Most beginner surfers have to learn the Difference in Catching Foam Waves and Real Waves. Everyone should start on foam waves close to shore where waves are not heave and don’t move as fast as the outside waves. This is to perfect fundamentals and avoid injury.
As students move from foam waves near shore to paddling out for foam waves they notice the waves are bigger and move faster. In reverse, foam waves get smaller as they move to the beach and slower so it is good to learn the timing and rhythm of surfing in easier conditions. The beginner can stand in waist deep water and roll over onto the surfboard as the foam wave approaches. He looks for a straight bead of foam as a good wave.
Timing the Waves
The timing for foam and surf waves is get in position, select a good wave, start moving before it arrives and paddle hard a few times to get into the wave. It is usually instinctive that beginners don’t paddle hard enough to get in front of waves. They want accelerated paddling so the board takes off and doesn’t just ride with the tail in the foam. The same with real waves. The board must take off or the wave will overwhelm the surfer.
The foam wave is running flat on the surface. The real wave arcs. The foam wave hits the back of the surfboard and the real wave rolls under the surfboard as it arcs. The foam wave rolls for a long time. The real wave only arcs for a few seconds. Timing to catch the waves, therefore, is more crucial.
Once a surfer starts paddling for foam waves, they paddle through the shore break and paddle out to where the waves are just a little bit bigger, to start. The surfer turns around giving himself a big enough gap between waves. I advise they paddle through a wave and then turn 90 degrees right away and wait for the next wave. As it approaches they only have to turn 90 degrees to catch it instead of 180.
Catching the Real Waves
In a real wave, surfer sits in the location where they are breaking. When he sees one start to form, he determines whether he has to paddle out, parallel or in to let it come under the board. When the wave rolls under the board the surfer is already paddling to get some momentum. As the wave arcs, the surfer paddles hard down the face and can even kick to get a quick burst. As he feels the board in the wave, he puts his hands on the board for the popup.
Surfers start with smaller waves and build skills, strength, stamina, and courage. All are needed to start paddling out for bigger waves. The crashes will be more violent with 4+ foot waves. The surfer wants a great pop up to stay on the wave once he has popped and the perfect stance. Everything gets tested on real waves. He must also have more stamina because there is more paddling and falling takes a lot out of the surfer. Build slowly and precisely.
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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