9 Best Exercises to Prevent the Most Common Fishing Related Injury

Tendonitis Affects Almost Every Serious Angler, except Bassmaster Elite Pro, John Crews! Learn His Simple Routine to Fish Pain-Free

B.A.S.S. | John Crews

While the perception has been slowly changing in recent years, bass fishing doesn't generally have a history or a reputation for its ties to physical fitness. The fact is, nearly anyone in almost any physical condition can participate on some level. In some ways that may explain its broad appeal. But if you're looking for one of the most surefire ways to make dramatic improvements to your fishing game, and your whole life, really, spend some time optimizing your health.

Bassmaster Elite Pro and Owner and President of Missile Baits, John Crews is pretty well-known for his drive, focus and work ethic. With all of the responsibilities and obligations of his dual full-time careers, Crews always makes time to workout and stay fit. But more than just disciplined, he’s smart about his approach to fitness.

John Crews is a fierce and successful competitor. / B.A.S.S.

While he does his share of solid, traditional, weight lifting, he also thinks a lot about the specific demands tournament bass fishing puts on his body. “It’s an endurance sport, not a strength sport. Balance and core strength come into play when fishing, but focused training for those things is almost always overlooked. I picture a day on the boat—standing up from a low seat dozens, to hundreds of times, per day, balancing on the front deck as the boat rocks through waves. By focusing on balance exercises, utilizing a BOSU ball (picture half of a large rubber ball with a platform to stand on), and lots of single leg exercises, I’m ready to fish all day without fatigue,” says Crews.

Another workout topic Crews is passionate about is the prevention of the most common physical affliction for anglers, tendonitis. Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendons connecting your muscles and bones. It can happen to any tendon, but for fishermen, it’s very commonly an inflammation of the forearm muscle to the elbow, often referred to as Tennis elbow. Normally, tendonitis is the result of prolonged overuse caused by repetitive activities, like casting or walking a topwater bait, especially if you haven’t conditioned your way up to it.

Unlike most of his fellow competitors, John Crews has never suffered fishing tendonitis. / B.A.S.S.

Crews has developed a simple exercise routine that has completely protected him from suffering with his fellow bass tournament competitors. But again, these exercises are often overlooked, probably because they’re not very glamorous and really won’t result in any visible, physical improvement. But in Crews’ mind, competing without nagging, debilitating pain is an obvious advantage and makes this routine well worth his time and focus.

In fact, Crews has recorded an entire video for his YouTube channel, demonstrating all of the moves. And, you will need one fairly inexpensive piece of gear for these exercises, a Theraband FlexBar, which looks like a colorful, foam rubber baton for a relay race. Crews recommends the extra light, yellow model.“We’re not trying to build strength, we’re trying to build endurance. We’re not looking to see how big and heavy of a FlexBar we can use, and only be able to do four reps. We’re not trying to make our forearms bigger—we want to train them to do marathons, not lift a bail of hay,” says Crews.

This is the Tera-Band Flex Bar Crews recommends. / Thera-Band

So, definitely watch the video if you need a visual demonstration, but I’ll list out the 9 moves here.

9 Easy Tendonitis Exercises

1.) The Motorcycle

Crews says this move reminds him of twisting the throttle on a motorcycle.
Start by twisting one wrist backward while twisting the other wrist forward. Do 10 to 15 reps, then reverse the twisting and repeat for another 10 to 15 reps.

Crews says this move reminds him of twisting the throttle on a motorcycle. / John Crews

2.) The Fold-over

With an overhand grip on the ends of the bar, flex the ends down to form an upside down U for 10 to 15 reps. Then reposition your grip with palms facing up and flex the bar up into a U shape. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

Flex the ends to form a U for 10 to 15 reps. / John Crews

3.) The Wrist Hookset

Holding one end of the bar, flex your wrist up like you’re doing a mini-hookset, while holding the other end of the bar still with your other hand. 10 to 15 reps. Then, with the same hand, hold the opposite end of the bar and flex your wrist down, while holding the other end of the bar still with your free hand. 10 to 15 reps. Then switch to your opposite hand and repeat the process.

Flex your wrist up like you're doing a mini-hookset. / John Crews

4.) The Spin

Hold the bottom end of the bar in one hand, and make it flex and spin counter-clockwise while your hand remains basically stationary. Do 20 to 30 rotations. Then go clockwise for 20 to 30 rotations. Then switch hands and repeat. Crews says you’ll need to develop a little coordination to do this well with your non-dominant hand, but you’ll get it with practice.

Crews says you'll need to develop a little coordination to do this one well with your non-dominant hand. / John Crews

5.) The Under Spin

This is the same as the Spin, but hold the FlexBar at the top end and spin below your hand.

