Your perfect point of power is your perfect point of balance!

Proprioception training or balance training can enhance your body awareness and movement efficiency. If you’re a surfer then this type of training is for you!

What is Proprioception Training?

Basically this is a wide area, and the training kit that can be used to improve it is vast. Proprioception is an automatic sensitivity mechanism in the body that sends messages through the central nervous system the information then gets sent back to the rest of the body on how to react, and when to apply moment, and in what direction(an off the lip movement, bottom turn, cut-back or taking it to the extreme getting barrelled)!
If you’re seriously keen to improve your surfing then there are a whole range of training kits available that will aid surfing balance, rotational movements, strength, and movement skill.
While on a surf board all good surfing movement generally comes from the correct surfing stance. Once you have found this point of balance or stance with , ankles, knees and hips slightly flexed , movements are then initiated i.e. the cutback.

With so many types of training kit around here are the top 3:

The Indo Board

The Indo Board has to be the most well known. Used by thousands of surfers across the globe it can be a very useful bit of kit for boosting your surfing strength and fitness.
You can perform single and two legged movements such as squats and lunges develop your core strength, upper body strength and have a lot of fun along the way!
Also the great thing with indo is the IndoFlo Cushion an inflatable disc that can be used to boost balance, knee, and leg strength on its own but, also fits under the indo board, to allow the user to perform a vast range of exercises for improving your surfing strength and power.

Take a look at our range of Indo Boards here.

The Cool Board

Again, the Cool Board has great benefits to the surfer and can be used to boost your proprioceptive skills, strength, balance and surfing skills.
Every cool board comes with 2 balls, a smaller ball if you’re new to the Cool Board and a larger ball once you get used to the movements. By floating freely on a ball Cool Board can move and rotate in any direction, slightly more challenging than the Indo to start but once you get used to the movement you will have a lot of fun!

Take a look at our Cool Boards!

The “BOSU” Balance Trainer

The term “Bosu” to mean “Both Sides Utilised”,
Both sides can be used for a huge range of surfing related exercises, balance training, core strength training, upper body exercises, the list is endless! If you’re really keen on taking your surfing performance to the next level the “Bosu” can be a great piece of kit.

You can buy the Bosu Balance Trainer here.

All balance equipment can be unstable warming up before any training is vital. To avoid injury before a balance training session try a light mobility session before you start.

Improve all your surfing moves with visualisation skills!

visualisation of the moves may well take you a step further to achieving your dream manoeuvre!
It is now widely accepted across the world that practising regular visualisation techniques of sporting movements can enhance performance.
Many top world class surfers now use visualisation techniques to help with their performance; such techniques provide the athlete not only with the competitive edge, but a renewed mental awareness!
For example take the first part of any surfing move that you wish to improve on and in a quiet area repeat that movement in your head over and over this would be most beneficial done in a relaxed state i.e. on your bed with eyes shut.
With mental rehearsal, minds and bodies become trained to actually perform the skill imagined and in return taking performance to improved levels.
Just before hitting the water try rehearsing your favourite move 20 times then on the first wave set that comes through implement your move, this constant practice training the mind then implementing the move, will have a positive effect on your surfing performance over time.

There is more info on balance training in my new book THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SURF FITNESS.