Progressing After Surf Lessons in Oceanside

Mark
April 3, 2021
3:39 pm

Progressing after surf lessons in Oceanside or anywhere is a matter of good and frequent practice. Even good surfers suffer if they don’t get into the water frequently. Frequency builds stamina and timing judgment. These are the two elements good surfers miss when not in the water.

A surf lesson should teach students the fundamentals and how to catch foam waves. At the beginning, just riding to the beach without effort is the goal. After this is accomplished, its time to advance.

The Steps in Progressing in Surfing

Once a surfer can catch a foam wave on a soft top board and ride to the beach, it is time to start paddling out through the waves and turning around to catch bigger foam waves. The surfer puts the nose of the board just under the lip and does a push up so the wave goes under his chest. Its important to paddle hard into the wave and straight.

Turning around is best accomplished by using one hand to push the water under the board and the other to stroke normally. This turns the board in the direction of the hand pushing water under the board.

It is important to give yourself enough time to make the turn and start paddling before the next wave arrives. I suggest you turn at 90 degrees, which is a half turn, so that when the next wave is spotted you only have to turn another 90 degrees instead of a full 180.

After some practice, its time to look for small real waves. Real waves break in a few seconds, so the surfer has to be in the right place as the wave arcs. It should roll under the board. The surfer then paddles hard three times, just like in catching a foam wave, and executes the same pop up.

Riding real waves is always a test of courage, so the surfer has to continuously psyche up as real waves get bigger. You will be in for a lot of crashes and somewhat enjoying them is important if you want to keep on exposing yourself.

As the surfer begins to ride real waves down the face, he can learn to take them at angles, catch the corners, and start doing the various maneuvers. Its a long journey that takes patience, study, and practice.

Learn More

My New Surfing Course in an E-Book plus Demo Video or Audio Version

Get the 18 Chapter, 7,500 word Course that can prepare you for a lesson or give you the fundamentals if you are going to try it on your own. 10 years of teaching 350 students a year has given me the insights on the most precise measures you must follow for success. This course is what I teach on the dry land and in water instruction. The Course includes a 15 minute video on my dry land and in water demonstration. Only $4.95

See Excerpts

Buy the E-Book and start learning $2.99. Learn to Surf

Buy the Paperback on Amazon $7.95

Get Learn to Surf Course in 29 minute AUDIO. Great prep for a lesson, reviewing after a lesson, learning on your own, refreshing after not having surfed for a while. See Table of Contents. Only $7.95.