Riding to the top – A systematic review on multidimensional performance indicators in surfing

Abstract

Identifying high-performing and promising athletes is an important task of national surf associations. However, the scientific foundation of performance indicators in surfing has only developed in recent years. This review aimed to (1) find out which performance characteristics discriminate between surfers of different skill levels, and (2) point out gaps in the existing literature and direct future studies by applying the Groningen Sport Talent Model (GSTM) to categorize findings. A systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE and PsycInfo databases was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of thirty-one studies were included. Studies were found on anthropometric, physiological, technical, and tactical, but not on psychological characteristics of surfing performance. In total only six studies included female surfers. Findings suggest that a few performance indicators exist in relation to associations between physical capacities and surfing skill. For one, relative arm span seems to be beneficial to surfing performance and discriminates between differently skilled surfers. Additionally, 15 m and 400 m in-water paddle performance, as well as relative upper and lower-body strength also tend to be better in superior surfers. Technical skills, such as the ability to perform aerials and tube rides with a high completion rate, translate directly into an enhanced scoring potential and therefore success in surfing competitions. While a variety of characteristics for high-performance surfing are already indicated, future research needs to focus on developing reliable methods with higher ecological validity to assess these skills. Apart from the in-water paddle tests, most indicators lack a broadly accepted testing method. Especially, the field of psychological skills in surfing should be addressed more in the future.

Athlete and Support Staff Perceptions of Training Modalities for the Development of Surfing-Specific Manoeuvres: A Concept Mapping Approach

“…The physical preparation cluster mostly comprises strength, endurance, mobility, and flexibility training. These results align with the large body of physical preparation research conducted in surfing Klingner et al, 2021). Despite the known physiological benefits of physical preparation, this training modality may be perceived as less important than education and mindset for developing skilled surf-specific manoeuvres.…”

“…These two clusters combined made up 17 of the 20 statements found in Q1. This represents the focus of previous surfing research and the current literature on surfing performance Klingner et al, 2021). Due to the large amount of evidence supporting the benefits of these types of training, it makes sense that their overall perceived importance was also relatively high.…”

“…Competitive surfing has undergone significant professionalisation and institutionalisation in the past decade (Ellmer & Rynne, 2019;IOC, 2016). Despite a developing body of literature on the physiological demands of surfing Klingner et al, 2021), there is a dearth of research regarding the training design underpinning the skill acquisition and development of surfers (Ellmer et al, 2020). As surfing is skill-based, identifying and understanding the utility of commonly used training modalities is paramount.…”

Throwing it out there: Grip on multidimensional performance characteristics of judoka – a systematic review

“…This methodological quality assessment method and corresponding cut-off scores were used in three systematic reviews with similar aims. 2,30,31 Studies that were considered of low methodological quality, were excluded from this systematic review. Four categories were used to interpret the level of evidence for the ability of a performance characteristic to discriminate between judoka of different performance levels, according to the categories of van der Fels et al (2015).…”

“…1 Identifying performance characteristics for the specific sport is often one of the first steps of researchers. 2,3 Based on the identified performance characteristics, benchmarks can be created which are useful for professionals involved in a sport. Ideally, these benchmarks help them identify and develop athletes towards elite performance.…”