5 Strength-Building Exercises for Surfers

Fall is a great time to plan an Outer Banks surfing excursion. With the increase in east swells, south swells, north swells, and we sterilizes, surfers are flocking to Hatteras and other towns to take advantage of the surf conditions, weather, and thinning crowds.

Before you head out to surf this season, prepare your body. Whether you are new to surfing or a veteran, every surfer needs to build body strength to get the most out of their time in the ocean.

Surfing requires shoulder and arm strength for paddling to the waves, and core strength and balance for riding the waves back to the shore. Professional surfers suggest exercising three times a week for a month before you hit the waves. In addition, they recommend at least 20 minutes of swimming and 20 minutes of jogging for aerobic conditioning on alternate days.

The Surfer’s Warm Up

Your warm up for a surfing workout—or for heading out to surf—should include movements that mimic those of surfing. The goal is to increase your heart rate, improve balance, relax stiff muscles, and loosen joints. Click here to read our article on warm-up exercises for surfers.

Strength Training

For safety, always workout under the supervision of a professional or experienced partner, especially if you are using weights. As you build strength, your goal is to complete three sets of 15 repetitions for each of the following exercises, unless otherwise noted.

1. Medicine Ball Reach

While holding a medicine ball (or something similar) in your hands, lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended behind your head. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly bring your legs and arms up at the same time. Touch the ball with your feet, while keeping your legs as straight as possible. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position.

2. Swiss Ball Crunch

While holding a medicine ball with both hands, sit on a Swiss ball. Slowly lie down on the Swiss ball so that your thighs and torso are level with the floor. Tighten your abs to raise your upper body, pause, and then return to the starting position.
3. Dumbbell Flat Rotation Push

Place a dumbbell in each hand and lay face-up on a bench. Position the weights next to your chest, with your palms facing your feet. Quickly press the weights up, fully extending your arms and rotating your hands to finish with your palms facing inward. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position.

4. Dumbbell Shoulder Rotation Circles

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and a 5-pound weight in each hand. Raise your arms out to your sides at shoulder level and begin slowly moving your arms in tight circles. Do 20 circles, then switch directions and do 20 more. Next, drop your arms to your sides and slowly swing one arm back and over as if you were paddling. Repeat 10 times and then do the other arm.

5. Medicine-Ball Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a medicine ball in both hands. Extend your arms so the ball is straight over your head. Bend your knees slightly, and then jump upward, bringing your knees up toward your chest as you go. Land softly and spring back up as fast as possible.

6 Warm-UpExercises for Surfers

Fall is a great time to plan an Outer Banks surfing excursion. With the increase in east swells, south swells, north swells, and westerlies, surfers are flocking to Hatteras and other towns to take advantage of the surf conditions, weather, and thinning crowds.

Before you hit the waves this season, prepare your body. Whether you are new to surfing or a veteran, every surfer needs to build body strength to get the most out of their time in the ocean. But first, learn these warm-up exercises to enhance performance and to reduce the chance of injury.

Your warm up for a surfing session—or for a strength-building workout—should include movements that mimic those of surfing. The goal is to increase your heart rate,improve balance, relax stiff muscles, and loosen joints.

1.  Squats
From a standing position, place your feet at a distance that is a little wider than your shoulders and turn your toes out slightly. Squat while keeping your upper body straight and your eyes forward. Touch the ground with both of your hands, pause, and then rise. As you stand up, circle your arms upward as you reach for the sky. Remember to exhale as you squat and inhale as you stand up.Repeat this motion 10 to 15 times.

2. Torso Rotations
Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee and with your hip pushed back. Extend your arms in front of your body and slowly rotate from side to side. The objective is to control the movement while balancing on a single leg.Switch legs and repeat 10 to 15 times.

3. Rotation Pushups
Begin in the pushup position and rotate one arm towards the sky while rolling your body onto one side. Now you are balancing on one hand and your other hand reaching upwards. Then rotate back into pushup position and repeat the movements on the other side.

4. Shoulder Rotations
From a standing position, keep your back straight, bend your knees slightly, and bend forward from your hips until you feel a moderate stretch in your hamstrings. Next,extend both of your arms out from your sides and make small circles for 30 repetitions. Repeat in the opposite direction.

