The Techniques and Skills Surfers Learn
The techniques and skills surfers learn are important for advancing. Surfing looks so easy in the movies everyone wants to try it some day. Surfing requires the beginner to learn techniques which some have difficulty executing.
Surf coaches will tell clients that surfing is not only learning the the right techniques, but the body has to be capable of listening to what the brain is saying and have the fluidity to perform. Many people who have been locked down for a year have lost their mobility.
The Fundamental Techniques and Skills of Surfing
The dryland portion of a lesson explains what has to be accomplished in the water. Standing up on a surfboard in the sand is very easy and everyone can do it. In the water it is a different animal.
The first skill is rolling over on the surfboard so the feet are at the back and the body is balanced. If this is not executed correctly the surfer cannot catch a wave. People that are overweight often have a problem balancing in the water.
Paddling has to be a correct pattern. Strokes have to be short and even down the sides of the surfboard. Many people hand paddle and don’t get enough power. Beginners often favor one arm over the other causing the board to turn and flip in the wave.
Timing of waves becomes a skill. Surfing is timing and rhythm. The surfer spots the wave and knows when to roll over on the board. He also learns to distinguish a rideable wave from one that is not. He must get momentum on foam waves before the wave arrives. Then he has to paddle just enough to get in front of the wave.
The pop up is a skill that often has to be practiced in the living room to develop the surfing muscles and timing. Some get it right away and ride their first wave. Others have trouble with the timing and ride inconsistently.
Flexibility is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Surfers need to get their feet under their butt on the surfboard so they can stand. People who have not been exercising or working on flexibility have trouble getting their feet under their body to stand up.
Strength and stamina are needed to paddle, execute the pop up, and ride the surfboard. Although, once on the surfboard in the right posture, riding to the beach for beginners requires little effort.
Putting everything together in the water is a skill of combining all the right techniques in the proper sequence. When properly executed, the sport looks easy and the actions seamless. Professional surfers spend hours every day out of the water building the muscle, flexibility, and stamina that makes wave riding look easy.
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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
Overweight People Can Surf
To read a great book for getting in shape to surf or getting in better surfing shape, read my new book Overweight People Can Surf, a Health, Fitness, Nutrition, and Surfing Adventure
Description:
Get healthy and fit to surf or set a goal of surfing to improve weight, fitness, nutrition, and health. This guide by a surf instructor/health coach/personal trainer gives the short version of how to lose weight, get strong, build stamina, develop nutrition, and learn to surf. Surfing is a lifestyle enjoyed by millions and so is fitness. Fitness creates opportunities to enjoy life through lots of different kinds of recreation. No need to stand on the sidelines while others are having a great time. Start your program to health with easy steps and progress at your own pace. That is the secret to maintaining a lifestyle. Do it at your pace. This book will start you on the path.
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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.
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