Lowers: home to one of the world’s most rippable waves. Photo: ASP/Rowland
Are you ready to take one of the world’s best waves? Every year at the Lowers Pro, the elite members of surfing show us what’s truly possible, section by section. Most of us will watch in amazement, asking questions like, “How did he pull that off?” The answer, besides the obvious natural ability, is the hard work and preparation they’ve put in. And even though we might not be on tour, we can give ourselves a competitive edge if we train as though we are. Before you head to the nearest globo-gym for a ten minute spin and half hour eucalyptus sauna session, let’s look at what’s really going to help you perform better in the water.
The first thing to consider when training for Lowers is Lowers itself. What type of wave is it? Does it produce mostly left or rights? Are there longer or shorter sections? Lowers is a pointbreak that has both lefts and rights on tap with workable sections on both sides. On this high performance wave, the limit of what can be done is left up to your skill level and imagination. Because there are so many possibilities, training your stability and neuromuscular systems is necessary in order to complete and link maneuvers together. The wave has a sloped face that gives its passengers time to set up multiple hits on each ride, so muscular endurance and strength is a must. And if going to the air and blowing your fins out the back fits your style of surfing, then power training can help get you there or amplify what you’re doing now.
The base of any program should center around stability and neuromuscular control. This is especially true for surfing. Keep in mind that not all exercises are created equal, so when training for a high performance wave like Lowers, you need to keep it uptempo while targeting the right areas. Some exercises we like to use at Extreme Athletics for a wave like this are: Pop-ups on the Bosu ball or Indo board, scorpions on a physioball, and reaching opposites while balancing on a physioball.
Stability
Pop-ups:
Begin in a push up position with your hands on the Bosu/Indo. Remember to keep your core engaged. Push hard through your chest and arms while jumping forward with your legs into a surf stance, keeping your chest high and legs low with flexion in your knees and hips.
Novice – When you first attempt this exercise, push and jump to the side of the Bosu/Indo, alternating between regular and goofy footing to maintain balance on each side of the body.
Intermediate – As you feel more comfortable with the exercise, attempt to land on the Bosu/Indo in your normal stance.
Expert – Once you are going through the exercise with good form, pace, and stability, attempt to alternate between regular and goofy footing jumping onto the Bosu/Indo giving your body an added challenge.
*This exercise is going to help you get to your feet quickly and flow into maneuvers as you go down the line.
Bosu Pop-ups.
