Surf Your Way Into Shape This Summer

Guest blog post from Luke Douglas from ripped.me

Ladies and gentlemen, do you want to have tons of fun this summer? Do you also want to trim your body while at it? It’s possible! Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz are living proofs that surfing is not only super exciting but it also serves as an efficient cardio workout! But, before you start looking for surfboards and beaches, you need to know a few things. Let’s begin!

Surfing requirements

Before you hit the waves and start the whole surfing experience this summer, you have to do a few things to prepare yourself. Being a good swimmer should go without saying. You cannot start panicking should you fall off your board. If you’re not so sure that you can handle every situation in the ocean, you may want to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the currents. Swim for a while, you can never be too sure. Also, do a bit of bodysurfing. You have to get a hold of the whole balancing part of the experience. That is probably the most important part of the whole surfing thing. Even if you have some experience with surfing, it’s not bad to revise the fundamentals.

Surfing benefits

Let’s be clear, surfing is an awesome workout. However, it is also quite tiring and demanding. When you surf, your heart starts pounding like crazy and you burn quite a lot of calories. You also work on your core, glutes, legs and many other muscle groups. It’s safe to say that surfing serves as a great cardio workout that also does wonders to your figure. And before you know it, your body will be in that perfect bikini shape! For example, a 150-pound woman will burn about 215 calories in just one hour in the waves; on top of that, all that paddling, balancing and cutting through the water does wonders for the arms, abs and legs! But the best thing is that you work out both physically and mentally since surfing is a great stress reliever! In the words of Cameron Diaz, it is a ‘religious experience’! Just remember to buy a quality surfboard. Various renowned brands such as the reliable Lost Surfboards always have some great boards to offer and they make the whole process of buying quite convenient. So don’t be stingy when it comes to that.

More and more women surf!

Back in the day, surfing was dominated by men. Rare were the sights of women riding the waves. However, nowadays the story is different. According to Board-Trac, from 2001 to 2005, the percentage of women surfers among the 2.3 million surfers on the globe soared from 19 percent to 33 percent. Many female-focused apparel brands pumped huge revenue into the billion-dollar surfing industry. For example, Roxy, a top seller, increased their sales from $20 million to $650 million in the last decade. You can’t help but murmur the famous ‘Run the World’ song from her majesty Beyoncé now. ‘Who run the world? – Girls!’

Great surfing spots

Now that you’re aware of how awesome surfing is, it’s time to see where you could hit the waves. It is common knowledge that the best surfing spots belong to places like Tahiti, Bali and Hawaii. These islands offer amazing coasts that attract surfers from all around the globe like a magnet. However, not many surfers know that there are numerous other places that actually offer great waves and some of them have even been awarded the title of ‘surfers paradise’. Those include the ‘surfers paradise’ Superbank which is located on the Gold Coast, Australia, Bundoran Beach situated in County Donegal, Ireland, and Watergate Bay in Cornwall, England. You can even head down to Rincon, Puerto Rico since the town eats surfing, breathes surfing, and lives surfing. The list could go on and on, really. Whatever option you choose, fun is guaranteed. And even if you have to spend an extra buck or two, it will be worth it!

Conclusion

Instead of spending numerous hours at the gym burning away those calories, you could enjoy the beautiful ocean and have tons of fun! Again, the best thing about it is that you shed those pounds like crazy while having fun. And that’s why surfing is hands down one of the best ways to get in shape!