How the Oceanside Beginner Surfer Gets to Real Waves
Many newbie surfers want to know How the Oceanside Beginner Surfer Gets to Real Waves. Oceanside is one of the best beaches in San Diego for the beginner and advanced surfer. It has a sand bar beach which produces big peaky waves at the Pier and nice roll out foam waves all the way to the beach.
The beginner masters the fundamentals in foam waves caught in waist deep water and ridden to the sand. He learns the pop up and the right stance. He learns the timing of waves and the timing of the pop up. He catches the foam wave, pops up, and rides to the beach in the right stance without falling.
Going from Shore Breaks to Paddling Out
Then the surfer can paddle out through the shore break to catch bigger foam waves. Now he is paddling out and judging which waves to ride letting the poor ones go by. I like to paddle in an arc so I can always see the wave as opposed to paddling out doing a 180 and then having the wave behind me where I can’t see it.
After catching bigger foam waves, the surfer starts hunting for small real waves in the 2′ to 3′ category. The beginner is scared because the wave points the nose down where the danger of pearling increases and happens often to beginners. The easiest way to catch real waves is to catch them at the corners.
A Good Technique for Beginning Real Waves
The surfer paddles out and parallel to where the reformed real waves are breaking inside. He notices where they apex (where foam first comes over the lip) and wants to get on after that. Paddling parallel is almost necessary to have the momentum to get into the wave. The surfer wants the wave to roll under the board while he is pointing at a 45-degree angle toward the beach. Then he pops up and maintains that 45-degree angle in the pocket.
Catching corners is the easiest way to advance to bigger real waves on the outside. It gives the surfer a feel for the timing, and he learns to observe how the waves break. Surfing etiquette says the surfer on the wave nearest the apex has the right of way so no one can get on if a surfer is on the wave. This is one disadvantage of catching corners instead of catching at the apex.
Moving into the Line Up
The surfer eventually wants to move to the apex where there is more competition, and the waves are steeper. Timing is the key to catching real waves and something surfers work on their whole career. Once again, I don’t mind paddling parallel to where the waves are forming on the outside. It does let the other surfers know I want the wave and proper etiquette says everyone gets a chance except for the hogs (tries to get every wave and doesn’t care about others).
Letting the wave come under the board on steep waves takes courage. If the timing is not right the surfer misses the wave or it crashes on top of him. No one wants to be in the impact zone of 5′ to 6′ waves. This is why learning to catch real waves on the outside should be on smaller days.
On reefs, the waves always break right so surfers can catch them. On sand bar beaches, the days vary and some days the waves close out too fast (the whole wave comes over at once, also called walling off0. Sometimes there is just enough time after the apex to make a couple of snaps and then get out over the top.
Sand Bar Beaches Are an Extra Challenge for Real Waves
On sand bar beaches, some days favor short boards because the waves are so peaky and other days they favor long boards because they are breaking slower and giving nice long pockets. The long board (9’+) doesn’t like peaky fast close out waves because he can’t get a few snaps. He needs to drive a long pocket.
Three ways to catch real waves at the pocket begin with riding down the face and bottom turning into the pocket. A second way to avoid pearling and fast close outs is to point the board toward the pocket and then pop up. A third way is to catch the wave down the face and then push the nose toward the pocket before popping up.
These techniques depend on how steep and how fast the waves are breaking. They obviously require judgment and a learning curve. In the process of going from foam to real waves, the surfer wants to be in the water at least once a week or he loses stamina, timing, and courage. Going in every day, he gets all three. Advanced surfers say not surfing for a few weeks causes them to lose all three.
Three lessons are sufficient for most to get the proper techniques, timing, develop some courage, and begin to catch real waves. If anything in the process is weak, it does affect competence and courage.
More Posts
Oceanside Surf Lessons for Beginners
Beginner Surfers Learn the Pop Up
How to Progress to Surfing the Short Board
For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, see the Home Page
To in surfing shape see my website Get Fit to Surf
For any of the following lessons, call me at 760-696-7149. Surf lessons in oceanside, learning to surf with Private lessons, Oceanside surf school, kids Oceanside surf lessons, Families and adults surfboard lessons.
See me on Instagram
The Surfing Trilogy combines three books into one E-Book. Learn in one easy to read concise volume how to lose weight, get fit, and learn to surf.
It combines the books: The 3 Week Plan, Get Fit to Surf, and Learn to Surf Guide
Buy the E-Book on Amazon for $6.99
Want to get in great shape for surfing and an improved lifestyle? Start with the Free E-Book The 3 Week Plan. It is the perfect start for getting in great shape and losing weight.
Consider Coaching and the Surf Package the combines Surf Lessons and Fitness Coaching
Learn More
Get my new book Get Fit to Surf
Its time to get back in shape. This book discusses strength, flexibility, stamina, and nutritional needs for getting in shape and losing weight. It is the great guide to get back to fitness for all your recreational desires. If you can surf, you can do most anything.
Buy on Kindle for $2.99 or Paperback on Amazon for $6.95
Get the Learn to Surf Guide Course in Kindle, Paperback or Audio
Get a FREE audio version on Sound Cloud
A great 29 page course on the fundamentals of catching waves, doing beginner and advanced pop ups, riding real waves, how to do maneuvers on real waves, which surfboards to ride, and how to progress. Great for lesson preparation, after lesson review, or learning on your own.
Kindle price $2.99 on Amazon. Paperback price $6.95 on Amazon. Audio download price $7.95
Seniors Get Fit to Surf
Description:
Seniors often ask if it is too late to learn to surf. Age is functional not chronological. If people have been exercising and maintaining body strength, surfing can be accomplished. If people have not been exercising, then getting in shape to surf could be a life changing move. Learn how to develop strength, flexibility, and stamina to learn surfing. If you are in surf shape, you could pursue most any recreation.
Buy the E-book on Amazon for $2.99
Buy the Paperback on Amazon for $6.95
Receive Weekly Active Lifestyle Tips on Nutrition Merchandise, Losing Weight, Getting Fit, Recipes, Meal Plans, Exercise Videos