Sport-specific training is not "doing your sport with weights." It is building the physical qualities your sport relies on, then letting the sport itself do the skill work. For Northern Beaches clients that usually means surfers, runners, club footballers, and weekend warriors trying to stay in the game past 40. Two gym sessions a week, programmed properly, beats five sessions of random circuit work every time.
What does sport-specific training actually mean?
Building the underlying qualities (strength, power, capacity, resilience) that your sport demands, in patterns that transfer. It does not mean swinging a kettlebell that looks like a paddle or doing balance work on a bosu ball because you surf. Transfer comes from training the right qualities at the right intensities, not mimicking the movement.
The four qualities every recreational athlete needs, in priority order:
- Strength. Force production through compound lifts. The base everything else sits on.
- Power. Strength expressed quickly. Jumps, throws, sprint work, Olympic-lift derivatives.
- Capacity. Tissue tolerance for the volume your sport demands. Calves and Achilles for runners. Shoulders for surfers.
- Resilience. Joints that handle repeated load. Built through unilateral work, full ranges, and posterior-chain strength.
Programming for surfers
Surfing demands paddle volume, shoulder durability under repeated overhead reaching, rotational power for the pop-up and turns, and lower-body explosiveness. A typical surfer's week at Mr PT Fitness:
Day 1 (upper-body bias):
- Trap-bar deadlift, 4 x 5 (lower-body base)
- Landmine press, 3 x 8 per arm (shoulder-friendly press)
- Single-arm dumbbell row, 3 x 10 (paddle volume)
- Half-kneeling Pallof press, 3 x 10 (anti-rotation)
- Band pull-aparts, 3 x 20 (rear-delt capacity)
Day 2 (power and rotation):
- Box jump, 5 x 3 (lower-body power)
- Goblet squat, 4 x 6 (squat strength)
- Rotational med-ball slam, 4 x 6 per side (rotational power)
- Push-up volume, 3 x AMRAP (paddle endurance)
- Hanging leg raise, 3 x 8 (trunk and shoulder)
Two sessions of 45 minutes. The water does the skill work. The gym builds the physical qualities the water demands. Most surfers I work with see paddle fatigue drop noticeably inside 6 weeks.
Programming for runners
Runners need single-leg strength, a strong posterior chain, hip stability, and calf and foot capacity. The single biggest gap I see is single-leg work. If your only lower-body lifts are bilateral, you are leaving most of the carryover on the table. A runner's week:
Day 1 (strength):
- Trap-bar deadlift, 4 x 5 (posterior chain)
- Rear-foot-elevated split squat, 3 x 8 per leg (single-leg strength)
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift, 3 x 8 per leg (hip stability, hamstring length)
- Calf raise, 4 x 12 (Achilles capacity)
- Side plank with hip dip, 3 x 10 per side (lateral hip)
Day 2 (capacity and power):
- Pogo hops, 4 x 20 seconds (foot stiffness)
- Goblet squat, 3 x 6 (squat strength)
- Step-up with knee drive, 3 x 8 per leg (single-leg power)
- Hamstring curl or Nordic, 3 x 6 (hamstring resilience)
- Suitcase carry, 3 x 30m per side (trunk and grip)
Place the heavier session at least 24 hours from your hardest run. For Northern Beaches clients training for City2Surf, Sydney Half, or Sydney Marathon, this maps cleanly into a 12 to 16-week build alongside basic strength patterns.
Got a goal sport and not sure how to programme around it?
Free 15-minute consult. Bring your training schedule, the event you are pointing at, and any injury history. Book here or call 0422 745 334.
Off-season vs in-season programming
The biggest mistake recreational athletes make is training the same way year-round. Strength qualities decay fast in-season if you only do your sport. Capacity decays in off-season if you only lift. The fix is shifting the mix:
| Phase | Gym sessions/wk | Sport sessions/wk | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season (8 to 12 weeks) | 3 | 1 to 2 | Build maximum strength, fix weaknesses |
| Pre-season (4 to 6 weeks) | 2 | 2 to 3 | Convert strength to power, increase capacity |
| In-season | 1 to 2 short | 3 to 5 | Maintain strength, manage fatigue |
For a club footballer that maps to: heavy lifting Nov to Jan, power-bias Feb, then short maintenance lifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the playing season. For a surfer or runner the seasons are softer but the principle holds: cycle the emphasis or lose qualities you worked for.
How I work with club coaches and physios
If you already have a running coach, surf coach, or club S&C programme, I work into it, not against it. The standard arrangement: send me your weekly training schedule and any programme from the club. I build your gym work to fit around the hardest sessions, not on top of them. If you are coming back from injury, I coordinate with your physio so the gym programme respects the rehab phase.
For Northern Beaches club athletes (Manly United, Curl Curl, Mona Vale, Brookvale) I have run this arrangement for years. Two short gym sessions a week is usually all you need on top of club training.
Frequently asked questions
Will lifting weights slow me down?
No. Strength training done in full range builds mobility, not the opposite. The myth of bulky, stiff lifters comes from bodybuilding-style programming, not athletic strength work. For surfers and runners I prioritise compound lifts at moderate loads (5 to 8 reps), single-leg work, and mobility through range. Most clients get more mobile, not less.
How often should runners lift?
Two sessions per week is the sweet spot for most amateur and club runners. One heavier compound day (squat or trap-bar deadlift, single-leg work) and one accessory day (calves, hips, posterior chain). Keep sessions to 45 to 60 minutes. Place the harder lifting day at least 24 hours away from your hardest run. Drop to one session per week during peak race build.
I surf, what should I prioritise?
Paddle endurance, shoulder durability, rotational power, and pop-up explosiveness. The four pillars: horizontal pulling for paddle volume (rows, pull-aparts), single-arm overhead stability, rotational med-ball work, and lower-body power from the floor (jump squats, kettlebell swings). Two 45-minute gym sessions per week is plenty alongside surfing.
Ready to train for your sport, not just the gym?
Free 15-minute consult. Bring your sport, your schedule, and your event.