COMPETITIVE SURFERS
OLIVER FARLEY, NIGEL K. HARRIS,
AND
OF
ANDREW E. KILDING
Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
ABSTRACT
Farley, O, Harris, NK, and Kilding, AE. Anaerobic and aerobic
fitness profiling of competitive surfers. J Strength Cond Res
26(8): 22432248, 2012Despite widespread popularity of
competitive surfing internationally, very little research has
investigated the physiological profile of surf athletes and
attempted to identify the relationships between physiological
measures and surfing performance. This study determined the
peak oxygen uptake (V_ O2peak) from an incremental ramp test
and anaerobic power (watts) during a 10-second maximalpaddling burst using a surf paddlespecific modified kayak
ergometer, customized with a surfboard and hand paddles.
Twenty nationally ranked surf athletes volunteered to participate
in the V_ O2peak test, and 8 also participated in the anaerobic
power test. The interrelationships between these components
of athletic performance and surfing performance, as assessed
by season rank, were determined using Pearsons correlations.
We found a significant relationship between anaerobic power
and season rank (r = 0.55, p = 0.05). No significant relationship
between V_ O2peak and season rank was found (r = 20.02, p =
0.97). Although correlations do not imply cause and effect,
such a finding provides theoretical support for the importance
of including anaerobic paddling power in assessment batteries
and conditioning practice for surf athletes.
INTRODUCTION
ith the growth in competitive surfing internationally, there has been an increase in the
attention given to the conditioning of competitive surfing athletes. Surfing is an intermittent,
high performance sport requiring the athlete to perform
multiple endurance paddling bouts and explosive paddling
bursts to catch the wave. During a session, athletes are required
Address correspondence to Olly R.L. Farley, ollyfarley@hotmail.com.
26(8)/22432248
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
2012 National Strength and Conditioning Association
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METHODS
Experimental Approach to the
Problem
Eight male (20.4 6 6.6 years, 71.1 6 11.2 kg, 181.4 6 7.8 cm)
national-level surfers volunteered to participate in an incremental
V_ O2peak test and 20 male (23.3 6 5.6 years, 72.8 6 8.8 kg,
179.4 6 6.8 cm) participated in a power test. The subjects who
had a history of surfing at least 3 times per week and had
competed for at least 3 years were tested during the final
2 events of the competitive season and the conclusion of the
season. All the subjects were from the current top 35 ranked
surfers in New Zealand and competing in the sanctioned New
Zealand Surf Association competition. The subjects were tested
following their normal routine of sleep, nutritional and
hydration levels before testing. Ethics approval from the
University Ethics Committee was gained before the commencement of the study, and written informed consent was
obtained from each subject before commencing data collection.
Equipment
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The subjects were first familiarized with all the equipment and
procedures. After a standardized warm-up (3 minutes of lightintensity 30-W continuous paddling combined with three
5-second maximal-intensity paddling efforts performed every
minute separated by a 20-second rest) followed by a 10-minute
1.00
0.86
1.00
0.90
0.71
1.00
0.61
0.87*
0.68
Relative anaerobic
power (Wkg21)
Peak aerobic
power (W)
V_ O2peak
(Lmin21)
1.00
0.51
0.69
0.47
0.41
1.00
0.78*
20.03
0.47
20.05
0.09
*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Rank
V_ O2peak (mlkg21min21)
V_ O2peak (Lmin21)
Peak aerobic power (W)
Relative anaerobic power (Wkg21)
Absolute anaerobic power (W)
Mean anaerobic power (W)
Rank
Procedures
TABLE 2. Intercorrelation matrix between aerobic and anaerobic outputs and season rank.
Absolute
anaerobic power (W)
1.00
20.02
20.17
20.26
20.50*
20.55*
20.57
Mean 6 SD
V_ O2peak
(mlkg21min21)
Measure
Mean anaerobic
power (W)
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1.00
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RESULTS
Table 1 presents the mean
(6SD) anaerobic power and
V_ O2peak data. The ICC for 3
repeated anaerobic power tests
was 0.97.
