How to Overcome Beginner Surfer Anxiety
Most surfers whether fit or not have anxiety about learning to surf. They need to learn How to Overcome Beginner Surfer Anxiety. As an instructor, I have a few methods.
Beginner surfers are nervous about learning a new sport, drowning, and getting hurt by waves. They are all legitimate concerns. Surfing is more difficult to learn than anyone expects and yet no one is worried at the beginning about their ability to learn or their fitness for surfing. These would be the more legitimate worries.
Getting the Mind and Body to Communicate
Surfers are so anxious about learning their minds and bodies don’t communicate what they learn in the dry land lesson. The dry land lesson gives students the process for popping up. I tell them in the water their minds will go “gaga” and so I give them a count to say out loud which synchronizes with the routine of popping up.
Everyone ignores the count and sequence the first two runs in the water as their mind says forget about what you learned, do this. We start in shallow water that is waist deep so their is no concern for drowning. We use big soft top boards so the board is not a concern. Now all the students have to do is focus.
Learning Begins in the Water
The real teaching begins in the water. Students have to be taught how to roll over on the surfboard, how to paddle, how to time waves, how to begin the pop up sequence, and how to get into the right stance. All of this was explained in the dry land and immediately forgotten as though they never heard it.
In the water, some can learn and some cannot. Students express their concerns about balance, but balance is rarely a problem if students follow the pop up sequence and get in the right stance. The board balances perfectly if someone is standing on it correctly.
New Students are Afraid to Stand Up
Another fear of students is standing up. You would not think that people paying to learn to surf would be afraid of standing up. It is a common fear. They won’t let go of the board. In the sequence, they put a foot under their butt and stand on it as they lift their hands so their other foot can get to the nose. For a second or two, the student is up on one leg. That is the idea.
Students won’t let go of the board until both feet are on the board and they are thinking whether it is time to stand. This is too late. There needs to be a leap of faith that standing on one leg is necessary to get the other foot on the board and lift their hands so they don’t block the forward moving foot.
Once I point out that they are afraid of standing and they will crash every time if they don’t lift their hands before putting the front foot on the board, they start to listen. This is often the move that takes students the longest to learn in a lesson. It is all mental not physical.
Making the Breakthrough
At a certain point, students usually have a breakthrough where they brave standing up and start getting the sequence correct. They also have to be coached about getting into the correct stance. I give them a visualization in the dry land about pushing a big box. You place your hands in front of you and with one leg in front of the other, act as though you are going to push it ten feet. This is the correct surf stance. I will often say in the water, push the box.
By the end of the lesson, most students have become comfortable in the water, we have defeated some of their impeding muscle memories from other activities, and made them focus on the correct surfing techniques.
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
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
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