5. Lunges
From a standing position, stretch one leg in front of you, extend your arms towards the sky, push off with your front foot, and then back into the starting position. Switch legs and repeat 10 to 15 times.

6. Standup Knee Hugs
Stand with your back erect. Pull one knee towards your chest with both arms. The objective is to bring your knee as high as possible without rounding your back. Hold this position and then repeat with your other leg. This movement will help stretch your back muscles and hamstrings and help develop better balance.
Now you are ready to hit the water and ride some waves or to pick up a medicine ball for a surfing workout!
Surfing requires shoulder and arm strength for paddling to the waves, and core strength and balance for riding the waves back to the shore. Check back next month to read our strength-building exercises designed for surfers of any skill level.

Surfboard Fins 101

Before you head out to surf, brush up on your knowledge of surfboard fins so that you can get the most out of your OBX surfing adventure.

A surfboard fin (or skeg) is fixedto the tail of a surfboard and is designed to improve directional stability and control with foot steering. By varying their weight distribution on the sides of the board, surfers can direct and stabilize a board's path if fins are in place. Surfboard fins are available in several different materials andhave been designed to be used in various configurations to meet the needs of different surfers and surfing conditions.

Fin History
The first surfboards had no fins butsurfers were able to executesome control by developing convex hulls—and dragging a foot in the water. A common problem with these early boards was that the tail would slip to the side, usually causing a fall.
The first fixed fin was introduced in 1935by surfing pioneer Tom Blake. Blake attached a 12-inch-long, 4-inch-deep metal keel from a speedboat and to his surfboard, and was immediately happy with the control that he had obtained.Around 1936, Woody Brownindependently added a fixed fin to his second surfboard design, which made fins even more popular.

The stability and control that fins provided forever changed the sport, though many surfers avoided them for several years. Others claimed that fins were too dangerous.

Fins increased in popularity in the mid-1940s and became the industry standard in the 1950s. Experimental fin design and configuration became more common after 1966 with the advent of shortboards. The popularity of parallel double fins, first introduced in the 1940s by Bob Simmons, recurred periodically. Simon Anderson introduced the three-fin "Thruster" design in 1981, which has since become standard.

Fin Types

Glassed-InFins
Glassed-in fins, rarely seen today,were permanently fixed to the surfboard through fiberglass. These fins,which were mainly used on older surfboards, are easily broken and difficult to repair.

Removable Fin Systems
In the early 1990s three Australian surfers invented the fin control system (FCS) and, since its release in 1994, FCS has become the industry standard. FCS provides both professional and recreational surfers many fin design options and a means to change the performance of their surfboard by swapping out fins. The fin control system also made the surfboard manufacturing process more efficient by making it easier to install fins and repair damaged ones.

Removable fins are the most common types of fins used today. Thesedetachable fins can be unscrewed from the surfboard and replaced by different fins or can be moved about the board for a different configuration.

Flexible Fins
Due to their safety features, flexible fins are attached to most rental boards. These fins don’t cut surfers like rigid ones. However, surfers can expect to lose some directional control when they use flexible fins.

Basic Fin Configurations

Single Fin
The single fin setup is the original fin setup and is common on longboards. The one fin is usually longer and wider than other fins, which makes the surfboard maneuverable.

Twin Fin
The twin fin setup has two smaller fins mounted near the rail. This setup makes the surfboard faster and easier to turn.

Thruster
The most common fin setup, the "thruster",has three fins of the same size. The setup includes two semi-parallel fins mounted near the rails that are 10-12 inches forward of the tail and one middle fin at 3-5 inches.

2+1 Setup
The 2+1 setup has a larger center fin with two small to medium-small fins, which are attached close to the rails. These "sidebites" provide some lift, control, and stability to the surfboard when it is arcing through turns. Typically, these two fins are removableso that a surfer can ride smaller waves, which means less drag and easier turning. The 2+1 configuration is popular for medium to long surfboards.

Quad Setup

The quad configurationconsists of four fins—two on each side—that are attached in a similar position to that of the rail fins on a thruster. The front ones are usually larger than the rear ones, but not always. This setup is popular on short boards and provides greater lift and control near the rail.

