed thoughts almost getting to a Meditative state. This intern will lower your heart rate helping your body consume less oxygen by mentally focusing on slowing your heart beat, it is possible to lower your heart rate significantly and increase the time you are able to hold your breath for. Concentrate this distraction technique will help when held underwater and teach you to relax whilst you’re being held down.8

Exhale slowly. When you can’t hold your breath anymore, try to avoid exhaling all the air in your lungs in a mad rush. First, exhale about 20% of your air, then inhale again so that oxygen gets to your most critical areas faster. Then you can exhale and inhale completely.

Repeat these steps 3-4 times per session. It is not recommended to do this anymore, as it could damage your lungs and body. Try one session in the morning and one session at night if you wish. Keep practising and before you know it, you will be able to hold your breath for several minutes.

Another great surf specific way to train your breathe hold is to hold your breathe for as long as you can then when you exhale breath out slowly talking another full breath in and repeating the breath hold minimizing the time you have to get extra breath just like being held down on a few waves in a row you might not be able to get a clean breath and have to survive on very little

Tips

  • The urge to breath is caused by a build-up of carbon dioxide in your body, not a lack of oxygen.
  • Try not to think about holding your breath. If you think about pleasant things, you’re less aware of the breathing reflex.
  • Relax your body waiting for the wave to let you up helping to conserve your energy
  • Restrain yourself from swallowing when you start feeling fatigued; this will slow the increasing desire to surface.

Warnings

  • Never try to hold your breath past your maximum capability, you might go unconscious.

When you’re practising holding your breath, please do it in a safe, controlled environment under professional supervision.

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How to Turn A Stand Up Paddleboard

Being able to turn a paddle board is an essential skill. The more  practice you get at turning and the wider variety of turns you can do will help in you ability to turn at speed and have a much finer control over the paddleboards. this is particular an importance skill to practice for supping in surf as efficient and quick turning  will hep in catching waves as well as avoid them. efficient turning will also help paddler competing in racing events. There are several easy ways to turn a paddleboard. Some of the basic strokes are

Side stroke:

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  • One way to is simply to paddle on one side until the nose turns in the direction you want to go. Want to turn right? Paddle on the left. Headed to the left? Paddle on the right.

Back paddle:

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  • A faster way to turn or reverse direction is to simply drag the paddle or paddle backwards on either side of the board. The backwards paddle is a quick way to turn your board around. Simply reverse the direction of your stroke while still facing forward. This will create a 180 degree turn almost completely in place.

Sweep Sea (“c”) stroke:

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  • Plant your paddle towards the front of the board and take a long sweeping stroke towards the tail. This is sometimes called a sweep stroke.

Other tips:

Pivot turns:

  • This turn is one of the fasted in terms of changing direction works well especially in surf. Begin by paddling on your dominant side (left foot forward, paddle on your right side). Really bend your knees and put more weight on your back foot. This elevates the nose and submerges the tail allowing the board to pivot and turn quickly.

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  • Stepping back on the board or looking over your shoulder to the direction of your turn also helps in making a turn.

pivote7

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Top 5 Tips for Improving Your Cut back

Top 5 Tips for Improving Your Cut back

Top 5 Tips for Improving Your Cut back

The front side cutback is a move that is used by surfers of all skill levels. The cutback allows you to use the rail of your board and brings you back to the source of the wave where you can generate more speed for your next hit.

 

Start your bottom turn with lots of speed

Put your leading arm in the water, and use it as a pivot point.

Finish the turn with your back leg straight and your weight over a bent front leg.

#1

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Visual Cue: when dropping in start to look down the wave and chose a section that you want to perform the Cut back on, most suitable a nicely sloping shoulder of the wave to turn on.

Tips: when dropping in make sure your body and chest and arms are balanced and low to help maximize your speed. Speed is important in the bottom turn to get the right angle of trajectory whilst also carrying you through the cutback with enough momentum. Once you have chosen the spot you want to perform the cut back keep your eyes fixed on it.

#2

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Visual Cue: you will start to lose speed from your drop in as soon as your reach the flatter section, start to indicate the bottom turn whilst maintain your eyes on your desired cut back section.

