• Written by Rich McNabb • Proofread & Edited by Claude AI
Free 10 minute surf pop-up & core strength training workout, plus a full 32 exercise session, to fix crunching toes, a back foot landing too far back and a pop-up that took me well over a dozen steps. Built around a shoulder and knee injury.
Looking down after crunching my toes, I saw only two of the five toes flat on the board, the others bent under and hidden from view. My knees buckled as I burst out laughing and I fell off my board. I was so busy cracking myself up laughing I forgot to close my eyes or to put my arm up to brace for impact, and ended up landing on the water face first and eyes wide open right onto my eyeballs. This was a new one.
Several months out of the water, a new job, no strength training and a diet that had completely come off the rails resulted in poor performance in the surf and an extra 7 kg on the scales. All within a few short months.
This combination left my pop-ups slow, and I’d struggle to get to my feet or crunch my toes in the process. It felt like my running days: take a few weeks off and that first run always felt like starting from the beginning again. All that fitness, endurance and stamina built up over years, gone without explanation.
My first board, a 6’4″ Rip Curl thruster I bought in 2008, was like the ones you see in all the surfing magazines: low-volume performance boards designed for professionals on big waves. I must have eaten it for the first three months before it finally clicked. Any wrong move, you paid for it instantly. Like an espresso, there’s nowhere to hide if you make a mistake.
Great way to learn. However, it probably shouldn’t have been the first board I bought. I just flipped through a surfing magazine and this design seemed to be the board that everyone was riding, so I went with this as the default to start with.
No worries, you can skip the story and jump straight to the quick or full workout:
This 6’4″ board length years later is my sweet spot. I’ve got longer boards and a few shorter ones, and on this day I was riding a 5’8″. It always takes me a few waves to get my stance right on something that small, remembering not to stand too wide. That day, though, it was less about foot placement and more about how slow and uncoordinated I felt getting to my feet.
Just like my running days, I put it down to being rusty and figured a couple more waves would bring the muscle memory back. The waves were small and unpredictable, which didn’t help. Still, that didn’t change the fact I was slow to my feet and wiping out more than normal.
The beach was quiet and I pretty much had it to myself, though I couldn’t help laughing at how bad I was. Remembering that night surf scene from Point Break when Tyler tells Johnny, “At least no one’s gonna see how bad you are.”
There’s a term in surfing called the “intermediate plateau”, or in my case, the 20-year plateau. When I started out and made some initial progress in the first few months, I got slightly better and then stayed at that level for decades. Here I was, stuck in the middle of beginner and intermediate. Mediocre on my best day.
Then came my Groundhog Day moment. Everything I tried was failing miserably, and the frustration turned hilarious mid-wipeout, as I was about to claim my “Surfing Participation Award” for crashing into the water another time.
A few waves in, somewhere between wipeouts, I started wondering why I sucked so much today. When a pop-up is working, it’s second nature and you barely think about it. This time I was thinking about nothing else, which is never a good sign, and that’s how I started noticing where it was going wrong.
Normally my pop-up is made up of four main moves: push my chest up, plant the back foot, bring the other foot through to my hands and stand up.
Push my chest up
Press through your hands, placed low at the bottom of your rib cage, and lift your chest into a cobra shape, hips low. Everything else follows from here.
Plant the back foot
Your back foot lands on the tailpad. Mine tends to land too far back, which throws off the rest of the move.
Bring the other foot through
Swing your front foot through to land beside your hands. Getting the knee high enough to your chest is the key, because that’s what stops my toes from crunching.
Stand up
Rise up low with your eyes up. Light and smooth, not a thud.
On this day, the number of steps grew to well over a dozen as I over-corrected and staggered to find my feet. I felt confused, like a boxer taking a massive hit, with my body not doing what my brain was telling it. It was a wow moment: this was taking me a lot longer than normal.
Four moves, though when done correctly they should feel like one cohesive, fluid movement, with no gaps between the steps. It reminds me of a streamlined mobile banking app I designed, stripped back to the four things people open it for: balances, transfers, payments and cards. Each one is distinct, yet together they feel like a single, smooth experience.
Was it rust? Not for long. By now the muscle memory should have kicked in, and it hadn’t. Was it the shorter board? Not once I’d sorted my stance. Was it the crowd? Also no. I could take off on anything that came my way. Even with an empty lineup and no pressure, I was still failing to stick the landing.
It was my flexibility and mobility. So this article is my way back, starting with the pop-up.
