How to prepare for your ultimate surf trip

Your surf trip is planned, how to get ready for it

We’re only one month away from our first Ladies Surf Getaways to Fiji and are getting pretty excited!

To get the most out of a surf trip, there are many ways you can prepare to make sure you’re fit, healthy, and know the environment of your travel destination.

Surf fitness

Going on a surfing trip often means longer time spent surfing and greater exposure to the elements than you would normally. The more physically fit you are for your surf trip the more efficiently your body will meet up to the extra demands, and the less likely you are to get injuries. This will enable you to get the most out of your surfing holiday.

Here are some key areas to work on in preparation that will help get you physically and mentally prepared for that surf trip of a lifetime.

Paddle endurance – the best way to prepare for this, is of course: to paddle! Even on days when the surf is bad, just go out for a paddle to work on your paddle fitness. Swimming is also a great alternative to work on your shoulder strength and paddle endurance.
Core strength – your core is the foundation for your body’s movement. See some great tips on foundational core training for surfers from our friend Cris from Surf Strength Coach here.
Cardiovascular fitness – long sessions in the water will require having a level of fitness to get the most out of your time in the water. Choose your cardio sport of choice: like running, swimming or biking and build up your endurance during the weeks leading up to the Surf Getaways. Make sure you don’t over-do it though, we don’t want any injuries just before the big trip!
Flexibility – from pop-ups to turns, flexibility is crucial in surfing, and not only improves your surfing, but also prevents injuries. Yoga is very complimentary to surfing in that it improves our flexibility, strength and balance. Find yoga classes in your area or have a look at online classes.

Overall health

Our immune system is our bodies defence against illness and infection. Boosting your immune system before you travel is a definite must as disruption to our sleeping and eating routines and coming into contact with different environments can stress our bodies ability to keep healthy. A few easy ways to help strengthen your immune system leading up to and during travel are:

Adequate Sleep
Eat healthily
Keep hydrated
Reduce stress levels
Probiotics for gut health

Do your research into your travel destination. The more information you find out about your surf trip destination and the waves you are likely to encounter, the better prepared you can be for your trip.

What size waves am I likely to encounter?
Are the waves mellow or powerful, hollow or full, fast or slow breaking, left or right handers?
What boards will I need to suit these waves?
Are the surf breaks reef or sand bottom?
Is it a shallow or deep take off area?
Are the breaks accessed by boat or by paddling from shore?
What temperature is the water, climate and outside air temp?
What are the cultural dress codes?
Are there mosquitoes and malaria or any other prominent disease or illness?
Is there a hospital or medical service nearby?
Is there anywhere to purchase necessities if I forget to pack something? If not, make sure you pack everything that you need!!