I believe our goal when we surf is not to stand up and fall right after, but we would love to ride for longer than just one second, right?
Whether you are preparing for the first surf class or have already done a few lessons, this article is here to help you thrive.
Here are my best surf tips for beginners to help you have more fun during your upcoming session!
Surfing is a way to be free.
Lisa Andersen
So, what can you do to stand up and ride for a few consistent seconds?
Often, the little details can bring the most significant results.
All of them are very simple, but we often forget about them.
You know how overwhelming it can be to learn something for the first time. Just remind yourself of the very first time you drove a car or rode a bicycle.
You can only take on one task at a time.
A lot happens when you come to your first surf class.
You must remember the steps of the stand-up, safety rules, how to handle the board, balance it, pay attention to the upcoming waves, and much more.
I usually mention a few basics to our students, let them feel the water, and then gently add more as they progress.
So one of those surf tips would be …
1. Look at where you want to go
This certainly takes your surfing to another level and maximises your time riding.
I don’t know how much you have studied, but let’s say your head weight is about 5 kilos. If you bring this weight over the rail of your board by looking next to it, it will undoubtedly send you off balance, right?
Imagine keeping your head in the middle of your board. I bet this will add a few more seconds to your ride.
It’s quite an easy fix. Look not at where you are but at where you want to be. Find some reference points at the beach and keep your eyes on them. It does magic.
Surf tip for beginners No. 2 – Relax Your Knees and Stay Lower
When you perform your stand-up, you don’t want to reach for the blue sky and extend your legs fully. That would make you fall right away. Instead, you might want to bend your knees and stay lower.
Try to slow down your stand-up because getting up too fast creates tension in your body.
Tip: When standing on the board, take a deep breath and relax as you exhale. This will soften your knees, and another magic happens.
Surf tip for beginners No. 3 – Use Your Arms to Balance
You can gain better stability by bringing your arms in front of you. Aim to keep your left hand over the left rail of your board and your right hand over the right rail.
Extra tip: This will happen automatically when you point your chest or belly button in the direction you want to travel.
EXTRA SURF TIP: Think of What You Want Rather than What You Fear
Often, your body does not hold you back from progression, but much more happens in your mind. And that’s a chapter on its own.
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
Henry ford
I admire the work of Tony Robbins, and I like to apply his wisdom when I teach. One day, I was teaching a lady from Canada in her fifties for the very first surf lesson. She would be doing all the steps right, but she would keep falling when she was supposed to get up.
I asked her, “What are you thinking about before you stand up?”
She replied: “I don’t want to fall!”
I smiled and asked: “What if you think more about what you want, like riding the wave, making the stand-up, and enjoying the ride.”
An amazing thing happened as I sent her on the next wave; she stood up.
Wow! This brought me here to create The Greatest Wave of Life, where I share more of what I learned with you and raise your self-awareness when you surf and throughout your day-to-day life.
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Don’t forget to have fun, and I hope to see you all rocking on those waves.