Surfing Tips for Beginners and Experienced Surfers

Is Skateboarding Good For Surf Training?

June 11, 2023by Luke Morris

Skateboards were invented long ago by surfers who wanted to surf the sidewalks when not catching waves. Sure, they aren’t the same sport, given the difference in the surfaces ridden, but they share similar techniques. So, many surfers skate for fun and to practice skills in a more controlled environment. Skateboarding is a good tool for surf training, provided it is not the only form of practice. You can practice valuable techniques while working on your fitness, balance, concentration, and strength. However, skateboarding will not teach you how to paddle or understand the fickle nature of waves. In any training regime, knowing what you want to improve is good. You can enhance specific surfing techniques like balance, footwork, cutting, and board control with intentional practice on a skateboard. Doing so won’t make you a pro surfer, but the board time and muscle memory will undoubtedly help. Benefits Of Skateboarding For Surf Training Skateboarding is beneficial for surf training if you have already got some experience on a surfboard. You can use your skateboard to practice critical skills used in surfing, especially if you live somewhere where good waves are absent or inconsistent. Discussed next are some benefits of skateboarding for surf training: Skateboarding Improves Balance And Coordination The balance required in skateboarding is much like the unique type of balance needed in surfing. For instance, you can practice the following balance and coordination skills as part of your cross-training and fitness regime. Carving and turning are basic maneuvers used in skateboarding and surfing. Practicing leaning and adjusting your balance on a skateboard will help improve your bottom turn and carving skills in the waves. Stopping and stalling on a skateboard helps you get barreled in surfing or return to a wave’s energy zone. Slowing down on either of these boards requires you to shift your body weight to the tail without losing your balance or falling off. Helps Build Core Strength And Stability Skateboarding helps to maintain your core strength and stability when you’re not surfing, working, or sleeping. Such stability and core strength are vital for functional fitness and executing those advanced maneuvers on a surfboard later. Skateboarding Enhances Board Control And Foot Placement Board control and the correct foot placement are imperative for riding a wave to the max. Unfortunately, since we don’t all have access to consistent, excellent waves to practice these skills, we can do a bit of training on a skateboard. As mentioned, you slow a skateboard or surfboard by shifting your body weight to your back foot. However, you can also practice board control and foot placement by learning a critical maneuver on your skateboard: the ollie. If you know how to ollie on a skateboard, it opens you up to the world of aerial moves in surfing. All that fancy footwork on your skateboard creates muscle memory and sets you up for a splendid time of planned acrobatics in the surf. Skateboarding Offers A Similar Sensation To Surfing Skateboarding can offer a similar sensation to surfing, depending on what, where, and how you’re riding. For instance, you’ll find practicing in a skate park is more like surfing than cruising down a straight, flat road. So how else does skateboarding benefit surfing? The two board sports share a few fundamental elements, allowing you to practice despite the surf conditions. When used intentionally, skateboarding can benefit your surfing by helping you: Improve your flow, Visualize new lines, Experiment with new carves, Work on your timing and focus, and Create your suave surfing style. Drawbacks Of Skateboarding For Surf Training As helpful as skateboarding can be for surf training, it can negate some of your progression if not done right. But how so? Skateboarding And Surfing Use Different Movement Patterns Skateboarding and surfing share a few similarities, but many movement patterns differ. For instance, a large portion of surfing requires you to lie on your belly and confidently paddle while you wait for a wave, and skateboarding doesn’t teach you how to do that. Skateboarding Lacks The Resistance And Instability Of Water When skateboarding, you must contend with the certainties of gravity and solid ground. But the ocean is a different animal altogether. It’s moody and constantly changing, and no amount of skating can prepare you for a session in deep water. For example, you can only learn to survive being churned underwater by spending quality time in the waves – either with or without a board. Skateboarding Can Lead To Bad Habits On The Board You need to balance out your skating with surfing time to avoid reinforcing habits that aren’t ideal for surfing. If you’ve developed bad habits from skating, you must unlearn them to progress with your surfing. You can do this by retraining in the surf or practicing the right skill on your skateboard. How To Incorporate Skateboarding Into Your Surf Training Skateboarding can be helpful for surf training if you don’t rely on it as your sole training method. Here are some great tips to help you to incorporate skateboarding into your surf training: Use skateboarding as a complementary exercise to surfing. Not only is it like surfing in many respects, but you’re also getting valuable time on a board that helps you focus on mastering specific techniques. Additionally, you can use skateboarding as a cross-training or warm-up activity before hitting the surf. Focus on specific movements and techniques relevant to surfing. Skateboarding allows you to repeatedly practice appropriate surfing movements and techniques even when the surf isn’t great. Find a local skate park or DIY spot to practice. A skate park offers more opportunities to practice surf-related techniques than a flat surface would. For instance, you can practice kick turns, work on your floaters by doing 50-50s, practice your airs, slides, and carving on big ramps, and get valuable pocket practice. In the absence of a skate park in your area, you can make a DIY setup with a few ramps and ledges. Practice using a surf skate. If … Read more

