Tracking 6 Weeks of training/surfing sessions of adolescent competitive surfers: Just what are these young surfers up to?

The assessment of weekly and even monthly surf practice/training hours is vital for understanding the loads these up and coming surfers endure. Such information will help understand what kind of training these athletes are undertaking, how long they are surfing, what they consider training, and also areas that should be improved upon in terms of specific training. The purpose of this study was to establish surfers\u27 training hours in terms of strength, balance and conditioning hours, as well as surfing hours, coached hours and competition hours. The monitoring of the athletes will provide insights into the weekly surf hours compared to land-based training these athletes do.https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuposters/1008/thumbnail.jp

Scoring analysis of the men’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 world championship tour of surfing: the importance of aerial manoeuvres in competitive surfing.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of aerial manoeuvres on scoring in professional surfing. 23631 waves were analysed for the number and types of aerial manoeuvres performed from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Men's World Championship Tour. Additionally, the awarded score, timing and order of the aerial was also analysed. Descriptive statistics and Two Way ANOVA's were performed with Sidak Multiple Comparisons Post Hoc analysis. Results were a significantly higher score being awarded (P?0.0001) when including an aerial in competition across all three seasons. In 2015 surfers were awarded a significantly larger score when performing an air reverse, compared to 2014 (P=0.0002) and 2016 (P=0.0057). Surfers were also awarded a higher score for the full rotation aerial in 2015 compared to 2014 (P=0.0177). In 2015 surfers performing forehand aerials were awarded a greater score than in 2016 (P=0.0113). The timing of the aerial and score awarded was significantly greater in 2015 as opposed to 2014 when the aerial was their final manoeuvre (P< 0.0001) and when surfers timed the aerial performance early within the heat (P = 0.0027). If a surfer incorporates an aerial manoeuvre during competition, generally speaking, they will be awarded a significantly higher score

Five weeks of sprint and high-intensity interval training improves paddling performance in adolescent surfers

Farley, ORL, Secomb, JL, Parsonage, JR, Lundgren, LE, Abbiss, CR, and Sheppard, JM. Five weeks of sprint and high-intensity interval training improves paddling performance in adolescent surfers. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2446-2452, 2016 - The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of sprint interval training (SIT; 10 seconds) and high-intensity interval training (HIT; 30 seconds) on surfing athletes paddling performance (400-m time trial and repeat-sprint paddle performance). Twenty-four competitive adolescent surfers (19 male, 5 female; age 14.4 ± 1.3 years, mass: 50.1 ± 10.7 kg, and stature: 159.9 ± 10.3 cm) were assigned to perform either 5 weeks of SIT and HIT. Participants completed a repeated-sprint paddle ability test (RSPT, 15-m surfboard sprint paddle initiated every 40 seconds × 10 bouts) and 400-m endurance surfboard paddle time trial before and after training. High-intensity interval training decreased the total time to complete the 400 m by 15.8 ± 16.1 seconds (p 0.03), and SIT decreased the total time to complete the RSPT by 6.5 ± 4.3 seconds (p 0.02). Fatigue index during the RSPT (first - slowest effort) was lower after HIT and SIT (p ≤ 0.001 and p 0.02, respectively). There were no significant differences in performance changes in the 400 m (total time) and RSPT (total time, fastest 15 m time, and peak velocity) between HIT and SIT. Our study indicates that HIT and SIT may be implemented to the training program of surfers to improve aerobic and repeat-sprint paddle ability, both of which are identified as key aspects of the sport. In addition, these findings indicate that 400-m paddle and RSPT can discriminate between aerobic and anaerobic training adaptations, with aerobic gains likely from HIT and anaerobic gains from SI

Gender differences in physical performance characteristics of elite surfers

Gender differences in physical performance characteristics of elite surfers. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2417-2422, 2017 - The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the gender differences in physical performance characteristics of elite surfers. Twenty competitive female surfers (CFS) and 20 competitive male surfers (CMS) performed a battery of physical performance tests: squat jump (SJ), isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), 15-m sprint paddle, and 400-m endurance paddle during a single testing session. All performance measures were significantly different between CFS and CMS (p \u3c 0.01). Specifically, CMS produced greater peak force production (28.5%) and jumped higher (27.7%) in the SJ and produced greater normalized peak force during the IMTP (18.9%) compared with CFS. For paddling performance, CMS were faster over 5, 10, and 15 m (12.4%, 9.7%, and 10.9%), possessed a higher peak paddling velocity (11.3%), and recorded faster paddle times over 400 m (11.8%). The results of this study suggest that CMS exhibit superior physical performance characteristics than CFS, in relation to both the lower and upper body. Strength and conditioning practitioners should therefore implement a structured and periodized program to facilitate strength qualities that underpin surfing performance for all participants, but as highlighted in the current investigation, female surfers may have a greater window for adaptation and therefore vast benefit of targeting their underdeveloped physical qualities

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