Surfing is on a lot of bucket lists but the question should often be Can Sedentary People Surf? Surfing is often a vacation entertainment, especially when people come to Oceanside, CA, or it maybe an effort to find something that is more enjoyable than working out.
When it comes to working out, sedentary people have to start slow. Why not jump into surfing? What people find is that surfing is very physically demanding not only for stamina but for strength and flexibility. Just as a sedentary person could not jump into advanced weight lifting or aerobic exercise, surfing is nearly the same.
The Power to Weight Ratio
There is a power to weight ratio discussed which asks if a person has the power (strength) to lift their body off the surfboard. It is more difficult in the water than on land. It requires some upper body strength to do a push up and then lower body to stand on one foot for a few seconds while bringing the other foot forward to arrive in the stance.
Try laying on the floor and pushing up and then putting one foot flat on the floor and standing up on it as you place the other foot in front of you. This is basically the pop up. It is tougher in the water on a moving board Great exercises to improve this movement are push ups and squats. They build upper body strength, core strength, and loosen muscles in hamstrings, buttocks and lower back .
Aerobic Fitness Builds Glucose Stores
Surfing is very aerobic because of the paddling. It takes upper body strength to paddle fast enough to catch a wave. Paddling is tiring. The body needs to absorb lots of glucose into the muscles so there is fuel for exercise. This requires exercising those muscles to train them to absorb more glucose. This takes persistent effort. A person can paddle or lift weights or pull cables. All three are excellent for more paddling stamina.
The body needs more cardiovascular capacity for sustained exercise. Normal aerobic and muscle building exercise will prime the non surfer for surfing activity. If a sedentary person wants to get serious about surfing, they should get serious about building their capacity. Of course, the definition of a sedentary person is one who probably does not enjoy exercise.
The bottom line is many people enjoy the surfing experience even though they can’t do it. There is a lot of fun in catching a wave on a surfboard and racing to the beach. Some get motivated to get in better shape and some write it off as a one time experience.
Read Other Posts:
Beginner Surfers Learn on Soft Tops
5 Steps to Improve Surfing Performance
3 Ways to Catch Real Surfing Waves
Training to Ride the Surfing Short Board
Short Board Surfing Techniques
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