Tips: Like every other move in surfing the cut back starts with speed. By entering the turn with speed you will be able to lean on your rail harder adding more spray, and style to the turn constantly looking at your desired section. Start your bottom turn as soon as you reach the flats, and drive up the wave face at a 40 to 60-degree angle.

#3

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Visual Cue: you will be approaching your desired section so you will need to start the process of turning before you reach the spot to give it the best chance of success.

Tips: When you reach the middle of the wave face bend your knees and shift your weight from your toeside rail to your heelside rail to initiate the cutback. You will need to turn and chose a new desired destination Twist your upper body in the direction you are turning, and extend your leading arm towards the water to keep a low centre of gravity. Most of your pressure should be applied to your back foot while your front foot guides your board through the turn.

#4

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Visual Cue: you will start to feel the momentum of the board transferred into the turn creating spray hold this turn until you feel the board facing back towards the white water

Tips: Halfway through the turn, your leading arm should almost be touching the wave face. This keeps you low to your board as well as providing a point for you to pivot around. Lean on your rail as hard as you can during this part of the turn to create a tight powerful arc and to help maximise the spray created by the tail.

#5

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Visual Cue: Finishing your turn you will lose a lot of speed you will need to stay low to maintain stability and then regain focus on your next turn

Tips: As your board turns back towards the whitewash you want to finish the turn. Do this by straightening out your back leg, and centring your weight over your fully bent front leg. This will add snap and style to the turn and also keep you low to your board. Your board will finish with the nose pointing straight back towards the white water. Now that the turn is finished turn your board back towards the open face of the wave by pressing on your back foot. Watch the transition of the wave as you pivot so you don’t nosedive, and go straight into your next bottom turn.

 

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Top 20 Surfing Exercises for Paddling and Stability

 

Nothing prepares you for surfing fitness better than surfing itself. There are however, a few things you can do to keep the right muscles in working order and help you surf longer with more power. The following exercise will work out a full range of surf movements as well as isolated surf muscles to help increase strength and power specifically in paddling and stability.

(1)Bosu ball surf crouches

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Exercise Stand on the floor or a bosu ball starts to twist your hips and crouch down towards the floor using your hands for balance. Until your knee touches our chest then start to reverse the movement back to the original starting position.

Surf specific – This exercise uses the same movement as a pop up as well as a crouching position that is used to maintain stability and balance whilst moving on the bosu ball very similar to turning and popping up action on a surfboard.

(2)Bosu ball, medicine ball wood chops

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Exercise– Start standing on the floor or a bosu ball on 1 foot, hold the medicine ball in both hands and move it from your left side of your body’s waist to  above your head on your right side whilst maintain your balance on 1 foot. Return to the starting position. Repeat on both sides.

Surf specific – This action is using a lot of foot stabiles to help to maintain your balance, the same muscles used whilst riding a surfboard and moving the board from side to side engages in the core similar to turning on a wave whilst maintaining your balance. Great exercise to improve your stability and balance.

 

(3)Bosu Ball Dumbbell Press

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Exercise – Start the exercise standing on a bosu ball with Dumbbells and your wrist and palms facing towards your chest. Slowly rotate your wrists and bring your arms up to your shoulders at right angles then extend and straighten them above your head. Revers the action until you are back at the starting position.

Surf specific – This exercise is using your core and legs whilst maintaining stability which is the very essence of a surf movement it’s also working your should muscles and extension of your arms to help with more powerful paddling.

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Make it harder – Take 1 leg off of the bosu ball and stand balancing on 1 leg and complete the same action as before.

(4)Bosu ball Kettle bell clean and press

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Exercise– Start standing on the bosu ball with your 2 feet shoulder width apart. Hold a kettle bell in 1 hand between your legs. Start the motion of bringing the kettle bell up to your chest twisting your arm to move the kettle bell on to your shoulder then extend the arm above your head and return to original position. Repeat on both arms.

Surf specific – This movement is a full body exercise moving from a low balanced position to a fully extended balanced position, great practice for turning, working your core stability arms & shoulders.

