How To Surf | Basics

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Learn How To Surf

Learning how to surf can be a life changing experience. Surfers enjoy the rush of dropping into a glassy wave, flying along the wave face, more often than not in some of the most exotic and exiting places on earth. If that sounds appealing read our learn to surf guide below which will provide all of the basics you'll need to know before taking your first surf lesson or hiring your first surfboard. If you learn how to surf correctly you'll progress much more rapidly from a surf school beginner to becoming a real surfer.

If you've seen our essential surf equipment guide page, you should have a good idea on which surfboard is ideal to learn to surf on and we will hopefully have given you the initial understanding on what is the right sized soft board, pop out or mal surfboard with which to take your first steps into becoming a surfer.

Choose the Right Spot

Surf breaks vary enormously and if you try to learn at the wrong one it can slow down the learning process no end, possibly get you hurt and label you as a nuisance to other surfers. The answer is to forget reef breaks (surf breaking over, rock, coral etc) and heavy, hollow beach breaks and pick a beach with an easy, spilling, mushy break wave in the 2-4ft range. It may not be glamorous but it will be the best place to start. Also try and find a spot with no crowds- battling with hundreds of other beginners and more experienced surfers is not the way to go. If you have a little space it will be easier to learn.

Paddling
You have your new surfboard under your arm and you've chosen a mushy, uncrowded spot for a surf, it's now time to paddle out! Paddling is an essential surfing skill so lots of practice at this will bring its rewards. Start in small waves and if possible paddle out when there is a lull in the waves. It's best to walk your board out until you are in waist deep water, then lay your body on the deck of your surfboard. On a shortboard keep your weight centred on the middle of the board and on a longboard position yourself so the nose is around 1inch out of the water. The trick is to find the optimum trim position for the board which will provide least resistance when paddling. Once you feel the board gliding through the water with ease you'll have found the ideal trim, so remember your position and stick with it.

Start to paddle using a crawl stroke with your arms, using cupped hands to increase the pull. If you hit bumpy water or "chop", lift your chest slightly and lessen your weight on the board so the nose and rails don't go under. Once you have learnt to balance your right and left sides, head, and legs, paddle your board out to the lineup you're on the way!

Duck Diving
Duck-diving is a technique to allow you to pass under breaking waves when paddling out, rather than getting hammered by each breaking wave. Duck-diving applies to shortboards which are smaller and lighter, for longboards there are a number of techniques used to achieve the same result. To duck-dive a shortboard, try to have as much paddling speed as possible when approaching the wave. At about two feet before making contact with the white water, grab both rails (edges of the surfboard) halfway between the nose and midpoint of your board. Push all your upper body weight onto your hands and arms until you feel the nose begin to go under. Point your head down and let your body follow. Once your body is just below the surface, bend your front leg and use that knee to push the tail under the wave. Your momentum should thrust you under the quickly passing wave and only require you to be under water for a short time. As the wave passes let the flotation of your board lift you to the surface. Now you have the skill to paddle to the lineup or to the next wave and duck under it.

For paddling out on a longboard there are a few ways of tackling the breaking waves: The slice and duck, Eskimo roll, push-ups and the shoot and scoot. On smaller waves the push-up technique is probably best. Just push up your chest and the wave will pass under your body and over the board. The shoot and scoot method is where you sit at the back of your board and sink the tail, grabbing the rails around the centre of the board so it raises above the oncoming wave. Don't grab the surfboard at the nose or allow the nose to raise too much as you'll flip the board. The Eskimo roll is the old school method of getting out back.

Видео How To Surf | Basics канала Michael Andreula