Category: Advanced Surfing

One key to over coming fear of bigger surfing waves is not to jump up in class too fast. We can’t go from riding 4′ waves to riding 8′ waves. 

When I teach Surf Lessons in Oceanside, we learn the fundamentals on foam waves. There is a reason. There is no reason to go to bigger waves or shorter boards until you have mastered each step. You should practice the pop up on smaller waves until it is accurate, stable, and in muscle memory.

Once the pop up is mastered and you don’t fall off small foam waves, start with bigger foam waves and then real waves. We often start with real waves by catching the corners and then moving to the apex where the power resides. Real key in having confidence in catching real waves is being able to escape close outs. We practice our bottom turns to get into the pocket on real waves and then to escape over the top of close outs.

The fear of surfing bigger surfing waves is stemmed by great conditioning. Being confident in our stamina is important. Surfing is tiring. We don’t want to tackle bigger waves if we are not full of energy to handle big dunkings. I never want to be in the position of being too tired to fight for my life or at least a long hold down in a big wave. A big wave has different meanings and sizes for each of us.

We have to have confidence in our wave catching ability. The proper technique is getting in front of the wave and letting it come under you. If you paddle over the top of waves chasing them, you are going to get caught in close outs often. You have to paddle in front which requires timing and positioning and, of course, experience. Start on smaller waves to get in front and allowing waves to arc over your head (short boards). Then it should only require a couple of paddles to get down the face and pop up.

Watch the wave at all times to know what it is doing. Many times I might change the direction I will travel.  I might realize I have to go down the face or maybe I can angle into the pocket immediately. The bigger the wave, the more you are forced to first ride the face and then carve into the pocket.

Key is being able to ride square on the board with your hips and shoulders facing forward. If you pop up with your butt over the rail, as i call it, and a hand trailing instead of both being in front, you are going to be off balance quickly. Your shoulders have to be square facing the front. If you are going to grab a rail immediately and dive into the pocket on a close out, you will have your butt into the wave face to hold an edge.

Practicing on inside waves that are steeper and faster is good practice. You always need to maintain good form, be smooth, and land accurately.

For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, visit the Home Page

Catching Waves on the Short Board

In films we usually see surfers catching waves on short boards. It takes years to be an expert. When I teach students how to surf , they start on high volume surf boards. They learn to paddle before the wave arrives. On short boards, surfers learn to let the real wave come under the board. 

On a short board the lower volume makes everything more difficult and advanced.  The timing for catching waves on a short board is compounded by the need for a high arc on the wave and the need to paddle hard on a low volume board. The best way to assist all three difficulties is to get in front of the wave as it arcs so that it comes under the board.

There are usually two choices in catching a wave on a short board. Paddle down the face and bottom turn into the pocket or angle immediately towards the pocket.

The power of the wave is in the top one third, so if waves are not too steep, riding on the top increases speed. Otherwise, in the pocket surfers accelerate by moving the nose of the board up and down the wave. The board is fastest when the rail and the wave are at a 90 degree angle. So dropping down into the bottom of the wave decreases this angle and the board is not as fast.

When we catch the wave, riding at the top or where the board is at a 90 degree angle to the face is where the board travels fastest. Getting to this position is achieved by angling immediately or bottom turning soon and riding back up the face.

Catch Waves Near the Apex

Catching the wave at the apex or where the foam first comes over the lip not only gives us the right of way on the wave, but the steep pitch has the most power and the steepness gives us the most speed. It might take building courage to get to the most advantageous spot on catching the wave, but that has to be our goal.

In catching bigger waves for the first time, surfers often head for the corner where the wave is not as steep and then build the courage to move closer to the apex.

This is a good video on how to catch waves

*

Learn how to surf with Oceanside Surf Lessons

The surfing duck dive is an advanced technique for short boards.When I teach Surf Lessons in Oceanside CA, the first lesson in paddling for waves is going over the foam wave coming in. If the waves are small, you can go over them easily on a soft top board or duck the nose under the lip of the foam.

When waves are bigger, the foam is taller, and there is more power, you want to get as far under the lip as possible. The easiest was is to paddle hard, grab the front of the surfboard (short boards) and push the nose toward the ocean bottom. It will naturally hit a point where it wants to resurface and hopefully by then the wave has passed you.

A more effective duck dive is placing one knee at the back of the board and then pressing the nose down while lifting the other leg into the air so it might remain above the water for a second. This applies more pressure to sink the board. Many surfers will put a foot to the rear of the board to get even more pressure to dive.

Sometimes if a big wave is going to crash on me and I don’t have time to duck dive or if it would be inconsequential, I will just turn turtle and point the nose of the board up through the wave while I remain under the board. This minimizes the resistance of the board.

When I don’t have to duck dive, I will just push the nose of the board under the oncoming foam. Depending on the height of the foam and the power of the wave, most of us will look for the process that consumes the least energy.

