Kelly Slater is 54 and still capable of putting together heats that would trouble surfers half his age. Surprisingly, though, his fitness routine is nowhere near as rigid as you might expect from an 11-time world champion.
Surfing still does most of the work
A recent look at Slater’s routine from Men’s Health reveals that he does not follow a conventional gym programme. Surfing remains his main form of training, and when the waves are good, he can spend six to eight hours a day in the water.
That approach certainly does not seem to be holding him back. At the 2026 Tahiti Pro in Teahupo’o, Slater scored a near-perfect 19.06 to beat three-time world champion Gabriel Medina. His two best rides earned 9.73 and 9.33 points, despite Slater having ended his full-time World Tour career in 2024 and undergone hip surgery.
Surfing may be the main event, but it is not the only thing keeping him moving. Over the years, Slater has mixed in yoga, Pilates, hill running, swimming, stretching and strength work, with mobility and injury prevention taking priority over simply lifting heavy weights.
He has also relied on core exercises, self-massage and deep-tissue bodywork when his body starts feeling tight. There is no strict formula here, with Slater tending to adjust what he does depending on how he feels.
His diet is flexible too
Food follows a similarly loose approach. Slater generally leans towards whole foods, fruit and vegetables, with smoothies, chia seeds and protein regularly appearing in his diet. He eats mostly plant-based foods but is not vegan, with fish and eggs still part of the mix. His previous interviews have also touched on intermittent fasting, supplements and experimenting with different ways of eating.
Not everything Slater has tried is worth copying, especially some of his more restrictive approaches to food. But the basics are easier to follow – stay active, work on your mobility and make time for exercise you genuinely enjoy.