Same as the last exercise but hold the top of the FlexBar. / John Crews

6.) The Twist

Crews notes that by this point in the routine, you should be feeling a pretty good pump in your forearms. The exercise helps to loosen the muscles back up a little. Grip the FlexBar in the middle and extend your arm out in front of you. Then rotate your wrist back and forth, clockwise to counter-clockwise for 30 reps. Switch hands and do another 30.

This exercise helps to loosen the muscles back up a little. / John Crews

7.) Casting

Holding the bar in one hand, like a fishing pole, go through the same motion you do when casting, stopping and holding briefly at the end, making the rod flex forward for 10 to 15 reps. Switch hands and repeat.

Just go through the same motion you do when casting. / John Crews

8.) The Hookset

This is just the opposite direction of the Casting motion. Start with the bar held in front of you and bring it back towards your shoulder, like a hookset motion, stopping and holding briefly at the end, causing the bar to flex backwards for 10 to 15 reps. Switch hands and repeat.

This is the opposite direction of the casting motion. / John Crews

9.) The Underhand Pitch

With your arm extended in front of you, holding the bar at the top end, flex your wrist just enough to get the bar flexing back and forth in a line with your forearm. Do 10 to 15 reps, switch hands and repeat.

Flex your wrist just enough to get the bar flexing back and forth. / John Crews

Workout Schedule

The idea is to use this routine to prepare your tendons before you start doing any long fishing days. If you live somewhere with a winter that doesn’t allow year round, open water, bass fishing, or you don’t fish much once the tournament season ends, begin this routine at least 6 to 8 weeks before you’re going to be hitting the water again. Start by completing this cycle once per week, for the first two or three weeks. Then move up to two times per week. Slowly progress to doing the full circuit of 9 exercises, two times in a row for each session. Crews describes that as he preps for tournament season, he works his way up to three sessions per week with three full circuits per session. And in over 20 years of the highest level professional bass tournament competition, he has never suffered from tendonitis.

Why Worry About Tendonitis?

I can tell you personally, tendonitis is no fun. I’ve managed to avoid it most years, but the three or four seasons I’ve had to deal with it were difficult. Obviously, it makes normal fishing way less fun, but the pain also interferes with lots of other activities like restful sleep. And once you’ve inflamed those tendons, it doesn’t just get better after you rest up a couple days. It usually takes at least several months of recovery time.

But, I’m encouraged by the plan Crews has suggested. He said that even once he’s up to the point where he’s doing three full rounds per session, it still only takes about ten minutes to complete. I figure I’ll just add it on to the end of my normal weight lifting routine, but Crews also mentioned that this whole program can be done while sitting on the couch watching T.V. And the FlexBar is small enough that it could be kept almost anywhere convenient, where it can serve as a reminder to do your exercises.

Simple Motivation Surprised Me

As someone who has worked out, off and on, for most of my life, reliable motivation is something I have considered a lot. I know what I should do, but how do I make sure I do it. After decades of this, I recently had an experience that was completely new but surprisingly effective.

Recently, I received some clothes from a company called MUNICIPAL—a couple t-shirts, a couple shorts, and a couple athletic pants. It’s co-founded by actor, former rapper, and all-around entrepreneur, Mark Wahlberg. If you’ve heard one thing about Wahlberg in the last several years, it’s about his disciplined fitness lifestyle, famously starting his workouts at 4:00am, every day.

The MUNICIPAL Training Camp Joggers / MUNICIPAL

This next bit is going to sound a bit strange and overly dramatic, but I’m just sharing what happened to me. I was surprised to notice that there was something about putting on these clothes that made me feel differently about myself—better, more confident…motivated to be my best. I know. I can actually hear the eyes rolling.

The MUNICIPAL Enduro Stretch T-Shirt / MUNICIPAL

The MUNICIPAL Sport Utility Shorts / MUNICIPAL

Obviously, the clothes are noticeably well-made from better-than-average feeling materials, the cuts and shapes are flattering, and their brand is, generally speaking, way younger and cooler than I am. And yes, I’m coming from a couple decades of wearing mostly free, promotional, fishing company branded, t-shirts and hoodies, but when I put this MUNICIPAL stuff on, I felt an obligation to live up to the level of these workout clothes. Yes, that is weird, but I promise it happened. The Enduro Stretch T-Shirt, Sport Utility Shorts, and Training Camp Joggers are a couple of my favorite pieces. I just thought I’d share that because I’d never noticed anything like it before, and I’ll take some fresh motivation anywhere I can find it.