Surfing isn’t just about riding waves and catching the perfect barrel; it’s a holistic experience that offers numerous health and wellbeing benefits. Surfing is a way of life. At Blitz Surf Shop in Gisborne, we’re passionate about not only providing top-quality surf gear like surfboards and wetsuits, but also promoting the many positive impacts that surfing can have on your life. Here’s why hitting the waves is good for both your body and mind.
1. Physical Fitness: Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility
Surfing is a full-body workout that combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training. Here’s how:
- Core Strength: Balancing and maneuvering on a surfboard requires strong abdominal and lower back muscles, which helps to improve core strength.
- Upper Body Strength: Paddling out to the waves works your shoulders, arms, and chest. Repeated paddling sessions enhance upper body endurance. You'll notice if you haven't surfed for a while just how quickly paddling endurance can suffer.
- Leg Strength: Standing and maneuvering on the board engages your leg muscles, helping to build strength and improve balance.
- Flexibility: The various movements involved in surfing, such as duck diving, turning and popping up on the board, enhance flexibility and joint mobility.
2. Cardiovascular Health: Boost Your Heart Health
Regular surfing sessions are excellent for cardiovascular fitness. Paddling against the current and catching waves keeps your heart rate elevated, promoting better cardiovascular health. A strong cardiovascular system helps in reducing the risk of heart disease, improving circulation, and increasing overall stamina. You'll notice that regular surfers tend to be fit in all sorts of modalities, even if surfing is the only one they do regularly.
3. Mental Wellbeing: Stress Reduction and Mindfulness
Surfing provides an unparalleled sense of relaxation and mindfulness. Here’s how it benefits your mental health:
- Stress Reduction: Being in the water and engaging in physical activity helps release endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. The rhythmic sound of the waves and the focus required while surfing help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Mindfulness and Presence: Surfing requires you to be fully present, as you focus on the waves and your movements. This is especially true when you are pushing your personal surfing lmits. This mindfulness practice can help improve mental clarity and emotional resilience.
4. Social Connection: Building Community
Surfing often involves a sense of community and connection. Whether you’re sharing waves with friends or meeting new people at the beach, surfing helps foster social interactions and relationships. This sense of belonging and camaraderie can greatly enhance your overall sense of wellbeing. Personally now as I get older, surfing is providing a significant amount of social interaction where the younger me partying has fallen away. And its definitely a lot better for you. Share some hoots when you see someone get a sick wave, its good for everyone!
5. Outdoor Exposure: Vitamin D and Fresh Air
Spending time outdoors is beneficial for your health. Surfing in Gisborne’s beautiful coastal environment means you’re getting ample exposure to fresh air and sunlight, which provides essential Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and immune function, and the fresh ocean air can help improve respiratory health.
Just be sure to also take care of your sun protection when out surfing. Check out our current range of sunscreen and zinc here
6. Improved Sleep: Restful Nights
Engaging in physical activities like surfing can help regulate your sleep patterns. The combination of physical exertion and the calming effect of spending time in nature contributes to improved sleep quality, making it easier to fall asleep and enjoy restful nights. This helps improve every aspect of your daily life.
7. Enhanced Coordination and Balance
Surfing requires a high level of coordination and balance. By regularly practicing surfing, you enhance your ability to control and coordinate your body movements. This improved balance and coordination can benefit other areas of your life, including other sports and daily activities.
8. Self-Esteem and Confidence: Achievement and Personal Growth
Mastering the art of surfing and achieving personal goals, whether it's catching a wave, improving your technique or pushing your own personal limits, can boost your self-esteem and confidence. The sense of accomplishment and personal growth that comes with surfing positively impacts your overall sense of self-worth.
Join the Surfing Community at Blitz Surf Shop
At Blitz Surf Shop in Gisborne, we’re dedicated to supporting your surfing journey and helping you reap all these health benefits. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or just starting out, we offer a wide range of surf gear and accessories to enhance your experience. Our knowledgeable team is always here to provide expert advice and support to ensure you get the most out of your time on the water.
Ready to experience the health and wellbeing benefits of surfing? Visit us at Blitz Surf Shop or browse our online store to find the perfect surf gear for your next session. Embrace the waves and enjoy the many ways surfing can enrich your life!
