Dashel Pierson from Surfline.com interviews Paul Norris from Surf Ready Fitness on proper stretches that surfers can do to maximize time spent in the water...
Surfing, more than most sports, demands a certain degree of flexibility. Think about it: every aspect of surfing from paddling, to popping up, to simply sitting on your board in the lineup requires a spry and supple authority over the body. And that’s just the easy stuff.
As the maneuvers get tougher, so does the ability to execute them with stiff muscles and joints. Why do you think you always see the world’s best surfers stretching like mystic yogis before they paddle out for a heat? Without that flexibility, they’d seize up like the tinman in the Wizard of Oz whenever they went for a layback or a roundhouse cutty.
And nobody wants that – neither pro, nor average joe. So, we asked Paul Norris, founder of Surf Ready Fitness and longtime trainer of Kanoa Igarashi, for a rundown on beneficial stretches for surfers. And he had one special tool, which he says: “I make all my athletes travel with one.” (Hint: You can pick one up at Home Depot).