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Physiological aspects of surfboard riding performance
Alberto Mendez-Villanueva1, David Bishop
1School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. amendezvillanueva@yahoo.com
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|January 18, 2005
Summary
Surfing is an intermittent sport with high physiological demands, requiring both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Understanding these factors is key to improving performance and preventing injuries in this increasingly popular activity.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Surfing has seen a significant rise in popularity, yet physiological and performance factors remain under-researched.
- Current understanding suggests surfing is an intermittent activity influenced by environmental conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological demands and performance characteristics of surfing.
- To identify factors contributing to surfing performance and injury risk.
Main Methods:
- Time-motion analysis to quantify activity patterns during surfing.
- Physiological assessments including peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and heart rate (HR) monitoring.
- Comparison of anthropometric data with other aquatic athletes.
Main Results:
- Surfing involves approximately 50% arm paddling and 40% stationary time, with wave riding only 4-5%.
- Competitive surfers exhibit a mesomorphic somatotype, with lower height and body mass than other aquatic athletes.
- Surfers demonstrate high aerobic fitness, with VO2peak values comparable to endurance athletes, and HR indicating intermittent high-intensity exercise.
Conclusions:
- Surfing is an intermittent sport demanding both aerobic and anaerobic capacity, with specific anthropometric profiles observed in competitive athletes.
- Repetitive paddling may contribute to overuse injuries in the shoulder, lower back, and neck.
- Further research is essential to fully understand surfing performance and mitigate injury risks.