Let’s be clear.
Both yoga and mobility exercises are going to make surfing easier for you. We’re not trying to pit one against the other.
But with yoga being the trusty old horse in the race, and mobility exercises becoming more and more popular, it’s only natural that surfers start to wonder which one is better for their surfing performance.
Should you focus on one or the other when starting out? Is there a discipline more suited to advanced surfers than beginners? How do they complement each other?
We spoke with Rise Up team members and our own yoga guru Dani to clear things up.
Here’s everything you need to know about yoga versus mobility for surfers.
How can yoga benefit surfers?
The relationship between yoga and surfing goes back decades.
Some surf legends, such as Gerry Lopez and Kelly Slater, have been practicing yoga for years and credit it with improving their performance in the water. Our own surf and yoga retreats work wonders too.
So how exactly can yoga benefit surfers?
- Flexibility: Yoga poses target specific muscles and joints, increasing your body’s flexibility. This is essential for surfing which requires a lot of bending, twisting and stretching
- Balance: Surfing is all about balance, both on the board and in your body. Yoga helps improve proprioception (the sense of where your body is in space) and stability
- Breathing: Proper breathing techniques are crucial for surfing. In yoga, you learn how to control your breath which can help you stay calm and focused even when faced with challenging waves
- Injury prevention: The repetitive nature of surfing can lead to muscle imbalances and injuries. Yoga helps strengthen and stretch muscles throughout the entire body, reducing the risk of injury
- Mindfulness: Surfing and yoga both require focus and being present in the moment. Practicing yoga can help you develop mindfulness and mental clarity, improving your surfing skills
In a nutshell, yoga offers abundant physical benefits that’ll help you become a better surfer, but the X factor here is that it also helps train your mind.
A regular, zero-distraction yoga practice can work wonders for a busy brain. And when you’re in a stimulating environment like the ocean, with so many external factors to consider, a clear mind is key for making good decisions.
How do mobility exercises benefit surfers?
The concept of mobility or movement training has been gaining traction in recent years, and the hit book Becoming A Supple Leopard by Dr. Kelly Starrett has been a game-changer for many athletes, surfers included.
So what exactly is mobility training and how does it benefit surfers?
- Joint health: Mobility exercises focus on improving the range of motion of your joints, reducing pain and stiffness and promoting overall joint health. This is essential for surfers who put a lot of strain on their joints while paddling and riding waves
- Functional movement: Surfing requires dynamic and functional movements, such as twisting, lunging and squatting. Mobility exercises train your body to perform these movements efficiently, leading to better surfing performance
- Injury prevention: Just like yoga, mobility exercises help prevent injuries by addressing muscle imbalances and improving overall body mechanics
- Muscle activation: Many surfers have overactive muscles in certain areas and underactive ones in others due to the repetitive nature of the sport. Mobility exercises can help activate those underused muscles so that your body works as a whole, improving your range of motion
- Recovery: Mobility exercises can also aid in recovery by increasing blood flow to the muscles and promoting tissue repair. This is especially beneficial for surfers who spend long hours in the water and need to ensure their bodies can handle it
Mobility is the young kid on the block, but it’s definitely making its mark in the surfing community.
Its focus on functional movement and injury prevention makes it a great addition to any surfer’s training and exercise routine.
Which one should surfers focus on?
In short, both yoga and mobility have their place in a surfer’s on-land training and recovery schedule. And if you can combine the two (without neglecting one or the other), you have a winning formula for surfing success.
That said, you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself and try doing too much at once.
The key is to find a balance that works for you and your body.
Beginners
Guess what?
As a beginner surfing Lombok for the first time, you’ll probably find the paddling, balance and popping-up aspects of surfing tricky. How often do you do these movements in real life, right?
Well, in surfing, they’re pretty much essential. That’s why yoga is perfect for beginners.
Not only does it work on the physical aspects mentioned above (flexibility, balance, etc.), but it also helps to train your mind and improve focus, which is crucial for learning new skills.
You can of course throw in some mobility exercises too, but if you had to pick one, we’d say start with yoga.
Intermediate
Now you’re grooving!
Chances are you’re feeling confident in the ocean. Dare we say a little bit saucy too. You’ll be attempting manoeuvres and catching bigger waves no doubt.
When you reach this stage, both yoga and mobility are equally important.
The balance and flexibility you’ve gained from yoga will help with your more advanced surfing moves, while the functional movements of mobility training will improve your overall body mechanics for better performance.
At the intermediate level, you’re not only consolidating on what you’ve learned, you’re also branching out and trying new things.
So keep a good balance between yoga and mobility to support your progress.
Advanced
Like intermediate surfers, advanced surfers should focus on both yoga and mobility.
At this level, your body is already accustomed to surfing’s demands, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect it.
Both practices are crucial for maintaining joint health, preventing injuries and improving performance. But when it comes to recovery from all those big waves and marathon sessions, yoga is unmatched.
Yoga disciplines that allow for slow, controlled and mindful movement combined with deep stretches will aid in reducing inflammation, speeding up tissue repair and promoting relaxation.
You’ll notice the difference during back to back surf sessions. Trust us.
When your body feels good, your mind is at ease and you can give surfing your all.
What’s the easiest way to build a yoga/mobility routine?
If you’re like us, you probably get over excited when you discover a new routine or activity that can benefit your surfing.
You’ll want to do that yoga flow every day or those mobility exercises in the morning before work.
But let’s be real, life happens. Between work, friends and planning your next surf trip, it can be challenging to stick to a strict routine.
Our advice?
Use the MTO goal-setting framework, whereby you set a minimum (M) amount of time to dedicate to your yoga and mobility practice, a target (T) that you aim for and an optimum (O) amount of time that’ll give you maximum results.
This way you’re essentially giving yourself three goals.
One when you’re busy (or feeling lazy), one when you’re on track and one when you want to go above and beyond.
It’s an easy way to hold yourself accountable, stay consistent with your practice and ultimately improve your surfing abilities.
Final thoughts
Like asking us to choose between our favourite surfboards, picking between yoga and mobility just isn’t fair.
Both practices complement each other, and together they can help you achieve your surfing goals, prevent injuries and improve your overall wellbeing as a surfer.
So why not give them both a try?
We run regular yoga immersion weeks in addition to our weekly yoga classes. Our surf coaches also touch on the importance of mobility, stretching and recovery both before and after surf sessions.
This way you can experience the benefits of both practices and see what works best for you.
