Editor’s Note: If you’re interested in more surf-centric workout programs designed to improve your wave count and your health, check out Boost Your Surf Training with Gershon Borlai.
The hip joint is one of the most important body parts in your pop up, creating the proper surfing stance, and even doing radical turns on a steep wave face. In order to execute these movements, you need adequate joint mobility.
The Downward Frog is a movement/pose that will properly loosen and open up the muscles around the hip and through the inner thigh. Below is a complete routine that can be done in three minutes. You can also download the below routine as a one-page cheat sheet that will help you to stretch the key areas for surfing in five minutes at home.
How to do it properly:
You should feel the stretch in the middle side of the thigh and around your hip joint.
1. Push your butt towards your heels.
2. Push your hip towards the ground.
3. Rotate the hip keep and the knees so they’re straight.
-Start the exercise on all fours.
-Spread your knees to the side as much as you can.
-Sit in between the ankles (push your hip backward).
-Place your forearms in a plank position (palms on the ground).
-Move your body forward and backward 10-15 cm.
-Take a deep breath in the starting position and exhale during the movement.
For those with sensitive knees, use a pillow or folded blanket under the knees.
Holding this position for 3 to 5 breaths should do the trick. During stretching try to take a deep breath through your nose for 2-4 seconds and then exhale through the mouth for 5-7 seconds. Repeat fives times in one session.
Common mistakes
-A comon mistake is keeping the knees too close to each other. This way you can’t stretch you hips effectively, only the thighs.
-Another common mistake is placing the shin and heel outside of the knee line. This way, you put too much pressure on the knee joint.
-Minor movement with the hips: Don’t be afraid moving the hips forward and backward.
If you are interested in more, I have a quick, 5-minute stretch routine that can improve your surfing, you can download the above routine as a 1-page cheat sheet that will help you to stretch the key areas for surfing in 5 minutes at home.
Yours,
Editor’s Note: If you’re interested in more surf-centric workout programs designed to improve your wave count and your health, check out Boost Your Surf Training with Gershon Borlai.
