Beginner surfers struggle with the sequence of catching waves and popping up until Surfers Learn Timing and Rhythm. I give new students a sequence during the dry land practice and a count to say out loud in the water to set the timing.
When I watch surfers try to learn on their own with rented boards its like scratching your nails on a blackboard. They are so far from having the right timing to catch waves and execute a pop up that they experience a lot of frustration and crashes. When I teach students who have first tried on their own they let out a big sigh of relief when they learn the concepts.
It is Hard for Beginners to Understand the Sequence When Watching Film
When an audience watches surfers on film they see a wave and they see the surfer up and riding. They don’t see the sequence. The sequence begins with selecting the right wave. A foam wave should be a straight line coming at the surfer with foam a few feet thick so it has the power to push the board. The surfer rolls over onto his board in the shallows and starts paddling when the wave is 25 feet away.
The surfer paddles at a nice rhythm to get the board moving and his body balanced on the board. When the wave is a few feet from the tail, the surfer paddles hard using his forearms for power and gets in front of the wave after three or four good strokes. Beginners often paddle once or twice and the wave moves past them.
When to Put the Hands on the Surfboard
Not until the board is level and being pushed by the foam wave does the surfer put his hands on the board. Most beginners will throw their hands on the board in front of their shoulders and push the nose under water or in this position not be able to get their feet under their body. The correct move is to put the hands next to the body in a man’s push up position so the hands are next to the rib cage.
The beginner would be best advised to rest three seconds in this position to gather his poise. There is no hurry. Then he pushes up and places his rear foot flat on the board under his butt. Unless the surfer starts in the man’s push up position, he cannot get his foot under his butt to stand. Then he stands so he lift his hands off the board. Many beginners don’t want to let go until they have both feet on the board. This results in a crash.
The Correct Stance on the Surfboard
As the surfer stands and moves his hands in front of him like he is about to push a big box, he moves his front foot to the nose of the board. This is the timing necessary. The next thing is having the right stance. The visualization of pushing a tall box with hands on the box and one leg behind the other to push is the right stance. If the hips and shoulders are square to the front after standing, the beginner surfer is in the right stance.
The biggest problem the beginners surfer has is slowing down his mind and body from just exploding on the surfboard. The sequence is one step after another each smoothly executed. The same process works when the surfer advances to catch real waves. The advanced surfer might use a pop up where he moves both feet at the same time, but the timing and rhythm are exactly the same.
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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