How Seniors Get in Surf Shape
Surfing is physically demanding and some ask How Do Seniors Get in Surf Shape. I am a senior and have been surfing since high school, but not consistently so I don’t get a free ride. Seniors ask me how long I have been surfing as though I don’t have to stay in surf shape.
The most difficult aspect for sedentary or seniors is the flexibility and coordination. To stand up on a surf board, the surfer places a foot under his butt flat and stands on one foot for a second as he rises and moves the other foot forward. This requires strength, flexibility, and some agility.
Constant Moving is a Key to Ongoing Agility
As people get older they stop moving. Movement comes in many different colors. There is walking which is very healthy and can maintain some cardiovascular capabilities if the walks are an hour a day. Biking is excellent for cardiovascular maintenance if it also is for an hour. Treadmills, swimming, and rowing are all excellent to keep the body moving.
Upper body strength is built best by push ups. Weights and cables can also help. Lower body strength and flexibility are assisted most by squats. Squats stretch the hamstrings, buttocks, and lower back. They should be engaged every day. I like to twist my upper body in many ways to keep waist, lower back and hips flexible.
Some Key Components of Surfing Physicality
Getting the coordination, flexibility, and agility back may require yoga and exercise classes. As we stop engaging in new physical exercises, the brain and body no longer know how to learn new movements. Surfing is about learning a sequence that requires the body and brain to work together.
An aspiring surfer can practice pop ups in their living room. Lay on the floor and mark the spot where the feet start with toes into the carpet. Put a book where the hands lie when next to the rib cage and place a quarter between the hands. Now pretend you are paddling for a few strokes and put the palms flat next to the rib cage. Push up and bring one foot under the butt and place it flat on the floor. Then stand on that foot as you raise your hands and bring the other foot forward and place it on the quarter. This is the pop up .
The pop up is infinitely more difficult in the water on a moving board than in the living room, but the living room practice starts utilizing the necessary surf muscles and coordination. The next step would be to take it to the water and start practicing in foam waves on a big soft top board, at least 9′ for most people.
More Posts
Oceanside Surf Lessons for Beginners
Beginner Surfers Learn the Pop Up
How to Progress to Surfing the Short Board
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