Do Surfers Surf Every Day? (+4 Benefits & Downsides of It)

Have you ever asked someone how they got so good at surfing, only to receive the answer: “I surf every day”.

While it is true that in order to become better at surfing you will need to surf as often as you can, no one can surf every day.

That being said, it is possible to surf every day that it is possible, and this may be as much as every day for a year, but at some stage, there will be no waves.

Below we will take a look at what surfing every possible day will do for you and your surfing.

Is It Possible to Surf Every Day?
Is It Ok to Surf Every Day?
How Often Do Surfers Go Surfing?
4 Benefits of Surfing Every Day
4 Possible Downsides of Surfing Every Day
How Often Do I Need to Surf to Get Good?
Conclusion
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Is It Possible to Surf Every Day?

Surfing every day, although a dream for some surfers, is not possible due to a single factor.

Even if you have easy access to the beach, a flexible job that allows you to manage your own time, transport, and money for the right equipment, the wind and water conditions will always hold you back.

Because surfing is so reliant on the perfect swell size and direction, as well as the wind direction and its speed, there are often days when not everything works out.

When weather conditions are not suited for the location then it is not possible to surf.

Is It Ok to Surf Every Day?

Although it is not usually possible to surf every day, in a situation when it is, there is no reason why doing so would be a problem.

Surfing is nothing more than a skilled extreme sport. Although it requires hours to learn and perfect, from the get-go the sport provides an amazing workout that is good for the entire body.

As you well know, it is important to stay physically active each day. Surfing can make this entertaining and fun.

That said, there are certain times that it is not a good idea to go surfing, even when the conditions are perfect.

These could include injuries such as tennis elbow, polluted water, or over-exposure to the sun.

Besides the weather conditions and your personal health, there is no reason why you should not surf at every opportunity that arises.

How Often Do Surfers Go Surfing?

The amount of time each surfer spends in the water varies widely.

Some people find themselves surfing as little as once a year, or only when they are on vacation.

Others will surf a few times a week to every day that there are waves available.

In more extreme cases, with the highly addicted and professional surfers, people may find themselves in the water multiple times a day when the waves are good, or when training for a competition.

4 Benefits of Surfing Every Day

Exercising every day has long been shown to have positive side effects, both on our minds and our bodies.

Doing so in nature can further these benefits, which is why surfing every day can benefit the following:

1. Feel-Good Hormones

Our bodies are directed by the use and production of chemicals, some more useful than others.

Both dopamine and endorphins are a few of these “good” hormones that surfing will encourage.

Endorphin

Endorphin is often called the “feel-good” hormone, and this is because it is released to mask pain as well as boost happiness.

When performing intense exercise, our body releases endorphins to cover up our physical exhaustion.

This is why you often feel so good while surfing, but after a hard session, your muscles begin to become sore.

Dopamine

Dopamine is a chemical in our body that aids us in planning and completing tasks.

Without dopamine, we would find it difficult to focus on the task at hand.

The upside of this is that when we complete a task, we get a small rush of dopamine, which makes us feel good.

This sensation drives us to do the task again, or complete another task.

When we complete a surf session we feel successful, and therefore get a rush of dopamine.

Ever wonder why you feel on top of the world when you leave the beach?

2. Physical Health

Physical exercise is a cornerstone to staying healthy. Surfing is a guaranteed workout and provides all-around physical benefits.

Strength

Surfing is a sort of mix between resistance training and bodyweight exercises.

The constant need to paddle builds strength in the arms, shoulders and back through the resistance of the water.

When popping up on your board, you engage your chest and legs, while constantly flexing your core.

Because these movements are all repeated constantly, the body begins to become stronger with each session.

Cardio

Cardio is an exercise for the heart and lungs, also known as aerobic exercise.

Just as paddling builds muscle on our shoulders and back, cardio creates strength in the lungs and heart.

The constant paddling raises our heart rate, especially when surfing larger waves or when the break is a long way out.

Flexibility

Although not as good as yoga or stretching, surfing is a great way to increase your flexibility.

Because the sport is so dynamic, you will find your muscles feel looser after each session.

That being said, it is still a good idea to stretch before going in the water.

After some time you will likely find that with the added strength and flexibility, surfing often will improve your posture.

3. Mental Clarity

Spending time in nature has been found to release tension and stress. The less stressed we are, the faster we can think, and the clearer our minds become.

Just like the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, surfing immerses us in nature.

This is why many will tell you that surfing is more than just riding waves.

Furthermore, researchers show that physical exercise has a positive impact on our mental health and general happiness.

4. Faster Skills

The more you practice, the faster you learn, and the better you become.

This is a simple rule of life that does not change when applying it to the surfing world.

If you surf once a month, you may find that it takes you months or even years to learn how to stand up.

However, if you are surfing at every opportunity you get, it won’t be long before you are carving up the waves like the pros.

4 Possible Downsides of Surfing Every Day

If you were able to surf every day, there would not be very many downsides.

Although surfing every day is strongly swayed to the positive side, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Sun Exposure

Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight has been known to damage the skin and could encourage the growth of cancer.

Although you may be wearing a wetsuit, your hands, feet, and face will be exposed.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors, it is a good idea to make use of a hat, and some form of sunscreen.

2. Surfers Eye

Surfers eye, also known as pterygium, forms when the conjunctiva of our eye becomes damaged from the constant glare from the surface of the ocean.

Although this is not usually dangerous, in extreme cases pterygium can damage your eyesight.

3. Chance of Encountering Sea Life

The more time you spend in the ocean, the more likely it is that you will come across sea life.

Although this is sometimes a positive thing when that sea life is a dolphin or a sea turtle, there is always the chance of encountering a shark, jellyfish or crushing into an urchin.

Although the chances of coming across sea life are on the low side, it is something that you should never dismiss.

4. Overexertion

If you are not used to surfing every day, or you are not accustomed to high-intensity workouts daily, surfing every day could lead to over-exertion.

Over-exertion can be dangerous when you are in the ocean, as well as on land.

Do not push your body further than is safe. Growing your strength and fitness takes time.

If you overdo it, you may injure yourself and will find yourself going backward instead of forwards.

How Often Do I Need to Surf to Get Good?

Learning to surf, and eventually reaching a level that can be considered “good”, can take as little as a few waves up to a lifetime’s worth of rides.

For some, they will stand on a surfboard their first try, but will never progress much further.

For others, they will need multiple surf lessons to learn how to stand up, but once they master the pop-up, their skills increase exponentially.

Malcolm Gladwell, a popular journalist and author, wrote in his well-known book, “Outliers: The Story of Success”, that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something.

This, of course, is not an exact number, but it demonstrates how the more time you put into something, the better you will become.

There is no way to say how long you will need to become a good surfer, but it is clear that the more you surf, the more you will improve.