Back in March 2015 I came off my mountain bike at Mākara Peak and fractured my scapula in three places. My left arm never quite got its full strength or mobility back, and my old knees mean leg day is not my favourite. So when I started picking apart how the pros pop up, I wanted moves that are easy on a shoulder and knee injury.
The walk-up style is my favourite. Back foot plants first, front foot swings through, and it looks effortless. It turns out to be built on hips that open, a spine that rotates and shoulders that hold together. My own issues are crunching my toes, my back foot landing too far back and not getting my front foot through cleanly.
Back on dry land I built two versions of pop-up & core strength training. A quick 10 minute workout for days when time is tight, and a longer session for a non-surf day or a lazy morning when the forecast says no. Both are done at home or the gym.
Calisthenics is strength training which usually needs nothing more than your own body weight, perfect for when you’re travelling or want to skip the gym. No machines, no heavy weights, just you and gravity. Calisthenics comes from combining two Greek words, kalos for beauty and sthenos for strength, which sounds like a fair trade for an impressive name and a few push-ups. About half of the exercises fit those criteria, whereas the others focus on stretching and mobility work to keep your hips, spine and shoulders moving.
For when your feet are on the sand, my pre-surf warm-up article has you covered. This one is the home or gym version. You’ll find the rest of the series at the bottom of this article, covering flexibility and balance, strength training, pre-surf warm-ups, post-surf recovery and BOSU and TRX training.
You can print or save 10 minute surfing pop-up workout for free from Fitness Programer where all exercises have an illustration explaining what to do.
The back foot is planted on the tailpad with both hands in front, creating three points of contact for stability, as the front foot swings through. Light and smooth, not a thud. Pro surfers vary. Some use this walk-up. Others use an explosive pop, where both feet land together in one move. Use whichever your hips and ankles allow.
1. Standing toe touch (15 reps)
Stand tall with your knees slightly bent and arms overhead. Roll down through your spine from your head, let your arms drop towards your toes and relax your neck. Hold briefly, then roll back up slowly.
2. Child pose (30 sec)
Kneel on your mat, sit your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms out in front. Rest your forehead down and breathe.
3. Prone (30 sec)
Lie face down on your mat, like lying on your board. Rest your forehead down, relax and breathe.
4. Cobra abdominal stretch (30 sec)
Lie face down with your hands flat under your shoulders. Slowly press up and straighten your arms, lifting your chest and head. Keep your elbows close to your body and breathe deeply. Release back down slowly.
5. Cobra push-up (15 reps)
Start low like the bottom of a push-up with your elbows tucked. Press forward and up, sweeping your chest through to a cobra with your hips low and chest lifted. Lower back down slowly.
6. High plank (30 sec) or Shoulder tap push-up (15 each side)
Pick one. Hold a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line. For the shoulder taps, lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder, then swap sides. Keep your hips still.
7. Mountain climber (30 sec)
Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders. Drive one knee towards your chest, return it, then switch sides. Keep it smooth.
8. Half kneeling hip flexor stretch (30 sec each side)
Kneel on one knee with a pad underneath it and the other foot flat in front. Tuck your tailbone under and shift forward gently until you feel the stretch at the front of your back hip. Swap sides.
9. Standing knee hugs (30 sec each side)
Stand tall and pull one knee as close to your chest as you can with both hands. Hold, then swap.
10. Standing quadriceps stretch (30 sec each side)
Stand side on to a wall with your free hand on the wall for balance. Bend one knee and hold that foot behind you with the same side hand, pulling your heel towards your glute. Keep your knees together and stand tall. Hold, then swap sides.
1. Use a yoga mat or old surfboard
Put a yoga mat down and treat it as the board. Hands near the rails, feet land across the middle. If you’re using an old surfboard, take out the fins.
2. Hand placement
I used to put my hands right under my shoulders. Placing them lower, at the bottom of my rib cage, made it way easier to push my chest up. Experiment with both hands lined up or one slightly in front of the other, and go with what feels most natural to you. A staggered position turns your chest into the surf position early.
3. Slow walk-ups (5 reps)
Your back foot plants across the mat, then your front foot swings through. Stand low with your eyes up.
4. Fast walk-ups (5 reps)
Same move, light, like landing on eggshells.
You can print or save full surfing pop-up & core strength training for free from Fitness Programer where all 32 exercises have an illustration explaining what to do.
This is the longer version, working the whole chain. It’s grouped by body area: shoulders and chest, back, core, hips, glutes and legs.
Moves are 3 sets × 15 reps and stretches are 30 sec each side.
