From the dense koa wood boards used by Hawiian royalty to the light polyurethane tri-fins used today, technology in surfing has always been on the cutting edge. Using space age materials and experimenting with innovative new designs leaves the surfer with practically no physical limitations with movement. Whether you're riding giants or busting airs, wave riding has evolved and  so should the way a surfer trains. Extreme maneuvers can lead to traumatic injury and after years of being in the water, lower back conditions, knee and shoulder injuries are common. But there are ways to strengthen the body and hopefully prevent some of this. Here are a few tips to keep you in the line-up.

• Use a foam roller on a regular basis before surf sessions. Studies show that this can improve performance as well as help accelerate the healing process after a long day in the water. Using a foam roller increases blood flow to the muscle tissue, bringing nutrients to the area. It stimulates the lymphatic system, cleaning out all the toxins that build as a bi- product of activity. It can increase flexibility by releasing knots (adhesions) between the muscle tissue and the fascia. A few areas that you would want to focus on are the lats, upper back, hips and calves.
• Train your core!! There are a multitude of ways to increase your core strength through various exercises. The body's core (abdominal layers, glutes, lower back) acts as a place to store elastic energy. Without a strong center, energy and momentum cannot flow through the body properly causing energy leaks. Torque can be distributed to the joints and supporting structures of the body (spine, shoulders, knees) instead of your elastic muscles causing trauma. Focusing on core strength can improve your balance, stability and explosiveness as well as agility.
• Mind your form!! When training, proper form and pain free movement are key. People are not born with perfect symmetrical bodies and our lifestyles do not promote good posture. Most people, when they train, train within the limits of their dysfunction. They become stronger in their asymmetries and this can eventually lead to injury due to the stress these misalignments put on the joints and supporting structures of the body. You can train your body to become more aligned, thus preventing future injuries as well as improving movement patterns.
• There's nothing wrong with strength/ weight training. There's a rumor out there that strength training can decrease flexibility. If you compliment weight training with flexibility  training you should have no problems. When done properly, using weights in your strength routines can help improve bone density, strengthen connective tissue and improve endurance (anaerobic threshold).