September 15, 2009

(Chris Philpot)

A good place to start is to improve your ability to get to your feet quickly and maintain balance on the board. Try adding drop squats to your workout. They'll help you learn to reestablish your balance on the board as fast as possible to help you get up on a wave. Drop squats are dynamic, so warm up with sumo squats and lateral squats.

For the drop squats, start by standing tall, and then pick your feet off the floor and land in a squat position. Watch this video for a demonstration. Pay attention to your feet, making sure your weight is balanced on the middle of your foot and not too much on your toes or heels.

Do you have a question of your own?

Once you're up on the board, your stability will be the limiting factor to ride faster and turn harder. Cable chops and cable lifts are terrific to incorporate into your training because your arms move while your torso remains stable over your base of support, similar to when you're on a board.

For more info, check out these articles:
Muscle Imbalance
Balance Your Body
When Yoga Hurts

-- Anthony Slater, Performance Specialist, Core Performance Center

•	Subscribe to Outside and get a FREE Gift!
•	Give the gift of Outside Magazine!
•	Subscribe to Outside Online's free weekly e-mail newsletter featuring gear reviews, fitness advice, galleries, podcasts, and more.

RECENT QUESTIONS
Got a question for The Performance Insiders? Ask it here.
•	What is the proper technique for an overhead squat?
•	How can I prevent sore legs during my first long ski weekend?
•	How can I improve my balance for snowboarding?
•	Is visiting the sauna healthy?
•	How can I improve my lateral speed for defense in basketball?
•	What are the best exercises to improve balance for surfing?
•	What exercises will help build strength for long-distance swimming?
•	How can I train for altitude climbing if I live near sea level?
•	What exercises should I do to prevent soreness in my shoulders from paddling when surfing?
•	What are the best stretches I can do in my office?

RECENT FEATURES
•	The Master Plans
•	Interactive Fitness Guide
•	Twelve Week Fitness Plan