Many beginners attempt to catch real waves without adequate knowledge and so there are Beginner Mistakes on Catching Real Waves. Many times I coach intermediates that are having difficulties and that is because they have not learned the basics beginners need to learn.
Before progressing to real waves, surfers should be able to pop up and ride straight to the beach on a foam wave. If surfers fall off the board it indicates their pop up and stance are faulty. This is a problem beginners and intermediates often have.
Having the Correct Pop Up
The pop up has to land the surfer square on the board with hips and shoulders square to the front. I call it pushing the box. Imagine a tall box in front of you and you have to push it ten feet. Your feet are apart and your hands are in front of your body on the box as you push. This is the stance for surfing other than you need to be upright with weight equal on front and back leg.
In catching real waves, most beginners want to chase the wave from behind. They imagine catching it and paddling out in front. The problem is they will miss the wave or go over the top and straight down. The surfer has to let the wave instead, roll under the board from the back. As the wave lifts the tail, the surfer then paddles hard three times to get down the face before popping up.
Recognizing the Right Waves
Beginners may not recognize rideable waves. In a reef break the waves are usually rideable. In a sand bar bottom waves can be closing out or walled off so that they are hard to catch and ride. Observe whether there are other surfers out and whether they are riding waves.
The close out is a quick breaking wave. The surfer often has to catch it and then point the nose toward the pocket before popping up. This may avoid the quick falling lip and give him a short ride before the whole wave closes out.
Waves only arc for a few seconds so the surfer must be in position. Notice where the waves are breaking. Then patrol the area by paddling parallel to that area waiting for a wave to form. As it is forming decide whether to paddle out a little, parallel, or in further. Slide into position and point towards the beach or toward the pocket. As the wave rolls under the board, paddle and execute a pop up.
The reason many beginners don’t like to be in front of the wave is that if the timing is wrong, the wave breaks on top of the surfer. This is the timing difficulty of catching real waves that has to be learned. Surfers spend their whole career trying to improve their wave catching ability. Pros say that catching the wave is everything and that everything else is routine.
Read Other Posts:
Beginner Surfers Learn on Soft Tops
5 Steps to Improve Surfing Performance
3 Ways to Catch Real Surfing Waves
Training to Ride the Surfing Short Board
Short Board Surfing Techniques
For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, see the Home Page
Visit me on Instagram
For getting in better shape for surfing see GetFittoSurf.com
Sign up for weekly Tips on Losing Weight, Health, and Fitness Newsletter
See my new Health and Lifestyle website Markap Health and Lifestyle
The Surfers Life
Why do surfers surf? What is it about the culture that attracts and holds millions of people in the world? Why is the culture growing and how has it infiltrated our world with clothing, music, fitness, and stoke?
Buy on Amazon in Kindle or Paperback. $2.99 or $6.92
The New Surfing Trilogy. 3 books in 1 E-Book
Lose weight, get fit, and learn to surf. All in one concise summary of 3 books, Combines The 3 Week Plan, Get Fit to Surf, and Learn to Surf Guide.
Buy E Book on Amazon for $6.99
The Perfect Start for losing weight and getting fit is the E Book The 3 Week Plan
Buy on Kindle for $2.99 or Paperback for $6.95
Get my new book Get Fit to Surf
Its time to get back in shape. This book discusses strength, flexibility, stamina, and nutritional needs for getting in shape and losing weight. It is the great guide to get back to fitness for all your recreational desires. If you can surf, you can do most anything.
Buy on Kindle for $2.99 or Paperback on Amazon for $6.95
Get the Learn to Surf Guide Course in Kindle, Paperback or Audio
A great 29 page course on the fundamentals of catching waves, doing beginner and advanced pop ups, riding real waves, how to do maneuvers on real waves, which surfboards to ride, and how to progress. Great for lesson preparation, after lesson review, or learning on your own.
Kindle price $2.99 on Amazon. Paperback price $6.95 on Amazon. Audio download price $6.95
Seniors Get Fit to Surf
Description:
Seniors often ask if it is too late to learn to surf. Age is functional not chronological. If people have been exercising and maintaining body strength, surfing can be accomplished. If people have not been exercising, then getting in shape to surf could be a life changing move. Learn how to develop strength, flexibility, and stamina to learn surfing. If you are in surf shape, you could pursue most any recreation.
Buy the E-book on Amazon for $2.99
Buy the Paperback on Amazon for $6.95
Read a Book in the Markap Series
Self-Leadership, Happiness, Start Now.
Start Now is the process of losing weight, building strength and stamina, developing cardio fitness for surfing, recreation and health. Buy the E-book on Amazon for $2.99 and the Paperback for $6.95. Get into surf shape, start a new lifestyle, and enjoy life at a new level of health.
