How The Sports of Surfing and Snowboarding Compare

Both surfing and snowboarding have continued to grow in participation levels over the last 10 years, to the point were they can be considered two of the most popular extreme sports around. It might be the case that one takes place on snow covered mountains and the other often takes place in warm waters with sandy beaches, but that doesn’t stop people enjoying both sports. But does being good at one sport necessarily mean that you will be good at the other? Let’s compare 3 of the main elements needed for these sports.

Upper Body Strength. There is no denying that surfing demands large amounts of upper body strength and endurance. You need endurance in order to repetitively paddle surfboards out to see against breaking waves, and power is need in the ‘pop-up’ phase of getting upright on the board when you have caught a wave. Snowboarding however, does not demand anywhere near as from the upper body, as it is only really used for balance and core-stability support

Timing. Both snowboarding and surfing require honed timing skills. In snowboarding it is vital to time your turns perfectly and even more important when doing jumps as lining up for the correct entry to the kicker can mean the difference between a clean landing and a face full of snow. Surfing also requires perfect timing and instincts not least when catching a wave when you have to paddle, pop-up, drop in and turn just at the right times.

Lower Body Strength & Agility. Whilst both sports do require a degree lower body fitness and co-ordination, it is snowboarding that demands the most from the legs. Snowboards require great skill and agility to turn and carve, and if your leg muscles are not in good condition you will simply not be able to ride well. However, don’t think the lower body can be neglected in surfing, your legs and core need to be strong and flexible, even just to stand up.