Table 2 presents the intercorrelation matrix between aerobic
and anaerobic outputs and season rank. Rank obtained during
the time of testing in competFigure 3. Relationship between surfers absolute anaerobic peak power output obtained during a 10 sec all-out
itive season significantly correeffort and season ranking at time of assessment.
lated with relative anaerobic
peak power watts per kilogram
(r = 20.50, p = 0.02), absolute
rest, a countdown to start the subjects was given to perform
anaerobic peak power (r = 0.55, p = 0.01) and mean anaerobic
a 10-second maximal-intensity effort. Average and peak
power (r = 20.57, p = 0.01). There were no significant
power outputs (watts) and speed (kilometers per hour) per
correlations between any of the other measured variables and
stroke were calculated via the Dansprint kayak ergometer
season rank. There were significant intercorrelations between
software. The ergometer flywheel was set to the highest
absolute anaerobic power and peak aerobic power, and
available resistance setting (10 out of 10) in an attempt to
the aerobic V_ O2peak values (r = 0.87, p = 0.03, n = 6) (r = 0.78,
simulate water resistance (5).
p = 0.02), respectively. Figure 3 shows the relationship
between the absolute peak anaerobic power output (n = 20)
Aerobic V_ O2peak Uptake Testing
and season ranking.
The subjects performed a standardized warm-up paddle
(1-minute incremental paddles starting at 20 W) of 5 minutes,
DISCUSSION
followed by a 2-minute rest before initiating the test protocol.
Surfers frequently implement a burst of maximal-intensity
The flywheel was set at the lowest resistance level (1 out of 10)
paddling for several seconds to catch waves and a highto avoid accelerated local muscular fatigue. The subjects then
intensity paddle when padding out through breaking waves
performed an incremental ramp test starting at 20 W during
(6,811). Hence, the ability to produce power is conceivably
which power was increased by 5 W every minute until
important for competitive surfing athletes. The peak anvolitional exhaustion. The subjects were required to stay
aerobic power output achieved on the modified ergometer
within 65 W of the target power output throughout the test.
during the current study was 205 6 54 W, lower than those
Ventilation and expired gases were analyzed by the metabolic
recorded for maximal-paddling performance in other studies
analyzer throughout the test. After completion, oxygen
(5,17). However, we used a modified kayak ergometer rather
uptake (V_ O2) values were averaged over 30-second intervals
than a swim bench ergometer adopted previously (5,17), thus
with peak oxygen uptake (V_ O2peak) taken as the highest
possibly explaining the discrepancy. A novel finding from this
30-second V_ O2 value.
study was the significant relationship between surfers season
Statistical Analyses
ranking and anaerobic peak power output (r = 20.50,
Variables of interest recorded for subsequent analysis from the
p = 0.02). Although we acknowledge that correlations do not
anaerobic power output test were anaerobic peak power: the
imply cause and effect and that the magnitude of the
maximal power output (watts) recorded during the 10-second
relationship is only moderate (although significant), it could
paddle. Variables of interest recorded for subsequent analysis
be speculated that higher anaerobic power outputs allow
from V_ O2peak uptake testing were aerobic peak power
more accomplished surfing athletes to catch some waves that
(watts) and peak oxygen uptake (V_ O2peak).
their lower ranked counterparts might miss and therefore
Descriptive statistics throughout are presented as means
score higher. Such a finding provides theoretical support for
and SDs to represent centrality and spread of data. Pearsons
the importance of anaerobic paddling power in assessment
correlation coefficients were used to determine the interbatteries and conditioning practice for surf athletes.
relationships between variables of interest. Statistical signifThe V_ O2peak values observed in this study (44.0 6 8.26
mlkg21min21) were similar to those reported in previous
icance was defined as p # 0.05. Reliability of repeated
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PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
The application of the findings of this study should aid the
strength and conditioning coach in creating training protocols designed to increase anaerobic power and endurance and
aerobic endurance for surfing. Conceivably, improvements to
maximal-paddling power output might improve surfing
performance by allowing more powerful surf athletes to
paddle and catch waves that lower ranked competitors miss.
Therefore, assessment and conditioning practice should
emphasize anaerobic power in a surf-specific swim paddle
movement and should detail the loading parameters specific
to surfing. Anaerobic power and endurance and cardiovascular endurance associated with physical performance in
surfing could be developed through sport-specific and cross
training.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the involvement of Surfing
New Zealand and gratitude to the surfers involved during the
research and Scott Sinton for the photographs. No funding
was received for this study, and there were no conflicts of
interest.
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