Best Exercises for Older Surfers
I’m 41, I’ve surfed for years, worked as a personal trainer and spent a ridiculous amount of my life in gyms.
And the older I get, the more I’ve changed how I train for surfing and longevity.
I’m not interested in training less because I’m getting older. I’m interested in getting stronger while putting that strength where it actually improves my surfing.
For me, that means six things:
Cardio. Paddling. Core strength. Mobility. Full-body strength. Recovery.
If you’re surfing in your 40s, 50s, 60s or beyond, these are the areas I’d prioritise to keep catching waves and surfing well for as long as possible.
Train hard where it matters. Recover intelligently. Train for longevity and performance rather than punishment.
👉 Read: How to Prepare for Your First Surf Trip
The Biggest Challenges for Older Surfers
Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop progressing, but some parts of surfing can require more attention than they used to.
| What changes | What you might notice | What to train |
|---|---|---|
| Pop-up speed | Slower or less fluid takeoffs | Strength, hip mobility + pop-up practice |
| Mobility | Tight hips, shoulders or back | Hip, shoulder + thoracic mobility |
| Paddling endurance | Fatiguing sooner or missing waves | Surfing, swimming + SkiErg |
| Strength | Less power or stability | Full-body strength + single-leg work |
| Recovery | Taking longer to recover between sessions | Sleep, nutrition + managing training load |
| Confidence | More hesitation around wipeouts or injury | Ocean confidence + gradual exposure |
My 6-Pillar Surf Fitness Framework
If all the surf fitness advice online feels overwhelming…
this is the framework I’d personally build around.
Not because it’s perfect.
Because after years of surfing, coaching, training clients, recovering from injuries and coming back to surfing in different seasons of life…
these are the areas that actually seem to matter.
You do not need to master all six.
Even improving one or two can completely change your surfing.
Pillar 1 — Build Your Engine
(Cardio)
Surfing is stop-start endurance.
You need enough cardiovascular fitness to paddle out, recover between waves and keep going when conditions get demanding.
Walking hills, running, cycling and swimming can all build your aerobic base.
You don’t need endless cardio — you need an engine that lets you surf longer without fading halfway through the session.
Pillar 2 — Catch More Waves
(Paddling)
Paddling fitness has a huge influence on wave count.
You need endurance through your shoulders, back and lats, but also enough power to accelerate when a wave arrives.
Swimming is one of my favourite ways to train this away from the ocean. Pull-ups, rows and lat pulldowns can help build the strength underneath it.
But ultimately, the best paddling training is still paddling and surfing regularly.
Pillar 3 — Stay Stable
(Core)
Your core connects everything you do on a surfboard.
Rather than doing hundreds of crunches, I prefer exercises that teach you to resist movement and control your body under load.
Planks, side planks, carries and controlled rotational exercises are all useful.
A stronger core helps transfer force between your upper and lower body and keeps you more stable when the board is moving underneath you.
Pillar 4 — Move Well
(Mobility)
Strength isn’t much use if you can’t move through the positions surfing requires.
For older surfers, I’d pay particular attention to shoulders, thoracic spine, hips and ankles.
You don’t need an hour of stretching every day.
A little targeted mobility done consistently can make paddling, popping up and moving around the board feel considerably easier.
Pillar 5 — Build Strength
(Strength)
I don’t think surfers need to avoid lifting heavy as they get older.
Maintaining strength and muscle is one of the things I prioritise most.
Squats, split squats, hinges, rows, pull-ups and presses give you a strong athletic base without needing to make every gym exercise look like surfing.
Then use your surfing to make that strength surf-specific.
Pillar 6 — Get Up Fast (Pop-Up Power)
Pop-ups are one of the first things surfers notice becoming harder with age — but they’re also highly trainable.
I wouldn’t make them complicated.
Practice the actual movement.
2–3 sets of 5 quality pop-ups, several times a week, is more useful than doing 30 exhausted repetitions with poor technique.
Then train the qualities underneath it: hip mobility, pushing strength, core control and lower-body power.
👉 My complete guide: Surf Pop-Up Exercises
7 Best Exercises for Older Surfers
You don’t need dozens of surf-specific exercises.
I’d rather build strength with a handful of good movements, then actually surf.
These are the exercises I’d prioritise:
1. Bulgarian Split Squats — Single-Leg Strength
Surfing happens in a split stance, so I like having some unilateral leg work in my program.
Try: 3 sets of 8–10 each leg.
Focus on control and gradually increase the load as you get stronger.
2. Romanian Deadlifts — Posterior Chain Strength
RDLs strengthen your glutes and hamstrings while training your posterior chain and hip-hinge strength.
Try: 3 sets of 6–10 reps.
I’d rather progressively strengthen this movement than spend all my time doing unstable “surf-specific” exercises.
3. Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns — Paddling Strength
Your lats do a lot of work when you’re paddling.
Pull-ups are one of my favourites, but assisted pull-ups or lat pulldowns are completely fine if you’re building strength.
Try: 3 sets of 6–10 reps.
4. Rows — Upper-Back Strength
Rows help build the back and shoulder strength needed for repeated paddling.
Use dumbbells, cables or a chest-supported row.
Try: 3 sets of 8–12 reps.
5. Push-Ups — Pop-Up Strength
You don’t need five different push-up variations.
A strong basic push-up gives you a good foundation for the pushing phase of your pop-up.
Once these are easy, progress the load or introduce more explosive variations.
