Surf Longevity by Shane Dorian

For most of my life, surfing was everything. I competed at the highest level, then spent years coaching the best surfers in the world. World champions, and eventually an Olympic gold medalist at Paris 2024. From the outside, everything looked great. But at 47, I destroyed the ligaments in my knee in a snowboarding accident. I had reconstructive surgery and spent over a year recovering and rehabbing. I got out of shape. Lost the fitness I’d worked my whole life to build. For the first time, I genuinely thought I was never going to be the same again. So I did the only thing I knew how to do. I applied the same systems I used to build world-class athletes to myself. The structure. The discipline. The approach that actually works. And at 53, I’m in the best shape of my life. Here’s what that taught me: being fit after 40 isn’t about working harder. It’s about working differently. It requires a completely different approach and most men never figure that out. That’s exactly why I coach now. Your body doesn’t have to fall apart in your 40s, 50s, and 60s. It just takes intention, consistency, and the willingness to keep showing up🤙🏾

I have a surf trip booked. Indo. Can’t freakin wait. Six weeks out. And I’m already locked in. This isn’t a vacation where I show up and hope for the best. I prepare for it the same way I prepared my athletes for competition. Here’s exactly what the next 6 weeks look like. Weeks 1–2 Build the base. Zone 3 cardio for lung capacity and paddle endurance. Shoulder mobility. Basic strength patterns. Paddle-specific movement. I’m not going hard yet. I’m building a body that can handle going hard in week 4. Weeks 3–4 This is where it clicks. Harder intervals, into Zone 4 on the rower and ski erg. Rotational strength. Explosive movements. Longer sessions. This is where fitness starts becoming surf fitness. You’ll feel the difference. Weeks 5–6 Sharpen. Don’t crush yourself. Paddle conditioning. Power circuits. More recovery, not less. Sleep like it’s part of training — because it is. The worst thing you can do is arrive to the best waves of your year already tired. The weekly blueprint. 3-4 weekly strength sessions. 2 cardio/ vo2max sessions. 1 full mobility day. Surf every chance you get. 8 hours sleep. Protein at every meal. Don’t complicate it. Commit to it. The goal isn’t to survive the trip. It’s to surf well on day one. Come back for more on day two. Stay injury free all the way through. And leave wishing you had one more week. That’s what 6 weeks of smart training is actually for. I’m already there in my mind! See you soon, Indonesia 🫡🙏🏾🤙🏾

6 things I wish I knew at 40. I’m 53 now and these changed everything. At 40 I was coasting. At 47 my body sent me a bill. At 53 I’m surfing the best waves of my life. The gap between those two versions of me came down to 6 things. 1. Sleep is the most underrated performance tool you have. Testosterone, recovery, mental clarity — all of it resets while you sleep. Treating sleep like an inconvenience in your 40s is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make. 2. Alcohol costs more than you think. It wrecks your sleep, tanks your hormones, and quietly works against every goal you’re trying to hit. You don’t need to quit, but at some point you have to be honest about what it’s actually costing you. 3. Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. Lean protein. Real food. Vegetables. Water. That’s 90% of it. The guys who master the basics consistently beat the guys chasing the perfect plan every time. 4. Consistency is the only program that works. The workout doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to happen. The men I’ve seen transform their bodies in their 40s and 50s aren’t the most talented — they’re the most consistent. 5. Experiences are the investment that compounds. The surf trips, the time with your kids, the memories you actually make — that’s what fills the cup. Nothing you buy or scroll through comes close. 6. You don’t have to slow down. That’s a choice. I’m surfing better waves now than I was at 40. That didn’t happen by accident. The right training, the right habits, and the right mindset change everything.

Love seeing clients use their fitness to do the things they love most! All that hard work paid off this week getting barreled in Mexico — This is exactly why we do what we do. I love to see it. 🫡@journey_zach you made my day! . 📷 @barrel_dealer 🐎 @sacraficialamb

Your pre-surf ritual starts here- Get the blood flowing, the muscles firing, and bring that energy into every wave. Try this surf mobility flow before your next session 🔥🫡

“Surf fit” is different than looking fit. Being able to feel good after a week of surfing twice a day is the goal for me now. I implement surf-readiness workouts into my programming leading up to a surf trip to make sure I can surf hard on day 1. I have a trip on the calendar, training starts now.

simple meals structured training plan lots of water quality sleep minimize stress Optimal health and great physical results can be simpler than we think. Consistency not perfection 🫡

I try to eat for my specific goals which are: to stay light and lean for surfing while keeping quality muscle on my body as I age. Muscle is our metabolic armor and is vital to thrive as we get older. Here are some examples of how I think about the foods I eat. These meals aren’t perfect for every persons goal, but prioritizing healthy protein, carbohydrates and fats helps us all. I’ll be doing a Q&A soon if anyone has questions about nutrition🤙🏾💪🏽

Surfing. Snowboarding. Bowhunting. That’s what makes me feel alive. I train year-round so my body never holds me back from the life I want to live. What do you use your fitness for? I’m opening up a few coaching spots, link in bio 🤙🏾💪🏽 edit by @silvisuals 🤙🏾

Welcome to my new page. This is where I’ll share how I approach training, programming, nutrition, health, and longevity—with a focus on performance and living at a high level for as long as possible. I’ll be sharing my own fitness journey (always evolving), doing Q&A’s, and breaking down topics in a simple, practical way you can actually apply. For me, this is about much more than just aesthetic goals —it’s about building a body that lets you keep doing what you love, for as long as you can, while feeling your best. I want to get old, but not feel old, if that makes sense. I’m fired up on this, so I appreciate you being here. Ask questions, engage, and let’s get after it 🤙🏾🙏🏾 . Photos by @brianbielmann @johnnytsunamz

High intensity session this week. I am starting to plan a killer summer surf trip and want to work towards being surf fit on day 1. Anyone planning a summer surf trip they are fired up about? Lmk where you’re headed! Thanks for documenting @johnnytsunamz love your work!🙏🏾🔥 @doriancoreperformance