Training For Surfing - How to Prepare for your Surf Trip

Surfing is simply the most enjoyable thing you can do to get fit and stay in shape. You don't necessarily have to do any preparation in order to come to Nosara and have a lot of fun learning to surf. We have taught people from 8 years old to 80 (well actually 4 to 76 but it doesn't have quite the same ring to it). We teach people who have never done a stroke of exercise in their life and it's not a problem if you can't swim either.

But while many people surf to get fit, some people get fit to surf and, like any sport, it makes a big difference in terms of how quickly you can improve. One of the hard things about surfing is that there are virtually no transferable skills. If you can run, catch and throw then you're going to be good at a wide range of sports straight away. Not so with surfing. It's a clean slate and we all have to start at square one. There are a few things you can do though, to help get you off the starting line a bit quicker.

Swimming

One of the most obvious things you can do is get in the pool and start swimming. You don't need to be able to swim to enjoy stage 1 surf lesson but for stage 2 and onwards it's a big help. So we've put together a beginners guide to swim training for surfing. Read more...

Flexibility, Balance & Yoga

Generally guys are bit stronger in the upper body but once we hit our mid twenties the flexibility goes out the window. Women on the other hand tend to find that those core strength muscles could do with a bit more power behind them. The poses and stretching aspects of yoga are unbelievably helpful for mobility and core strength. So here are some top tips on how to get started. Read more...

Cycling

Cycling is a great way to get your heart rate up. It improves both aerobic and anaerobic fitness as you whizz up and down those hills. It's particularly important for advanced level surfers because while all the paddling we do keeps our upper bodies in good shape, our legs can often end up letting us down. When you perform powerful turns you need a huge amount of strength in your carves and thighs, especially on point breaks. So on ya bike son!