Surfing isn’t just exhilarating—it’s an incredible full-body workout that improves your fitness levels, burns calories, and strengthens your body. The best part? It’s done in the great outdoors, offering both physical and mental health benefits. Whether you’re a beginner or is surfing a good workout, this activity will challenge your body and keep you coming back for more.
Read on to discover why surfing is one of the most effective full-body workouts.
Improved Cardiovascular Fitness
Cardiovascular fitness is key to maintaining overall health, and surfing is a fantastic way to boost it. The combination of paddling, popping up onto your board, and riding waves increases your heart rate, making your heart and lungs work harder to deliver oxygen throughout your body. Studies show that vigorous aquatic activities like surf camp costa rica can lower the risk of heart disease by improving cardiovascular endurance.
For perspective, paddling alone can burn approximately 250–350 calories per hour, depending on wave conditions and intensity. This makes surfing an incredible workout for your heart while helping you stay in shape.
Strengthens Core Muscles
Surfing is a powerhouse for building core strength. Balancing on the surfboard requires the constant engagement of your abs, obliques, and lower back muscles. When you pop up to stand on your board and ride a wave, your core muscles stabilize your body to maintain balance. This repetitive motion strengthens your midsection for improved posture, stability, and overall strength.
A strong core isn’t just crucial for surfing—it’s essential for nearly every sport and functional movement, from running to lifting weights. Better yet, improving your core strength can help reduce back pain and increase flexibility.
Builds Upper Body Strength
Paddling through the waves is a major part of surfing, and this movement develops the upper body muscles over time. Each stroke relies heavily on your shoulders, upper back, and arm muscles, especially the biceps and triceps. Surfers often develop toned and muscular arms thanks to the repetitive paddling motion.
The physical benefits don’t stop when you’re out of the water. Consistent surfing enhances functional strength in your upper body, making everyday tasks like carrying groceries or lifting heavy objects much easier.
Boosts Lower Body Power
Once you catch a wave and rise into your stance, your legs take center stage. Whether you’re crouching for stability, carving a turn, or launching an aerial, your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes work together to control and guide the board. This consistent engagement tones and strengthens your lower body, creating muscular endurance and explosive power.
For added perspective, surfing is comparable to a high-intensity squat routine in the gym—a big win for anyone looking to tone their legs.
Natural Flexibility Enhancement
The dynamic movements required for surfing naturally improve flexibility. Your muscles and joints are continuously flexing, extending, and twisting as you move through the motions of paddling, popping up, and riding waves. This full range of movement increases flexibility, especially in your shoulders, hips, and spine.
Better flexibility not only helps improve surfing performance but also reduces the risk of injury and enhances overall athleticism.
Mental and Emotional Health Boost
Although this article focuses on physical benefits, it’s impossible to ignore the mental health benefits surfing brings. Being in the ocean has been scientifically linked to stress reduction, improved mood, and a greater sense of connectedness with nature. Paired with the physical challenges of surfing, you get a satisfying and mood-boosting full-body activity.
