Maybe you have snowboarded for several years, hopped on a wakeboard a few times at the cottage, and you have been known to shred longboard on the streets when the sun is shining. Question: do the above boardsports translate to the ability to surf?
There are similarities but only to an extent. The balance needed in one boardsport may not transfer as easily as you think. I always respect new surfers’ backgrounds but still teach the same lesson plan because the fundamentals are going to be new and foreign, but only at first.
The dynamic properties of water and the need to paddle into a wave on your own to catch it sets surfing apart from related sports. Yes snowboarding your two feet are on a board in a similar stance but you shimmy shuffle to the edge of the hill, slide over the threshold and gravity takes over ie. you go down ze hill but now the hill is a wave and you’re on your stomach.
How can we prep our core muscles and our body in general for surfing? One of my favourite ways to practice is on the Indo Board. The Indo Board is a fun way to engage new muscles and practice shifting weight forward and back, up and down. For best results when beginning, try it on a yoga mat or grass and with the help of a friend.
Other cool options include using the bosu ball at your gym or even buying one. For the DIY-savvy there’s the option to make your own balance board. Lastly, for the intermediate frother, watch this shirtless man do 50 tricks on an indo board but maybe where a helmet and or mouthguard if getting loco on the board.