Reef Rash: A Comprehensive Guide

June 5, 2023by Luke Morris

There’s a picture-perfect blue wave peeling lushly into a channel. A Perfect hollow barrel with an easy exit and roll-in entry–the easiest wave you’ll ever surf. The sun’s beaming, the water is bathtub-like, and there’s no one else in sight. It’s the stuff of dreams, right? If you’ve been lucky enough to sample the waves of the Mentawais or the Maldives, you’ll know this scene is a daily occurrence. I mean, it’s why you go! However, not everything is as it seems. What many people don’t tell you about some of the world’s best waves is they all break over sharp shallow reefs. Most tropical surf spots break over razor-sharp coral, and if you’ve ever dived on these reefs on flat days or been lucky enough to come into contact with one after a wipeout, you’ll know first-hand just how sharp and nasty they are. It’s a danger most surfers are pretty blase about. But falling can lead to serious injury, laceration, or reef rash. In this article, we dive into the annoying world and trip hindrance that is reef rash. From what it is and its symptoms to what you can do about it. I’ve written this post to give you confidence on your next surf trip and show you that reef rash doesn’t mean your trip is over. We have a bit to uncover, so let’s dive in. What is Reef Rash? Reef rash is the slang term given to a surfer who falls and cuts themselves on a reef. Typically, these types of injuries will appear as either a laceration or graze. They often look worse than they are if there’s lots of blood, and it can be so bad that medical treatment (stitches) is required. Coral is sharp and contact with it can break coral heads and mean you not only have a cut, but tiny pieces of coral implanted into you, which in somewhere like remote Indonesia is a recipe for infection. This is reef rash; if you’ve ever been on a trip and experienced it, you’ll know it can make you uncomfortable, itchy, in pain, and even out of the water. So how can you prevent reef rashes in the first place? How to Prevent Reef Rash? The best and easiest way to prevent reef rash is not to surf shallow reef breaks. Duh? Or, like me, spend your entire ten-day Mentawai trip terrified of the reef sitting wide in the channel. But you don’t want to do this. You want to catch amazing waves and maybe the barrel of your life. When surfing shallow reefs, there’s always the risk of hitting the reef and getting rashed up. Reef Boots The most common area to get reef rash and cuts are the feet. Whether from walking across the reef or getting in from a break to fumbling around and getting your board back after a wave, the feet cop the brunt of it when it comes to contact with sharp reef. Thankfully, you can purchase a pair of reef boots. These are super thin wetsuit boots that protect your feet from the reef. It’s the best way to prevent most reef cuts! I’ve never worn reef boots because I come from England and refuse to put on any sort of wetsuit-related bootie in the topics; after all, it’s what I go to Indo to escape, so I just get cut–stupid! Helmet A helmet is great for more serious waves, such as shallow, hollow reef passes. The Gath helmet has seen a resurgence in recent years in lineups worldwide after Owen Wright took out the Chopes WCT wearing one. It’s strange that, as surfers, most of us don’t wear helmets even when surfing waves of consequence; you wouldn’t see a skateboarder without a helmet launching massive airs in a half pipe, would you? So a helmet might not prevent reef rash, but it can protect you against more serious and life-threatening injuries on shallow reefs. Rash Vest The clues in the name. A wetsuit top (2mm) can help prevent reef rash. Let’s say you fall and scrape your back against the bottom, bareback this would result in long grazes and reef rash all down your back. But by wearing just a thin wetsuit top, you project yourself, even just a little bit, from this risk. While a wettie top might not protect you entirely, it also serves as excellent sun protection, and if it’s a bit windy or raining, even in the tropics, I get cold, which helps with that too! Symptoms of Reef Rash Other than bleeding and stinging, some of the reef rash symptoms may include: Aching Firey feeling Redness Soreness Itching Mainly it will sting a lot and be annoying, but if symptoms persist, it could mean you have an infection (look for a reddening area around the cut), which will need antibiotics. How to Treat Reef Rash? If you’ve already had a fall and copped a bit of reef rash, don’t stress. There are a few ways you can treat it and prevent infection straight off the bat. Please note that for severe lacerations and cuts, you’ll need medical attention and may need stitching. But for minor scratches and grazes, the following remedies can work wonders. Lime – Any surf camp in the tropics will have a few limes knocking about, and this is the traditional budget surf travelers’ reef rash remedy. And yes, it works–well! Grab a lime and squeeze and rub it into the rashed area. The acidity in the lime will help clean and disinfect bacteria from the reef. Yes, it does hurt like hell, and yes, you might scream. But it’s super effective. Betadine – Betadine is not available in all counties (I can’t get it over the counter in the UK), but if you’re in Bali or coming from Australia, you can buy s small tub of betadine for less than $10 at your local chemist. It’s a brown disinfectant liquid that stops bacteria, and … Read more

Best Surfing Tricks for Beginners

June 5, 2023by Luke Morris

When you begin a new sport, such as surfing, you must learn the basics. The basics of any sport allow the athlete to grow in confidence and master more advanced tricks in the future. So, before you focus on the gnarliest tricks done by professional surfers, focus on getting the basics right. The best surfing tricks for beginners include the pop-up, the bottom turn, and the cutback, and these tricks, when practiced repeatedly, will lead the surfer to be able to do more advanced tricks. The best intermediate surfing tricks for beginners include the top turn, floater, and off-the-lip. In the article below, we will dissect the best tricks for beginner/intermediate surfers and provide a step-by-step guide on executing them. The best thing about starting with the best basic tricks for beginner surfers is finding a certain flow to your surfing. Best Surfing Tricks for Beginners: A Guide to Getting Started Technically speaking, before you focus on any of the best surfing tricks for beginners listed in the article, the first and one of the most important tricks to master is paddling. You will struggle to get in the best positions to perform the various surfing tricks without a good paddling technique. Surfing is a water sport where a surfer uses a board to ride the face (forward section) of a moving wave toward the shore. The surfer must employ a variety of basic tricks and proper techniques to successfully surf a wave and evolve into the best water athlete possible. Here’s a list of the key basic surfing tricks for beginners, and if you’re new to the sport of surfing, it’s highly suggested that you master them first: Basic Surfing Tricks for Beginners: The Pop-Up One of the most fundamental tricks of surfing is called the pop-up. The maneuver gets you from lying to standing; ultimately, you can’t surf if you can’t perform a pop-up, as you need to be on your feet when surfing. Think of the pop-up as a single-motion push-up that is both explosive and fluid simultaneously. Try the following steps when practicing the pop-up. Step 1: Positioning Your Body on the Surfboard The correct body positioning on the board is vital when performing a pop-up. Ideally, you want to lay in the sweet spot of your board, not too far forward and not too far back. Balancing in the middle of your board, called the sweet spot, makes paddling more efficient, resulting in good speed and maneuverability while out on the water. Lying too far back will result in too much weight on the tail, slowing the board down and counterproductive to planning. Lying too far to the front of the board will result in more planning speed and forward momentum, but the chances of nosediving increase. Before you perform a pop-up, lie on your stomach with your feet together (toes pointing towards the back of the board) and your hands on the surfboard close to your shoulders. Step 2: Find the Right Position in the Water Moving around and positioning yourself in the water is a required skill when you want to catch a wave. Scan the horizon for the right wave and paddle towards it to position yourself in the right position. Start paddling to shore to ride the wave when it reaches you and lifts you. Step 3: Push Your Body Up and Pop Up by Sliding Your Feet When you’re on the wave (wait for the lift), you must push your body up by using your core muscles, hands, and arms and sliding your feet forward. The aim is to land on your feet in the stance you have practiced on dry land. Swing both legs under you when pushing your body up. Your front foot must be near the board’s center, and your back foot should be near the tail. Your knees must be bent, and your weight distribution should be centered over the board for the best balance. If everything goes swimmingly, you should manage to surf the wave. Pat yourself on your back as you have performed what surfers call the pop-up. Helpful Hint – Practice your pop-up technique on dry land until your body learns and stores the memory in muscles. The more comfortable you become on land and regarding technique, the better your pop-up will feel when doing it in the water. Here is a helpful video if you’re struggling with your pop-up technique. Basic Surfing Tricks For Beginners: The Bottom Turn When you can perform the pop-up, a new set of beginner tricks must be mastered. One of these is called the bottom turn. The bottom turn is used to control your ride down the line in a smooth and effective manner. Step 1: Move Down the Wave Surfing involves moving to different parts of the wave to maximize the ride. After you pop up, the next thing to do is to ride the wave. As you go down the wave, your body should be in a crouch position. Make sure to focus on the spot of the wave where you want to go and use your extended arms for balance. Step 2: Keep Your Weight on Your Back Foot When reaching the bottom part of the wave, the aim is to keep your weight on your back foot, as you will need to launch the board into a pivotal turn and redirect it towards the face of the wave. Step 3: Launch the Board Up the Face of the Wave When you reach the bottom area of the wave, weight on the back foot, you need to push the tail of the surfboard down, turning it up to face the face of the wave. Keep your arms extended for balance, with your knees slightly bent, focused on where you want to go. The bottom turn sets you up to successfully ride down the line and rejoin the wave in surfable areas. Here is an excellent video on perfecting the bottom turn featuring Patrick … Read more

