Fitness meets the World Tour with Shane Dorian

Words by Craig Jarvis 

Who’s the fittest surfer on the planet? Hard to say, but the guys who charge Mavericks, Jaws and Waimea must be up there when it comes to cardiovascular strength.

Shane Dorian’s a consistent stand-outs in behemoths, and someone who has always had a superior level of fitness, from his time on the WCT to his time surfing in the Billabong Challenge events, to his performance in In God’s Hands. While he hasn’t considered training any current World Tour surfers, he does have a good handle on the fitness required to stay in the topmost mix…

Stab: What did you find was the best way to stay fit apart from surfing, when you were on the CT?
Shane: It was super hard while traveling full time. I would bring running shoes and a jump rope with me and do circuits of body weight strength movements mixed with running and jumping rope. But it was hard to stay on the program. That was when we didn’t travel with coaches, trainers, physio people, and ectera. We had to motivate ourselves.

After the tour, what did you do to get yourself into the next level of fitness for big waves? It was mostly Crossfit for the absolute convenience of a one-hour workout I didn’t have to think about. It’s awesome. Just show up and push yourself. The workouts are super fun, and the camaraderie of the class environment makes it easy to want to train a lot.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received about staying fit and healthy? I just look at the inspiring guys who are in their 50’s, 60’s and 70s that are still surfing well and living right, and that is all the motivation I need. Look at Tom Carroll, and Clyde Aikau in the Eddie.

What advice would you give to a 16-year-old Shane? Not much. I would probably do it the same all over again.

Who, in your opinion, was the fittest surfer on the CT last year? I don’t know, maybe Owen or Medina? They both seem super fit. When I watch their heats they look like they don’t fatigue and more importantly, they look like they believe they are supposed to win. That self-belief and confidence can be achieved through all the work you put in out of the water. That’s why it baffles me that some guys on tour don’t train. You don’t have to lift weights or get all hard-core. All the time invested into getting fit translates into more confidence and knowing you put in more work to win. That can be incredibly powerful. Mick’s first world title and Parko’s world title are good examples.

Do you do any sort of social sport or past time to stay in shape? Not really. I do a bit of bowhunting in the mountains, which includes hiking all day at elevation. That’s good cross training, good for your lungs and leg strength and stamina. And you get to eat healthy protein if you are successful.

How many hours a day do you spend on fitness and training, and how many did you used to spend while competing on CT level? I usually spend an hour a day training, four to five days a week. I hurt my back five months ago so I have been unable to train like I normally do, which sucks. I really miss it.

Where, in your opinion, does stretching/yoga type of training fit in? I think consistent yoga and stretching can help in injury prevention. Like anything, moderation is key. I also believe that being overly limbo can actually be counter productive and lead to injury, just like overtraining can.

Who are the most unfit surfers on the CT in your opinion? Oh man, I wouldn’t know. Everyone is pretty fit these days, even if it’s just surf-fit.