Oceanside Surf Lessons

Oceanside Surf Lessons are a great way to begin a surfing experience or brush up after not surfing for a year. Many intermediate surfers take a lesson to improve their form or performance.

The Main Objective

The main objectives of the Oceanside Surf Lessons is to first make surfers comfortable in the ocean by teaching safety and board handing. Surfers start out in shallow water where surfers can stand, waves don’t hit too hard and don’t go over the surfers head.

In waist deep water, the new students learn how to get on the surfboard and catch waves. It is not easy to paddle the board straight with the impact of the wave trying to push the board sideways or turn it over.

Timing the Wave

Timing of the wave is a technique. New students learn patience to paddle long enough for the surf board to get in front of the wave. Most new surfers want to stand up as soon as they feel the impact of the foam wave.

Patience is also needed for the pop up process. Most new surfers try to jump on the board in one grand motion and don’t land on the board properly. In the advanced and beginner process, Oceanside Surf Lessons teaches the new student to count and follow the process.

The Pop Up Count

The first count is paddling. The second count is placing the hands on the board in a man’s push up position and resting on the hands for a second as they sit under the chest. Most new students don’t have the patience to rest that second or two. Here students assess whether the board is in front of the wave, going straight, and traveling level.

After this assessment, the movement has to be steady with no stalling or thinking about whether it is a good time to stand up. The advanced pop up method has the student push up and bring the front foot under the chest placing it in front of the board while the hands and arms are lifting. When the front foot hits the board, the body is upright and the hands are in front.

The beginner pop up has the student placing the back foot on the board under their butt and standing on it as they lift their hands and bring the front foot forward. The finishing posture for both is the same. The front foot is in the middle of the board across the center line. Feet are shoulder width apart with weight equal on both legs. Hips and shoulders are squared to the front.

Riding the Surf Board

Once on the surfboard, the surfer can keep his knees flexed and drive the board to the beach as he feels the wave trying to push him and move the board around. In advanced steps, the new student in Oceanside Surf Lessons learns to paddle out through the waves to turn around and catch bigger foam waves or even try real waves.

Learn More

For Oceanside Surf Lessons, see the Home Page

See the Post Surf Lessons Begin with Foam Waves

See the Post What You Learn in a 2 Hour Lesson

See the Post How to Progress in Surfing

See My Dry Land and In Water Demo video

See How to Catch a Green/Real Wave video