We’ve all seen the surfer beach bodies – long, lean, and strong. There is no question surfing is a great form of exercise for burning tons of calories and staying lean.
Rarely do you see an overweight surfer. There’s a reason for that. Surfing is an unbelievably challenging sport. It taxes both our aerobic and anaerobic energy systems in the body. It requires both muscular power and endurance. You need quickness and balance. And let’s not forget about the flexibility too. It is a total body workout that also is about as joyous as exercise gets.
But it’s more than just the benefits to the body. Surfing can also create positive feelings mentally and actually boost your mood after participating in only 30 mins of activity in the water. This is no surprise to surfers. You can normally see the “stoke” (surfer lingo for excitement) on any surfer getting out of the water. But now there is some science to back this up which I love.
In a recent study (see reference below), the author points out that surfing actually has a positive psychological effect as well. The results show surfing for 30 minutes is associated with an increase in positive, upbeat feelings and a decrease in negative feelings.
So, if there’s ever a time to learn to surf, now is the time. Yes, that stomach will be looking better, your arms will be stronger and more toned, but most importantly you’ll be in a better mood and what’s better than that.
I understand this might not be a reality for everyone.
But the point is this – it goes beyond surfing. It gets to the heart of health and fitness – our message here at Saltwater Fit is of course we want to look good, but more importantly we want to show you how being more active will transform your life and create more energy in your life and sharpen your brain so you make smarter decisions.
Exercise is indeed medicine, it’s just a matter of finding the right type for you. This at the heart of our message.
If it’s surfing, awesome. If it’s lifting weights, great. Or if it’s something as simple as taking a walk instead of watching TV, that’s great too. It doesn’t matter. Exercise has powerful effects not only on the body, but also on the mind. Let’s shoot to be a little more active than we were yesterday and take advantage of this phenomena.
Move just a tiny bit more. Start small and work from there.
That’s the word for today. Get out there and stay active!
Nick
References: http://gradworks.umi.com/1481761.pdf
