Beginner Surfers Can’t Focus because the ocean and the excitement of the new sport over whelm their minds. They then rely on their instincts. The problem is one in a thousand has correct instincts for surfing. Most beginner’s brains have them doing everything wrong.
Surfing is timing and rhythm. Surfing is following a sequence. The racing mind cannot get into a smooth rhythm nor follow the same procedures twice. When beginners stand up on the board it is often luck, if they are not being instructed, and even then, riding is a different matter.
Getting the Pop Up Right
Surfers use a pop up to get into the right stance on the surfboard so the board is balanced and will go straight. The surfer carves when necessary by weighting the rails from a balanced position. The stance that should be achieved is what I call pushing the box. The surfer’s feet are shoulder width apart and his hands are in front like he was pushing a tall box ten feet.
Getting to that stance is achieved most easily with one of two pop ups. Advanced surfers move both feet at the same time onto the surfboard. Beginner surfers move one foot at a time because it best suits their muscle capabilities not yet surf trained.
Calming the Mind and Racing Brain is Key
I find that to calm the mind, the surfer should count the process out loud while in the process, otherwise they will follow their instincts. The count I give is paddle, stop and glide, push, back foot, stand up, front foot. The surfer first paddles three times hard to catch the wave. When the board is on a level plane, the surfer puts his hands in a man’s push up position next to his rib cage and glides for two to four seconds.
Then the surfer pushes up and places one foot under his butt flat on the board. The foot must be flat to stand up. Some people lack this flexibility which means they will have trouble standing on the board. Then as the surfer stands on that rear foot he is lifting his hands off the board. If he doesn’t lift his hands at this point, he will not be able to move the front foot to the nose of the board. His hands will block that move.
The surfer stands and moves the front foot to the middle of the board so his feet are shoulder width apart (usually about 3′). He is in the “push the box” stance. He has to have flexed knees to absorb bumps. Surfers like to feel the board with their feet so they can correct the course when the waves cause the board to veer left or right.
Focusing Under Pressure is What Beginners Have to Accomplish
If the surfer can focus to achieve these moves in the technique they can be surfing. If they take short cuts or follow their instincts, most people will be falling or failing to stand up. Many also have a fear of standing up. They won’t let go of the surfboard. Surfing requires some courage and many feel insecure as the board moves so fast in front of the wave. This is another mental hurdle that has to be conquered.
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
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