First Steps for Beginner Surfers
The first steps for beginner surfers is to think about conditioning and learn the basic fundamentals. Next would be to learn and practice on a high volume surf board. Surfers can move from riding foam waves to real waves if the above three items are in alignment.
The Physical for Beginner Surfers
Surfing is physically demanding both for strength and stamina. The more muscles are conditioned, the more glycogen they are holding for endurance in practice sessions. Professionals surf for a few hours every day and then visit the gym.
One of the best single exercises is burpies with a push up. Next would be just push ups. The best all around gym fitness work is squats, dead lifts, and chest presses. Paddling is enhanced with cable pulls of all kinds. Cables can exercise the triceps, back, chest, and shoulders.
Stamina
Stamina can be developed with any aerobics. Intervals are useful because paddling is often in quick bursts. Running, biking, treadmill, swimming, and hiking are all good. Mountain biking is superb for over all body strength and stamina.
Learning the Fundamentals
The basic fundamentals are best learned from a professional and not trying to learn on your own. The idea is to develop the correct muscle memory and bad practice creates bad habits that are difficult to break. The most difficult habit to break is when surfers want to position themselves on the surfboard like a snow boarder with one shoulder back.
A professional can quickly train in one lesson how to get on the board properly, catch waves, and do a pop up ending in the right posture. My students are often paddling out to catch bigger foam waves and trying real waves on the first lesson. Then they can start having quality practices.
The Surf Board
A large foam surf board is the best tool for learning. I start all teens and adults on a 9′ soft top. When they can land the pop up in the center of the surfboard, they can move to an 8′ soft top. Most occasional surfers could spend the rest of their lives on the 8′ soft top and catch up to 7′ waves.
Learn More:
For Oceanside Surf Lessons, see the Home Page
See the Post Surf Lessons Begin with Foam Waves
See the Post What You Learn in a 2 Hour Lesson
See the Post How to Progress in Surfing
See My Dry Land and In Water Demo video
See How to Catch a Green/Real Wave video