How to be a Pro Surfer: A Step-by-step Guide

June 5, 2023by Dan Harmon

Becoming a pro surfer is no easy feat in 2023! Gone are the days of six-figure contracts, big money deals, and brands throwing cash at every new kid from Coolangatta and San Clemente. It’s not how it used to be, and surf brands don’t have the money to hand out cash to every aspiring pro surfer. Nowadays, the guys and gals with the biggest deals are in the top 5 on the CT or “stylish” mal riders with large social followings, so unless you fall into one of these two categories, becoming a well paid pro surfer is tricky. However, don’t let that put you off; getting paid well to surf is still possible! With multiple infinite means of promoting yourself through social media, healthy contest prize money, and more revenue streams available than ever before, you can earn a comfortable living through surfing. In this article, we dive into everything you need to know to become a professional surfer, from the essential skills and techniques to building a personal brand and professional network. We’ll also look closely at balancing surfing with other aspects of life to achieve the holy grail of getting paid to surf and maintaining a happy life outside surfing. There’re heaps to unpack here, so let’s get to it. What Does it Take to Become a Professional Surfer? Becoming a professional surfer is a lifelong pursuit, a mission requiring years of dedication, time, and money, and it all starts in the early days. Starting Age Mos top CT surfers were early starters, riding their first waves as early as age 7, 6, and even 5. While you don’t want to push your kid into heat strategies as soon as they’re out of nappies, the earlier they start surfing, the more “reference points” a young surfer will develop. The younger, the better. From riding small lines of whitewater on the inside to progressing out the back and taking on pointbreaks–fundamental to the budding surfer. Foundational Skills There are several foundational surf skills and techniques required to surf well, let alone professionally. Mastering moves like carves, snaps, and airs with speed, power, and flow is critical to riding waves to a high standard. If you can’t do these types of moves, you won’t last long on the Challenger series. Other skill-based and fitness-related components are also vital to surfing. Strength, power, cardiovascular fitness, balance, and coordination help you surf better. What’s more, you can develop these skills regardless of your age, and If you’re committed to improving your surfing, it’s never too late to become a pro surfer. Competition While you could go down the road of free surfing and making surf videos, or even YouTube nowadays, competition is a massive part of becoming a pro surfer. Learning heat strategy, contest formats, and heat simulation are crucial if you want to go down the competitive route. With regional WQS comps feeding into the Challenger Series, getting to the Championship Tour is more affordable (not necessarily easier) than it once was. Travel Learning to be on the road perpetually is one of the unspoken hardships of being a pro surfer. It sounds all dreamy, but packing your badge every other week to fly to the other side of the world and get knocked out in the first round of the contest you’ve been training so hard for is tough. Whether you’re following the contest scene trying to make the World Tour or free surfing to get clips making clips, you spend most of your time on the road. Except for the North Shore of Oahu, surfing your local spot your whole life won’t expose you to epic waves and the surfing limelight. You must be on the road, chasing swells and tackling waves of all varieties– slabs, beachies, points, the whole shebang! These waves allow you to practice moves that can only be practiced in certain types of waves. Sponsors/Support While you could set up income streams that allow you to surf professionally. (e.g., social media and YouTube), It’s tricky to do things all by yourself. Having great sponsors who pay you a salary or help you with boards, wetsuits, etc. This helps when it comes to chasing the professional surfing dream! Personal Branding Today, having a personal brand and a solid online presence is critical. Whether developing a unique surf/lifestyle or creating content that aligns with brands you want to work with, your brand determines how attractive you are to companies and how much value you can provide them. This is why guys nowadays (who aren’t necessarily the best surfers) make more money through channels like YouTube and Socials. Check out Stab Mag’s “How Surfers Get Paid” to learn more about this. It’s a super interesting series with insights into how (and how much) top-level surfers make! Essential Skills & Techniques for Professional Surfing Surfing in Different Conditions Surfing in heaps of different conditions is essential to being good at surfing. Whether it’s surfing a heat in average 2ft slop or tackling 10ft Teahupoo, you’ve got to become a surfer who can surf in anything. Look at John John; he won the Eddie Aikau event and the World Title in the same year (2016), a testament to his prowess in waves of all shapes and sizes. Surf Technique Surfing is one of the most challenging sports to get good at because there are so many variables in play every time you paddle out. Not to mention how complex the techniques are themselves. Let’s break it down, every time you surf, you contend with the wind, tide, and swell, and that’s not even starting on equipment. You’ll then decide which board to ride based on how appropriate it is to the conditions. Then, you need to find the opportunity to practice different maneuvers, which is tough in an ever-changing ocean, even if the waves are pumping. A ton of surfing and practice is required to master even basic moves in surfing. Still, when you start trying airs, … Read more

