Jake Rivera

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THE PADDLE OUT BATTLE: WHY YOUR UPPER BODY STRENGTH IS COSTING YOU WAVES

  • Posted by Jake Rivera Wed at 9:30 AM Filed in Sports #Surfing  #ocean fitness  #athletic training  #paddling technique  #wave chasing  43 views
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    I used to think paddling out was just something you had to suffer through to get to the good stuff. You know, that annoying part between the beach and the lineup where you're fighting against the ocean and getting absolutely worked by whitewater. I'd see guys paddling faster than me and think they were just naturally stronger or had better endurance. Turns out I was completely wrong about what actually matters when you're fighting your way through the impact zone.

    Here's what changed for me: I started paying attention to how different surfers paddle. Not just how fast, but how efficiently. I realized pretty quickly that the strongest guys weren't always the ones getting the most waves. Some of the most successful surfers I know have relatively average upper body strength, but they move through the water like they're barely trying. That's when it hit me. This isn't about raw power. This's about technique, timing, and understanding the physics of how your body cuts through water.

    Most people paddle like they're trying to bench press their way to the lineup. All brute force, all shoulders, all arms flailing. I was one of those guys. I'd come in after a session absolutely gassed, shoulders burning, forearms destroyed. Meanwhile my buddy Marcus would paddle the same distance in similar conditions and look like he just went for a casual walk. The difference? He was using his whole body. His core was engaged. His stroke was longer and more controlled. His hips were helping drive the paddle instead of just his arms doing all the work.

    So I spent about three weeks completely changing how I paddle. I focused on engaging my core first, letting my shoulders and arms follow naturally. I extended my reach further forward before each stroke. I stopped fighting the water and started working with the rhythm of it. The results were almost immediate. After just a few sessions I could paddle out in half the time with half the effort. By week three I was getting more waves, had more energy in the lineup, and could actually focus on technique instead of just catching my breath.

    But here's the thing that really matters: this affected my entire session. When you're not gassed from the paddle out, everything changes. You have energy for multiple waves in a set. You can actually move your feet and adjust your position. You can chase waves that require some serious paddling effort. You're not sitting in the lineup wondering if you'll have enough left in the tank for the next good set. That mental game alone changes everything.

    I started working on this strength intentionally. Not just paddling out more, but doing dry land work that actually translated to the water. Rotational core work. Scapular stability. Shoulder mobility. Lat engagement. Rowing movements. I realized that paddling is basically a rowing motion, so I treated my training like a rower would. I hit up the gym maybe twice a week just for this, nothing crazy, but targeted. Within two months I was paddling with less than half the effort I used to use.

    The competitive advantage here is stupid. Imagine surfing for an hour and still having energy and focus for your last wave. Imagine paddling into position so efficiently that you can actually position yourself strategically instead of just wherever you ended up. Imagine not being tired when the swell picks up and everyone else is getting worked. This isn't some secret technique that only pros know about. This is basic physics applied to how your body moves through water.

    What gets me pumped about this is that it's completely trainable. You don't need genetic gifts or to have grown up surfing. You just need to understand that paddling is a skill, not just a side effect of wanting to catch waves. Every time I see someone struggling to paddle out, I see someone who hasn't figured out yet that they're about to unlock like fifty percent more performance just by changing their approach.

    If you're spending your sessions gassed before you even get to the good waves, stop wasting your time paddling inefficiently. What would change in your surfing if you could paddle with half the effort and twice the power?