Do you lose weight surfing?
Sarah Smith
Published Jan 23, 2026
While “losing weight” may be a misnomer since muscle is heavier than fat, surfing will definitely help you burn fat and excess calories. The average surfer burns 400 calories an hour while surfing. Since surfing is so fun, you're likely to spend more time doing it opposed to other grueling or boring forms of exercise.
Does surfing make you skinnier?
Surfing works out nearly every region of the human body, including the neck and the feet. And if you're catching waves in cold water regions, you may burn 500 calories in 60 minutes. Weight loss is a natural result of this active interaction of muscle groups.
Is surfing a good workout?
As well as building muscle strength in your upper body and legs, the cross-training effect of surfing is a brilliant workout for your core, making it a full body workout. A lot of surf research suggests we use our trapezius, rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi, obliques, triceps, biceps and deltoids.
Does surfing get you shredded?
Endless paddling may make it seem like surfing is purely an upper-body workout, but strong glutes and hips and pelvic stability is what helps you go from cruising to turning and shredding. The single-leg hip bridge will help you build the strength and control to rip.
Can you get toned from surfing?
You'll strengthen your core, your shoulders, your lower back and your arms. If you want to put on muscle on your upper body then surfing is the perfect exercise for you. If you want to tone your upper body and arms, then surfing can definitely help you where you want to get.
41 related questions foundWhy are surfers so skinny?
Surfers get lean for many reasons. It is a combination of aerobic and resistance training work outs. Aerobics use fatty acids for fuel and recovery from intense muscle use also incorporates fatty acids for restoring energy, repairing, and rebuilding muscle.
Are surfers happy?
Surfers release a lot of adrenaline and endorphins while they are riding the waves. These hormones cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. A surge of adrenaline makes you feel very alive. Endorphins resemble opiates in their chemical structure and have analgesic properties.
Why do surfers have abs?
Each time a surfer stands up they're basically doing a push up. Going even further, really talented surfers will build muscle in their core and thighs while they're on a wave. The constant pumping up and down the wave engages these muscles by contracting and expanding the limbs.
Does surfing keep you fit?
Surfing provides many health benefits including: cardiovascular fitness – from paddling. shoulder and back strength – these muscles will strengthen from the paddling. leg and core strength – once you're standing up on the board, strong legs and a strong core will keep you up.
Why do surfers have such good bodies?
A professional surfer is lean without looking weak, and muscular without the bulk. Sharp muscle lines are perfectly symmetrical, and overall body balance creates that enviable athletic physique. Paddling builds shoulder definition, strengthens the lower back muscles, and increases cardiovascular fitness.
Is surfing considered HIIT?
By nature of the demands of surfing, the surfer is also then performing many minutes of high-intensity sprint paddling (~5 min/h of high to sprint intensity paddling). That is, in essence, quite a lot of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) happening before we practitioners come in and 'intervene'.
What body type is best for surfing?
Beyond the subjectivity of style, ectomorphs are technically superior surfers. Long, lean muscles allow these athletes to achieve body positions that facilitate both tighter and more elongated maneuvers.
Is surfing considered cardio?
In addition to providing a good cardio workout (try paddling over waves and see how hard your heart pounds), surfing is a whole-body workout. Murphy says that paddling mostly works the upper back muscles and the deltoids (shoulder muscles).
Can surfers be fat?
Yes, they can! Not only can fat people surf but some fat surfers like Jimbo Pellegrine, Shawn Briley and James Mitchell have been the best to ever do it. Fat people may have a steeper learning curve and benefit from a larger board but can certainly still learn to surf.
Does surfing in cold water burn more calories?
By surfing in cold water, your body must work twice as hard to keep itself warm. Thus, you can burn twice as many calories, which will increase your metabolism. By increasing your metabolism, this will also help you lose weight easier and give you more stamina.
Why is surfing so addicting?
SURFING ADDICTION IS ALL ABOUT BRAIN CHEMISTRY
This results in you experiencing a flood of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Once you feel the intense joy and pleasure, your body and brain want you to keep going back for more. If you feel irritable after a few days away from your board, this is likely the reason.
Why do surfers have thick necks?
When the neck has the strength to stay in place, it sets the stage for the core and other stabilizing muscles to do their job. It's hard to stay standing on the water if your neck is moving around. Thus, these neck muscles are built when riding a wave. The combination of all these, leads surfers to have thicker necks.
Do surfers need strong legs?
Any well designed surf training programs or surf exercise programs must include some single leg work. As a surfer, this is paramount to becoming exceptionally strong, developing core stability, training foot/ankle strength, and keeping your knees in good shape.
Why surfers are so chill?
It concluded that surfers "describe the surfing sensation as a hybrid of meditative and athletic experience. Numerous empirical studies link both meditative experience and exercise with reduced incidence of depression and anxiety; this potentially suggests that surfers may endorse fewer symptoms of either disorder."
Is surfing good for mental health?
Surfing Aids Mental Health
Due to the fact that it is both a highly sensory and physical experience, you allow your body to disconnect. Essentially, surfing allows you a way to escape your mental troubles for a bit so you can improve your overall mood.
How do I get a surfer body?
How to Build a Surfer's Body
- Knee-to-Chest Burpee. Stand straight, arms at your sides. ...
- Plank With Diagonals. Begin in a push-up position, elbows on the ground. ...
- Spider-Man Push-up. Start in high plank position. ...
- Extended Side Angle. ...
- Single-Leg Squat.
How do beginners surf?
10 tips for beginner surfers
- Get a soft-top surfboard. ...
- Surf somewhere with few people around. ...
- Practice your pop up. ...
- Shuffle your feet. ...
- Find that sweet spot when paddling. ...
- Stay perpendicular to the whitewash. ...
- Take that extra paddle. ...
- Bend the knees, not your back.
How many calories do you burn while surfing?
Surfing in small or relaxed waves = about 250 calories per hour. Stand up paddling in small waves = about 300 to 450 calories per hour. Surfing in good waves = about 400 calories per hour. Surfing in tough conditions = 700 calories per hour.
What is a surfers workout?
Front squats
Each workout should include three sets of 12 squats each. You can start adding squats to your surf workout by using only your own bodyweight. Then, once you've mastered a squat pattern, you can add extra weight to further develop your lower back, ankles, knees, and hip area.
Why are surfers short?
The fact that twelve of the world's top 34 surfers are precisely 5' 9″ is probably just coincidence (or is it?!), but in many ways being short is advantageous to surfing. Less height allows for a low center of gravity, leading to good balance and a strong power base.