Catching Foam Waves with Soft top Surfboards
Catching Foam Waves with Soft Top Surfboards is where every beginner should start. The fundamentals learned in this process are the foundation for becoming and advanced surfer. However, if too many bad habits are formed, progress will be difficult.
I see people who have rented soft top surfboards in the surf every day but they have no idea what to do. They rarely get on the surfboards to ride more than a few seconds. They seem to be having fun, but the are not learning to surf.
The Basics of Catching Waves on Soft Top Surf Boards
The soft top surfboard is a wave catching machine. It floats the surfer above the water and is easy to push for the low power foam waves that reach for the beach. The first thing needed is timing. Beginners are often jumping on the board before the wave arrives or trying to get up too soon.
In foam waves, the surfer anticipates the arrival of the wave and gets in position. When the wave is 15 or 20 feet from the board, he rolls over on the board and starts paddling. He looks back to see the wave a few feet before it hits the board. Then he paddles three or four times hard.
When the surfboard has the feeling of taking off, the surfer puts his hands on the board in a man’s push up position next to their chest. Beginners, even during lessons, make the mistake of putting their hands in front of their shoulders and pushing up. This pushes the nose of the board under water.
If the nose doesn’t go under water, the surfer probably rocks the board to the right or left and turns it over. If that doesn’t happen, the surfer is now in the down dog yoga position and cannot get their feet under their body. They fly off the front of the surfboard.
The hands must be positioned next to the chest in a man’s push up position and rested for a few seconds without pushing up. This stops the surfer’s body from flying off the front of the board. Then the surfer pushes and he puts his rear foot flat on the board under his butt.
Once the foot is flat on the surfboard, the surfer stands up on it and moves his other foot to the front of the surfboard. Now he is standing with hips and shoulders squared to the front and both hands in front. One arm trailing behind the other like a snowboarder will result in the surfer falling off the butt side of the surfboard.
This is about timing and sequence. Each step is important and must be executed properly. Surfing is much more technical than people expect and almost everyone that takes a lesson makes this comment.
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