(5)One Arm Lateral Pull Downs 

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Exercise Star in a balanced position feet shoulder width apart, your arm buy your side and opposite arm at head height on the cable machine.

Surf specific – This action is contracting your core in an isometric contraction maintaining its position whilst the arm is mimicking the action of paddling. This is great exercise to improve core strength and paddle strength.

(6) Triceps pulls

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Exercise – stand facing away from the cable machine with feet shoulder width apart and slightly bent legs hold the cables/ or resistance bands in an un flexed position. To start pull your hands forward until they extend in front of your head and are straight try to maintain your original body position to help isolate the triceps. Slowly return to the start position and repeat.

Surf specific – Triceps do a lot of the work in paddling so this exercise utilize the triceps to the fullest extent to make sure you are engaging the full muscle.

 (7)Bosu ball kettle bell swing

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Exercise Start off standing on a bosu ball legs shoulder width apart in a slightly crouched position with your back straight and a kettle bell between your legs start the exercise by swinging the kettlebell forwards up to head height whilst maintain straight arms, back and your balance. Return to starting position for the next repetition.

Surf specific – This exercise is full body major muscle groups exercise using stability and strength specifically in the in the shoulders and core to help create momentum to move the kettlebell similar to creating momentum for a powerful turn in surfing .

(8)TRX Suspended Push ups

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Exercise – Start with arms straight and body in a straight rigid position holding on the handles. Slowly lower your body down until your head reaches your hands whilst maintaining your straight body position. Push back up from this in to your original starting position.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for isolating and prolonged contractions in the core whilst the unstable TRX helps to use all your stabilizing muscles in your shoulders and pectorals all the muscles needed to pop up on an unstable wave great exercise for improving stability in your pop up.

(9) TRX Role Out

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Exercise– Start with your body and back straight in an upright position and your hand by your waist holding on the TRX handles. Slowly lean forward engaging tension in the TRX slowly raise you hand above your head and lower your body maintain its rigidity throughout the movement.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for working your core and your back maintain your contractions thought out the entire exercise is crucial when making a turn in surfing. Your arms and shoulders are also under great stress due to the unstable nature of the movement needing great control and stabilization in the arm and shoulder muscles used when paddling.

(10) TRX Squat Row

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Exercise – Start by holding in to the TRX handles with your legs evenly spaced looking up, pull your body up towards your hands with your head still looking up towards the ceiling until your hands are in line with your chest, then lower yourself back to the original start position.

Surf specific – This is a great counter exercise to do as something different to help improve arm and pictorial strength as well as explosiveness, whilst also engaging in your core stability.

(11) TRX one arm rotation rows

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Exercise– Start with knees bent, arm straight, holding on to the TRX looking up with a straight body. Move your hand closest to the floor up to the sky whilst maintaining even balance and a contracted Core throughout the movement. Once at the top return to starting position and repeat.

Surf specific –  This exercise simulate the twisting movement of turning but also all the core muscles used to perform a lay back as well as building rotational strength.

(12)Bosu Ball Bent Arm Row

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Exercise– Start in a slightly crouched position on a bosu ball and barbell in both hands extend.  With a straight back not hunched pull the barbell close towards your abdominals whilst maintaining your position. Lowers the barbell to the original position then repeat .

Surf specific – This exercise is really focusing on your back and shoulder muscles a great compound movement to engage a lot of your paddling muscles whilst the core and legs maintain balance.

(13)Bosu ball push ups

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Exercise Lay with your arms bent at 45 degree angles on the bosu ball back and legs straight, shoulder width apart head looking forward. Slowly push against the ball until your arms are straight then reverse the process until in the starting position. Try to make each pop up last 4-6 seconds.

Surf specific –  This exercise is probably as close as you will get to making popping up on land as realistic as in the water the constantly moving bosu ball provides a great replacement for a board that is constantly unstable and learning how to push up on an unstable board will defiantly help your initial stages of your pop up.

(14)Bosu ball dumbbell reverse fly (3 variations)

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(#2)

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(#3)

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Exercise– in all 3 variation lye on a Swiss ball with your head up and body straight feet shoulder width apart though out all 3 variations maintain your body as still as possible to help isolate the moving muscles .

