Is Surfing Good For Your Posture?
In a world where most of us spend our days sitting on a chair, typing at a computer, or slouching in front of our phones and TVs on the sofa – it can be hard to maintain good posture.
Sounds more like an excuse? It is definitely. You see, having a bad posture can have negative effects on your daily living routine as it limits your mobility and makes everyday tasks much harder to complete.
You already know those exercises and stretches that can help you improve your posture, but did you know that surfing has great potential on improving your posture as well?
If done correctly, surfing can not only work out your core and improve balance but also stretch out specific areas of your body.
A great technique is mandatory in every exercise, therefore, in this case, you also need to make sure you’re doing it right to improve your posture.
Keep on reading to learn how to surf your way to a better posture. We’re starting!
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Bad Surfing Positions Can Hurt
Before getting into the ways to improve your posture while surfing, it is important to mention that bad positions can also hurt and harm your posture, especially outside the water.
Two posture-related difficulties that hurt surfers are commonly known as “surfer’s neck” and “surfer’s back”. Let me tell you a bit more about them:
Surfer’s Neck
Surfer’s neck is a condition that is often caused by incorrect surfing techniques. This occurs when the surfer leans their head too far forward while paddling, which puts unnecessary stress on the cervical spine and can lead to pain and discomfort.
There are a few things that can put you at risk of developing surfers neck. First, a lack of flexibility and strength of muscles in the upper back region and spine can make it more likely to occur.
Second, having bad breathing techniques while surfing, can also put you at high risk for a surfer’s neck.
To avoid surfer’s neck, you should be sure to keep your head in line with your body while paddling and stay upright when you catch a wave.
You may also want to focus on strengthening your neck muscles to better support the spine.
If you are already experiencing pain from surfer’s neck or surfer’s back, it is best to seek medical attention to help ease the discomfort.
Surfer’s Back
Surfer’s back is a condition that develops among surfers who spend too much time in the same position while surfing and can be caused by repetitive motions, also such as paddling when surfing.
This condition is characterized by pain in the lower and upper back, and it’s usually caused by muscles that are overworked and stiff.
The best way to treat surfer’s back is to give your muscles time to rest and relax, as well as perform stretching exercises and strengthen your core muscles.
Proper Surfing Positions For Your Posture
One of the most vital things to keep in mind when it comes to improving your posture through surfing is the position you’re taking on the board.
As any surfer knows, proper form is essential for riding the waves. Not only does it help you to stay stable and agile while standing up, but it also allows you to paddle more efficiently and pop up with less effort.
As maintaining good form can be challenging, let’s break down each position in order to improve your posture.
Paddling Position
Paddling is one of the most important skills for surfing. In order to catch a wave, you need to paddle fast and hard.
A good paddling technique will help you catch more waves with less effort while of course, forming a better posture.
When paddling, always keep your core engaged and legs securely together to take pressure off your lower back.
Keep arms close to ears when paddling instead of out in a “V” shape to help keep the body in line and safely engage back and shoulder muscles. This will also result in a better posture overall.
Exercises such as arm raises or planks are great to aid in paddle strength and proper form – these can be done at home whenever you have some free time!
Popping Up Position
When popping up, keep your hands shoulder-width apart, and in sync with the middle of your chest.
Your shoulders and chest shouldn’t collapse – keep them open and back while your shoulders should be back and your chest should be out. Keep your feet and legs together as you engage your thighs and core.
This is a very important part, as you should keep your core engaged and active while you bring your feet underneath, preparing for standing up.
Ever done yoga before? This pose is very similar to the known downward dog pose – you can use it to practice and improve your popping-up technique and to have a better sense of how it should look like.
This position allows you to stretch your body while maintaining a better alignment and it will also help keep your spine stretched and even build muscles for a better posture.
Standing Position
The last one before riding the wave is performing a good standing position. When standing up, make sure you keep your feet together.
Turn your front foot sideways towards the long side of the board, and keep your back foot slightly out.
Shifting your weight throughout the entire board is essential for balance when riding a wave.
Keep your knees and hips slightly bent towards the center of the board at all times. This allows for more stability on the board while engaging your core muscles.
As you become a better surfer, your feet will move around the board more, but your center of gravity will remain in approximately the same place.
Good surfing posture doesn’t only help you stay on your surfboard – it also carries over to improve your posture out of water.
Surfing Does Improve Your Overall Posture
Strong back and core are often thought of when good posture is the topic, but there is much more to it than just that.
In fact, it’s important to have enough flexibility in these muscles in order to prevent bad posture and spinal pain.
Surfing is often a great way to improve your posture. By working out the core and stretching out specific areas of the body, surfing can help to improve your posture overall.
While strong back and abdominal muscles are important for good posture, flexibility is also key.
Surfing helps to improve both strength and flexibility, which can lead to an overall better posture.
When your muscles are strong, they are able to hold your body in the correct alignment, which can help to prevent pain and injuries, especially as we age.
Performing the 3 positions while surfing can specifically help to improve different aspects of your posture as it works out your core, stretches out specific areas of the body, and improves balance and overall strength.
Conclusion
Surfing truly is an amazing sport, and it’s not just about having fun in the waves. Practicing proper technique and posture while paddling, popping up, and standing on your board, can also help to improve your posture out of water too!
Having strong core muscles that are also flexible enough to keep you in alignment will help prevent pain and injuries, and keep your back and core muscles strong and in shape.
What are you waiting for? Go surfing today and make sure you’re performing a good posture on your board.