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

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the perspectives of surfers and support staff on the relevance and practicality of various surfing training modalities to enhance surfing-specific maneuvers. Employing the Concept Systems groupwisdomTM platform, data were collected from 29 participants (18 support staff and 11 surfers) using concept mapping, a method known for capturing context-specific insights. The participants generated 101 statements regarding training modalities, then refined to 58 and categorised into four clusters through multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis: education and mindset, physical preparation, in-water training, and dry-land training. The clusters were rated based on importance and feasibility on a 10-point scale. The findings revealed that the education and mindset cluster was considered the most crucial (mean = 7.5) and feasible (8.1), while dry-land training was viewed as the least important (mean = 5.9) and feasible (mean = 6.0). A notable discrepancy was observed in the perceived importance of dry-land training between surfers (mean = 6.48) and support staff (mean = 5.61), indicating differing viewpoints. The study concludes that training programs should prioritise education and mindset, physical preparation, in-water training, and dry-land training, in that order. It also suggests the need to consider diverse opinions on dry-land training and recommends a constraints-led approach to training design, acknowledging the unique challenges in surf training. This research provides novel insights into the design of effective training environments for skill-based surfing maneuvers.