Total bliss… nothing is on your mind but surfing and just being in the water. That is the exact feeling that I, as well as many other surfers, feel when going out for their daily session. While enjoying the water, relaxation and the serenity surfing creates; little do we know that we are working almost every single muscle in our body!
From carrying our board to the shoreline, running out through the inside, paddling to the outside, the action of surfing and even sitting on our board while we wait for the dream set to come through… we are using multiple muscle groups to stabilize ourselves and surf fluidly.
Listed below is a list of reasons why we, at Chica Brava, feel surfing is the best workout for any and everyone:
1. Improved Balance, Strength, Flexibility and Cardiovascular Fitness
Balance- Needed to stay sturdy on your surfboard
Strength- Coming from paddling mostly, this increases your muscle mass and strength in your upper body
Flexibility- Trying to land more of those advanced maneuvers, stretch a bit more. Though surfing keeps you flexible, which overall can aid prevention of injuries both on and off the surfboard, it is important to continue stretching in and out of the water.
Cardiovascular Fitness- Long paddle out, a bit of a drift or even tons of fun sets coming through means your heart gets pumping which can help improve fatigue, strength of breaths and prevent heart attacks.
2. It’s FUN
The absolutely best part about surfing for exercise is that it is just way too much fun that by the time you look down at your watch, if you’re even wearing one, and see you have been surfing for 2 hours and you STILL do not want to quit! Compare that to any other exercise, where at least for me, I cannot wait to be finished at the very first second I begin.
It seems that people of ALL types get the surf bug that could make even the biggest couch potato, wake up at 5AM to catch Playa Maderas glassy and before anyone else is in the water. To then have to work after, which is now a turn for the more active (and FUN) lifestyle surfing fosters.
3. Becoming more aware of your diet
One word for food when surfing, FUEL! Treat your body right by feeding it the proper nutrition needed for those long (or short) surf sessions. Try a high protein meal after surfing to help your muscles with some TLC while drinking plenty of water. And by water, we do not mean salt water, though we know one wipe can cause it to happen sometimes.
4. Makes you feel Y-O-U-N-G
When people say ‘Vitamin SEA’, they couldn’t be more right. The ocean seems to have a source of revitalizing energy that surfers froth on, riding the energy of the ocean… pure mother nature energy that has traveled thousands of miles to create happiness to us surfers.
You will see people that are still surfing in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and older who don’t tend to look their age at all, because they are doing something they LOVE. Proving that the health benefits of surfing do not just apply to your physical health, but mentally as well. So stay healthy, surfing and having fun!
“I surf because Alice wasn’t the only one to find her wonderland.” – Unknown
Annaleigh Jaildagian
Camp Operations Manager
CHICABRAVA