We all love a Yoga retreat, blissful days of restorative flows set against picturesque settings in the company of likeminded souls and led by our favourite instructors. All the same, keen to try something new?

Surfing is on the rise, debuting next year as an Olympic sport in Tokyo and emerging as the next trend in athleisure with surf inspired luxury brands such as Perfect Moment setting the pace. Surfing retreats are becoming the short break choice for those looking for a different challenge, not to mention a well-earned traditional cream tea at the end of each day.

What can you expect a surfing retreat?

Well, battling the waves is quite the workout, any given session in the sea guaranteed to work your whole body. The upper body is engaged when paddling out, a heart health boosting cardiovascular exercise which ensures your triceps, biceps, shoulders and obliques are put to work catching the wave. When riding back in, quads, glutes and core are galvanised whilst coordination and balance is tested navigating your board in the waves.

And if that wasn’t enough, Surfing has been identified as one of the so called ‘Blue Health’ activities – those which benefit from the therapeutic effects of water by being base in or near water – currently the subject of a Europe Wide study into the links between our health, climate and environment.

Surfing can also improve your mood. The physical action of surfing releases endorphins, neurotransmitters which make us feel more energized and upbeat, whilst the mental attention required to focus and concentrate can be seen as ‘mindfulness in action’, an alternative method of meditation.

We recommend Extreme Academy at Watergate Bay with its beach based school (no lugging heavy equipment) and luxurious hotel, their mission to is ensure your stay is a balance of experiencing the elements, getting active and having a good time, sounds good to us!

If you cant quite relinquish your Yoga retreat yet, try Freewave Surf Academy, which runs a Surf and Yoga on the stunning Cornish coast so you can start your day with a guided Vinyasa Flow yoga session, head to the beach for an exhilarating day of surfing and finish off the day unwinding with a soothing Yoga on the beach or atop the local cliffs.

Surf is most definitely up...