Try: 2–3 sets of 8–15 quality reps.
6. Actual Pop-Ups — Train the Skill
This one gets overlooked.
If you want your pop-up to improve, practice popping up.
You need strength and mobility, but the movement itself is also a skill.
I’d rather do:
2–3 sets of 5 clean, fast pop-ups
than 30 tired ones with poor technique.
7. Swimming or SkiErg — Paddling Endurance
Strength won’t help much if you’re exhausted after ten minutes of paddling.
Swimming is probably my favourite crossover because you’re building upper-body endurance while actually moving through water.
Try intervals rather than only long, slow sessions to mimic the changing effort of a surf.
A simple starting point could be 4 × 50m freestyle with plenty of recovery, gradually adding distance or reducing rest as your fitness improves.
A SkiErg is another useful option when you can’t get in the ocean or pool.
8. Thoracic + Hip Mobility — Keep the Movement You Need
I don’t think older surfers need endless stretching.
I’d concentrate on the areas surfing asks a lot from:
- Thoracic spine
- Shoulders
- Hips
- Ankles
Even 5–10 minutes regularly can be more useful than an enormous mobility session you never actually do.
👉 Read: Surf Mobility Exercises
Your Equipment Matters Too
Training helps, but the wrong surfboard can make surfing unnecessarily difficult as you get older.
👉 Read: Best Surfboards for Older Women
Want a Structured Surf Fitness Program?
If you’d rather follow a program than build your own, I’ve personally used Surf Strength Coach by Cris Mills.
What I liked was that the training was actually designed around surfing rather than simply making workouts harder.
For older surfers I’d look at:
Endless Paddling Endurance — paddle fitness
Surfers Back Solution — back/mobility issues
Perfect Pop Up Program — pop-up limitations
If your main limitation is fitness rather than surf technique, this is the type of program I’d look at before buying more surf gear.
👉 Check out Surf Strength Coach here
Fitness Helps Confidence Too
One reason I care so much about surf fitness isn’t aesthetics.
Feeling physically capable changes how you approach the ocean.
When I trust my paddling, my pop-up and my ability to handle a long session, I hesitate less. I know I can get myself out of trouble, paddle back out and keep going when conditions get harder.
But not every confidence problem is physical.
Fear of wipeouts, hold-downs, injury or crowded lineups can still steal waves even when you’re fit.
That’s where the other side of surf confidence comes in.
👉 Read: How to Build Ocean Confidence
👉 Read: Why Women Feel Intimidated in the Surf Lineup
Surf apnea and breath training can also help you become more comfortable with breathlessness and the stress of being underwater after a wipeout.
👉 Read: Surf Apnea for Surfers
One underrated way to build water confidence and endurance:
👉 Read: Body Surfing With a Hand Plane
Recovery Is Part of Surf Fitness
There’s no point destroying your legs in the gym if the swell arrives tomorrow and you can barely paddle out.
I still train hard.
What I’ve changed is how much attention I give to recovering from it.
The goal isn’t to avoid hard training as you get older. It’s to be able to absorb the training and still have enough left to surf well.
I pay more attention now to sleep, food, mobility, walking and managing hard sessions around good surf.
Final Thoughts
Getting older has changed the way I train for surfing.
I still want to be strong. I still like training hard. And I still want to progress.
But now I’m much more interested in training for the things that keep me surfing well — strength, paddling fitness, mobility, pop-up power and recovery.
You don’t need to train like your 20-year-old self.
And you definitely don’t need to stop training hard just because you’re getting older.
Build a body that lets you catch more waves, recover well and keep surfing for decades.
That’s the goal.
If you’re in need of inspiration for your next surf trip – check this out!
FAQ: Exercises for Older Surfers
What are the best exercises for older surfers?
The best exercises for older surfers build strength, paddling endurance, mobility and pop-up power.
I prioritise compound movements such as Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlifts, pull-ups, rows and push-ups, alongside swimming or paddling work, regular pop-up practice and targeted hip, shoulder and thoracic mobility.
You don’t need dozens of surf-specific exercises. Build a strong, mobile body and then spend as much time actually surfing as you can.
Should older surfers lift weights?
Yes. Strength training can help older surfers maintain muscle, power and physical capacity as they age.
I prefer progressive full-body strength training alongside surfing, paddling fitness and mobility rather than trying to make every gym exercise look “surf specific.”
The goal is for your gym training to support your surfing, not leave you too exhausted to surf.
What are the best pop-up exercises for older surfers?
Start by practising the actual pop-up.
Try 2–3 sets of 5 clean, fast pop-ups several times a week rather than doing large numbers of tired repetitions.
Strengthening your pushing muscles and legs while improving hip mobility and core control can also make the movement easier.
👉 Read: Surf Pop-Up Exercises
What are the best exercises for surf paddling?
Swimming is one of my favourite ways to build paddling endurance away from the ocean.
For strength, pull-ups, lat pulldowns and rows can help develop the back and upper-body strength used during paddling.
But nothing perfectly replicates paddling a surfboard. If possible, combine gym and swimming work with regular surfing or board paddling.
Can you improve your surfing after 40?
Absolutely.
Getting older may change how you recover and train, but it doesn’t mean your surfing has to stop progressing.
Improving your strength, mobility, paddling fitness, pop-up and wave knowledge can all help you catch more waves and surf more confidently.
And sometimes progression isn’t about surfing more aggressively — it’s simply about becoming stronger, smarter and more capable in the ocean.