Get surf fit

Want to get into shape for the surf season? Our expert guide shows you how to do it

For those who love surfing but hate the cold and can’t afford to spend the long British winter catching waves in warmer climes, long gaps between surf breaks could spell disaster. By the time their next surf trip comes around, they’re likely not only to have forgotten what it’s like to catch a wave, but also how fit they need to be to enjoy a day on a board.

Until now, the dilemma has been solved in two ways: either by donning a wetsuit and gritted teeth in the chilly depths off Cornwall’s coast or by shelling out not inconsiderable amounts of cash to spend a few hours at the mercy of one of the UK’s surf machines. But neither option offers what many people love about surfing – the chance to paddle out into warm waters wearing nothing but board shorts, sunscreen and a smile before riding a wave that lands them back on a sun-soaked beach.

Thankfully, there is now a third way – a compromise that means fair-weather surfers can avoid both frostbite and bankruptcy yet still start the season toned, honed and ready to ride without a wetsuit in sight. Oddly, there’s no sea involved either but there is lots of sweating, stretching and strength training, all of which prime your body for a day’s surfing.

This third way takes the form of a newly devised gym class appropriately named the Roxy Beach Body Workout, the result of collaboration between the popular surf lifestyle brand and Virgin Active’s fitness experts. The workout focuses on improving strength, balance, flexibility and power, all fundamental elements of the ‘pop-up’ move that has surfers going from paddling on their stomachs to poised and upright within milliseconds.

Aimed at surfers and non-surfers alike, the body-conditioning class is made up of three sections:

•��� An energetic warm-up

•��� Aerobic moves that challenge surf-specific muscles

•��� A yoga sequence designed to stretch those muscles.

While many of the workout’s circuit moves depend on specific gym equipment to recreate the sensation of paddling, balancing on the board and riding waves, there are plenty of moves a non-gym member can incorporate into their workout....

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