Pushups: Benefits for Surfing Performance, Strength, and Pop-Ups

Are pushups good for surfing?

Yes, pushups are highly beneficial for surfing, directly enhancing the upper body strength, power, and muscular endurance crucial for paddling, executing explosive pop-ups, and maintaining stability on the board.

The Biomechanics of a Pushup

The pushup is a fundamental compound exercise that primarily targets the pushing muscles of the upper body and engages the core for stability. It is a closed-chain kinetic movement, meaning the hands remain fixed against a surface, which simulates real-world functional movements.

• Primary Muscles Engaged:
  • Pectoralis Major (Chest): Responsible for horizontal adduction and flexion of the shoulder joint.
  • Anterior Deltoid (Front Shoulder): Assists in shoulder flexion and contributes to the pushing motion.
  • Triceps Brachii (Back of Arm): Extends the elbow joint, providing the final push to full arm extension.
• Stabilizer Muscles:
  • Serratus Anterior: Protracts and rotates the scapula, crucial for shoulder blade stability and preventing winging.
  • Rotator Cuff Muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis): Stabilize the glenohumeral joint.
  • Core Muscles (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Erector Spinae): Maintain a rigid torso, preventing sagging or arching of the spine.
• Movement Pattern: The pushup is a horizontal pushing pattern, mimicking movements like pushing an object away or pushing oneself up from a prone position.

Surfing Demands: A Kinesiological Breakdown

Surfing is a dynamic sport that requires a unique blend of strength, power, endurance, balance, and agility. Breaking down its key physical components reveals the specific muscular actions required:

• Paddling: This is arguably the most physically demanding aspect, requiring significant upper body muscular endurance and power. The surfer lies prone, using their arms to propel themselves through the water, akin to a continuous, repetitive pulling and pushing motion against water resistance.
• Pop-Up: The transition from paddling to standing on the board is an explosive, full-body maneuver. It involves a rapid, powerful push-up action from the prone position, coupled with a quick lower body movement to bring the feet onto the board. This demands explosive upper body strength and core stability.
• Riding: Once standing, maintaining balance and control on a moving wave requires continuous engagement of the core, lower body strength (especially glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings), and ankle stability. While less upper-body dominant, the shoulders and arms contribute to subtle balance adjustments.
• Wipeouts and Recovery: The ability to recover from a wipeout, duck dive under waves, and paddle back out requires resilience, cardiovascular fitness, and overall body strength.

How Pushups Directly Benefit Surfing Performance

Given the biomechanical demands of surfing, pushups offer several direct and indirect benefits:

• Enhanced Paddling Power and Endurance: The primary muscles used in pushups (pectorals, deltoids, triceps) are also heavily engaged during the propulsive phase of paddling. Regular pushup training, especially with higher repetitions, builds the muscular endurance necessary for sustained paddling sessions and the power to sprint for waves.
• Explosive Pop-Up Mechanism: The pushup's core movement directly mimics the initial pushing action of the pop-up. Training for explosive pushups (e.g., plyometric variations) can significantly improve the speed and efficiency of this critical maneuver, allowing surfers to catch more waves and transition smoothly.
• Improved Core Stability: Maintaining a rigid, plank-like body position throughout the pushup strongly engages the entire core musculature. This isometric core strength translates directly to better stability when paddling, during the pop-up, and while riding the wave, preventing inefficient energy leaks and improving balance.
• Shoulder Health and Stability: Proper pushup form strengthens the serratus anterior and rotator cuff muscles, which are vital for scapular stability and overall shoulder joint health. Given the repetitive and high-demand nature of paddling, robust and stable shoulders are paramount for injury prevention in surfers.
• Muscular Endurance: Performing pushups for higher repetitions builds local muscular endurance in the pushing muscles, which is crucial for the sustained effort required during long paddling sessions and repeated pop-up attempts.

Variations and Progression for Surfers

To maximize the benefits of pushups for surfing, consider incorporating various forms and progressions:

• Standard Pushup: The foundational movement for building general upper body pushing strength and core stability. Focus on full range of motion.
• Plyometric Pushup (Clapping Pushup): Develops explosive power, directly translating to a faster, more powerful pop-up. Focus on maximal force generation and soft landing.
• Decline Pushup: Elevating the feet increases the load on the upper chest and anterior deltoids, mimicking the angle of pushing up from a board that might be slightly angled.
• Stability Pushup (on BOSU ball, medicine ball, or rings): Performing pushups on unstable surfaces challenges proprioception and recruits more stabilizer muscles around the shoulder joint and core, directly mimicking the unstable environment of the ocean.
• Wide/Narrow Grip Pushups: Varying hand placement can emphasize different muscle groups (e.g., wide for more chest, narrow for more triceps), allowing for targeted development.

Integrating Pushups into a Surfing-Specific Training Program

Pushups should be a staple in a surfer's training regimen. Here's how to integrate them effectively:

• Frequency: Aim for 2-3 sessions per week, allowing for adequate recovery.
• Sets and Reps:
  • For strength and power (pop-up focus): 3-5 sets of 5-8 repetitions with explosive intent. Incorporate plyometric variations.
  • For muscular endurance (paddling focus): 2-3 sets of 15-25+ repetitions, or AMRAP (as many reps as possible) within a time limit.
• Progression: Once standard pushups become easy, progress by increasing reps, decreasing rest time, adding weight (e.g., weighted vest), or moving to more challenging variations.
• Combine with Other Exercises: Pushups are best performed as part of a balanced program that includes pulling movements (e.g., pull-ups, rows for paddling), core exercises (e.g., planks, Russian twists for stability), and lower body training (e.g., squats, lunges for riding).
• Focus on Quality: Always prioritize proper form over the number of repetitions to maximize benefits and prevent injury.

Limitations and Complementary Training

While highly beneficial, pushups alone are not a complete training solution for surfing. They primarily target horizontal pushing strength and core stability.

• What Pushups Don't Cover:
  • Pulling Strength: Crucial for the recovery phase of the paddle stroke and duck diving.
  • Rotational Core Strength: Essential for turning and maneuvering on the wave.
  • Leg Strength and Power: Fundamental for the pop-up, riding, and absorbing impact.
  • Balance and Proprioception: While stability pushups help, specific balance drills are needed.
  • Cardiovascular Endurance: While high-rep pushups build muscular endurance, overall aerobic fitness for long sessions is not fully addressed.
• Essential Complementary Exercises for Surfers:
  • Pull-ups/Lat Pulldowns: For pulling strength and back development.
  • Rows (Dumbbell, Barbell, Cable): Another key pulling movement.
  • Squats and Lunges: For lower body strength and power.
  • Planks and Side Planks: For comprehensive core stability.
  • Burpees: A full-body, explosive exercise that mimics the pop-up and builds conditioning.
  • Swimming: Direct sport-specific endurance and strength.

Conclusion

Pushups are an excellent, accessible, and highly effective exercise for surfers. They directly contribute to the strength, power, and endurance required for efficient paddling, explosive pop-ups, and a stable riding stance. By understanding the biomechanics of the pushup and its direct application to surfing demands, athletes can strategically incorporate various pushup variations into their training. However, it's crucial to remember that pushups should be part of a comprehensive, balanced fitness regimen that addresses all the multifaceted physical requirements of surfing, including pulling strength, leg power, and cardiovascular endurance.