Surfing is one of the most enjoyable ways to get fit and active. However, you don’t have to do any preparation before your surf trip at Taghazout. You’ll have lots of fun surfing with us no matter what. We teach people from ages 18 to 60, some of whom never exercise! It’s not a problem if you aren’t a good swimmer, either. Still, like with all sports, a little fitness goes a long way. The better shape you’re in, the further you’ll progress and the better you’ll get at surfing!

Swimming

You can have a lot of fun surfing in waist-deep water (level 1 surfing) but eventually,  you’ll want to paddle out and test the deeper waters. That’s where some swim training will give you a huge advantage! The cool thing about swimming is that you can get really good at it, really quickly with a bit of practice. Get to your local pool a couple of times a week in the month leading up to your surf trip and the pay off will be huge.

Skateboarding

It’s great for your balance and posture to spend some time longboarding (a type of skateboard for beginners) like this. Longboard training is unbelievably helpful for your surfing, but make sure that you’re standing with your back knee dropped in towards your front knee (you can find a great example of this posture 29 seconds in on this short video by Original Skateboards).  Getting comfortable with that back knee position really is the key to a good surfing stance. Don’t worry about trying to perform tricks, just keep cruising along and get comfortable in that counterintuitive stance with your back knee dropped low to your board. Do make sure that you are wearing wrist guards however as falling heavily on your hand is a common injury.

Flexibility

Having a stretching regime is important training for your surf trip. Both not being flexible and being too flexible can cause injuries. The philosophy behind yoga isn’t for everyone and you need to be skeptical of some of the health claims and physiological mechanisms proposed in yoga classes, but regular yoga is a great way to increase mobility. Seated rotational poses will give you the flexibility in your core to help you bring your feet underneath your body. You’ll also get more flexibility in your legs by practicing “Downward Dog,” which is great for stretching the Achilles tendon, the hamstrings and the backs of your knees.