I’ve been teaching surf lessons at the Oceanside Pier for 10 years to students of all ages and capabilities. Most of my students are beginners and never tried surfing before. This is the time to begin.
Lesson Prices and Times
Call 760-696-7149
Lessons every day all year round at Life Guard Tower 2 just north of the pier
What Others Say
“Mark, thanks for making our first surf lessons great. Your instruction, patience, and professionalism made it a great experience for us, especially my anxious 11 year old. Your boards were great too (we rented boards the next day from a local shop and they didn’t work as well). We’ll look you up again next time we are in town. Thanks”. Limburgs: Parker, Eric, Skyelar. 10/18/18
“My kids can’t stop talking about how much fun it was to go surfing. Thanks again for the fun!” J. Jacobs 4/18/17
“Thank you for the great surf lessons you provided our 15 boys on our church group outing. It was a great success.” Brad T. AZ 6/15/17
“You are an awesome teacher. My 4 teens had a ball.” C Den Dulk, MI. (8/4/18)
“Hi Mark!
Thank you again! The boys fell in love with surfing!” D. Herzic, Ill.
“Mark you were the BEST instructor too! I am so thankful that we were able to meet you – and take lessons from you! You really made our day!” Diana C.-Georgia
What You Will Learn
One of my first goals is making students feel comfortable in the ocean. Once this happens they open a life time of learning regardless of how fast they progress. Many students say right away, “I love this”. That is the most important aspect.
There are some essentials that rapidly speed progress. Physical talents such as flexibility, upper body strength, and stamina help students learn easier and practice longer. Lean bodies have an easier time learning to surf.
The Four Count Surf Method
There are certain basics that have to learned in surfing. In my Oceanside Surf Lessons CA I tell students that riding the board balanced, then learning to catch waves, popping up, and riding to the beach are a few of the lesson’s goals.
I teach students in surf lessons a four count method I have found successful in my ten years of practice. I ask them in the water to do the count out loud so they align their movements with the count. The count does a few things:
- It should be a substituted for thinking
- It slows down new students racing minds
- It creates a rhythm used by all surfers to ride waves
- It supports getting to the correct posture on the surf board
At the beginning of the water instruction phase of a lesson, I push students into the waves. I tell them I want to hear them counting out loud.
- One is the paddling portion.
- After the surf student has caught the wave, they put their hands under their chest for count two.
- Count three is pushing their upper body off the board and bringing the front foot up between the hands in the middle of the board.
- On count four they should be standing upright with their shoulders and hips squared to the front of the board facing the beach.
The Correct Surf Posture
When riding on the surf board in the right posture, the board will go straight and the student doesn’t have to do any work until they land on the beach. This is the first goal for learning to surf; put the board on the beach (figuratively)
The most important aspect is getting the front foot to the middle of the board. Feet should be shoulder width apart. Knees should be flexed. Hips and shoulders should be over the center line of the board and the hands should be in front of the body to keep the shoulders squared.
You would think I just gave away all the secrets so that people can learn on their own. Crazy thing is when people do it perfectly on the beach they rarely do it perfectly in the water. Another mind takes over that meets the reality of a student’s capabilities. Students then improvise to make the whole process seemingly easier as though they had invented the perfect short cut.
Fact is there are usually not effective short cuts and in the water, students have no idea what they did with their bodies once they start paddling for a wave. I have experienced this myself. It is up to the instructor to correct what students are doing incorrectly.
My first comment is usually that students had stopped counting out loud and lost the smooth rhythm required of a surfer to get up properly on the surf board. A second comment is often that students try to pop up on the surf board before they have caught the wave. A third comment is they haven’t landed in the proper posture with their hands in front of their body.
The reality is there are so many little facets that have to come together, that it takes someone watching to point out what students are doing incorrectly. As I run students through many different exercises, the points made seem to sink in and students start putting the whole package together.
As I have students paddling through waves and turning around to catch the next wave, they start feeling more comfort, having more fun, and stop fearing popping up and falling off the board. All of a sudden, they want to stand up on the board. Surf students who often admitted to having some fear of the ocean start becoming fearless as they realize they have done everything and not gotten hurt.
Students Develop Bad Habits
The dry land portion of the lesson is instructs students how to perform the techniques for popping up and riding waves. Many students get it on the first ride in the water. Then after a while a certain malaise starts to set in and students think they no longer have to perform techniques as they learned them.
