Whenever you see surfers doing their thing in movies and TV, it is almost definite that you will be awed by their talents and dedication to the sport. Of course, surfers look absolutely great when seen in popular media. They have buff bodies, unbelievable tans and they surf wearing nothing but trunks or bikinis. They make surfing look so easy and effortless. But the truth is, surfing is not easy. The sport is very rigorous, there are many dangers to face, and the sea can get so cold!
Sea waters can get cold especially if you surf in non-tropical regions of the world. Also prolonged exposure to the ocean can also drop your core body temperature. In fact, keeping warm is a constant concern for surfers because it can actually affect their performance and their total enjoyment of the sport. Here are some tips on how to keep warm while surfing.
• One key to making sure that you keep warm while surfing is to actually prepare for the activity. One of the things you should do is to eat food that will help give your body heat from the inside. Fat rich foods are the perfect solution to achieve this goal. The fat that you ingest is distributed to the body and helps insulate you from the cold by providing warmth from your core. Some of the food items that are rich in fat include potato chips, pizza, a big burger, peanut butter and French fries. Load up on these kinds of food before you go surfing to get a lot of fat stored in your body. Don’t worry too much about gaining weight. Surfing is an intense sport. If you surf long enough you’ll most probably burn off the calories you’ve piled on.
• As with eating to keep warm, drinking the right fluids will also give you the same effects. Drinking hot beverages like tea, coffee or cocoa before you go surfing will also give your body some needed internal warmth. You can actually drink hot beverages in between your surfing sessions. Just drink the hot drink of your choice when you go ashore for a rest to keep your internal furnaces burning, or you can drink the hot stuff whenever you start feeling cold. Just don’t do this with food. We all know the rule about eating and resting first before swimming. Surfers do need to follow this rule too.
i miss the beach! Great article.