You book the trip, start looking at boards, and imagine the waves. Then your first session arrives and your arms feel finished before you have had much practice.
If you spend most of the year away from the ocean, preparation is worth including in your trip plans. You don’t need to copy a competitive surfer’s gym schedule. Start with a routine you can repeat, with enough recovery that you arrive ready to surf.
Dryland training can help prepare you for the physical work, while catching waves, reading the ocean and controlling a board still need practice in the water.
What to prepare
Think in terms of the demands you will meet: repeated paddling, getting from prone to standing, staying balanced in a changing stance, and recovering between sessions.
For a recreational trip, we would begin with general strength, comfortable movement, and regular conditioning, then add a little controlled takeoff practice.
A manageable weekly starting point
| Day | Suggested focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Home strength routine |
| Tuesday | Comfortable walk, cycle, or swim |
| Wednesday | Rest or gentle mobility |
| Thursday | Home strength routine |
| Friday | Easy conditioning |
| Weekend | Recovery; optional light practice if you feel fresh |
This is an example, not a requirement. Start with less if exercise is new to you. If you already train, fit preparation into your existing schedule instead of stacking extra sessions on top.
The home routine
Warm up with several minutes of easy movement, then gentle arm circles, hip movement, and a few unloaded repetitions of the exercises. Choose a comfortable range throughout.
Start with one or two rounds. Rest enough to keep the movements controlled. The suggested repetitions below are a starting range; use fewer when needed.
| Movement | Starting range | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Chair squat | 6–10 reps | Sit back toward a stable chair, then stand with control |
| Wall or countertop push-up | 6–10 reps | Use a fixed surface; choose an angle you can manage |
| Supported dumbbell row | 6–10 each side | Start light, support yourself on stable furniture, and avoid twisting |
| Dead bug | 4–6 each side | Move slowly while keeping your trunk steady |
| Supported split squat | 5–8 each side | Hold a stable support and use a comfortable depth |
Use equipment and stable support you already know how to handle. If you don’t have a suitable weight or setup for the row, leave it out.
Finish with a few minutes of comfortable shoulder, upper-back, and hip movement. Mobility work should not mean forcing a joint farther because a stretch looks impressive.
Practice your pop-up without racing it
On a nonslip surface, mark where you expect your feet to land. Practice moving from prone into your surf stance at a speed you can control. Try three to five repetitions, rest, then repeat only while the movement stays tidy.
Notice your landing position and balance. A faster stopwatch result is not useful if you consistently land with your feet in the wrong place.
Dryland practice also differs from taking off on a moving board. If a movement feels awkward or uncomfortable, get guidance rather than drilling it harder.
Keep conditioning simple
Walking, cycling, or swimming can provide a repeatable conditioning habit. Pick an activity you enjoy and a duration you can recover from. Swimming can build water confidence, but pool ability does not establish readiness for currents or surf conditions.
You don’t need to finish every session exhausted. The goal is to build a habit over the weeks before your trip, then arrive without lingering fatigue from a last-minute training push.
What equipment is actually worth considering?
A mat and a light weight may be enough to begin. Bands can add options if you know how to use and secure them correctly. A surfskate or balance board is optional and requires its own learning space and precautions; neither is a prerequisite for a surf holiday.
Before buying something, ask what exercise or skill it will help you practice. If you cannot answer that, wait.
Stop an exercise that causes pain or dizziness. If you have an injury, a relevant health condition, or uncertainty about starting, get individual guidance before using the routine.
Bring your goals to your Flow session. Let us know whether you want help with paddling, takeoffs, direction, or turns so the time in the water builds on your preparation.
Once you’re back in the water, use the surf progress log to track wave-catching and technique separately from your exercise routine.
Sources and further reading
The exercise schedule is a general starting example, not a tested surf-training program. The study below examined strength training and paddling in surfers; its results do not establish the effects of this home routine. Get individual technique or progression guidance when needed.