We welcome all OBX surfing enthusiasts to explore our line of surfboards as well as our skateboards, skim boards, body boards, balance boards, and stand up paddleboards (SUP). Our friendly, knowledgeable staff while help you find the right board for your body type and experience.

We also carry a full line watersports gear for men, women, and children. From watches to wetsuits, get all your boarding gear at the Outer Banks Boarding Company!

Evolution of the Surfboard

Surfing is one of the oldest sports in the world and the evolution of the surfboard boosts a diverse history. While you plan your Outer Banks surfing adventure, learn about the origin of surfing and the development surfboards.

History

The origination of the surfboard and surfing has a varied background. Many people say that the concept developed in Hawaii and that Polynesians contributed to its creation. It is believed that the ships of Captain James Cook, which were called HMS Discovery and Resolution, made the first known visit to Hawaii from Europe. Crewmen saw people surfing in Hawaii and say that the sport was popular there when Captain Cook arrived.

During the fourth century A.D, many think that Polynesians first came to Hawaii where they used belly boards. It is believed that they stood on the boards as well. However, it is said that they probably knew basic surfing skills, while the concept of standing on boards started and developed in Hawaii.

Surfing is sometimes known as the “sport of kings” because Hawaiian royalty were once the primary surfers. Surfing became a part of the Hawaiian culture and in 1819 others were also permitted to surf. However, when western missionaries came to Hawaii in the 1800s, surfing was banned. The sport was then permitted again by the 1900s. Duke Kahanamoku, who was from Waikiki Beach, shared the sport of surfing with others, including with the mainland of the United States and Australia.

Surfboard Design

George Freeth, the “Father of Modern Surfing”, was born in Hawaii and was known as the first professional surfer in the world and the first surfer of Southern California. Freeth amazed onlookers when he demonstrated his surfing skills at Redondo Beach.Freeth also became the first official lifeguard in the country and created a lifesaving device.

Tom Blake is known as the inventor of hollow surfboards. By using waterproof glue and a plywood frame construction, he changed the construction of a surfboard from its solid construction. This helped to reduce the weight significantly, and it also benefited the performance. Hollow surfboards that are lighter and water-repellent are aerodynamic surfboards, especially compared to the original solid ones.

The design of the surfboard continues to change. Balsa wood became popular as the hollow redwood surfboard was no longer used. Balsa wood surfboards were lighter and better suited for the water. Surfers have worked on improving the performance of the board, including the stability of the surfboard and the fin of the surfboard.

A surfboard's design can be reflective of the inventions during a time period, such as the invention of fiberglass. The first fiberglass surfboard was created by Pete Peterson. And the surfboard that was developed by Bob Simmons, a California builder, was made of materials such as foam, plywood, balsa wood, and fiberglass. From balsa wood to lightweight fiberglass, the surfboard has evolved with improved designs and technologies. Various types of surfboards continue to be developed.

Outer Banks Surfing

Outer Banks surfing takes place on more than 100 miles of the coastline and is considered one of the best surfing regions on the east coast. Due to the shape of the Outer Banks coast plus the sandbars, piers, and other structures, the barrier islands offer unique and ever-changing surfing conditions. In addition, hurricanes and nor'easters create ridable swell that draws surfing enthusiasts from around the globe.

For more information, contact us at 252-441-1939. We are prepared to help you with your Outer Banks surfing experience.

Surfboard Care 101

To enjoy your time in the water to its fullest, it is important to maintain your surfboard so that every ride is as exciting as the first time that you used your board.

Taking care of a surfboard should be one of the top priorities for a surfer. Before your Outer Banks surfing adventure starts, you must be proactive and understand how to maintain the quality of your surfboard for the long run. If you take care of your surfboard from the beginning, you will enjoy the results for years to come. A surfboard that is managed well will have a longer lifespan as well as a more efficient performance.

Bag that Board

Using a quality surfboard bag or a quality board sock is a good way to protect the board while you are not using it. Board bags might be the better option because they have a shoulder strap, which makes it convenient to carry them. Some bags also have insulation, so your surfboard will not be exposed to UV rays. When you are not using your surfboard, you should leave it in the surfboard bag or board sock. This will prevent damage from the sun and prevent damage from carrying it around.

