Surf Strength Coach - Surf Athlete
I’ve been surfing for about 13 years now and since picking up my first board, surfing has been my main form of working out. During high school and my early 20s, this worked great, but I know that as I get older, I’m going to have to do more to stay in shape. So, right in the middle of quarantine, I came across the Surf Strength Coach, Cris Mills, and his Surf Athlete Program. It looked like it could be a good fit for me and my workout goals so I signed up and got to work right away.
I am now about halfway through the program and wanted to share my results and thoughts on the program so far.
Overview
For those of you who don’t know, the Surf Athlete Program is an online, self-guided workout course. It’s designed to take 3 months to complete but purchasing this course includes lifetime access so you can go through it at your own pace. The goal of the program is to help surfers of all ability get in shape and improve their surfing.
The Program
What I have really been enjoying about the Surf Athlete Program is the emphasis on mobility. Moving and range of motion is extremely important in surfing and is something that I have been neglecting. The entire first phase was focused on increasing mobility and laying the foundation for future strength training.
Each of the workouts begins with what Cris calls a dynamic flow. It’s like a yoga flow with some lighter exercises thrown in. I’ve really enjoyed these flows as they get my body warmed up and ready to move whether it be for a workout, run, or surf. As an inflexible person, the focus on mobility has been great for my surfing as well as just my day to day life.
As I’ve moved onto the second phase, the workouts have definitely increased in difficulty. By the end of each workout I’m dripping in sweat and ready for a break.
The App
The program is accessed through either a mobile device or website which are very well designed. Both the site and app are easy to navigate and very clearly indicate how you should be progressing through the workouts. With each exercise, Cris walks you through how it should work and what you should be focusing on during the movement or stretch. This was very helpful to me as most of these exercises were new to me.
As you are going through the program, you do have to click through each exercise so that you can watch the next part of the workout. This system works great as it allows you to take your time through each exercise, however, it can be a bit disruptive to your workout when you have to run over to your computer or grab your phone and click through to the next video.
Equipment
One aspect of the program that I was not aware of when I started it was that it does require a good amount of equipment and space to fully complete the workouts. While you could easily make your living room work for a lot of these exercises, some require the use of gymnastic rings, or a TRX, which needs an open space with somewhere to hang them.
Luckily for me, I was able to reach out to a friend with a home gym and workout at his place.
Overall
I have really enjoyed the Surf Athlete program. My favorite part is that it is focused on my end exercise goals. Personally, I don’t care about how much I can bench or how far I can run. All I want is to be able to keep surfing for as long as possible while being comfortable with my size and fitness.
Conclusion
My biggest question starting this program off was, “Will my surfing ability improve?” While I still have a ways to go in the program, I can tell that it has. In my sessions, I catch more waves, can stay out longer, and have more control while I’m on my board. I’m excited to see what phase 3 holds and how much more I can improve my surfing through these workouts. If you’re looking to improve your surfing and get into better shape, check out the Surf Strength Coach and the Surf Athlete Program.
You should also check out @SurfStrengthCoach on Instagram because Cris is always dropping helpful tips and tricks to improve your fitness and surfing. 100% worth the follow.
Stay Stoked!