Learning to Surf is Rhythm and Timing
It is amazing how many times I tell new surf students that Surfing is Rhythm and Timing. That is because a big obstacle for beginners to ride the surfboard is the patience and poise to slow down.
The beginner surfer rolls over on the surfboard in waist deep water as the foam wave approaches. He paddles easy when it is 20 feet away for three paddles and looks to the side to see when it will hit the surfboard. When it is about to hit, he paddles hard three times, using his forearms not hand paddling, and accelerates in front of the wave as it pushes the tail.
Accelerate the Board in Front of the Wave
As the board accelerates and the nose comes up on the surface, the surfer puts his hands on the board for the first time. So many mistakes are made in this process from not paddling hard enough to catching the wave to putting the hands on the board to soon which causes it to pearl.
The surfer puts his hands on the board in a man’s push up position and glides. One out of a hundred beginners get this right at the beginning. They always want to throw their hands in front of their shoulders in an already pushed up position. This ends the ride. It either pushes the nose down or the surfer can’t get their feet under their body causing them to fly off the front.
Do the Sequence on Patient Step at a Time
Next the surfer pushes up and places a foot flat on the board under their butt so they can stand on it. They need to stand on it so they can release their hands from the board. They need to release their hands to they can get the front foot to the nose without blocking it. Most beginners want to hold on until they get both feet on the air. They don’t trust those few second when they need to be rising on only one foot.
Once the surfer is up, they need to be in a position I call pushing the box. Both hands have to be in front as though they were pushing a tall box. Feet are shoulder width apart and knees are flexed. Most beginners and especially skate and snowboarders want to ride with one arm trailing. This puts their butt over the rail and weight on their heels. They get up but fall off soon as they tip the board over.
There is no hurry. The mind races much faster than the real life action. I give students a count to say as they move through the steps to override their thoughts and instincts. All instincts are wrong. There are no instincts that say follow the sequence needed for the timing and rhythm of surfing. Once students get it, its easy and they can progress.
More Posts
Oceanside Surf Lessons for Beginners
Beginner Surfers Learn the Pop Up
How to Progress to Surfing the Short Board
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