Paddleboard Surfing Makes Life Better

Individuals don’t take up paddle board surfing mainly because they think they might get hurt. Here is a breakdown of all the benefits of paddle board surfing that can come once you conquer your fears.

The answer is that paddleboard surfing is for everyone. JZap, an old-timer who lived in Hawaii, was riding waves at 91 after four knee surgeries. He probably made it to 91 because he moved to Hawaii from the midwest and lived an active life enjoying the benefits of SUPSurfing for 60 years. We have seen people start to SUPSurf in their 70’s. Most injuries and incidents come from SUPSurfers that have not been coached or are in over their surf level.

If you want to know everything about SUPSurfing, we suggest The Ultimate Guide to SUP Surfing. If you want to know the benefits, then this article should do.

The good thinking about SUP Surfing is that it has unmeasurable benefits that you will only realize when you are on the board and riding a wave, no matter how small or big that wave is. While that is a good thing about SUPSurf, we think the absolute best thing is that it is accessible to more people than regular surf. Young and old are now getting to experience the magic that Captain Cook said in 1777, which was watching the natives, and the expression on their faces was one of “the most supreme pleasure”. That is a powerful statement and one that any SUPSurfer struggles to explain until you have ridden your first wave “…so fast and smoothly driven by the sea”.

Along with the mental benefits of euphoria comes the complete physical aspect. The excitement of the next wave makes you forget that you are working out, and after your first day of SUP Surfing, it’s not until later that night or the next day you realize how much you had your body working.

  • Physical & Mental

As mentioned above, the benefits have been long seen on people’s faces. It wasn’t until recently that scientists dialed in on some of the positive effects of being out on the water and SUPSurfing. You can now find many publications like the book Blue Mind and many articles with studies on the brain, showing the positive effect our mind has to be near the ocean and being outdoors. The mental benefit is profound, and the levels of well-being and happiness are seen. For older SUP Surfers getting into the sport, muscle memory and coordination is a great exercise to keep the brain in as good a shape as you will find your body once you take up SUPsurfing.

The sport’s actual physical benefits are, as you can imagine, filled with working every muscle in your body. It’s a full-body workout. Your core and balance improvement is hard to imagine any other activity that would work them more. On a choppy day, you better believe that’s the best core workout you can imagine.

  • Environmental

The idea of getting people outdoors on an activity that is relatively inexpensive, possible for almost anyone, and detached from technology is exactly what the planet needs. It also has a learning curve that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and desire to improve unlike other outdoor activities like sitting on the beach or riding in a boat or jet ski. SUPSurfing is a sport that runs on your energy and the ocean. It allows you to become attuned to nature and the sea and ultimately be conscious of the planet.

It is becoming harder and harder to get people to spend more time outdoors. SUP Surf is a tool to connect so many to the natural world and hopefully start looking at our oceans’ health.

  • Travel

One of my favorite benefits of SUPSurfing is the idea that it gets you to travel. Once you have ridden the same wave a few times its only human instinct to look for that “most supreme pleasure” in other parts of the world. Our boy JZap started his journey by traveling to Hawaii, which led him to the Duke, which turned Hawaii into a surfing Mecca.

Costa Rica became famous for surfers who were searching for waves, and 60 years later, Costa Rica has one of the top Eco-tourism industries in the world. Traveling when searching for waves can take you to places that ordinary tourists don’t visit. You can meet the authentic side of cultures and open your mind to other forms of thinking.

Ultimately like in Costa Rica, you might be discovering an area that leads to a future of economic development for the local communities. The benefit of traveling with your new addiction to SUPSurf is, for me, one of the most exciting parts of the sport.

SUPSurf Camps in Costa Rica

If you are looking to experience some of these benefits, one of the best ways is to attend a week-long SUP Surf Camp. Here in Costa Rica, the Tropical SUPSurf Academy is all about making sure our guests experience all the benefits of SUPSurfing.padd