TOP 13 HEALTH BENEFITS OF SURFING
The Mental Health Benefits of Surfing, surfing makes you feel euphoric. when there’s a wave, there’s a way to have fun but – is it actually any good for your health? take a deep dive into the science and philosophy behind the pleasure.
Physical Health
1. CARDIOVASCULAR, SYSTOLIC & DIASTOLIC, AND HEART HEALTH
Paddling out against waves is no easy feat, it requires a tremendous amount of physical fitness. Consistent paddling gets the cardiovascular muscle pumping hard whilst using the muscles in your shoulders, back, arms, and buttocks. It’s certainly a workout! When you train your body to the point of being out of breathing overtime this lowers your blood pressure & resting heart rate, which decreases your risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other diseases whilst keeping you fit and healthy! Surfing is a great way to add a healthy dose of cardio into your life.
2. SHOULDER & BACK STRENGTH
Functional movements such as the single shoulder dislocate movement that is carried out whilst paddling through waves, strengthens the arms and the shoulders. It is a repetitive movement that contributes to the overall tone and strength of the deltoid, pectoral, and rotator cuff. The supine position used whilst lying face down on the board subtly engages the lumbar muscles which work to strengthen the back as a whole. Having a strong back leads to better stability, flexibility, and endurance – essential for surfing. sections.
3. LEG & CORE STRENGTH
Leg strength is another benefit of surfing, think of an hour session as the equivalent of a session of squat jumps/burpees. You are constantly changing levels from, chest pressed to the floor, to fully extended whilst in a standing squat. This contributes wildly to leg strengthening exercises, and can match any “big leg day” you had planned for the gym. Abdominal muscles are used to stabilize you in a solid position whilst lying, sitting, and standing on the board. Your balance comes entirely from your core, and this part of your body is being worked during all stages of a surf session. backyard!
4. OUTDOORS IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Remember that feeling when you were a child of the wind in your hair as you flew high on the swings, running through puddles in your wellies, and rolling in fallen autumn leaves in the park with your family. Breathing in fresh clean air helps to combat stress, low mood, and fatigue. the area!
5. CALORIE BURNER
According to various government health sources, the exact figure is hard to land on. On average a 180-pound person surfing for 30- 60 minutes can burn as many as 130 to 260 calories. This depends on the intensity of the session. Battling through dumpy sets is much for taxing on the body, that paddling out at ease and catching smooth, clean, green waves. Regardless of the figure the benefits of getting out there, massively outweigh the alternative of sitting on your bum!atmosphere.
6. TONE OVERALL BODY
Your physic stays trim with regular surf training, its a constant resistance training exercise as you use your own body weight. Paddling strength is hard to replicate in a gym or at home, so the best way to tone up your arms, bum, legs, and back muscles is to paddle whenever possible! All the pros train on flat water days by just paddling without waves. Start by doing 20 minutes paddling in one direction and back. l season.
7. COOL WATER GOOD FOR BODY/ BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM
Regular submergence in cold water has been cited as having an incredible benefit on the body. It promotes a feeling of invigoration due to the release of stress hormones. Coldwater pressure is hugely anti-inflammatory and can ease tension, headaches, and pain. Hence why we’re always being told to bathe injuries in ice. Coldwater is rumored to heighten your body per-disposed metabolic rate, as the temperature of the water forces the body to heat up at a much faster rate than normal, switching on the fire and burning calories.
Note: (Please be warned of the effects of cold shock – which can be fatal. See link in references.)and length.
8. VITAMIN D DOSE
The vitamin D you get from being out in the sun is essential for strong bones, as it regulates the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Being deficient in Vitamin D can lead to low energy, low mood, and fatigue. Being out in the fresh air and the natural sunlight regulates your circadian rhythm and releases happy hormones. Delightful! the left.
9. IMPROVED SLEEP QUALITY
Being outside increases melatonin which, hand in hand with your circadian rhythm helps you maintain a healthy sleep pattern, eg, falling asleep faster and promoting more restful sleep. Physical exercise also helps you sleep due to physical exhaustion, helping you fall asleep faster, for longer, and gets you into a deeper sleep as your body needs to repair the muscles worked from the day before. Being outside, being colder than usual, and facing the elements and being tumbled by waves requires energy, this will make you feel an energized version of depleted by the evening. Enjoy your evening meal and take it slow with a warming cup of tea. surf spots
10. IMPROVED BALANCE
The most appraised benefit of surfing is the quality of your overall body balance. Without balance and agility, you would not be able to remain standing on the surfboard. Enhanced balance is a functional movement that is vital for everyday function, ie, bike riding, standing up straight using your core, skateboarding, yoga, standing a particularly wobbly tube!out area!!
11. INCREASED FLEXIBILITYT
Better levels of flexibility enable for fluid surfing and also aids in the prevention of injuries both on and off the surfboard. You are situated mostly in a straddle position, this transposes into frog pose in ashtanga yoga, which widely opens the hip ball and socket, increasing movement and freedom around the joint. The motion used by your shoulders (overhead then down by your side) is what is called “shoulder dislocates” in sports such as gymnastics and Crossfit. This motion helps to lubricate the joint and allow for an easier range of movement if practiced over time. Have you ever noticed your initial overhead paddle strokes of the session are stiffer compared to being on the water for 20 minutes? s working!
12. ENCOURAGES TO FUEL BODY WITH CORRECT NUTRITION S
Here’s a fun fact. Surfing in Morocco makes you starving. ‘Hank Marvin’ kind of starving. Being in the water is a calorie burner, especially for long periods of time. Your body has to adapt differently to what it’s used to on land, it has to balance itself constantly to stop you toppling over, it has to maintain your head a level above water for obvious reasons, and be constantly on the lookout for threats (big waves, scary sea creatures, other surfers, the location of your board) whilst keeping your body at a constant core temperature that the water will be trying to adapt. All these inner computing requires energy. Energy comes from our food. You’re more than likely going to need the correct amount to fuel your sport. What a great excuse to eat properly! Vegetables like sweet potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, and beans are all full of protein to nourish the fibers of your muscles and give you enough gusto to get through a session. Eat 30 minutes after surfing to avoid feeling sluggish and overly exhausted. breaks in
13. SKIN & HAIR HEALTHT
Saltwater is a natural exfoliant, it detoxes the face of pollutants gained from products, chemicals, and pollution derived from the city dwelling. The salt also acts as an exfoliant to the scalp and hair, effectively naturally cleansing from root to tip. Everyone loves salty beach babe’s hair! Don’t buy it in a bottle, get in the sea. Seaweed and saltwater are used in most blemish fighting skincare, so going directly to the source gives your face a healthy dose of natural cleansing.