The shoulder heavy ones (incline push-up, shoulder tap push-up and cobra push-up) start at 3 sets × 5 reps, then build up.
1. Shoulder stretch behind the back (30 sec each side)
Raise one arm overhead and bend the elbow, reaching down your back. Bring the other arm up from below and try to touch or overlap your fingers. Use a towel if they do not meet. Swap sides.
2. Above head chest stretch (30 sec)
Stand tall with your feet together and raise both arms overhead, hands behind your head. Draw your elbows back and lift your chest until you feel the stretch across the front of your shoulders and chest.
3. Standing one arm chest stretch (30 sec each side)
Stand side on to a wall with one arm out straight at shoulder height and your palm flat on the wall. Slowly turn your body away from the wall until your chest opens. Swap sides.
4. Seated chest stretch (30 sec)
Sit on the floor with your legs crossed and your hands on the floor behind you, fingers pointing back towards your body. Push your chest up and forward and let your head tilt back gently, only as far as is comfortable. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and your shoulders relaxed.
5. Corner wall stretch (30 sec)
Face the corner of two walls with your arms out to each side and your palms flat on the walls. Step in and lean your chest towards the corner. Start with your arms a little below shoulder height and go gently.
1. Standing toe touch (3 sets × 15 reps)
Stand tall with your knees slightly bent and arms overhead. Roll down through your spine from your head, let your arms drop towards your toes and relax your neck. Hold briefly, then roll back up slowly.
2. Child pose (30 sec)
Kneel on your mat, sit your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms out in front. Rest your forehead down and breathe.
3. Cobra abdominal stretch (30 sec)
Lie face down with your hands flat under your shoulders. Slowly press up and straighten your arms, lifting your chest and head. Keep your elbows close to your body and breathe deeply. Release back down slowly.
4. Fish pose (30 sec)
Lie on your back with your legs long and your hands palms down under your hips. Press through your forearms and elbows to lift your chest, letting your head drop back gently. Do not force your neck. Breathe deeply, then lower slowly.
5. Kneeling T-spine rotation (3 sets × 15 reps each side)
On hands and knees, slide one arm under your chest, turning your upper body down. Then sweep that arm up and open towards the ceiling, following your hand with your eyes. Return and repeat, then swap sides.
6. Standing rotation (3 sets × 15 reps)
Feet shoulder width apart, elbows raised out to each side. Keep your hips square and rotate your upper body smoothly to one side, pause, then swing through the middle to the other side.
7. Bodyweight windmill (3 sets × 15 reps, alternating)
Stand with your feet wide and arms out to the sides. Hinge forward and rotate, reaching one hand towards the opposite foot while the other arm reaches up to the ceiling. Return to the middle and swap sides.
8. Lying upper body rotation (3 sets × 15 reps each side)
Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent at right angles and your arms straight out in front, palms together. Reach your top arm up and back, rotating your chest towards the ceiling while your knees stay stacked. Return slowly and repeat, then swap sides.
9. Side bent (3 sets × 15 reps, alternating)
Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend sideways, sliding one hand down the outside of your leg, then come back upright and swap sides.
1. Plank leg lift (3 sets × 15 reps, alternating)
Hold a plank on your hands. Lift one straight leg behind you to about hip height with your hips level, lower it, then swap.
2. High plank (30 sec)
Hold a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
3. Mountain climber (3 sets × 15 reps, alternating)
Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders. Drive one knee towards your chest, return it, then switch sides. Keep it smooth.
4. Incline push-up (3 sets × 5 reps)
Hands on a bench, shoulder width apart, fingers pointing forward. Step your feet back so your body is one straight line from head to heels, core and glutes tight. Lower your chest to the bench with your elbows at about 45 degrees to your body, then press back up. Build up to 3 sets × 15 reps over time.
5. Shoulder tap push-up (3 sets × 5 reps, alternating)
Lower into a push-up, press back up, then lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder. Lower the hand back down and swap sides each rep. Keep your hips still. Build up to 3 sets × 15 reps over time.
6. Cobra push-up (3 sets × 5 reps)
Start low like the bottom of a push-up with your elbows tucked. Press forward and up, sweeping your chest through to a cobra with your hips low and chest lifted. Lower back down slowly. Build up to 3 sets × 15 reps over time.
1. Half kneeling hip flexor stretch (30 sec each side)
Kneel on one knee with a pad underneath it and the other foot flat in front. Tuck your tailbone under and shift forward gently until you feel the stretch at the front of your back hip. Swap sides.
