I am a surfer - been one for a long time. Swimming helps to give you a natural muscular look that women go crazy about - broad shoulders six pack and tanned. Especially when you get to my age and the other guys (your age and younger) have beer boeps. Weather conditions are not always ideal to do this on a regular basis, so I do go to gym twice a week and push weights for arms and legs which helps tremendously to get you strong enough to paddle out to the back line.