Beginner Surfers are Afraid to Fall
Beginner Surfers are Afraid to Fall until they get a few rides accomplished. Many come to the water nervous and some don’t know they are afraid to fall until it comes time to stand up.
The first time surfing experience can be intimidating. The surfer is facing the beach and the wave is coming from behind where they can’t see it. All of a sudden the board is hit and they are flying through the water toward the beach. This causes new students to forget everything they just heard in the dry land lesson.
Getting Started in Foam Waves
I push new students into waves so at least they don’t have to contend, at the beginning, with catching foam waves. I give them a count to say out loud which are the steps to stand up. Many can’t remember the count and many are too busy with what is happening to follow the process they just learned.
Then the students want to hold onto the board with their feet on it and their hands causing them to be bowed over in front of their toes. At this point they should be upright, but they are afraid to let go and stand. They fall anyway. If your nose is in front of your toes, you are going off the front of the board.
New students are in shallow water so there is no drowning. When a student falls, they fall on their butt in the water without consequences. Or they fly off on side on their face. Sometimes when they don’t do the stand up sequence in the correct order, they do fall ugly.
Why Students Fall
Students fall because their mind is racing and they block out the instructions to rely on their instincts. All their instincts are wrong. I emphasize this many times until the students realize their instincts are wrong and then they are asking for direction.
Most students who have fear see it start to dissipate after a few rides. They don’t get hurt and riding the wave is pretty thrilling. If someone in their group is standing up and riding, they are more motivated to do the same.
I think fear in the water comes from a life time perspective. Some people are more risk averse than others. Those who have been daring other challenges and perhaps seek them are excited about learning to surf. Those who would normally be afraid of getting hurt in their daily lives are more risk averse.
The Requirements of Surfing
Learning to surf is a combination of being able to learn, having good coordination, not being overweight, and having some courage. Take out any one factor and there will be trouble. New students ride foam waves close to the beach. It could not get any safer. Progressing requires more skill, strength, stamina, and courage. Surfing is not for the fearful coach potato.
A greater percentage of my students are buying packages of three lessons. In this time they learn several advancements. The second time people surf ,the fear is a faint whisper. All surfers have fear as they progress, but they learn to manage it. Surfing out through the foam waves and turning around to catch a bigger wave starts creating more comfort in the waves and the knowledge that there is little likelihood of getting hurt.
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How to Progress to Surfing the Short Board
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