When Julian Williams floats his plate in the face of a wave, the movement looks effortless – a fast doll, an explosive turnout and a smooth turn that feels more like instinct than effort. But behind that difficult display is hours in the gym that refine the type of power and precision that weekend separates surfers from those who compete on the world stage.
“It’s about staying light and explosive,” says Williams. “I don’t want to bolt – I want to be able to move quickly and stay balanced.”
That approach wore him this summer in history in the US Open or Surfing, where the 23-year-old became the first Black Hawaiian who competed in the World Surf League After earning a coveted joker sign. His strength, conditioning and mentality have been tightened as much on the land as in the water, a balance of plyometry, core activation, breathing and stretching that builds the base for every wave he drives.
Now that he is ready for the next chapter of his career, Williams’ training routine is more than just a competitive advantage – it is also a form of representation. By competing in
The training behind the explosiveness of surfing
The training of Williams is a finely tuned balance between strength, endurance and mobility, specially designed to meet the requirements of competing surfing. In the weeks prior to a competition, he splits his time between surfing two to three hours a day and three to five times a week, carefully reduce his gym work as the event approaches. “I try to keep the light in the gym, especially before the competition,” he explains. “I just want my muscles to feel ready, not tight. It’s about reminding them:” Hey, we are starting to respond very quickly, so let’s get ready. “
The exercises themselves are a mix of core and leg activation, functional movements and explosive exercises. Medicine Ball Twists build rotational power for bends and antennas, while jump squats and burpees imitate the pop-up movement and need drive to attack the waves. Romanian deadlifts, Russian turns and striped rotations complete the routine, giving both stability
and liquid. “Much of what I do is fundamental training,” says Williams. “It’s really just activating the core and legs, ensuring that my body is ready to move quickly in every direction.”
Even during workouts with high intensity, Williams took breath control, where intervals are held for 20-30 seconds during medicines or lunges to simulate underwater pressure. “The point is to make your mind comfortable with situations that you might not control in the water,” he says. The result is not only physical strength, but mental readiness – a ability to stay calm and explosive under pressure.
Balancing of strength and liquid
For Williams, strength is not about bulk – it is about mobility, flexibility and lighting in the water. Recovery and stretching are just as essential as lifting themselves. After the gym or surf sessions, he spends 30 minutes with quiet stretching, rolling out tight spots from head to toe, touching the hips, knees, ankles and especially the lower back. “I used to have a problem with my lower back,” he admits. “But the more I concentrated on mobility and stretching, the better I felt-and it really improved my pop-ups and strength on the bottom of the Golf.”
His gym sessions give priority to the movements of core and lower body, but Williams ensures that no body part is neglected. Push-ups, shelves and functional work in the upper body keep it in balance, while light, controlled weight training ensures that it maintains strength without sacrificing agility. Nutrition is a supplement to this approach. Working together with organic Gorilla protein bars for fuel before and after the surf, he keeps his body light, energetic and ready for action. “What you put in your body ultimately influences how you work in the water and outside the water,” he says.
Even the mental component reflects this balance. Visualization and strategic planning enable him to respond instinctively during heat without thinking. Music, cultural work on a Taro patch and walks with family offer mental repetitions, causing him to separate himself from the ocean, preparing his body and mind for performance.
Break barriers about surfing surfing
In addition to physical and mental preparation, Williams has a cultural meaning. At the US Open he became the first black Hawaiian to participate in the WSL (World Surf League), a milestone years in the making. ‘
I knew that I could get myself there, I just didn’t know when, “he remembers, to think about a childhood memory of stealing Pro Surfer’s Julian William ‘parking board – who read:” Julian’s mother parking “as a souvenir and motivation, his mother told that that place would be soon.
Williams used the pressure and attention as fuel instead of a distraction. “Although I did not stand up by that round, I could surf and show people, this is how I surf, this is true
We are, and this is where we are meant, “he says. His approach embodies both performance – incapacity and cultural representation – the evidence of that preparation, skills and discipline can cut room in a sport that cannot historically lack diversity at the elite level.
Community and culture
This ethos naturally extends to a great day in De Stoke, a Surffestival that calls Williams the greatest leadership for his career. The festival not only offers exposure, but also a platform for black surfers to connect, compete and inspire the next generation. “I want to see people better than me,” he says. “Because that means that there will be a better representation. The more competitors that come in, the more younger generations we can inspire to get closer to the water.”
The long -term vision of Williams extends beyond the competition. He hopes to open a surfing school that offers access and training for disadvantaged youth, combining his understanding of physical preparation, head space management and cultural heritage. It is a full-circle mission: the training that feeds its performance also rests him to lead and lift a community.
The next wave
Julian Williams moves on the waves with the difficult explosiveness of a seasoned professional. Behind that movement is a regime of targeted strength work, mobility, breathing control and mental strategy – a process that is as meticulous as intentional. From the waves he channeled the same energy to community and culture, guides young surfers and increases minority representation in sport.
In the world of Williams, Fitness is not just a tool for performance; It is a platform for the goal. Every pop-up, every turn in the Golf and every hour in the gym is an explanation: that excellence, representation and discipline can ride on the same wave. And with a great day in the Stoke he not only competes – he creates space for the next generation to be high and pass him.
Julian Williams’ Surf -Strength Training
Total time: ~ 60 minutes
Warm-up and mobility (10 minutes)
- Neck bread: 2 sets, 30 seconds each direction
- Arm circles + shoulder mobility: 2 sets, 20 each direction
- 90/90 Hipopeners: 2 sets, 45 seconds per side
- Single rolls: 2 sets, 20 each direction
- Dynamic pieces: Walking Lunges + Torso Twist, Inchworms, Side Shuffles
Explosive power and power (25 minutes)
(Perform in Supersets, rest 60-75 seconds between rounds)
Super set 1 – Legs & Core (4 rounds)
- Box Jump Squats: 10 repetitions
- Medicine ball rotation slam: 12 repetitions per side
SUPPERSET 2 – Functional Push & Pull (3 rounds)
- Burpees (pop-up simulation): 12 repetitions
- Push-ups with shoulder tap: 12 repetitions
Super set 3 – Rear necklace and core (3 rounds)
- Romanian deadlift: 12 repetitions (using moderate weight)
- Plank with knee-to-elbow: 12 per side
Stample and breathing circuit (15 minutes)
3 rounds, minimal rest – train both endurance and calmness under stress
- Jump squats: 15 repetitions
- Walking Lunge: (keep inhale for 3-5 steps, breath for 3-5 steps): 20 steps
- Medicine Ball Rotation: 12 per side
- 30-second breathing holding board: (keep after breathing out for extra challenge)
Cool-Down & Recovery (10 minutes)
- Foam roll (hamstrings, quads, lats): 2 minutes each
- Stretching (hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders): 30 seconds each
- Deep breathing: 4-second inhalation, 6 seconds exhaling: 2 minutes
Follow Julian on Instagram @Julan.williams
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