This causes student surfers to start missing waves and falling. They have to be reminded that the first techniques learned are the only techniques that work and when they start creating their own, they get into trouble. As an instructor I watch for this regression as students get comfortable in the water, get tired, and then get lazy.
Ideally, when practicing surfing on one’s own, the correct techniques should be incorporated and tiredness usually from paddling seduces students to get sloppy. This is the time to get out of the water. The purpose of building surfing stamina is to have more quality time in the water. Bad habits can lead to bad muscle memory and a deterioration of the surfing experience.
*
Kids do not do professional pop ups but generally climb up on the board. I tell them that is fine as long as they keep their weight in the middle of the board and arrive at the correct posture.
*
Get another tutorial from over 600 blogs. Start with How to Surf
Students learn how to surf all year around with Surf Lessons Oceanside CA because of balmy weather and moderate water temperatures in the winter easily handled with a wet suit.
See my YouTube video on how to pop up on the surf board
Surf Lessons Oceanside CA has been recommended by over 3,000 students
Surf Lesson Times:
1>9 a.m. 2> 10:30 a.m. 3> Noon 4> 2 p.m. 5> 4:00 p.m.
(For two or more people, it is the total price, not each)
One Person One Hour $60, 1- 1/2 Hours $80, Two Hours $100
Two People One Hour $80, 1- 1/2 Hours $100, Two Hours $120
Three People One Hour $100, 1- 1/2 Hours $120, Two Hours $140
Four People One Hour ($160), 1-1/2 Hours ($180) and 2 hours ($200)
Five People 1 1/2 hours ($200), 2 hours ($225)
Six People 1-1/2 Hours ($240), 2 hours ($280)
We meet at Life Guard Tower 2, just north of the Pier
I supply the surf boards.
Wet Suits are $12 for three hours at Asylum (310 Mission Ave.760-722-7101) 2 blks from beach. In the summer, surf shack open on the beach at Life Guard Tower 1, south of the Pier. Wet Suits $10.
After the lesson you can call or email anytime with questions. I send you a video on what we learned in the dry land and my in water demo.
________________
3 Ways to Contact
Call 760-696-7149
Email markap12 at gmail dot com
Or text 760-696-7149
________________
Multiple Day Surf Lessons (see below)
3 Hour Private Surf Camps (see below)
760-696-7149 Call anytime
Read the full description of what you learn (below)Licensed and Insured
Call 760-696-7149 Mark Kaplan Owner/Instructor
Multiple Days of Surf Lessons
Two Days of Lessons– One Hour Each Day –$120 for one person, $160 for two persons, $200 for three persons.
Three Days of Surf Lessons– One Hour Each Day- $180 for one person, $240 for Two, and $300 for 3 persons.
Four Days of Lessons– One Hour Each Day- $240 for one person, $320 for two persons, $400 for three persons
Five Days of Lessons– One Hour Each Day- $300 for one person, $400 for two persons, and $500 for three persons.
I start most people on a 9′ board . You’ll be glad you did it. In lesson series I reduce size to 8′ and use 8′ for kids.
Private 3 Hour Surf Camps
Private 3 Hour Surf Camps. Two one and a half hour lessons with half hour rest in between. Classes for individuals, couples, families, or friends. A great opportunity to have private instruction and more time to learn. 3 hours only slightly more in cost than a two hour course. A 10:30 a.m. start would end at 2 p.m. Bring food and water. See Pricing and Schedules
Lessons at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
I supply the Surf Lesson Boards. Wet Suits are $12 for three hours at
Asylum (310 Mission Ave.760-722-7101) 2 blks from beach
Hi Mark!
Thank you again! The boys fell in love with surfing! D. Herzic, Ill.
“Mark you were the BEST instructor too! I am so thankful that we were able to meet you – and take lessons from you! You really made our day! Diana C. Georgia.
“Most awesome day of my life and the best instructor possible…” Frank Berner, Pittsburg
“Awesome lesson, you rock” Jeshua Frederick, AZ
“I’m so glad my kids had you instead of those other guys..” Jim Vigil, WA
Call me to reserve a time. 760-696-7149 PST Mark Kaplan owner, instructor. Mobile Number.
Surf Lessons in Oceanside