A Hang 10 Workout

Sure, it’s fun, but is it exercise? You bet! To the uninitiated, surfing may appear to involve little more than standing on a board and trying to keep your balance. But according to Chani Demello, founder of Moms on Boards, an online apparel company and cyber community for surfing moms, and Peggy Hall, an avid surfer, certified yoga instructor, and personal trainer, surfing is an excellent full-body workout. After regular practice, you’ll gain strength in your arms, legs, shoulders, and back, and along the way you’ll burn calories.

“When paddling, you work the entire upper body, and when you’re up and riding the wave, you’re using all the muscles of your lower body to control and turn your board,” explains Hall. “You also get a great cardio workout when you paddle back out to the lineup [where you sit waiting for breaking waves] as well as when you sprint to catch a wave.” In addition, she says, “Surfing requires exceptional balance, agility, coordination, and mental focus.”

But don’t overlook the spiritual side of it, says Demello, who observes that when you surf, “you’re communing with the strongest force in mother nature … the ocean.”

But is for you? If you’re a competent swimmer and have excellent balance, surfing might be the challenging new sport you’ve been looking for.

Get Ready

Riding the waves is exceptionally demanding. If you’re not in good shape, an injury is likely and surfing may seem more punishing than exhilarating. If you want to catch waves this summer, begin getting in shape now with a cross-training program. You’ll need upper body strength and muscle endurance to paddle out to the waves, so strength training and push-ups are good choices. Cardiovascular endurance is a key quality of surfers as well, so make sure to keep up a good cardiovascular program, preferably including open ocean swimming to help build stamina.

“Getting in a pool and working on a strong freestyle stroke, and even practicing flip-turns at the walls, will help develop the mind-muscle connection required for surfing,” advises Hall. For dry land training, she says, try some conditioning drills such as “pop-ups,” push-ups followed by a quick hop into your surf stance. “This will train your muscles the way you’ll use them when surfing.”

Equally important is flexibility. A good stretching, Pilates, or yoga routine will prepare you well, and training on a skateboard or using a wobble board may help improve your balance. You might benefit from a workout specially designed for surfers such as Surf Stronger (www.surfstronger.com), which targets flexibility, power, and core strength; and Yoga for Surfers (http://yogaforsurfers.com), developed by Hall.

Yoga, says Hall, is especially suitable for surfers since the poses can stretch and strengthen all the muscles involved in the sport. “Yoga and surfing are a perfect fit because they’re both about being completely alive in the moment, fully experiencing the present, and all it has to offer,” says Hall, who started yoga shortly after she began learning to surf and was astonished at how much her surfing improved as a result. “I felt stronger, lighter, more balanced, and more focused.” She looked in vain for a yoga video program designed for surfers and decided to create her own. She became certified as a yoga teacher and made the series of videos herself: Yoga for Surfers.

The program is based on her own blend of hatha yoga styles that specifically focus on the muscles surfers use most: shoulders, back, hips, and legs. “It emphasizes breathing techniques to develop a greater sense of calm and focus, essential for staying centered and present in the very demanding conditions of the ocean,” she explains. Hall notes that yoga can help surfers heal and prevent injuries and shorten their recovery time between surfing sessions.

Yoga and any kind of aerobic exercise are good ways to get in shape for surfing, agrees Demello, but, in the end, she says, “Surfing is the best way to get in shape for surfing.”

Get Set

Surfing gear is expensive, so start by renting until you’re sure you’ll be hanging 10 with the best of them.

Surfing isn’t an activity you’re apt to learn properly on your own. It’s a hard sport, admits Demello. “There are so many factors—tides, swells, winds and, most of all, surf etiquette. There are rules,” she says, “written and unwritten.” Your best bet is to sign up with a reputable surfing school that provides equipment rentals and thorough private or group training, which should give you an understanding of safety issues, weather conditions, how to choose equipment, handling of the board, paddling technique, surfing stance, and choosing and riding waves. Choose the school carefully, making sure the instructors are first aid, CPR, and water safety certified. Demello advises that you always take classes at a beginner spot. Your local surf shop, she notes, can point you in the right direction and can recommend a good surf school. It’s always best, she says, to get a referral.

Get Your Feet Wet!

“It’s essential to feel comfortable in the water and to learn how to read the ocean,” says Hall. “Spend some time going to the ocean and notice its changing conditions. Talk to lifeguards and other local surfers to find out when and where the suitable breaks [surfing spots] are.” She recommends that you limit your first several outings to no more than an hour, so you can stay fresh and alert and be prepared to go back out for the next session.

Demello likens learning to surf to learning a new language. “Once you leave the solid ground, you go into the water world. You have to be able to communicate with—commune with—the ocean.” Every day, she insists, is different. “You have to use your intuition when surfing. I always tell people if something in you says don’t go in, you should listen, even if everybody else is going.” The relationship between surfer and ocean, observes Demello, is personal. “You should not surf alone, but surfing is not a social sport, just you and the ocean and your board,” she says. “Be safe and have fun!”

— Kate Jackson