Rooftop Waves: $32 Surfset Class Turns Margaritaville Times Square into a Beach Day

On a clear Sunday morning in Midtown Manhattan, a rooftop workout turned the Margaritaville Resort Times Square into a make-believe beach. The Surf & Shore class from Surfset NYC uses a six-foot Rip Surfer X perched atop three shifting stability balls to simulate the motion of the ocean. The session, offered through October, is free for Margaritaville hotel guests and $32 for the general public. The workout blends balance, strength and cardio in an interval-based circuit that mimics the sun-bleached rhythm of a day at the surf, all while towering above the city streets.

Surfset NYC, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Aaron Thouvenin and Diana Garrett, has been bringing dry-land surf workouts to New York since 2014. The couple, longtime surfers, say the sport’s movements build strength, stability and body awareness, and they crafted workouts that translate the best parts of surfing to land with a mix of challenge and fun. Beyond year-round sessions at their East Village studio, Surfset offers retreats to New Jersey’s indoor surf wave park and Long Island beaches for those who want to test their skills where water meets shore. Through Margaritaville, the company runs the Surf & Shore program, which lets guests sample the concept with a free option for hotel guests and a $32 price for non-guests. The classes emphasize interval-based, HIIT-style training that weaves strength work, Pilates, yoga and athletic training into a functional routine.

The session kicked off in front of Margaritaville’s Chill Bar, where Thouvenin — a Surfset master trainer and co-owner of Surfset NYC — instructed participants to step onto the Rip Surfer X. The six-foot board sits atop three moving stability balls, so every step is a test of balance. The first attempt ended with a tumble, but Thouvenin directed focus away from the board and toward a fixed point ahead. This simple cue, he explained, helps stabilize the body as it adapts to the board’s shifting surface. The class is designed so first-timers can join, with progression available for those looking to push into more advanced moves. As Garrett has said, the aim is to blend fun with learning and sweat.

“Surfing is a lifelong sport that you can start at any time,” Garrett told The Post. “If you would like to learn to surf, the best way to prepare is to take a SURFSET NYC class.” Thouvenin, too, emphasizes accessibility: “Have fun, learn something and sweat.” The duo describe Surfset’s approach as a blend of movement practices that support surfing and general fitness alike, making the beach day feel accessible even when waves are a no-show.

On the board, participants move through a sequence of lunges, crunches and squats as the surface shifts beneath them. The classic “pop up” — lie on the stomach, paddle briefly, push to stand in a crouch and rise to full stand — is a core test of balance and coordination, essential to any surfer and a rigorous total-body exercise on the board. Duck dives follow, mimicking the technique of ducking under oncoming waves as paddlers surge toward the lineup. Even standing on the unstable surface can become strenuous; the burn in the quads and core is immediate as the body fights to stay upright.

After the on-water portion, the class moves to mats for ground-based exercises. A rotating circuit targets multiple muscle groups with movements like mountain climbers, cross-body crunches and lateral jumps. The goal is full-body engagement, achieved through a sequence that keeps the heart rate up while challenging balance and control. First-timers are welcomed, and returning students often flow into more advanced variations as they gain confidence on the board.

By the time the foghorn signals the end of class, participants are drenched in sweat and grinning from ear to ear. The combination of difficulty and novelty has a way of transforming a midtown Sunday into a mini-escape. The experience underscores Surfset’s philosophy: surfing can be simulated on land without leaving the city, but the sense of joy and community remains the same.

“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.” Thouvenin echoes the sentiment, framing each session as a chance to learn, laugh and push personal limits.

The Margaritaville program, open to hotel guests through October and available to the public for a fee, adds a hospitality twist to Surfset NYC’s broader mission: bring the sport’s energy and mechanics into environments where people live, work and play. The rooftop workout is a reminder that even in the heart of Times Square, a wave can be felt, if not ridden, and that there is room in New York for both high-rise ambition and a down-to-earth, beachy fitness vibe.