Upper Body Training #3
Upper Body Training #3
Shoulder fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of a solid surfing session. If you build the strength of your shoulder muscles, you will be able to paddle longer and harder with less fatigue. The first exercise below is one of the most effective exercises for building shoulder strength.
The second exercise below is the good, old fashioned chin-up. This exercise is one of the toughest upper body strength exercises and not surprisingly, one of the most effective at building strength. The chin-up will also help build back and arm strength for paddling. When you pull your arms back through the water as you paddle, you are using the large muscles in your back.
The chin-up helps specifically target strength increases in these muscles. This will help reduce paddle fatigue and increase your speed and power through the water.
You can do these exercises 2-3 times per week, and perform 2-3 sets of each.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and your knees slightly bent.
- Hold the dumbbells at shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells together over your head and slowly lower to the starting position.
- Do 8-12 repetitions.
Chin-Up
- Hang from a bar with your palms facing toward you at shoulder width apart.
- Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar.
- Lower your body until your arms are fully extended.
- Do as many repetitions as possible.
For more functional exercises for surfers, visit totalsurfingfitness.com. Here you will find a complete functional training program designed specifically for surfers, which includes training for core strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness, upper & lower body strength and flexibility.
ABOUT AUTHOR
Clayton Beatty is the fitness expert behind TotalSurfingFitness.com, a website dedicated to functional training for surfers. Clayton holds a BSc Degree in Human Movement, is a Certified Fitness Trainer and grew up surfing the Margaret River region in Western Australia. If you would like to learn more visit his website at www.totalsurfingfitness.com.
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