*

For Oceanside Surf Lessons Calif, see the Landing Page

See a  My Dry Land Surf Lesson and in Water Demonstration,

I also have a video on doing the 4 different kinds of pop ups you can use to get up on the board in the water. Necessary if you are going to learn without a surf lesson.  See this video

Many of my Oceanside Surf Lesson CA students want to move to shorter boards as soon as possible. Most don’t realize the slow progression through the short board techniques begin with mastering the high volume board techniques.  

The short board is by nature less stable than a higher volume long board or beginner soft top. Smart surfers stay with more width and thickness as they get progressively shorter boards to create a hybrid of values and make short board surfing easier. The first thing one notices with lower volume boards is the paddling is more difficult and you move slower. This makes it more tiring and harder to get in front of waves.

A major difference in short boarding and long boarding created by lower volume is where you have to catch the wave. The long boarder in waves that are not steep, can catch a wave as it starts to show or on small wave days, anyplace along the arc. A short boarder needs a high arc and lip to power the lower volume. Therefore the short boarder has to paddle in front of the wave so it comes under him, but not so far he is in the impact zone.

The first technique a short boarder needs is acceleration. Short boarders don’t really trim like long boarders. They pump to stay ahead of the lip. They move the front foot on the nose up and down the wave for speed.

A second technique a short boarder needs is bottom turns. They can drop down a steep face without as much worry about pearling, but need to get into the pocket to ride the unfurling wave. The bottom turn is rotating the upper body in the direction of travel with a little pressure on the toes or heels on the rail in the wave face.

The bottom turn also takes the short boarder up the wave face to perform any trick or maneuver. The cut back is a common maneuver in the short board arsenal which is reversing the rotation of the body back towards the lip to gain power, to stall waiting for the lip, to position to get into a barrel, or for style.

Ripping the lip combines a bottom turn and a cutback at the top of the lip to ride up and then down the wave. A lot of short boarders use the hand of the leading foot to point or throw in the direction they want to travel on the rip.

These will get you started and include what you will always practice.

*

Surfing the Short Board

New students often want to surf the short board, but in Oceanside Surf Lessons they start with 8′ or 9′ soft tops. These have high volume in length, width, and thickness. Many new surfers dream of the day they can start riding shorter boards.

One should be careful what you wish for. The only thing that is promised with shorter boards is more difficulty paddling, catching waves, and standing up. It is best to move slowly. This begins with mastering techniques on the soft top.

You can ride certainly up to a 7′ wave on a soft top as I see it every year in Oceanside. The advanced surfers also rip the lip, do aerials, and 360s.

So what is the advantage of surfing the short board? The first two are duck diving if you are on a sand bar beach and less pearling on steeper waves. Oceanside is a sand bar beach and has lots of steep waves. A reef would have less of both issues. In order to minimize the disadvantages of a short board, it is smart to drop 6″ inches of length at a time and maintain width and thickness.

If you are in the water a few times a week, you should be able to hit the technical short board size of 6’10” within six months to a year. Now, surfers are riding high volume short boards (big width and thickness) in the form of the fish and many other shapes. I see older surfers that have been surfing all their lives keep the short boards but add width and thickness because of the age factor and also because they may be week end warriors or just a few times a month warriors.

The idea is to maintain the fun, not just to reach the status that goes with owning a short board.

*

Learn to surf with Oceanside Surf Lessons

This is a great tutorial on catching real waves https://youtu.be/N7KopjbzxjE

Getting into the Pocket of a Real Wave

When I teach new surfers in Oceanside Surf Lessons USA, we begin riding foam waves straight to the beach. The most important aspect is learning to pop up and ride balanced on the board. The board is designed to go straight when you are in the right posture and then you can learn to carve. 

There are two ways to get into the pocket of a real wave where the real surfing is accomplished. If waves are not too steep, you point your board toward the pocket while catching the wave. This is often called angling for a wave.

If the wave is steep, you have to ride down the face and then bottom turn into the pocket. A bottom turn is accomplished by pressuring the toes in the direction of the turn and rotating the upper body in the same direction.

When You Learn How To Surf

The first techniques learned in beginning surfing are balance on the board while paddling, catching foam waves, and standing up on the board.

The real surfing begins with riding real waves and the most important technique for short boards is accelerating. This increases the speed of the board to stay ahead of the lip, do maneuvers, and to reverse direction back to the power. Acclerating is the first principal of riding the pocket on  a short board.

This is accomplished by pushing the front foot on the nose up and down the face so that the board weights and unweights. Once speed is attained, the board will stay ahead of the falling lip and is set up for a maneuver.

Long boarders like to just drive the pocket by getting in the right spot on the board to maintain speed. Short boarders accelerate and then after three pumps can do a cut back or ride up the face. Once the pocket runs out of power, you can cut back to the lip to regain power or turn toward the beach and pump until the wave reforms into another wave.

*

For Oceanside surf lessons, see the Home Page

This is a great tutorial on catching real waves https://youtu.be/N7KopjbzxjE

The surfing cut back is performed to catch the power of the wave and for style.

The Surfing Cut Back on Real Waves

When I teach new Students to Surf in Oceanside Lessons USA, our first goal is going straight to the beach on foam waves. Once you start riding real waves, you want to stay in the pocket as long as possible or catch many sections. 

