Surfing enthusiasts all over the world love to hit the water and ride the waves. You probably noticed all the fun avid surfers seems to be having, which is why you made plans to take a first surfing lesson. Should you just book the time and place and head out to the beach when the day of the initial lesson arrives. You could, but it would be wiser to prepare a bit. The better prepared you are for the lesson, the more enjoyable and productive the lesson will be.
1- Work a Little on Cardio
You do not need the cardiovascular conditioning of an Olympic athlete in order to handle a first surfing lesson. Still, you want to be in reasonable shape. Getting on and off a surfboard entails some mild exertion. The lesson probably runs about an hour. So, you do want to become winded during that 60-minute period or else a lot of the fun and productivity runs out of the lesson. Riding an exercise bike, jogging, or performing any other type of aerobic exercise should help.
2- Wear the Right Surfing Clothes
In certain places where the water is cold, such as the west coast of the USA, surfing lessons include wetsuits. Not every location remains predictable in terms of water temperature. Be sure you wear the appropriate swimwear for the lesson. Wearing board shorts intended for 70-degree water won’t be very helpful if the water temperature turns out to be 60 degrees. You also want the right fit in your swimwear. Neither too loose or too tight helps the cause of navigating the surfboard.
3- Plan in Advance of Your Trip
You do not want to run late for the lesson. Likely, the instructor has another lesson booked and everything must run on time as planned. Make sure you know the traffic conditions prior to the lesson time so as to leave early enough. Put fuel in your car tank the night before. Make sure your clothes are laid out or packed in a travel bag. Don’t suffer from any unnecessary delays or the first lesson might be a short lesson.
4- Eat a Good Meal
A good meal doesn’t necessarily mean a heavy meal. You want the proper fuel in your body’s tank to be able to handle an hour’s worth of physical activity. Eating greasy fast food before a lesson likely won’t help the cause. Not eating could be bad, too. Too few calories in your system could lead to fatigue. Maybe a nice, healthy athlete’s breakfast of good carbs would be best. Oatmeal or grain cereal just might do the trick.
5- Watch Surfing Instructional Videos
Go online and watch videos of beginner lessons. Don’t try to memorize everything the instructor is saying. Just try to familiarize yourself with the basics points he/she stresses. This way, you will be somewhat familiar with what happens at the introductory lesson. The visual image of watching the video may stick in your mind. The body just might follow the mind when the time comes to perform movements on the board the first time.
6- Work a Little Bit on Your Upper Body
Popping up and paddling are two important components of a first surfing lesson. If you head to the gym, working on shoulder, back, chest, and arm muscles might help the cause of performing these movements with greater efficiency. Don’t overdo it in the gym, though. Soreness won’t help the cause of enjoying a surfing lesson.
Just Relax
This last tip, a bonus seventh tip, may be simple, but it bears mentioning. Don’t stress out over your lesson. The whole thing is supposed to be fun. The right mindset here would be to look forward to an enjoyable lesson that starts you on the path of an awesome new hobby. Don’t stress out over things.
