The Mistakes Beginner Surfers Make
Progress to advanced is impeded by the Mistakes Beginner Surfers Make. As an instructor, I hate to say that some instructors teach bad practices. If they are caught early they can be corrected. Starting on your own creates lots of bad habits.
Surfing is more technical than all beginners expect. Many listen to the dry land instruction part thinking ho hum, I will get this on my own. They soon learn quite differently. I give students a count to say out loud and a sequence that takes them away from their own thinking and instincts.
Don’t Trust Beginner Instincts
Beginner surfers have to first realize their instincts are wrong. I have seen few naturals. I have seen people who grasp the dry land and have great communication between their brain and body get up on the first try and every time after that. It is rare after 4,500 students.
I ask students to say a count that is paddle, stop, push, back foot, stand up, front foot. The sequence has the student catching the wave first. Most students are too impatient to catch the wave before they put their hands on the surfboard. We start in foam waves which lift the tail of the board. If the student does not accelerate their paddling to get in front of the wave before putting their hands on it, they push the nose under (pearling). It takes 3 or 4 hard paddles.
Getting the Hands Right on the Board
New students have to put their hands in the stop position next to their rib cage. Most want to paddle and go right into the pushed up position with their hands in front of their shoulders. This is the end of the ride. They push the nose under, they turn the board over, they can’t get their feet under their body. Surfers of foam and real waves paddle, stop, and then push up to put their feet on the board.
Beginners put a back foot on the board, stand on it, raising their hands before moving the front foot to the nose of the board. Most students don’t take the time to get the foot flat and move their front foot on the board with their hands still in place. Their hands block the front foot from going to the nose. Their body is now in a position with the head in front of the front foot and they fly off the front of the board. Students must release their hands before placing the front foot.
Getting the Stance Right
Students get into the incorrect stance. The proper stance has the shoulders squared to the front. So many surfers are snowboarders and skateboarders with muscle memory telling them to ride with a hand trailing and one shoulder back. This causes them their butt to be on one side of the board and then on their heels flipping the board to their butt side. Weight has to be equal on both sides of the middle stringer with both hands visible in front.
After these mistakes are corrected, most new surfers can catch waves and ride them straight to the beach without falling off. Now they can progress to paddling out to bigger waves.
More Posts
Oceanside Surf Lessons for Beginners
Beginner Surfers Learn the Pop Up
How to Progress to Surfing the Short Board
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