2. 90/90 hip stretch (30 sec each side)
Sit with your knees bent and one hand behind you for support. Let both knees drop to one side so your legs make two right angles. Hold, then switch to the other side.
3. Half frog pose (30 sec each side)
Lie face down, propped on your forearms. Bend one knee and reach back with the same side hand to hold your foot. Gently press the foot towards your glute, keeping your hips low. Hold, then lower and swap sides.
4. Hip circles (3 sets × 10 reps each direction)
Stand tall with your hands on your hips and feet shoulder width apart. Rotate your hips slowly in a big circle, keeping your core tight and your back straight. Then reverse the direction.
5. Happy baby pose (30 sec)
Lie on your back and draw your knees up to your chest. Reach through and hold the outsides of your feet, with your knees wide towards your armpits. Rock gently side to side, then lower your feet back down.
1. Glute bridge (3 sets × 15 reps)
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at about 90 degrees. Lift your hips and squeeze your glutes until your body makes a straight line from knees to shoulders, then lower.
2. Lying glute stretch (30 sec each side)
Lie on your back and bend both knees. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, then thread your hands behind that thigh and pull it gently towards your chest. Keep your head and shoulders relaxed. Hold, then swap sides.
3. Single knee to chest (30 sec each side)
Lie on your back with your legs long. Draw one knee up and wrap both hands around it, pulling it gently towards your chest. Let your head lift a little, and keep the other leg relaxed along the floor. Hold, then lower and swap sides.
4. Standing knee hugs (30 sec each side)
Stand tall and pull one knee as close to your chest as you can with both hands. Hold, then swap.
1. Static lunge (30 sec each side)
Stand with your feet hip width apart, step one foot forward and the other further back. Keep your torso upright and lower until both knees are near 90 degrees, front knee in line with your toes. Hold, then push through the front heel to stand. Only as deep as your knees are happy with.
2. Standing cross leg hamstring stretch (30 sec each side)
Stand tall and cross one foot over the other. Hinge forward from your hips and reach towards the floor. Hold, then swap sides.
3. Standing quadriceps stretch (30 sec each side)
Stand side on to a wall with your free hand on the wall for balance. Bend one knee and hold that foot behind you with the same side hand, pulling your heel towards your glute. Keep your knees together and stand tall. Hold, then swap sides.
Both workouts were designed using Fitness Programer, with an illustration for every exercise. Open them online for free, then hit Print Workout, which also lets you save them as a PDF. Or hit Save to keep them in your profile, which needs a free account. Work through them and cross out whatever doesn’t suit your body.
This is my personal routine, built around a shoulder and knee injury, not a rehab programme. Some moves, particularly the push-ups and cobras, can be hard on shoulders and backs. As you go through each exercise, listen to what your body is telling you. Stop if anything pinches or feels off, especially knees and shoulders. If it lingers, a physio can check your shoulder blade control, or you could work with a personal trainer to create a custom workout tailored exactly to your goals.
Fitness disappears in a few short weeks and comes back a lot slower, as my running days taught me. The 10 minute version is the easy way back in. It’s going back to basics, similar to this minimally designed mobile app. The BOSU and TRX article is the next step for balance and strength. Until then, I’m aiming to turn that Surfing Participation Award into something I’ve earned.
During another surf session at Titahi Bay, I had a massive wipeout and an old guy in a kayak paddled up to me afterwards to say it was the best wipeout he’d ever seen, both of us laughing. I remember locking eyes with him on the way down and was happy someone saw it. To be honest, the Best Wipeout Award is the one you really want.
Four parts that work as one complete system. Strength training, built from the ground up after a shoulder injury. Flexibility and mobility, the small daily rituals that keep it moving. The routine that actually gets me out the door on cold mornings. Stretching, hydration and nutrition that close the loop on recovery.
How I built my own surf strength training routine from scratch after a shoulder injury, the actual workout, the gear that matters, and what changed once I stopped chasing goals and built systems. No shortcuts, just a proper, structured plan.
Improve mobility and recovery with surf-specific stretches, a minimal home gym setup, and small daily habits, like surf skateboarding, that stick once motivation fades. Built around what actually works, not just theory.
The system that gets me out the door on cold mornings, wetsuit on before I've even checked the cam, gear packed the night before, no room left to talk myself out of it. Plus the actual warm-up and stretch routine I run through every time.
The stretch routine, hydration timing and nutrition habits that make recovery actually happen, especially in winter when it's the last thing you want to do. Built around the same gluten and dairy-free rules as everything else here.