If you’re looking for a new hobby that also happens to be an amazing source of exercise, you might want to try surfing. Here are five reasons surfing is not only good for your body but your mind as well:
It’s Difficult
Balancing on a surfboard takes serious core strength. You need balance, rhythm, and strength—so it’s safe to say that surfing requires some skills. So much so, that it’s now become a brand-new addition to the Olympic Games: The International Olympic Committee officially acknowledged surfing as an Olympic sport in 2016, with its launch in the next Olympics.
It Can Be Meditative
If you’re a beginner, you focus on maintaining balance. But as you progress, you’ll gradually become more in sync with the movement of the waves. Once you’re moving with the water around you, it can be quite meditative.
It Fosters Community
Like any sport, surfing offers a community of passionate, valuable members. Just as yoga participants might share the same values as their fellow yogis, surfers follow that same flow. Surfing is an entirely free resource with an array of benefits— on physical, mental, and social fronts.
It Can Enhance Sustainability
So this might be a bit obvious, but surfers need the water to surf. This means that surfers probably don’t want to be in polluted, plastic-filled water. As more and more people become interested in the sport, hopefully, more clean water restrictions will follow suit.