Landlubber Exercise Suggestions

[Mid-Life Crisis]

I only get to the beach for roughly two weeks a year and have gotten to the age where I'm completely sore by the 2nd day of my trip. I wind up working muscle groups that don't get worked much except during the prior year's vacation. Feel like I need a body cast sometimes, lol. The soreness goes away by day 5, but the intervening time is tough. I avoid aspirin/painkillers. I'm 50, trim, and eat healthily but don't exercise regularly like I should.

What are some good at-home exercise suggestions to stay in surfing shape when away from the beach?

[Swellinfo]

Well, any exercise is better then no exercise... So find something you like doing.

Take a yoga class, and see if you like it... Its probably one of the best things you can do for your body in my opinion. And, swimming would be #2, if you have access to a pool.

Have you ever tried Mountain Biking? Its an incredible workout and a lot of fun if you live near some good trails.

Golf, tennis, running, etc... Got to keep the body working somehow, so find something you enjoy...

[Mid-Life Crisis]

Thanks for the suggestions. The yoga thing sounds intriguing. My flexibility is and always has been lousy. 25 years ago I would've rejected that on manly principles alone, but with age comes enlightenment, if not wisdom.

I do have pool access but only during the summer. Mountain biking isn't really an option, but tennis certainly is.

Any particular floor-based isometrics (outside of push-ups) that work the upper-body based muscle groups that come into play while padding and getting to a standing position when surfing?

[aka pumpmaster]

push ups, push ups and yet more push ups.

and then pop ups.

[ClemsonSurf]

Any particular floor-based isometrics (outside of push-ups) that work the upper-body based muscle groups that come into play while padding and getting to a standing position when surfing?

Seriously, yoga.

It doesn't help that much with cardio but you will be drenched in sweat and your muscles will be sore. You can also see your progression and you get improve every session kinda like surfing.

The benefit of it being girly is that it attracts lots of good looking women. Downside, its hard to sneak a peak when your whole body is quivering and you're about to fall on your face.

[Mid-Life Crisis]

You make a compelling case for yoga, sir! I just need to convince my wife that I'm in it for the spiritual purity of it rather than as a room to a view.

[Swellinfo]

yoga classes/instructors are all different. There are some classes I dislike, and others I really like.
Try a few different types/instructors to see how it goes. The flow yoga tends to be more girlish... I like the traditional type of yoga (hatha), where you hold each pose for 30-60 seconds. If you really want to sweat/detox, hot yoga will leave you drenched.

[Erock]

Dude, just move to the coast!

[Mid-Life Crisis]

Believe me, retiring to the coast is my dream and would solve a lot of my problems, but I'm just not quite there yet with 2 kids heading off to college in a couple of years. Maybe I can meet one of those cute yoga ladies and run off with her...

[SJerzSrfr]

As far as yoga goes, why dont you buy a yoga DVD and start out that way. that way you are in your own home with nobody watching you. if you have On Demand, there is a station called Exercise TV (something like that) that has plenty of free yoga pilates and exercise videos for free.
as far as other exercises to do: get a pullup bar that you can hang in your doorway and do pullups/chinups- one of the best upper body exercises that you can do. also do burpees. thats probably the best conditioning exercise for surfing- you will be gassed. and might as well throw in some planks too with all the different variations depending on your fitness level. these are just a few things you can do with little to no equipment that will help you out.