Surfing Tips and Techniques
In order to become an advanced surfer one must dedicate several years of practice in order to perfect technique. The world's best surfers have not only ridden hundreds to thousands of waves but have also endured a variety of sea conditions. It does not matter if you surf as a hobby or for competition, there is always room to improve your surfing skill set.
The sport of surfing is comprised of several different components, such as effective paddling, precision timing, efficient speed, and intricate balance. Practicing and perfecting all of the techniques stated above is vital in progressing your surfing skill set. Intermediate and advanced surfers alike can benefit from reading the top fifteen surfing tips and techniques provided below.
15. Be Picking When Choosing Your Wave
It is important to attain knowledge of how a wave breaks. As the position of a waves break will affect your ride. In the beginning, all waves may seem identical but is truly not the case. You want to be on the look out for the highest point of the waves break as it roll in from the ocean's horizon. Try to avoid a leveled wave as it is on its way to closing out. Additionally, check out the back of the wave line as it passes by and that will give you an idea of how the waves are breaking that day so you can position yourself properly.
14. It's All About Position, Position, Position
Once you have keyed in where the peak of the wave break is, you will need to calculate a few more factors into your position. Your drop in time needs to be balanced with the waves speed because if your position is twenty inches too far to the left or right then you ride may be doomed from the start.
13. Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
Where your eyes go, your board follows. It is imperative that after take off you remained focused with your eyes on your target. Your head needs to be continuously moving toward where you want to venture next.
12. Stay Low
Upon take off it is best to maintain a lower center of gravity. You can achieve this by staying low with your knees bent. Maintaining this position will improve your stability while also speeding up your drop in.
11. Keep A Small Width Between Fingers While Paddling
Although, you may have been told to cup your hands together while paddling, it is scientifically incorrect. Research shows that paddling with a twenty percent width between your fingers will not only improve the power and speed of your paddle but it will also save you energy in the long run.
10. Clock The Time Inbetween Waves
A great product to invest in is a surf watch. They are specifically programed to clock and confirm the wave set distance in time. Knowing the time inbetween waves will help you to better prepare for the oncoming set. It will also give you enough statistical information to decide which wave within the set will give you the most optimal ride.
9. Pay Attention To Your Footing
Do not stand statically on your board. To achieve optimum balance, your back foot should be as close to the tail of the board as it can get. Incorporating this stance into your positioning will help you to turn your surfboard faster when cutting a wave.
8. Set One Goal & Then Set More Goals
Conquering one surfing maneuver at a time and perfecting it is better than learning three and executing them sloppily. Once you have successfully learned a trick, then move on to your next goal. Your commitment to one maneuver at a time will truly enhance your performance by ten fold.
7. Pay Attention To The Wave Face Timing
Once you have dropped in, it is important to eye what the wave is doing ahead of you. You need to be constantly analyzing the waves behavior so that you can make the correct decisions to reap maximum benefits during your ride.
6. Study Slow Motion Wave videos
Studying surfing videos or even movies are a great way to learn how to make advancements during your rides. Pay attention to how the professionals paddle and drop in. Once you grasp their methodology, get out there and try it for yourself.
5. Learn From Your Mistakes
We are human, which makes us imperfect. You will make mistakes as you learn but that is part of the fun. Without mistakes we would not know how to get any better. Try not to be too hard on yourself and instead study what went wrong as you fail attempted maneuvers. Once you realize what has gone wrong, you are less likely to make the mistake again in the future.
4. Utilize All Of The Waves Surface Area
Once you achieve a steady drop in and are able to fully ride the wave out, you will want to advance your performance. Utilizing the top and bottom of the wave will aid you in completing maneuvers such as cutbacks and top snap offs. Surf the wave from top to bottom and back up to the top again.
3. Consider The Swell When Choosing Your Board
Having a small collection of surfboards that include short and long boards will better equipped you to face the waves. Certain waves call for wider board while others can be easily maneuvered with a shorter board. It is also important to pay attention to your fin set up when considering the oceans conditions.
2. Try Rail to Rail Surfing
Work steadily towards achieving a manageable rail to rail surfing performance. Rail to rail surfing will help you to maximize your ride time. However, rail to rail surfing can prove to be quite challenging as it requires impeccable balance, precision speed and full utilization of the waves surface area.
1. Gain Knowledge Of Wave Origin & Formation
Gaining knowledge of wave science will help you to better understand wave formation. This information will aid you immensely when deciding which wave to take during a line up. Becoming a well informed watermen will give you the necessary knowledge of how wind speeds affect wave formations to enhance your all around surfing performance.