How Can Surfing Help Boost the Positive Masculinity That Women Find Irresistible?
There are multiple ideas of what masculinity is, and one recent study shows that there are a plethora of positive traits that are celebrated today as "manly."
These include male self-reliance, respect for women, male courage, daring, risk-taking, group orientation, male heroism, male forms of service, and men's use of humor.
In fact, if you think about it, these qualities are very much those that attract women on a first date - and there are fewer easy ways to prove you have them than by taking your date to an outdoorsy activity like surfing. If you love nothing better than riding the waves with your friends, why not bring your date into the equation and share your love of the deep blue with them by showing your positive masculine traits?
A First Date Filled With Attraction
A 2014 study by University of Alaska researchers found that women are attracted to men who take part in specific risky behaviors. These can include sports and activities like deep sea scuba diving, mountain biking, and extreme surfing.
The attraction hails back to the role of men as "hunter-gatherers." You may not need to forage or fish for food these days, but the idea of heading out into the unknown and facing your fears continues to appeal to women.
Building Bonds
Despite being a seemingly solitary sport, since it is one man against the highest waves, surfing is traditionally a way to make a larger social circle, and bond with other individuals who share a passion for this sport.
If you ever doubted how sacred values such as loyalty, sacrifice and trust are in surfing, then it's time to rewatch Point Break - the amazing 1991 Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze film (directed by Kathryn Bigelow) that was as much about an unbreakable bond as it is about the majesty of this aquatic sport. The film was also rich in heroism - something surfers are called upon to exercise when a friend or another person in the water needs emergency help.
Daring to Defy the Status Quo
Some element of risk is key to success, since anything involving change, innovation, and breaking new ground may involve loss as well as gains.
Surfing is, in itself, an adventure sport - one in which surfers are often vulnerable to the unpredictable whims of the ocean and the irregular patterns of the terrain beneath and surrounding water. Going for a sport like surfing is very much a courageous act, and defying expectations can range to everything from the equipment you choose to where you decide to surf.
Jack O'Neill, inventor of the neoprene wetsuit, was one such maverick who decided to go against the grain and enable himself and his friends to surf even under the coldest conditions. Prior to his invention, surfers used to brave the frigid waters by wearing long underwear or sweaters coated with oil to "seal in" a semblance of warmth.
Today, the idea of "masculinity" is a far cry from toxicity and antiquated tradition. It embraces many positive traits such as being a courageous, risk-taking guy: someone who makes their date feel confident and cared for.
Surfing calls upon men to be courageous but also humble, individualistic and good team players. It also provides opportunity for ground-breaking ideas that could result in a fabulous business venture for those with an entrepreneurial spirit.
