How stretching/Warming Up can improve your flexibility and surfing.
Presented by: Newt's Surf Company
Benefits of a Stretching/Warming Up:
> Increased mobility and flexibility of the body and joints.
> Reduced muscle stiffness.
> Increased heart rate, improved blood circulation and oxygen delivery to muscles.
> Nervous system activation and excitation of joint stabilizing muscles.
> Stimulation the respiratory systems.
> Increased speed of muscle contraction, allowing for faster reactive movements.
> Reduced muscle stiffness.
> Increased heart rate, improved blood circulation and oxygen delivery to muscles.
> Nervous system activation and excitation of joint stabilizing muscles.
> Stimulation the respiratory systems.
> Increased speed of muscle contraction, allowing for faster reactive movements.
Surf Warm-up Movements
Breathing Squat: perform a squat movement, exhaling as the body moves down, and inhaling as the body comes back up, extending the arms towards the sky;
Single Leg Upper Body Rotation: stand on one leg with the knee slightly bent, and your hip pushed backwards. With your arms placed in front of the body, rotate from side to side slowly. Control the movement and remain balanced on one single leg.
T-Rotation Pushups: begin in pushup position, and then rotate one arm towards the sky, while simultaneously rotating the body onto one side. You are now balanced on one hand, with the other hand/arm extended towards the sky. Rotate back into pushup position and repeat on the other side.
Warrior Lunge: begin in a basic standing position and lunge forward into a lunge position, extend your arms to the sky, push up off front foot and back into starting position. To advance the movement, you can repeat the prior movement and then add a side bend in either or both directions.
Butt Drops: reach towards the sky and then bend forward to touch your toes. Drop your butt towards your heels as you lift the chest to face forwards. The elbows are inside of the knees, pushing them outwards. Lower your butt as lower as possible and keep your chest as tall as possible. Hold this position for one inhale/exhale and then lift your butt back towards the sky, as your head and chest move back towards ground. Stretch the hamstrings and repeat the movement.
Bent Shoulder Circles: keeping a straight back, with slightly bent knees, bend the torso forward. Get to an angle where you begin to feel a light stretch in your hamstrings and bring the arms out to the sides into a T-position. Perform small arm circles for 30 repetitions in each direction.
Standing Knee Hugs: stand with your spine tall and erect and bring one knee towards your chest. Place your hands around the knee and pull it towards your stomach/chest. Bring the knee as high as possible without rounding the back.
Now that you are warmed up, joints are mobile and you are ready to hop into that paddle-out, or to get into some good surf training workouts.