Surf Wetsuit Temperature Guide | Staying Warm

June 2, 2023by Luke Morris

Surf Wetsuit Water Temperature Guide | Staying Warm

Surfing is not just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, understanding how to maintain the ideal temperature while riding the waves is crucial for an enjoyable experience. And if there’s one thing that keeps surfers, swimmers, and water lovers alike stay in the waters for too long, it is the right wetsuit. But, with the many different types of wetsuits our surf industry has, it can be confusing to pick the right one. More often than not, wetsuits become a compromise between staying warm and comfortable and feeling flexible. This wetsuit water temperature guide will help you decipher the wetsuit thickness code and find the right water apparel according to your local water temperatures. How Do Wetsuits Work? Wetsuits work by entrapping a thin layer of water between your body and the suit. This layer of water gets warmed by your body. Thus, keeping you from losing too much heat while in the water. What traps the heat –neoprene insulation particularly made for warmth and protection in watersports. Neoprene is made of small closed cells packed and sealed with air that provide insulation against cold water by trapping heat in. Generally, the thicker the wetsuit’s neoprene is, the warmer the suit as it has more heat-trapping insulation. Wetsuit Water Temperature Guide In sports like surfing, you spend most of your time in the water. You wait for potential waves, paddle to it, and surf. Consequently, it makes you less exposed to the wind and outside water temperature, unlike kitesurfing, wakeboarding, or windsurfing. Most wetsuits indeed come with the manufacturer’s temperature ratings. However, it isn’t always the most accurate. So, the best way to deal with it is to consider the manufacturer’s marks and these few factors. Water Temperature Water temperature is merely just the start. Aside from it, you will have to consider air temperature. Some climates may have the air temperature relatively warm with cold water. Usually, if the air is warmer, you can go for a thinner wetsuit than what’s typically recommended. Wind should also be factored in since it significantly changes the water and airy feel. Lastly, consider the activity you will perform and your cold sensitivity. Colder Water Calls for Thicker Wetsuit Neoprene provides a good layer of insulation from different weather elements. So, the thicker the wetsuit, the more protected you get. Hooded wetsuits can also be a great option in very cold water, along with neoprene surf booties. Cold water can be very threatening to your health if you are not prepared for the elements. Quality of the Wetsuit A big part of picking the right wetsuit for any water temperature is the suit’s quality. High-quality wetsuits are usually double-stitched, taped, sealed, or liquid-sealed. This construction makes it harder for the low temperature to penetrate. Water Temperature Wetsuit Thickness Wetsuit Type Destination Extras < 42 °F / 5.5 °C 6/5 mm – 6/5/4 mm Hooded Full Wetsuit Greenland Rashguard, booties, wetsuit hood, wetsuit gloves 43-52 °F / 6.1-11.1 °C 5/4 mm – 5/4/3 mm Hooded Full Wetsuit England, Netherlands (in winter) Rashguard, booties, wetsuit hood, wetsuit gloves 52-58 °F / 11.1-14.4 °C 4/3 mm – 5/4/3 mm Hooded Full Wetsuit San Francisco, Cape Town (in winter) Warm Rashguard, booties, wetsuit gloves 58-63 °F / 14.4-17.2 °C 3/2 mm – 4/3 mm Full Wetsuit Tarifa, Spain Neoprene Top 62-68 °F / 16.6-20°C 2 mm – 3/2 mm Spring Wetsuit / Full Wetsuit Mediterranean (in Mid Season), California, Gulf of Mexico, Cape Town (in summer) Neoprene Top 65-75 °F / 18.3-23.8°C 0.5 mm – 2/1 mm Short Arm Steamer / Wetsuit Jacket Mediterranean Sea (in summer), Florida (except summer) n/a > 72 °F / 22.2°C n/a Rashguard Bali, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, Philippines, Brazil, North Carolina (in summer) Rashguard, waterproof sunscreen How Should a Wetsuit Fit? Your wetsuit should act as your second skin. It should be snug with no sagging in the back or excessive bunching in certain spots like the arms or legs. Wetsuits are supposed to fit tight to keep only a thin layer of water between your body and your suit. If your suit is loose, water will flood and flush through, making the suit less effective at keeping you warm. Moreover, your wetsuit should also fit snugly around your neck. This fitting around your neck may cause a rash, so be sure to protect yourself with a rash guard underneath. How Long Can a Person Survive in Cold Water Without Wetsuits? The coldest water you can find is usually within 39 to 41 degrees F. This is before it turns into ice. Typically, a person can endure in such water temperature for about 10 to 20 minutes. This is how long it takes for the body temperature to drop to 70 to 80 degrees F. When the body reaches this dangerously low temperature, cardiac arrest may most likely happen. Even before the heart stops, the muscles get weak, and it loses coordination and strength. One of the most common misconceptions is that vigorous swimming helps keep the body warm in cold water. This is not true. Swimming in cold water will not keep you warm. Sure, you will feel your blood rushing to the skin. In reality, it makes you lose more heat by swimming. Water Temperature and Expected Time of Survival Chart Water Temperature Expected Time Before Unconsciousness Expected Time of Survival 32.5°F / 0.3°C < 15 minutes 45 minutes 32.5–40° F / 0.3–4.4° C 15 to 30 minutes 30 to 90 minutes 40–50° F / 3.3–10° C 30 to 60 minutes 1 to 3 hours 50–60°F / 10–15.6°C 1 to 2 hours 1 to 6 hours 60–70°F / 15.6–21.1°C 2 to 7 hours 2 to 40 hours 70–80°F / 21.1–26.7°C 3 – 12 hours 3 hours to indefinitely > 80°F / > 26.7°C Indefinitely Indefinitely Additional Tips for Staying Warm and Comfortable Proper Fit: Ensure your wetsuit fits snugly but allows for freedom of movement. A loose wetsuit will let water in, … Read more

