Breath Work for Surfers
Building calm, control, and confidence in the water
Breath control is an often overlooked but important part of surfing. Learning how to stay calm during wipeouts, hold-downs, and stressful conditions can improve both performance and safety in the water.
Research in aquatic athletes suggests that respiratory muscle training and breath-hold training may improve breath control, respiratory muscle strength, and tolerance to stressful underwater situations.
Staying calm under stress
One of the biggest mistakes surfers make during wipeouts is panicking or fighting against the wave. Remaining calm helps conserve oxygen, reduce fatigue, and improve decision-making in difficult situations.
Counting & breath control techniques
Simple breathing exercises and counting techniques can help improve awareness and control.
Examples include:
slow nasal breathing
controlled exhalation
counting during breath holds
gradual breath-hold progression
Breathwork
Practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, controlled breath holds, and yoga-based breathing techniques may also help regulate stress response and improve breathing efficiency during physical activity.
Apnea training
Some surfers explore apnea-style breath training to improve comfort during hold-downs and stressful situations in the water. This should always be approached gradually and safely.
From a Surfer + Medical Perspective
From a medical perspective, controlled breathing helps regulate stress response and reduce panic.
From a surfer’s perspective, wipeouts and hold-downs are part of the sport, and staying calm can make a significant difference in both safety and confidence.
Breathwork is less about “holding your breath forever” and more about learning to stay composed when conditions become unpredictable.
Safety Considerations
Breath-hold training should always be approached cautiously and progressively. Intentional hyperventilation before underwater breath holding can increase the risk of blackout and drowning.
Breath-hold exercises should never be practiced alone in the water and should be performed safely and responsibly.
Medical References
Farley OR, Abbiss CR, Sheppard JM. Performance Analysis of Surfing: A Review. J Strength Cond Res. 2017.
Chen Y, et al. Effects of Respiratory Muscle Training on Swimming Performance. Front Physiol. 2026.
Massini DA, et al. Training Methods for Maximal Static Apnea Performance. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2023.