How to Recover After Surfing on a Costa Rica Surf Trip

On a surf trip to Costa Rica, the best way to recover after surfing is to build rest into the week. At Lamangata Luxury Surf Resort, above Dominical, you surf on the days you choose, then recover with an infinity lap pool, a yoga studio, a massage room and three chef-made meals a day.

A week of surf lessons in Costa Rica sounds like the dream right up until your shoulders weigh in on day three. Paddling is hard work, especially when you’re new to it, so if you’re planning a surf trip, how you recover between sessions shapes how much you enjoy the rest of the week.

At Lamangata, high on the hills above Dominical on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, recovery is built into the stay. On any day you choose to surf, the afternoon belongs to the infinity lap pool, the yoga studio or the massage room, and dinner is three chef-made meals a day built around what you love to eat.

Below is a surf recovery plan for the whole week, with the yoga poses, massage, pool time and days off that keep you paddling out, and how we plan them around you.

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How to recover after surfing on a Costa Rica surf trip

Recovering after surfing on a Costa Rica surf trip comes down to rhythm, and it’s simpler than it sounds. Surf in the morning, keep the afternoon slow, and every few days take a full day of recovery time out of the water so your arms can catch up before you chase another wave.

But those off days can still be big ones. Trade a surf session for the waterfall hike at Nauyaca or a low-tide walk out to the Whale’s Tail, and your shoulders rest while you keep exploring the coast. On a Surf & Adventure stay, you choose one of the included adventures on each full day you’re not surfing, so a rest day’s still a full day.

Surf lessons built around your skill level

Coaching at Lamangata starts wherever you’re at, whether you’re a first-time surfer or chasing your first green wave. Junior coaches every level, so across your days of surfing, your sessions follow your pace, your goals and how your body feels that morning.

So you’re free to leave any worry about getting too sore at home. The Pool-to-Ocean Method starts each surf session with a warm-up in the pool and finishes with post-surf video analysis on the big screen, so every session builds on the last. And it works, since 99% of guests stand up on a surfboard before the end of the week.

Your Experience Designer plans the rest of each day around how you’re feeling, and the plan’s flexible as the week goes on. There’s more on how lessons run in our guide to surf lessons with Coach Junior.

Gentle stretching and yoga poses for surfers

A slow stretch on a mat once you’re back from the beach reaches the parts of you that paddle hardest. The Inertia’s guide to yoga poses for surfers recommends these, among others:

• Thread the needle, for your chest, shoulders and upper back
• Downward dog, for your calves, hamstrings and spine
• Low lunge, for your hip flexors, quads and chest
• Pigeon, for your glutes and outer hips
• Reclining butterfly, for your chest, shoulders and groin

The teak-floored yoga studio’s open on request on every package, so you can roll out a mat whenever your body’s asking for it. But if you’d rather follow along, add a guided yoga class, and the Romance, Adventure & Relaxation Package includes a 1-hour couples yoga lesson. Hold each pose for a few slow breaths (deep breathing is half the point) and ease off anywhere it pinches.

What kind of massage helps sore muscles after surfing?

A 60-minute massage focused on your shoulders, upper back and neck is the natural choice for aching shoulders after surfing, since those are the areas doing the paddling. It’s an easy hour to release tension after an intense session, and massage is one of the methods the American College of Sports Medicine says may help ease delayed soreness.

At Lamangata the massage room is open-air, with the rainforest just beyond, and the whole afternoon stays up on the hill. So tell your therapist how firm you like it and which spots took the most work that morning. A massage comes included on the Romance package, and it’s an easy add-on on any other stay, so book it for the afternoon your shoulders ask for it.

The infinity lap pool and other places to unwind

Lamangata’s showpiece is the infinity lap pool, a long sheet of water that seems to run straight into the ocean. It’s the best spot on the property to rest and recover, with sweeping Pacific Ocean views stretching from Manuel Antonio National Park in the north toward the Osa Peninsula in the south. Swim a few slow laps, float on your back, or sit on the edge for a gentle stretch while the light changes over the rainforest canopy. Open around the clock, it makes a moonlit swim fair game too.

And beyond the pool, there’s room to spread out. Settle into the open-air lounge with a book, find a shady spot poolside for an afternoon nap, or challenge someone to a game of bocce. One guest, Sam S, wrote on TripAdvisor, “I wanted a quiet place for reading, journaling and yoga. I also wanted to take surfing lessons.” This is that place!

Rest days on a surf trip that keep you moving

The best days off from paddling still get you moving, just with your legs instead of your arms. The Rocas de Amancio hike follows the coast at low tide, the Uvita Waterfall ends in a natural slide into a swimming hole, and a chocolate and coffee tasting tour is the gentlest workout on the list (your jaw does most of the work). All three are among the included adventures on a Surf & Adventure stay, and your driver’s waiting to take you there and back.

For more places to explore, our guide to day trips from Dominical covers waterfalls, beaches and plenty more.

What to eat after surfing

Refueling after a morning in the water is easy when someone else is cooking, and here that’s the chef. At Lamangata, three chef-made meals a day are curated around what you love to eat and plated to order, with much of it picked from our greenhouse that morning. Ask for a lunch with protein and carbs, which Mayo Clinic says supports muscle recovery and helps replace your glycogen stores after a workout, and keep a glass of water nearby all afternoon, because good hydration helps replenish what the sun takes out of you.

And fresh smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices and house-brewed kombucha are part of every day, too. Renata S summed it up on TripAdvisor: “Very delicious food and personalized depending on tastes.”

How to decompress before your next surf session

Evenings here are made for winding down, and there’s no schedule to keep. Sunset hors d’oeuvres come out as the light fades over the water, and the ocean-view fire pit is a warm place to sit before bed.

Then there’s the bed itself, and sleep is the easy half of surf session recovery. Every ocean-view suite has a king premium mattress, 400+ thread count sheets and floor-to-ceiling glass doors onto your private terrace, so a full night’s sleep comes easy.

Send us your dates and your surf level, and we’ll have your Experience Designer plan the surfing, the days off and everything in between around you.

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Frequently asked questions about how to recover after surfing

How long does muscle soreness last after surfing?

The ache after surfing tends to be strongest a day or two after a new kind of effort, then eases as the stiffness fades and your body adjusts. Gentle movement such as swimming, yoga or a walk is a good way to spend the stiffest day.

Why am I so exhausted after surfing?

Surfing makes you feel tired because you paddle, duck under waves and pop up again and again, usually in strong sun. Eating well, taking time to hydrate and an early night are the simplest ways to get your energy levels back.

Can I surf several days in a row at Lamangata?

Yes. On the Surf & Adventure Package, you choose surfing or one of the included adventures each day, and after three straight surf days you take a rest day with any other included adventure.

Is yoga good for surfers?

Yoga gives surfers a slow way to stretch the chest, shoulders and hips that paddling works hardest, and it’s a calm reset for body and mind. At Lamangata the yoga studio opens on request on every package, and a guided class is available as an add-on.

Is a massage included at Lamangata?

A 1-hour couples massage is included on the Romance, Adventure & Relaxation Package. On any other stay, you’re welcome to book a 60-minute massage in the open-air massage room as an add-on.

What should I eat after surfing?

Eat a proper meal and have a glass of water once you’re out of the ocean. At Lamangata that’s three chef-made meals a day, built around what you love to eat, and Wednesday night is dinner out in Dominical, at guest’s expense. Full details are on our packages page.