How To Get Better At Paddling For Surfing

May 28, 2023by Luke Morris

When you start surfing, the first thing that hits you square between the eyes isn’t a spray of water but rather how difficult it is to paddle. After a first session, you might feel all your shoulder, back, arm, and even finger muscles torn to pieces, indicating that you must practice the skill of paddling continuously. To enhance your paddling skills when surfing, you must apply the correct body position and ensure that your paddling technique is on par when paddling your hands and arms through the water. Regular exercise helps strengthen the muscles used for paddling, instantly improving your paddling skills. One of the very first surfing skills that you must learn to master is paddling. Even before you dream of basic skills such as the pop-up, bottom turn, and cut back, paddling is the one you need to focus on with all your energy because it’s a skill that saps your energy in the beginning. This article will highlight ways to improve your paddling skills. The Importance Of Paddling In Surfing If you’re contemplating joining the surfing world, it’s essential to know the following from the get-go. Without a strong upper body, which includes arms, back, shoulders, and neck, you will struggle to enjoy surfing to the fullest. Paddling, of all the surfing components, may seem the least important skill to master, but in truth, it’s the skill that elevates the surfing experience to another level. Ask experienced surfers how much paddling they do in a single surf session and wait for the 90%-of-the-time answer. Most of the time you will ever spend on a surfboard will involve paddling. So, it’s in your best interest to become efficient in paddling as quickly as possible for your sake and the surfers around you. Every surfer needs a good paddling technique to help get to the best surfing positions, navigate past other surfers without causing a hindrance, and ultimately catch and surf the waves. Paddling is a skill set that needs to be developed and practiced, as without proper paddling technique and a strong body that ensures paddling endurance, you will struggle to do the following consistently: Catch a wave: You will only catch waves with a suitable paddle technique. Upskilling your paddle capabilities will allow you to position yourself favorably for an incoming wave. Paddling moves you around in the water as you search for the best spot to sync with the waves. The best surfers are the best paddlers; you only catch the best waves with an efficient paddling technique. Stay in the water longer: If you can’t paddle, you can’t surf. Floating around on a board at the mercy of the ocean because your arms are sore and you can’t paddle anymore isn’t surfing; it’s more a case of surviving. In the beginning, as you slowly but surely build up your strength and technique, expect shorter surf sessions. Once you have gained paddling endurance, you will find that you can maneuver much better while in the water, and you won’t get so tired so fast. Distance: Paddling gets you around when in the water. On days when you need to cover a fair distance to get to the gnarliest waves, you will miss out if you can’t paddle efficiently. If your paddling technique is lacking, you will struggle to move to alternative surf spots, as you will get fatigued reasonably quickly when employing the wrong method. How To Improve Your Paddling Technique When you look at any successful surfer or sportsman, all we see is greatness. The ease with how these famous sports stars perform in their designated fields is always astounding and impressive, especially when trying your hand at the respective sport is difficult. We don’t see the hundreds of hours these superstars put in behind the scenes. We don’t see the blood, tears, and sweat. It’s the same with paddling. If you practice and implement what works for the surfers before you, you will indeed become a surfer with a good paddling technique. If you’re serious about surfing and want to improve your paddling technique, then the following tips will help you become a more efficient paddling machine: Focus On Your Body Position When paddling in the water, it’s essential to maintain the correct body position on your surfboard. What’s the correct body position when paddling? The head must always be upright, with your chest pushing forward, creating an arched back with raised shoulders. Your hips should be low in the water, improving your speed by reducing drag. Keep your feet together and out of the water, as feet touching the water creates foot breaks! Your body weight should rest on your sternum. Focus On How You Position Your Body On The Surfboard Align your whole body on the stringer, ensuring no leaning or rolling to one side. When you’re paddling out, your weight can be farther forward compared to when you’re paddling to catch a wave. You’ll struggle to get the surfboard to the plane in the water when you’re too far back. You’ll notice drag in the nose area when you position yourself too far forward. You’ll see how smoothly you glide through the water when you balance your weight perfectly. Focus On The Position Of Your Fingers, Hands, And Arms Push your fingers tightly together as if you’re forming a blade with them or slightly apart. Keep them stiff as you scoop them through the water, fingers pointing forward and palms down. Keep your wrists firm. Keep your shoulders high as your hands enter the water, focusing on slightly bending your arm as you reach forward to stroke through the water. Ensure you stroke past your body; you want long deep strokes, not short, fast ones! Practice your strokes so no surface splashing occurs; dig deep and as far back as possible. The greater the surface area that your hand, forearm, and arm move through, the faster the speed of your board. Focus On Your Breathing Technique Taking … Read more

Body Surfing: How to Ride the Waves with Your Own Body

May 28, 2023by Dan Harmon

While surfing is commonly accepted as among the world’s most exhilarating and enjoyable extreme water sports, many argue it cannot compete with body surfing. The thrill of catching a wave without using buoyant devices such as bodyboards or surfboards remains unmatched. After some practice, body surfing is relatively easy for anyone to master, as this article will demonstrate.

To bodysurf, find an optimal wave, usually breaking near the shore. Once you have identified an appropriate wave, wait for it to approach before swimming toward it. Allow the wave to lift your body slightly while kicking your legs to maintain balance and extending your arms to direct yourself.

Over the previous few decades, body surfing has continued to distinguish itself from traditional surfing, developing into a highly competitive global sport. To the inexperienced individual, body surfing can seem intimidating; however, rapidly progressing is not uncommon with the correct understanding, timing, technique, and confidence. However, a few vital factors all beginners must keep in mind.

Body Surfing For Beginners

Body surfing is the same as traditional surfing, except for a surfboard. If you have ever caught and ridden a wave without using a surfboard, you have unknowingly body-surfed.

Despite body surfing being easier to learn than traditional surfing, obtaining the optimal technique, timing, and skills requires several hours of practice. The best waves for bodysurfing are usually between one and three feet high, allowing surfers to ride the wave directly toward the beach.

It is worthwhile noting that most experienced surfers agree that body surfing is easier to learn, advance, and master as it requires no equipment or powerful waves. Instead, body surfing will require you to position your body in front of the wave before it breaks.

Your body position and momentum before the wave reaches you are vital. An incorrect body position will likely result in you missing the wave or being harshly dumped by it. The best way to body surf is to align yourself with an appropriate oncoming wave before gently swimming toward it.