The first goal on real waves is to get into the pocket and accelerate for speed. Accelerating is moving your front foot on the nose up and down the board; easier on a short board than long board. Accelerating increases speed for tricks and maneuvers.

But, then sometimes the wave runs out of power in the pocket and you have to return to the lip where the foam first forms on the wave to find more power. The cut back is reversing direction. You place a little pressure on your toes or heels in the direction of the reverse and rotate the upper body beginning with the eyes and head toward the reverse direction. Speed helps smoothness.

Once you are back to the lip, you can cut back again or perhaps pump toward shore to get the wave again when it reforms. While riding the pocket, professionals often want to do a short term cut back just for style. You rip the lip, then you cut back half a turn and then resume to ride the pocket. It gives style to a routine.

*

For Oceanside Surf Lessons see the Home Page

Learn  Ripping the Lip

Intermediate surfers learn to lip the rip by first learning to accelerate in the pocket and then do bottom turns into the face. One of the favorite things surfers love to practice is ripping the lip. It is a central feature of all maneuvers and competitions. It is flipping the tail of the surf board over the lip of the wave. It can be performed both going forward and reversed. 

The first necessary ingredient is speed. On short boards, surfers accelerate by pushing the nose of the board up and down the wave creating an unweighting action. Coaches like surfers to accelerate just two or three times. We accelerate before and after a maneuver in the pocket.

Beginning the Technique

To begin the ride up the lip, the surfer gets in a low center of gravity position usually trailing the inside hand in the water. He performs a bottom turn by rotating his body in the direction of the turn and pressuring the inside rail with toes or heels (face side or backside). As the surfer nears the top he wants to counter rotate his upper body by first moving his head shoulders and arms toward the bottom of the wave.

Many surfers like to throw the top arm over the body to help with the motion. Joel Parkinson, champion professional, keeps both arms level in front of him and rotates smoothly from the upper torso to the feet to effect the torque. When the torque reaches the feet, it board whips toward the bottom of the wave with the fins sliding over the lip.

*

For surf lessons in Oceanside, see the Home Page

Intermediate surfers learn to rip the lip but have all the basic fundamentals from good surf lessons. 

The first surfing maneuvers can begin in foam waves, but that is practice for the real waves. When I teach Surf Lessons in Oceanside  USA, we focus on riding the surf board straight to the beach. Getting the right posture on the board so that it will go straight is crucial for all advanced steps.

The next step is to ride small faces of real waves. The first maneuver is to bottom turn on the face to turn into the pocket. Place a little pressure on the toes or heels in the direction of travel and rotate the upper body slightly. The edge of the rail will dip into the wave face and the surf board will carve.

The next fun maneuver is to practice cut backs. They occur to reverse direction. They help get back to the power of the wave, stay in the power to ride to the beach, or just show style. Once again, place pressure on the toes or heels in the direction of the turn and rotate the upper body beginning with the head and eyes.

The most important maneuver for short boarders is accelerating. Run the nose of the board up and down the pocket with your front foot as the surf board unweights up and then falls back down the face to increase speed.

*

Oceanside Surf Lessons for beginner to intermediate surfers.

Excellent pop up video for short boards

Winning in the Surfing Line up begins with mastering basic techniques. When I teach Surf Lessons in Oceanside USA, we begin in foam waves where we don’t really have to understand surfing etiquette. Once you start riding real waves where there are other surfers, etiquette is to keep everyone safe and share rides. You want both.

Winning is being assertive but also giving everyone their turn. If you are on a beach where there is usually one or two main breaks, chances are the best surfers are lined up to get the waves. It is not as much of a problem if the waves are rolling in quick succession, but more of a problem when they slow down.

The best surfers will get the best position which is the inside under the peak. They have the right of way right or left. If the wave is breaking right, you know which way they are coming. If the wave is breaking right and left, and you are not at the peak, then you have to wait and see.

If it is a long break and you are closer to the shoulder or down the line, it is difficult to see if someone is coming before you pop up. You might pop up thinking it is clear and quickly hear a “Yo”.  It means they are bearing down on you.

The well liked successful surfer at the line up takes waves and gives waves. They are entitled to their turn but they back off when someone has position on them. The way to establish position is start paddling for the peak as soon as you see the ripple on the outside. You are alerting everyone that you are going for the wave. Those that don’t have a chance of getting better position than you will probably back off.

As soon as I see the ripple I start moving regardless of whether I know where it is going to break at the moment. I want to develop momentum so that I can paddle to the wave and run parallel along it looking for the best spot. Others seeing me paddle parallel to the wave know I want it and might be in the best position.  If it is going to break further in that I expected, I might chase it, but those further in that waited probably have better position than me. In these cases, I will often say “You’ve got it”.

You have to catch them. If the line up sees you chase and not catch consistently or fall off the wave, they will not give you as much room. When you see someone chase, catch, and ride each time, they get the most respect.

*

For Surf Lessons in Oceanside, see my Home Page

See my video on how to do pop ups. https://youtu.be/8vOL5z7Y2yE