Beginner surfers use high volume boards to learn the fundamentals easier. The high-volume board is easier to paddle, easier to catch waves, easier on the popup, and easier to ride. Smaller boards might prevent the beginner from ever getting started.
Surfing is more difficult than most beginners imagine. It looks so easy in the movies. That is partly because all experts make what they do look easy. Surfing requires certain muscles, an ability to learn, good coordination, and some courage. Most beginners feel intimidated until they have tried a few waves and realize they won’t drown.
I start beginners in waist deep water on high volume boards. I push them for several waves until they are understanding the timing and rhythm. The surfer sees the wave, rolls over onto his board, paddles a few easy strokes, looks to the side for the wave, paddles hard to get in front of it, puts his hands on the board, pushes and brings one foot under his butt, stands on it lifting his hands, and then moves the front foot forward. This is why timing and rhythm are important to get each step included.
The Stance Has to Be Correct to Ride the Board
The proper stance I call pushing a tall box. The hands are in front and the shoulders and hips, therefore, are facing square to the front. Snowboarders, skateboarders, and most beginners want to ride in the snowboard stance which is one arm trailing. This places the butt over one rail and the surfer fall off the butt side.
I give students a count to say out loud pronouncing each step. The count is paddle, stop and glide (placing hands on the board and gliding for a few seconds), push (full push up), back foot (placing one foot flat on the board under the butt), stand up (lifting the hands off the board), front foot (placing the front foot in the middle of the board near the nose). The reason I want students to say these steps out loud is to slow them down and override their instincts which are all wrong. The beginning of the lesson consists of getting students to override what their brain wants to do and getting them to include each step.
If a student is using a board that does not have enough volume to make it easy, they are then battling another aspect that will keep them from getting to practice correctly. I start kids under 80 pounds on a 7′ board. 80 to 110 pounds on an 8′ board. 110 to 180 pounds on a 9′ board. Over 190 pounds on a very high volume 9′ board. These boards keep the student’s size from being a factor. Overweight people do have an additional burden. Surfing favors the lean.
On the right size board, surfers can progress to riding real waves and doing the basic maneuvers in real waves before they have to think about a hard board or moving smaller. The longer the surfer stays with the high-volume board, the easier it will be to use a hardboard and then a shorter hardboard. The idea is to have fun. Carrying a short board to the water looks cool, but if you can’t surf it, it doesn’t look cool.
Learn More:
How Surfboards Are Constructed
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 the following services call 760-696-7149: Individual Surf lessons in Oceanside, private group and family surf lessons, Oceanside surf lessons for kids, package lessons for vacations and more in-depth learning.
For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, see the Home Page
Visit me on Instagram
See me on Facebook
For getting in better shape for surfing see GetFittoSurf.com
-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 Free Audio Book on Sound Cloud
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 $9.95. Get into surf shape, start a new lifestyle, and enjoy life at a new level of health.