Once your chosen wave gains momentum, you can catch it by pushing off the seabed’s surface and lurching your body in the same direction the wave travels. For inexperienced body surfers, it is recommended to hone the correct technique in shallower waters where you comfortably stand before progressing to deeper waters with significantly more powerful waves.

How Difficult Is Body Surfing?

Body surfing is considered by many to be easier to learn than traditional surfing, longboarding, or kayaking, as it does not necessitate any equipment.

However, body surfing can be incredibly challenging and frustrating for people without sufficient swimming skills or the ability to accurately read oncoming waves. Yet, with several hours of dedicated practice, body surfing can be easy, enjoyable, and satisfying.

An often-overlooked benefit of learning how to body surf is how it permanently enhances surfing and swimming skills while simultaneously allowing you to thoroughly understand how waves function, build up, and break.

Anyone can learn how to body surf within an hour or two. Once you have mastered catching a wave without using a surfboard or accompanying flotation device, you will rapidly progress due to improved confidence, enhanced ability to read waves accurately, and overall swimming skills.

Health Benefits Associated With Body Surfing

Body surfing is closely associated with numerous health benefits as the water sport is among the best workouts imaginable.

While you may not notice how hard your body is working during your body surfing sessions, the extreme water sport is known to significantly benefit muscular endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness.

Furthermore, how the body moves while body surfing will indirectly benefit your overall balance and flexibility, balance and flexibility are crucial to body surfing as the extreme water sports necessitate a specific body position to successfully catch smaller, less powerful waves.

At the same time, if you do not have any of the required physical characteristics associated with body surfing, you will obtain them within the first few hours of practice. Once you can repeatedly catch waves without a flotation device, you will inadvertently and permanently enhance physical and cardiovascular fitness while benefitting your general balance and flexibility.

Body Surfing Vs. Surfing: Similarities And Differences

While there are many similarities between body surfing and traditional surfing, they are considered two separate extreme water sports.

The main and obvious difference between body surfing and traditional surfing is the requirement of a flotation device. Purchasing, maintaining, and utilizing a modern surfboard can be expensive; however, you can body surf without any accompanying equipment, making it appealing to millions of people globally.

Moreover, body surfing usually occurs in shallower waters closer to the shore. This allows extreme water sports to be additionally accessible for anyone, as various forms of surfing equipment are not readily accessible to most beachgoers.

In addition to a pricy surfboard, surfers must buy other equipment such as wax, a wetsuit, and a vehicle big enough to comfortably carry the costly extreme water sports gear. Body surfing can offer a similar experience and thrill to traditional surfing, yet it is usually significantly cheaper for most beginners.

Body Surfing Tips And Tricks: How To Advance Your Skills

Despite many inexperienced body surfers experiencing some form of frustration during the learning phase, most will rapidly progress once they have the hang of it.

If you are comfortable regularly catching waves without using a flotation device, there are numerous tricks to learn, which will unquestionably make the entire experience more enjoyable. After learning the basics, the best skills to master are known as the dolphin dive, the turtle roll, and the spin.

The best and most advanced body surfing tips and skills to try are:

Learn how to bodysurf and navigate bigger beach breaks.
Attempt to navigate powerful shore and reef break waves.
Learn to let powerful waves dump you while holding your breath and submitting to the water’s movements.
Utilize forceful rip currents.
Master the duck dive timing technique.
Identify, catch, and ride massive beach breakers.
For the best and most confident body surfers globally, master the art of riding under the barrel of an enormous wave.

While the mentioned advanced body surfing moves may seem daunting to inexperienced individuals, they are straightforward to master if you put in the required effort. At the same time, body surfing is an incredibly enjoyable water sport, making the learning phase enjoyable.

While you enjoy your time in the water, you will indirectly advance your skills to the point where you can comfortably catch bigger, steeper, and more powerful waves. The bigger, more powerful waves will dramatically enhance your body’s surfing experience, making the process incredibly enjoyable, thrilling, and exhilarating for millions globally.

There is always more to learn regarding body surfing, as those people with creative and adventurous minds will find countless ways to advance their skills, cultivate new tricks, and continuously improve their enjoyment levels while in the water.

Conclusion

Body surfing is among the world’s most popular extreme water sports due to the undoubted thrill, enjoyment, and exhilaration it has always been associated with. Learning how to body surf can be challenging, although it is straightforward to master after practicing for a few hours. If you have never body surfed, take this as a sign to get into the water and experience one of life’s greatest experiences.

Dan Harmon

How Long Does it Take to Get Good At Surfing?

