Surfing
Surfing
Best yoga poses for surfers
A guide to the best yoga poses for surfers so you can achieve balance both on the mat and your surfboard.
A surfer’s training is never finished. Even for some of the best in the world, such as Red Bull surfer Carissa Moore, there’s always room to get better.
“I’m definitely performance-driven, so I’m always wanting to improve," she says.
Carissa Moore rides it out
© Ben Thouard
Hitting the waves as much as possible is one way to get there. But every athlete needs a good cross-training routine to complement their primary sport. That’s why you might want to consider trying yoga when you’re on dry land. This physical, mental, and spiritual discipline offers one of the best ways to get in shape for surfing.
If you’re a surfer looking to improve flexibility and core strength, yoga can boost your performance in the water.
01
The connection between yoga and surfing
Yoga is great for working all the muscles you use in surfing. There are tons of poses that strengthen your upper body and the core muscles you need for optimal balance on your board. You’ll also improve your circulation and overall mobility, which are essential for injury prevention. The connection between yoga and surfing, though, goes beyond the physical impact.
Top yoga poses for surfers
Yoga and surfing can help you live a happier, healthier life
© Simon Rae
02
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
This power pose offers a full-body experience. Warrior II engages your upper and lower body, strengthening your quads and shoulders while opening up your chest and hip flexor muscles. If you want to boost your balance and endurance, incorporate this yoga pose into your routine in a few easy steps.
- Stance. Stand on your mat in a wide stance. Bend your front knee so it’s in line with your front ankle. Position your back foot so your toes are slightly angled toward the top corner of your mat. Start in a high lunge position before angling your back foot so you can establish stability and proper alignment.
- Upper body. Raise your arms out with one facing forward and one facing behind you. Keep your arms at shoulder height, with your wrists over your ankles and your neck relaxed.
- Holding the pose. Engage your core and lower legs as you sink into the pose. Focus on your breath and hold for 10- to 15-second increments. Work toward holding the pose longer each time.
- Release and repeat. Exhale while pressing your weight into your feet, and inhale to straighten your legs. Turn to switch to the other side, bend your other knee forward, and repeat the above steps.
03
Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Perhaps the most popular yoga pose, downward-facing dog gives your lower body a great big stretch while strengthening your upper body. You might already be familiar with the shape of this inversion — your head below your heart, your back legs straight. It’s a great way to keep your hamstrings, calves, and ankles loose for a more controlled surfing stance. With this pose, it’s super important to pay attention to the details.
- Establish your foundation. Begin on all fours, with your wrists aligned with your shoulders and your hips aligned with your knees.
- Lift up. Raise your hips in the air while keeping your knees bent. Move your hands forward, away from your shoulders.
- Pay attention to palm position. Spread your fingers wide and press firmly into the ground, focusing especially on the area between your index fingers and thumbs. This will take some pressure off the wrists.
- Maintain the posture. Rotate your upper arms, keeping your shoulders away from your ears. Keep your back straight by engaging your core and drawing your navel toward your spine.
- Don’t worry if your heels aren’t flat. It can take a lot of practice before you can do this pose without your heels rising, so don’t stress about that part. It’s more important to keep your knees bent if it keeps your spine aligned and stable.
04
Pigeon pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Pigeon pose is one of the best ways to get a deep stretch in the hips. If you’ve ever had a tight lower back after surfing, this pose can help open up the hip joints that might be causing you trouble. It’s one of the more pretzel-like poses, so be mindful when getting in and out of this pose.
- Find your center first. Start on all fours, making sure you’re fully aligned before bringing your right foot forward toward your right wrist. It can be easier to engage your core if you extend your right leg out behind you before bringing it forward.
- Ease into the pose. Move mindfully as you position your front leg, bent in front of you so that your right ankle is aligned with your left hip. Your left leg will slide back, so it’s straight behind you, toes pointed toward the floor, heels facing the sky. Back off if you feel any sharp pain in the knees.
- Hold and breathe. Use your fingertips to press into the ground while you stay upright with your spine straight for a few breaths. If you want a deeper stretch, walk your hands forward on an exhale and lean over your lower body. Try at least five breaths in each position as you focus on the stretch in your right hip.
- Slowly transition to the other side. Press your palms into the earth for momentum as you curl your back toes under and lift your hips in an unhurried, fluid motion. Reestablish your foundation on all fours and repeat with your left side.
05
Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Want some extra upper body flexibility? Cobra pose is great for increasing mobility in your chest and shoulders so you can paddle out with no problem. Known as a heart-opening pose, there are modifications of the cobra backbend to suit all levels.
- Alignment. This pose is done lying down on your stomach, with your heels hip-width apart and the tops of your feet pressing firmly into your mat. You’ll bend your arms to bring your hands close at your sides, next to your rib cage. Engage your core, taking the same cue of drawing your navel toward your spine.
- Backbend. Push off with your hands, then raise your head and chest up off the ground. Rotate your shoulders down and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Maintain a straight neck aligned with your spine.
- Modify up or down. If you feel flexible enough, you can raise your upper body with your arms mostly straightened but with a slight bend. On the other hand, if you’re not quite there yet, there’s nothing wrong with staying just slightly off the ground. Relax everything to release the posture or move into the next pose in your yoga flow.
06
Tree pose (Vrikshasana)
This famous one-legged balancing posture appears simple but certainly puts your focus to the test. It’s the perfect exercise for strengthening your lower body and mental concentration.
- Stand tall. You’ll begin this standing move in mountain pose with firm footing and your head, heart, and pelvis aligned. Maintain a straight spine and strong core throughout this pose.
- Shift your weight. As you prepare to raise one foot, subtly move your weight to the leg that will remain standing for stability.
- Position your foot. You’ll place the foot of your raised leg up against the standing leg. You can rest it against your calf or thigh, but don’t rest it against your knee. Breathe and hold the pose for 15 seconds when you’re still beginning.
- Arm variations. You can leave your hands in a prayer position at your heart, or you can push your balance and experiment with raising your arms.
Additional poses
These are a few other poses to explore if you want to improve your strength and flexibility for even better surfing.
- Bridge. Stretch out your hip flexors while strengthening your lower back muscles in this reclined back bend.
- Plank. It’s known as one of the best core strengthening exercises, but it also works your shoulders, hips, legs, and spine.
- Seated forward bend. One of the easiest ways to stretch your hamstrings, back, and calves also helps put you in a focused frame of mind.
Incorporating yoga into your surfing routine
Some surfers can’t go a day without yoga. You only need 15 minutes of practice, three or four times a week, to see the benefits for yourself.
When you’re ready to hit the waves, a little bit of yoga can improve your experience a ton. It makes a great warmup to do a few sun salutations that incorporate downward dog, cobra, and plank. Bridges and seated forward bends make great restorative poses when you’re ready to cool down.
07
Yoga for mental focus and breathing
You can easily practice Pranayama, the mindful breathing techniques fueling your yoga poses, anywhere off your yoga mat, including on your surfboard. It can be as simple as taking a few deep diaphragmatic breaths, inhaling all the way into your belly while waiting for the next wave. A regular Pranayama practice can calm your nervous system and bring your focus into the present moment so nothing matters but you and your surfboard.
Integrate yoga for a better surf practice
Taking care of yourself out of the water is essential for better performance on the waves. Yoga offers the perfect balance of physical and mental training to enhance your surfing experience. From improving your balance to honing your concentration, you’ll feel the benefits of yoga on the mat, in the ocean, and far beyond.
