For many countries north of Morocco, the weather is not ideal for most of the year. Autumn and winter are often rainy and cold, and the spring and summer only offer a few months of warmth and sunshine before temperatures become average again.
It may seem strange to surf during the winter months, especially when you have to wear hoods, boots, and gloves.
Surfing is normally associated with hot weather, right?
Ironically, the best waves of the surfing season start in September and continue until late April or early May along the Atlantic Coast.
At Local Surf Maroc, we are not envious of people who need extra equipment during these months, because in Morocco a 3:2 wetsuit is all you need, even in winter.
We admire anyone who is dedicated to surfing during the short and cold winter days. But if you’re lacking motivation and still longing to paddle out, Morocco is a great place to do this during the winter. We’ve got seven reasons why Taghazout Bay is a great place to book your surf holiday.
Improved Coordination & Balance
Watching experienced surfers on the waves often gives onlookers and novices an altered sense of the difficulty that surfing is. A lot of people can’t imagine that paddling, timing a wave, popping up, finding your feet and keeping your balance as you slide along a wave challenges your core and proprioceptors.
The good thing is that the more you practice, the more you and your body remember how to coordinate itself, meaning you get better over time. This is why at Local Surf Maroc we always recommend spending at least a week with us when you start learning or want to improve your surf skills.
2. Vitamin D
Countries in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months experience extremely short days, with the shortest experienced in December. By the time you get to April, winter might feel like a fading memory: the days and nights are more or less the same length of time.
We experience a shortening and lengthening of days in Morocco as well (still being north of the equator), the change in length of day isn’t so drastic. We still get a solid 8 hours of sunlight during the winter months giving us a greater chance to catch some rays and some waves.
Of course there are dangers to intense sun exposure, especially if you’re fair skinned, but with some sun screen a dose of outside air and light has amazing benefits for your physical and mental health. Vitamin D is absorbed through the skin, and is vital for the development and maintenance of strong bones and healthy skin.
Plus, sunshine just makes you feel happy.
3. Building Strength
Developing strength and muscle is usually associated with images of lifting heavy things repetitively, but muscle hypertrophy isn’t only something that occurs at gyms, it happens with surfing as well.
When a muscle is used, the increase in nerve impulses causes the muscle to contract. Without changing the shape and size of a muscle, this is often enough to begin creating strength. The repeated contraction over a period of time causes damage to the muscle fibers (causing muscle soreness) which is followed by a period of repair, leading to muscle growth. The repetitive movements required to paddle and the constant contraction of your back and abdominal muscles as you paddle for several hours over several days fulfils the requirements of stimulation, repair, and growth of muscles.
While the process of muscle hypertrophy, or growth, is the same for everyone, how that change is expressed is different. The changes of the muscle structure of your chest, arms, back and glutes are more subtle than what you’d get from a leg or a chest day at the gym but you’ll definitely notice a difference after spending a week with us!
4. Better Sleep
As with every form of exercise, surfing also improves sleep. Whether it’s because it decreases stress, helping you be more relaxed as you climb into bed, or because it naturally strengthens your circadian rhythm. There are links between increased daytime activity and better quality and quantity of sleep.
Most of us have a pretty good idea of why sleep is important, but let us highlight some of our reasons for getting good sleep: reduced stress, helps maintain a healthy weight, improves memory, boosts your immune system, boosts your mood, repairs damaged tissue on your body, and improves your ability to surf!
5. Better Cardiovascular Fitness
Cardio often gets a bad name, especially on Social Media. But there are sports that revolve around cardiovascular fitness such as swimming, running, football, and martial arts. Surfing is definitely part of that list.
Despite the bad reputation cardio is getting there are still benefits to improving your cardiovascular fitness, especially related to improving your surfing! The benefits include improved efficiency in your circulatory system, meaning your heart and lungs circulate oxygen better throughout your body. This helps with paddling longer and stronger!
Cardio also helps decrease stress, maintain a healthy body weight, and manage joint discomfort, promoting good range of motion.
Regardless of whether you are new to surfing, have done it before, or are experienced, paddling out or paddling to catch a wave definitely gets your heart rate up! The more you do, the more efficient your body gets, and after spending a week with us, you’ll see a big improvement in your paddling (and even your swimming endurance).
6. Stress Relief
We’ve mentioned several times that surfing can relieve stress because of all the related benefits: more exercise leading to increased endorphins, more sleep lending itself to better body maintenance and repair, and just being in the sunshine giving you a Vitamin D and mood boost.
But what is it about surfing that relieves stress? There’s an old English saying “A change is as good as a rest” and we think that’s so true when it comes to surfing. We like to think of surfing as moving meditation, as the regular paddling and the swaying of the ocean can be quite lulling.
But if meditation in motion isn’t enough, there are still yoga and meditation classes available to really give you that zen-like euphoria.
7. Sense of Achievement
Surfing is hard to learn and even harder to master. It’s not uncommon for people to try surfing for a day or two and give into the feelings of disappointment and frustration. Whether it’s because you’re not able to pop up consistently or turn the board in the first week. Let us assure that when you do master that skill, the sense of achievement is amazing.
Knowing that it can take weeks and months of patience and practice to become proficient makes the sport so exhilarating to learn. At the end of the day, the best surfer is the one having the most fun. Spending a week learning to surf with us will leave you with an unforgettable experience and a week of smiles!
Overall Health
While surfing itself is only one component to overall health, going away on holiday and staying in a surf camp like Local Surf Maroc can support you in improving overall health. Delicious home cooked meals from locally sourced produce means you eat fresh everyday and achieve your “Five A Day”.
Surfing keeps you active throughout the day, minimizing the temptation to overindulge on holiday food and drink.
It’s safe to say that up until 2020, most of us had underestimated the power of our friendships and how good they are for our mental health. We feel connected, valued, and grounded with good friendships. Whether you’re travelling as a group of friends, a couple, or solo, booking into a surf camp gives you the opportunity to make new friends you otherwise would not have met, connecting you to people from around the world.
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