May 28, 2023by Luke Morris

how many hours does it take to get good at surfing

Getting good at surfing doesn’t happen overnight. Ok, maybe for some. But it’s not the case for everyone. If you’ve never been on a surfboard before, it’ll take a few days of intensive practice in the water before you can say you’re good at it. Under the right conditions, learning to surf can take as little as fifteen minutes. However, to be good at surfing, it will take many hours of practice to learn the skills. You can speed up your progress by spending lots of time in the water, staying fit, and hiring a surfing coach. However, not everyone has the right conditions when they decide to learn to surf. For some, it can take a few months or years, especially if there’s no ocean nearby. The truth is, you can only expect to get good at surfing with actual practice. But how long would it take someone with the determination and the right conditions? Is There a Magic Number of Hours to Become a Good Surfer? Unfortunately, there isn’t a magic number of hours to become a good surfer; besides, “good” is a subjective adjective. Learning to surf can take anything from 15 minutes to a few months, but becoming a good surfer takes more practice in the right conditions. For example, imagine you’re on holiday in Hawaii. You’ll learn to surf faster by spending every day in the warm water there than by practicing every other weekend in cooler conditions. The truth is, you will learn to surf and become good at it at your own pace. Check out the following factors that will affect your learning pace. What Are Some Factors That Affect Learning to Surf? Many factors affect someone’s ability to learn how to surf. However, if you’re looking to learn to surf quickly, the following factors will stand in your favor: Adequate Levels of Fitness and Strength Surfing requires a lot of energy, so you must have moderate fitness, strength, and stamina. For example, you need to paddle a lot to get to the right waves, endure swells, and be able to pop up on your board quickly when the time is right. Without adequate fitness, mobility, strength, and stamina, you will tire quickly and need to rest more frequently between surf sessions. Flexibility Surfing requires flexibility for the different stances on the board. You must be able to jump between different riding positions quickly, whether paddling on your belly, popping onto your haunches, or riding in a goofy or natural pose. Being flexible helps to switch between these positions more readily. Try to practice some regualr mobility exercises for surfing, or many surfers swear by yoga! Good Balance Balance is another factor that will influence a person’s ability to learn to surf. A good start is having a strong core, but the ability to balance on a moving object is advantageous. Having a background in skateboarding, snowboarding, or other board sports could be helpful because you need to balance and transfer your weight while on a board. However, remember that the ocean offers more variables than solid ground, so the balance required in surfing is more dynamic. Equipment Learning to surf will be easier if you have equipment suited to your needs. For example, beginner surfers tend to learn faster on longboards. However, your surfboard should be suitable for your weight and height. Additionally, wearing the right wetsuit will help you stay in the water longer, especially on cooler days. Other equipment that could benefit a beginner surfer’s learning include a leash to keep your board close, and even a helmet. Age As with anything, the earlier you learn a skill, the more time you have to master it. People who grew up in a surfing culture are more likely to be good at surfing than someone who only learns in their 30s, for example. There is no age limit on learning how to surf. If you have the willingness, fitness, equipment, and ability to read waves, you stand a good chance of learning to surf. Location Learning to surf is easier when you’re at a beach with smaller, consistent waves . Additionally, it helps if the seabed below you is sandy and not rocky or near a coral reef. Rocky beaches with inconsistent waves aren’t ideal places for people to learn to surf and might slow the learning process. Foresight Foresight usually comes with a bit of practice and experience. For example, it helps to use your energy wisely when paddling. Also, it would help if you had the foresight to help position yourself to catch the waves at the right time. Tips To Help You Progress Faster in Surfing There are ways to help you progress faster through the intermediate surfer phase. Here are some tips to guide you: Regular Practice The more you practice surfing, the better you’ll get. You’ll improve your fitness, wave-reading, and skill through regular practice. If you can practice regularly, try out different surfing spots to expose yourself to various sea conditions. Some aspects of surfing you can focus on during early practice sessions include the following: Your paddling speed and capacity between catching waves and when lining up for a wave. Popping up to a standing position quickly. The faster you can get to an upright position, the better. Your foot positioning. For example, your front foot shouldn’t be positioned straight forward. Instead, it should be at a 45° or less for improved control. Your standing stance. It should be relaxed, with knees slightly bent, unlike the beginner “poo man” stance, which looks like you’re squatting to go to the toilet. Catching waves at an angle before they break so you can ride them for longer. Get Feedback from Experienced Surfers Experienced surfers have a wealth of knowledge and a keen eye for what works and doesn’t work in certain conditions. You can ask more experienced surfers for feedback or advice on an aspect of surfing you’d like to improve. Alternatively, you can sign … Read more

Longboard Surfing Tricks: How to Step Up

May 28, 2023by Luke Morris

Longboard surfing connects you with the ocean and lets you express yourself on the waves. Still, you’ll have to learn exciting skills and tricks to stand out from the crowd besides just riding out the wave. And this guide shows you how to rock the longboard like a pro, from the basics to the advanced moves. So, how can you step up your longboarding game? You must learn different maneuvers to elevate your longboard surfing skills, such as turns, cutbacks, re-entries, and nose rides. You also need to try some tricks that involve spinning, rolling, flying, and shuvits while practicing regularly, watching other surfers, and keeping a positive mindset. You’re about to enter the extraordinary world of longboard surfing, where you’ll learn how to nail the basic moves and the coolest tricks while remembering that it’s not all about technique. We’ll also give you some killer tips that will change your game and bring out the best surfer in you. So, don’t miss this chance to boost your skills and have a blast on the longboard. Let’s get started! Mastering The Basic Longboard Surfing Maneuvers So, getting to the basics – Longboarding surfing is a relaxed and laid-back style that requires a longboard, usually about three feet longer than your height. Different types of longboards, such as the nose rider, the performance, and the hybrid, suit various preferences and conditions. And starting longboarding surfing requires practicing your balance on a static board on grass or a rug and looking for waves breaking far from the shore. It would be best to include basic equipment, such as a swimsuit or wetsuit (optional), a fin, surf wax, a leg leash, and sunscreen. But before you can attempt any fancy tricks on your longboard, you need to master some essential skills and maneuvers that will help you control your board and ride the waves easily and in style. These are the basic longboard surfing maneuvers that every surfer should know: Bottom Turn Known as your first turn after catching a wave, it sets you up for the rest of the ride by positioning you on the face of the wave. Performing a bottom turn requires you to shift your weight to your rear foot and lean in your desired direction. Then, as you reach the lower end of the wave, you need to shift your weight to your front foot and look up at where you want to go next. Vision is essential for this role, allowing your body to respond and plan ahead on what you see rather than what you feel. And to top that up, Cross-stepping (mentioned below) can be extremely challenging without a proper bottom turn and board setup. Top Turn This is the turn you make at the top of the wave, allowing you to change direction and generate speed by using the power of the wave. Top turning is best approaching the lip of the wave with speed and angle your board towards it. Then, as you reach the lip, you must push hard on your back foot and twist your upper body in the opposite direction. It will make your board carve around and spray some water, and you’ll need to look down at where you want to go next and follow through with your board. Cutback A Cutback, or Front/Backside cutback, is the turn you make when you want to get back to the pocket, or power source, of the wave, allowing you to maintain speed and will help you stay on the wave for much longer. Among surfers, the common saying is “When fat, cutback!” which requires you to ride along the face of the wave until you feel like you are losing speed or getting too far ahead of the breaking section. You must shift your weight to your back foot and turn your board towards the whitewater. As you reach the whitewater, you need to shift a good portion of your weight to your front foot and turn your board back towards the face of the wave, making your board do a roundhouse arc and get back into position. It can be a slight learning curve for new surfers to get the hang of, but keep at it – and once you have it, it’s hard to forget the feeling! Re-Entry Re-entry is when you want to hit the lip of the wave with power and style, allowing you to show off your moves and impress other surfers. Every surfer’s arsenal must include a re-entry, which can take various forms, from a simple straight up and down to an explosive re-entry with no fins. The maneuver aims to ride the lip back to the flats after rebounding from the lip. To do a re-entry, you need to approach the lip of the wave with speed and angle your board slightly towards it. Then, as you reach the lip, you need to push hard on your back foot and lift your front foot up. This will make your board go vertical and hit the lip with force, where you will need to bring your front foot down and lean forward to land back on the face of the wave. Cross Step The Cross-stepping technique is used when you want to walk along your longboard and change your position on it. It allows you to adjust your trim and balance according to the size and shape of the wave. Cross-stepping also helps you adjust your position on the board and stay in the wave’s sweet spot. Start with your feet together near the middle of your board to do a cross-step – then, you need to move one foot forward by crossing it over or behind the other foot. Then, move the other foot forward by crossing it over or behind the first foot. You need to repeat this method until you reach your desired spot on your board – and sometimes, you’ll find that you do not need to go to the … Read more

