I caught a wave in the middle of Manhattan — and didn’t even get my hair wet.
Instead, I spent Sunday morning on the rooftop of Margaritaville Resort Times Square, wobbling through a surf-inspired workout on a custom balance board designed to mimic the motion of the ocean.
After an hour of pop-ups, duck dives and plenty of wipeouts, I was more than ready to paddle straight to the bar downstairs. But a week later, I can’t stop thinking about how much fun it was to hang ten in the heart of Midtown.
Surfset NYC — owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Aaron Thouvenin and Diana Garrett — has been bringing dry-land surf workouts to the city since 2014.
“As surfers, we noticed that the sport of surfing was the best way to accomplish our fitness goals of building strength, stability and body awareness,” Garrett told The Post.
“We wanted to bring our favorite parts of the sport of surfing to land with creative workouts that are equal parts challenging and fun.”
The company offers year-round classes at their East Village studio, plus retreats to New Jersey’s massive indoor surf wave park and Long Island beaches for those who want to take their skills to the water.
Through the end of October, you can also catch their “Surf & Shore” workout class at Margaritaville. It’s free for hotel guests, though the public can pay $32 to attend as well.
“Our classes are interval-based, so there is a HIIT element to them that teaches people to move at their own pace,” Garrett said. “We incorporate elements of strength training, Pilates, yoga and athletic training in a functional way.”
My “Surf & Shore” session kicked off in front of Margaritaville’s aptly named “Chill Bar,” where Thouvenin, a master trainer, instructed us to step onto our boards.
Easier said than done.
The moment I climbed on the Rip Surfer X — a six-foot board perched atop three shifting stability balls that stimulate the physical demand of surfing on land — my legs turned to jelly and I toppled off almost instantly.
The trick, Thouvenin explained, was to stop staring down at the board and instead lock my gaze on a fixed target ahead.
Amazingly, it worked. I found my footing, and soon, my classmates were steadying themselves, too.
Simply standing on the board was enough for me to break a sweat. Then I remembered: This wasn’t just a balancing act — it was a workout, which meant I had to move.
Before long, we were lunging, crunching and squatting on the unstable boards, my muscles firing on all cylinders just to keep me from face planting. Shifting from left to right, my quads and core burned like I’d just ridden out a rogue wave.
Next came the classic “pop up” move.
You start by lying flat on your stomach, paddling with your arms extended, then quickly push yourself up, jumping into a crouch before rising to your feet — all while the board shifts beneath you.
The move is critical to the success of any surfer, but it’s also a full-body exercise, strengthening the chest, shoulders, arms and core, while improving muscle coordination, balance and flexibility.
Duck dives followed, mimicking the surfer’s technique of dipping under an oncoming wave. We paddled hard, then lifted our upper bodies, arching our backs and raising our hips before lowering them back down onto the board.
By the time we moved to the mats for similar exercises on the ground, I out of breath and drenched in salt water — AKA sweat.
We swapped with a crew of returning students who had spent the first half on the floor. They climbed aboard like seasoned pros, jumping straight into advanced moves that made my earlier triumphs look tame.
For the next twenty minutes, we powered through a circuit of exercises on solid ground, including mountain climbers, cross-body crunches and lateral jumps.
Before I knew it, a foghorn blew, signaling the end of class. I was soaked and muscles I didn’t even know I had were screaming, but there was a perma-grin plastered across my face.
I had just tackled one of the toughest workouts of my life, and I knew I’d be feeling it for days. But in that hour, I also realized I might actually have what it takes to conquer some real waves.
“Surfing is a lifelong sport that you can start at any time,” Garrett said. “If you would like to learn to surf, the best way to prepare is to take a SURFSET NYC class.”
Thouvenin’s goal for every class is session: Have fun, learn something and sweat. It’s safe to say I did all three.
“Surfing combines movement with happiness,” Garrett said. “Finding joy and community in fitness is one of the most valuable things you can do to support your overall well-being.”
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