Is the Pull-Up the Ultimate Surf Hack?

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to actually supplement paddling strength — and no, I don’t mean from more time in the sea, a wave pool, or in water at all. Something you can train on land, without needing swell or spending money.

And it dawned on me — something so simple it almost feels like cheating: the pull-up.

The more research I did on it, the more it made sense. The latissimus dorsi — the wing-like muscles running down your back — are what drive both the upward phase of a pull-up and every powerful paddle stroke. When you pull yourself toward the bar, your lats engage in pretty much the exact same way they do when your hand digs through the water.

Your shoulders and rotator cuffs stabilise the movement, just like they do when you reach forward on your board to start a stroke. Your biceps take over in the final part of the pull-up, mirroring that last pull as your hand exits the water. Even your core is working the entire time — keeping your body tight, steady, and balanced, the same way it holds you centred on your board when paddling or popping up.

But it’s not just about strength — it’s about control and rhythm.

Doing pull-ups builds that smooth, repeatable pull that lets you paddle longer without burning out. Your shoulders stop giving out so early. Your chest opens up. Your breath settles into a meditative rhythm.

When surfing, we spend so much time rounded forward on the board. Pull-ups undo that. Even just hanging from a bar every day — dead hangs — helps decompress your shoulders and spine. It’s a simple way to counter all that time spent hunched over paddling.

It’s simple. It’s old-school.

And that’s exactly why it works.

And maybe that’s the real hack — not some secret technique, just learning to pull your own weight, literally.