Surfing Warm-Up: Proper Preparation

May 26, 2023by Luke Morris

Any decent workout begins with a warm-up; the same goes for surfing! It is essential to prepare properly to get the most out of your surfing session, and doing a good stretch will give you all you need to catch some gnarly waves and surf them well. There are multiple reasons why a proper surfing warm-up is necessary, including increased mobility, improved oxygen levels, injury prevention, enhanced muscle temperature, improved energy levels, and mental preparation. These surfing warm-up benefits are essential for improved performance. To get your surfing prep underway, this warm-up focus will equip you with all the information you’ll need to nail your warm-up every time, yielding surprising results when you’re out on the water. How To Warm Up For Surfing: Tips And Techniques For A Safe And Successful Session Some believe they may look like a kook when they warm up before a session, but pro surfers do it all the time before competitions, and it’s genuinely in your best interest to get your pre-session flowing. Also, nobody likes an injury, especially when it’s entirely preventable by trading in ten minutes of your time. Do you want an extra performance boost? Pre-surf warm-ups are your answer, thanks to improved oxygen flow, warmed-up muscles, and increased energy levels. Warm-ups are simple and offer you so many benefits – it’s an opportunity you don’t want to pass up. Warming up doesn’t just prepare your body – your mind gets ready too! Due to increased oxygen flow and the slight exercise you put your body through, your body releases hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, which manage your energy levels before you even begin surfing. In summary, the benefits of a pre-surf warm-up include: injury prevention amplified mobility improved oxygen exchange increased muscle temperature improved energy levels boosted performance mental preparation Tip #1: Take It Easy You might think warm-ups are tedious and energy-consuming, but that is not true. Warm-ups are supposed to be short and non-strenuous. Your prep should only last between five and ten minutes. Surfing warm-ups are yoga-inspired and low-impact but still give your muscles what they need to function when you catch some waves. Warm-ups are not supposed to feel like a workout; you’re probably over-exerting yourself if it feels that way. Relax and focus on getting the movements right instead of doing them as quickly as possible. Feel the flow and enjoy moving your body – you’ll notice how much your warm-up makes a difference once you’re on the water. Tip #2: Focus On Breathing Since yoga is a surf-warmup inspiration, you should get some breathwork into the warm-up mix to facilitate relaxation, proper oxygen flow, and release of necessary hormones. Breathwork also prevents muscle fatigue. When you breathe during warm-ups, you need to inhale through your nose until you feel as if your lungs have reached total capacity, pause briefly, and then exhale through your mouth, slightly forcing it out using your abdomen. Never hold your breath for long periods! You’ll want to follow the ‘exhale on exertion’ rule to ensure you get your breathing right, meaning that you should breathe out when you use the most energy, like when moving a muscle into a strenuous position. So, breathe in as you act out a movement, and exhale when you’ve completed the muscle placement. Tip #3: Warm-Up Key Areas You use your hands, arms, neck, shoulders, spine, abdomen, hips, and legs to surf, which are the key muscle groups you must focus on during a warm-up routine. You should preferably make room for all these muscle groups, but your hands and arms aren’t 100% necessary if you feel impatient. Your core focus should be on your shoulders, spine, hips, and legs, as that’s what you use most, and loosening them up will give you results and prevent serious injury. If you have any particularly stiff muscles, be sure to add them to your warm-up regimen and give extra focus on them as they are injury prone. Pre-Surf Warm-Up: Essential Exercises To Get Your Body Ready A pre-surf warm-up happens outside of the water, as it partially preps you for water temperatures. In-water drills aren’t as necessary as pre-surf ones because they’re more of a practice and water acclimatization than anything else – but we’ll delve further into them in a moment! You can perform your pre-surf regimen on the beach or nearby grass. These following pre-surf warm-ups are the main ones that focus on multiple muscle groups, but you can find others that work just as well. Remember to breathe out when you exert your muscles! Six to eight reps of each warm-up will be sufficient. Neck Rolls Neck rolls help prepare your neck and cervical spine. You start by standing in a proper posture, relaxing your shoulders, and looking forward. Tilt your head to your chest, and roll it until it moves above your shoulder. Rest for a second and roll it back to the center. Then roll it to the left, hold it, and repeat in the opposite direction each time. Torso Twist Keep your arms extended and slightly loose. Sway them all the way right while twisting the top half of your body with them until you’ve turned them as far as possible. Use your left leg while doing this to lean right into the twist. You can dip into a slight squat as you twist past the center of your body. Then you should sway your body and extended arms to the left, using your right leg to lean into it. Repeat from left to right and back again. There should be a seamless flowing movement when you twist from side to side. Spinal Roll Stand up straight. Start inhaling, hunch your shoulders forward, and slowly reach for your toes while rolling your spine along. Once you’ve got as low as possible, you can exhale. Then slowly rise, moving your spine upward, and once you’re back in a standing position, angle your shoulders backward. This movement is all in … Read more

Body Surfing For Beginners

How Difficult Is Body Surfing?

Health Benefits Associated With Body Surfing

Body Surfing Vs. Surfing: Similarities And Differences

Body Surfing Tips And Tricks: How To Advance Your Skills

Conclusion

Feed Your Stoke. Join the Surf Hungry Crew