Like many people, I'm unfortunate to spend more time out of the water than in. Thus, when I finally get to surf, I'd like to optimize my time by improving my paddling endurance - especially when I'm trying to wield my little 5' 6" in harsh conditions smothered by thick rubber. 

I wouldn't say I'm out of shape; I can run 5 to 6 miles fairly easily, do 60 pushups all the way in multiple hand positions, and I lift weights about 3 times a week. However, exercises that I'd assume would improve paddling endurance - like swimming - don't in fact seem to target the same muscle groups. 

So, my question is: what land training actually targets the muscle groups essential for paddling? Thanks for any recs!

I may be saying the obvious here but if you are in that good shape exercise is not your problem, your problem is trying to surf a tiny board smothered in rubber in harsh conditions. Try surfing a bigger board with some volume.

In my opinion, swimming does target the same muscle group and is the best exercise for surfing.

 

I agree. I had to swim a couple of miles for a race one time. It was easy because of my surf fitness. Likewise, while training for the race it was super easy to surf because of my swim fitness. Same muscles for me too. 

I would also have to vote for swimming.  Find a lap pool, learn how to do a flip turn, and go.  Start with a 400-600, which depending on your swimming experience, may be more difficult than it sounds.  Once you can do this wihout a break and while maintaining good form, slowly move up your distances.  Before you know it, paddling much of what Florida throws at you won’t sound intimidating.  Hope this helps!

Your best bet for land training would be upper body/back repetition workouts including pullups. Your REALLY best bet though is combining that with swimming, or even better cop yourself a traditional prone paddleboard if you can find one. Even distance training with a longboard will do the trick. I have yet to be denied since I started prone paddling. (no jinx)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNE2kyo3Isc

Visualize the pain then go through it.  

External rotations. Nothing targets the muscles of the rotator cuff like this. Start light and work your way up. 3 sets of 10, every other day. Feels like you paddled for an hour. I recently went 4 months without paddling and made it out with a wetsuit the other day no problem. And Im an old turd at 54 on a 5-10 no less. Google...

Tying my leash to the side of a swimming pool and paddling for 30 minutes straight was the best I found.  Because you never build up speed the water resistance is slightly higher than paddling a surfboard freely.  I'm not an endurance swimmer though.  

Edited: 01/06/2018 at 09:40 AM by water

Everyone, thanks so much fo the recs thus far. I'm starting to realize a couple of things: I'm discounting swimming and probably need to work on my form and be more patient with it; also, there are land recs and paddling alternatives that I haven't explored yet, so thanks! 

 

 

Hahaha, reminds me of Point Break: "Don't even need to see; just accept the wave's energy, and charge with it." 

Interesting - there seem to be quite a few variations of external rotation movements when I look on YouTube, many of which are linked to PT. Is there a specific one that worked best for you to build strength/endurance? 

USMC - "pain is weakness leaving the body".

I agree that swimming is not the same as paddling based on my own experiences and my son's who swims year round competitively but was noodle armed fast after a respite from surfing. The one thing I did that simulated surfing for 5 hours was pulling thousands of vines out of a hedge but that's not easy to replicate in the gym. Swimming certainly helps for fitness but being in the water vs. on top of a board in the water changes the mechanics significantly, again, in my opinion. Paddle against resistance in a pool. Go out when the waves are bad. Surfing is the best paddling exercise for surfing!

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"All my greatest Ideas were stolen by the Ancients" - Unknown Egyptian Scribe - 2500 B.C.

I found this online and paddle in my pool with a boogie board. I didn't buy the flex pole so I attach it to the ladder on the side of the pool. I sometime have business trips that last 6-10 weeks so I take this with me and swim in the post sauna dip pool. I like the idea of the pole because it seems the higher up the attachment the better angle on the belt. I think this helps a lot because you are working balance and strength at the same time. I also have a waterproof Ipod Waterproof Ipod that I use so I can paddle for an hour or more. I try to simulate being in the water by alternating with easy strokes and then I paddle hard for 5-7 minutes like I am trying to beat the next set......

Here's a video of a surfer in Indo doing a demo.....
Swim tether in pool with board.

PS: the swimman has great sound!

Stick with the potato chip board.

Paddle out at Monster Hole on a big North day with outgoing tide.

Stay in line-up position by paddling towards the tip of the North jetty for 2 or 3 hours.

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Dora Hates You

The one I do is lying down on your side, elbow tucked in near your waist. You start with the dumbbell down touching your belly and raise it up pretty much to 90° off your side. It was indeed my PT exercise after each of my rotator cuff tear surgeries. After I was healed, Doc instructed me to continue to do them. Said to gradually increase the weight up to ten pounds and I would never have shoulder issues again. He was right...

Swim laps at the Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center, it's a great pool. The lanes are setup length wise now to accommodate the college teams that use it in the winter (50 meters each way). The Gleason Park pool in IHB is a OK backup option, but it can be to warm in the summer. Swimming might not target the exact muscles as paddling but it's pretty close and arguably one of the best no impact exercise options in general.

For exercise, swimming or prone paddling would have to be the closest. I bought a displacement SUP years ago, then an OC-1 and have never stopped paddling.

I'd make the case that spending time on the ocean exercising isn't going to hurt your surfing.

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A horse walks in to a bar. Bartender says "Why the long face?"

prone paddleboarding

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we are they, they are us -- Thich Nhat Hanh