Learning to Surf the Short Board is a progression that takes time and patience. Karate has several belts because it takes time to learn the skills of each belt before a person is ready to advance. Surfing is a progression of skills, strength building, and courage to reach goals.
The beginner surfer starts with a high volume soft top riding foam waves. After he has mastered the pop ups and riding straight to the beach he starts paddling out to ride bigger foam waves and small real waves. A surfer can progress to intermediate riding real waves on a soft top board.
The Basics of Learning to Ride the Surfing Short Board
Riding real waves on a soft top surfboard is fun. One can drive the pocket, do bottom turns, accelerate, cut backs and some do aerials and 360’s. Why then should one move to a lower volume board. Cutting volume means length, thickness and width.
Moving to a short board should begin just 6 inches at a time and not reduce the thickness and width. As boards lose volume, three things happen. The board is harder to paddle. It doesn’t float. It is more unstable when catching waves. It is more unstable to ride. One doesn’t want to lose the fun and become frustrated while everyone else is riding.
The shortboard requires a better pop up. A surfers feet extend beyond the board when paddling. Some surfers pop up with both feet at the same time and others put a back foot on the board and then their front foot under their chest while their arms are in push up position before standing.
Real waves move at different speeds and steepness. Sometimes the pop up has to be quick, but it always has to be accurate. The idea is to get the body into the correct stance for balance. On a shortboard, the surfer first learns to go down a small face and just ride the foam. Then he learns to bottom turn into the pocket and drive the wave until it dies. Then he learns to cut back to the power and cut back again to prolong the ride.
Finally the surfer learns to accelerate which is pushing the nose up and down the wave to gain speed. At this point, a surfer could try more maneuvers or tricks. He could bottom turn up the face and cut back at the top to rip the lip. The reason a surfer likes a lower volume board is they are faster and can carve deeper. Until a surfer needs those assets, there is no need to move to smaller boards.
Read a good book to get ready.
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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 $7.95
Get Fit to Surf
A great guide to strength, flexibility, stamina, and leanness for surfing. Beginner strategies for getting stronger, more flexible, stronger cardiovascular system, and nutrition to lose weight. An improving surfer or one who wants to prepare must meet the whole body physical demands of surfing. Getting stronger improves ones ability to perform better.
Buy on Kindle for $5.99 or the Paperback for $7.99
Every Body Can Surf
To read a great book for getting in shape to surf or getting in better surfing shape, read my new book Overweight People Can Surf, a Health, Fitness, Nutrition, and Surfing Adventure
Description:
Get healthy and fit to surf or set a goal of surfing to improve weight, fitness, nutrition, and health. This guide by a surf instructor/health coach/personal trainer gives the short version of how to lose weight, get strong, build stamina, develop nutrition, and learn to surf. Surfing is a lifestyle enjoyed by millions and so is fitness. Fitness creates opportunities to enjoy life through lots of different kinds of recreation. No need to stand on the sidelines while others are having a great time. Start your program to health with easy steps and progress at your own pace. That is the secret to maintaining a lifestyle. Do it at your pace. This book will start you on the path.
Buy the E book on Amazon for $5.99
Buy the Paperback on Amazon for $7.99
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 $5.99
Buy the Paperback on Amazon for $7.99