Rack it Up

A surfboard rack that can be placed on the top of your vehicle is also a good method of transportation when you are preparing to go Outer Banks surfing. Use material like pipe insulation to support the rack, and make sure that your surfboard is secured. When you use straps for your surfboard, avoid putting the straps on the board too tightly.

Block the Rays

It is important to avoid letting the surfboard be in direct contact with sunlight. It should be stored inside, such as inside a garage. A rack for your board can be installed into a wall, which will allow the surfboard to be safe and secure. Keep the surfboard out of an area where particles of dust and bugs can damage it. Remember that a board bag or sock will also prevent damage. If the sun has direct contact with the surfboard for a long period of time, the wax can melt, and the foam will become yellow as well.

Rinse, Everytime

Every time you finish using your surfboard, you should clean the board with freshwater. The saltwater can damage the surfboard, and it must be washed off to prevent any potential damage. When you are not using the surfboard while surfing, make sure it is clean and dry.

Polish and Repair

You should clean the board with wax combs and wax removers every once in a while as well. Polishing the surfboard is also a good way to maintain its quality. Washing and polishing the surfboard on a weekly basis is a good method to use to keep it clean and working well. It is best to check your surfboard on a regular basis to make sure it is maintained for a great surfing experience. If your surfboard does get damaged or has cracks, you should have it repaired and fixed immediately. You do not want to let water go inside the foam of the surfboard.

Outer Banks surfing is a great experience, and it is even better when you maintain your surfboard. These tips can provide you with an effective and clean surfboard, so you can have a great Outer Banks surfing experience.

Outer Banks Surf Cam: OBBC Partners with OBX Live Surf

“We are happy to share that the Outer Banks Boarding Company has partnered with OBX Live Surf as the host surf shop.”
 

OBX Live Surf is a website that focuses on the surfing community and features a live, high-definition Outer Banks surf cam that sits on the top of Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

“The goal of OBXLiveSurf is to bring you real time updates and support our tight knit family of surfers here on the Outer Banks. OBXLiveSurf is dedicated to the surfing lifestyle and to supporting its local community,” says professional surfer, Noah Snyder. Noah and his team provide local weather conditions, swell information, and daily surf reports.

Take advantage of three daily reports from OBX Live Surf. Each report includes a table that details the report location, wave height at the shore, wave surface condition, wind direction and speed, high and low tides, water temperature, sunrise and sunset times, and a “fun factor” scale.

Get information on swells with OBX Live Surf links to OBX tide charts, southeast buoy data, hurricane trackers, long-range forecasts, and wind and wave analysis. No need to visit multiple websites—OBX Live Surf provides all the information and resources that you will need while surfing the Outer Banks.

OBX Live Surf also posts report archives, surfing photos, OBX news, and a stream from Surfline.com.

Ready for the next big swell?

Outer Banks Boarding Company (OBBC) is an independent, family-owned surf shop in Nags Head, NC.

Surfboards. Overwhelmed by the number of lengths and styles of boards? No worries, our knowledgeable, friendly staff will help you choose the surfboard that is appropriate for your skill level and body type. In addition to beautiful boards, we also stock surfboard fins, board bags, leashes, traction pads, wax, and sunscreen.

Wetsuits. OBBC will supply you with a perfect fitting wetsuit for the cooler water temperatures. Cold extremities? We have all the accessories to keep you comfortable such as wool-lined caps, gloves, lined rash guards, and booties.

Cameras. If you want to capture your surfing adventure on video, check out our Go Pro Cameras, and all the extras such as mounts, cables, batteries, and chargers. Your surfing buddies will wish they had joined you at the Outer Banks when you share your eye-level view of that awesome ride!

Looking for high-quality, stylish beachwear? Get into our gear!

Come see our exciting collection of surf clothes and beachwear. Choose from boardshorts, hoodies, jackets, hats, sweats, tshirts, and blankets. Visit our shop on the bypass where we carry even more great brands in addition to the products on obbconline.com.

Menswear:

Electric, Patagonia, Neff, Jedidiah, Hippy Tree, Freewater, Rainbow, Reef, Sanuk, Hurley, Ambsn, Vans, Arbor, Superbrand, Brixton, Rip Curl, Volcom, Volcom Stone Age, Volcom BASAL, Insight, Enjoi, Globe, Lakai, Nike SB, Supra, Stance, On A Mission and our private label OBBC.