(#1) Start with the dumbbells on the floor with your arms straight initiate the exercise by moving both arms together until above your head.

(#2)  Start with the dumbbells on the floor with your arms straight initiate the exercise by moving both arms together directly adjacent from your body until they become parallel with your shoulders. Try to maintain your arms and straight as possible.

(#3) Start with the dumbbells on the floor with your arms straight initiate the exercise by moving both arms together. Lift your arms behind your body as close to your waist as possible until they become in line with your body then return back to original starting position.

Surf specific – This is a great exercise to working your core stability and lower back muscles in almost the exact way needed to maintain balance on a board when paddling.  Whilst all 3 variations work in slightly different muscle contractions they all are used to help mimic paddling.

(15) Paddle pulls rows

(#1)

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(#2)

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Exercise both these variations you need to be lying on a box or raised platform in a prone position head up and chest off the boxes.

(#1) Start with both  hands on the resistance band at the same length in front of your body pull back with both arms maintain slightly bent until they reach your waist . Reverse the exercise to the starting point each pull should take between 2-3 seconds.

(#2) Start with both hands on the resistance band at the same length in front of your body pull back with your right hand until it reaches your waist then return it to the starting position. Whilst your right hand is returning to the start position your left hand will engage in the opposite movement of pulling similar to swimming.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for improving paddling strength and control whilst also keeping your body in a stable position are all transferable movements and muscles used in paddling on a surfboard .

(16) Bosu ball weighted lunge

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Exercise Stand with legs evenly spaced in a straight position whilst holding the dumbbells just above your shoulders at right angles with a bosu ball places 1 meter in front of you. Take 1 step forward and place you leading leg in the centre of the bosu ball until your leg create a right angle creating a lunge. Push back in to your original position and repeat with the opposite leg.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for first time foot placement as well as lateral stability just like surfing getting your foot in a stable position and keeping it there is important as set up your control for the rest of the ride.

(17) Weighted Paddle

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Exercise – Lay in a prone position on a box or platform off the floor with your head and leg raised and the unused arm by your side. Start with a small weight in your hand and tuck it close to your chest. Start the exercise off by moving the weighted arm behind you at first but then in a circle of rotation finished with the weight back at the starting point. Repeat this for both arms.

Surf specific – Similar to the paddling position, these  slow weight contractions in the paddling movement improve all the major muscle groups used whilst paddling in the water, the advantage of this exercise is there it will help to give more precision to your paddle.

(18) Bosu Ball/ Medicine Ball Twist Lunges

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Exercise Stand with legs evenly spaced in a straight position whilst the medicine ball in front of your chest with a bosu ball places 1 meter in front of you. Take 1 step forward and place you leading leg in the centre of the bosu ball until your leg create a right angle creating a lunge. In this moment your body should be twisted with the medicine ball on the outside of the leading leg Push back in to your original position and repeat with the opposite leg.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for first time foot placement as well as lateral stability just like surfing getting your foot in a stable position and keeping it there is important as set up your control for the rest of the ride. This exercise all incorporated great core power and stability to move the medicine ball from side to side in a similar way that you initiate your turns in surfing.

(19)One arm dumbbell paddle

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Exercise starts in a lying down position with your legs and head in a prone position and a dumbbell in one hand by your chest. Maintain your prone position whilst extending your dumbbell arm forward and retracting your opposite arm in a paddling action. Repeat on the opposite arm.

Surf specific – This exercise is great for maintaining core stability needed when paddling whilst also improving the control and endurance in your arms need for powerful paddling.

(20) Medicine Ball Alternative Twist Lunges

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Exercise start with the medicine ball on your right side move the ball round to the other side whilst switching your leading foot until the ball reaches the left side repeat this until the ball has reached the original starting position.

Surf specific – This movement is using a lot of muscles used in powerful turning and other manoeuvres on a board whilst maintaining your balance in a lateral position engaging in your core quadriceps hip flexors and arms.

Disclaimer: The information found within this site is for general information only and should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice from your own doctor or any other health care professional. SBSboards.com is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the information shown within this website. Always consult your own GP if you’re in any way concerned about your health.

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