Womenswear:

Insight, Superbrand, RVCA, Arbor, Jedidiah, Patagonia, Volcom, Billabong, Rip Curl, Roxy, Brixton, Stance, Vans, Toms, Reef, Rainbow, Sanuks, Freewater, and our private label OBBC.

Outer Banks Surfing: Wind Conditions and Wave Formation

Enhance your Outer Banks surfing experience by learning the basics of wave parts and wave formation. Study this guide so that you can begin to understand how weather patterns affect the wave that you see hit the shore.

Wind Means Waves

The wind creates our waves. However, strong wind doesn’t always produce the best waves for surfing. The best waves often originate hundreds of miles from our shore, the result of low-pressure weather systems.

Conditions that Determine Wave Formation

Wind Speed:  More energy equals more speed. This will be determined by the differences between high- and low-pressure weather systems: the greater the range, the faster the speed. The biggest ranges come during intense low-pressure storm systems.

Duration: The longer the wind blows over the same area of the ocean, the bigger the swells will be.

Fetch: The fetch is the area of the unbroken distance wind gets to blow before hitting an obstacle.  Fetches can be thousands of miles of open water.

More energy equals more speed. This will be determined by the differences between high- and low-pressure weather systems: the greater the range, the faster the speed. The biggest ranges come during intense low-pressure storm systems.

Ocean Wave Height Versus Rideable Surf

There is a science to wave formation, but here are the basics. A wave contains two parts: a crest is the point on a wave with the maximum value or upward displacement within a cycle, and a trough is the opposite of a crest, so the minimum or lowest point in a cycle.

The wavelength is the distance over which the wave’s shape repeats. The vertical distance between the crest and the trough is the wave height. This is the height of the waves before they hit the shallow water and start to break.

Wave Height

Waves begin as a slight disturbance on the water that become ripples and grows as the energy increases. From here two factors determine a wave’s height:

Period: The wave period is the time between successive crests. Long-period waves tend to be larger and stronger, while short-period waves are smaller and weaker. Measurement of wave periods helps surfers predict the coming swell over the next several hours and determine whether different swells (waves that originated in varies locations) are contacting the beach at the same time. Generally, longer period waves travel longer distances, create more energy, and develop higher on-shore breakers.

Frequency: Wave frequency is the number of waves passing a fixed point in a given amount of time.

Wave Speed

The speed of a wave has a close relationship to its wavelength. Small waves tend to move slowly at a few knots. Medium-sized waves may move at 10 to 20 knots and large waves move at 30 to 50 knots, sometimes more.

The ability to predict swell height at the shore involves the shape of the ocean floor as it nears the beach (bathymetry), the beach shape, the direction of the swell, local wind direction and strength, and refraction.

Bathymetry

Bathymetry is the study of underwater depth of lake or ocean floors. As waves enter more shallow water they slow and lose energy, power, and size.

Beach Shape

Beach shape is part of bathymetry. A swell hitting an embankment from deep water will create a larger wave than the same sized swell moving up a gently sloping sandy beach. Other obstacles include sandbars, artificial reefs, shipwrecks, and point breaks.

Swell Direction

Each break has its own optimum swell direction which will always affect the wave height of that surfing spot. Some swells might miss a break while others may combine with the other factors and hit the reef or beach in a way to create perfect surfing waves.

Local Winds

Onshore winds are a surfer’s nightmare. A strong wind blowing off the ocean will make the waves flat, misshaped, and sloppy. Offshore winds, however, hold a wave up and provide a nice ridable face and will maintain or increase the wave’s height.

Refraction

Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its optical medium.

As we mentioned earlier, a swell moving into shallow water will slow. With the right oceanbed configuration (such as a pointbreak), the wave nearer the beach will slow more than the swell still in deeper water. This will bend the swell into the break and can increase the size of the breaking waves (concave refraction) or reduce it (convex refraction). This also depends on the period of the swell and grows with higher periods.

Predicting Waves

If you make a habit of monitoring pressure systems and wind direction, you will become fairly accurate at predicting wave heights at the Outer Banks.