A Guide on How to Learn Surfing
Picture this: summer heat, crashing waves, and sandy beaches. The smell of saltwater, the
warm seaside breeze, and the sound of frolicking all around you. Summer season is in full swing
and you want to try something new. Surfing is a great hobby to pick up for those who want to have
an active role during the summer where relaxation is of the utmost priority. But surfing can be
intimidating for beginners, especially since it requires a certain degree of familiarity in any kind
of water activities. Surfing can also be considered as this ever-changing playground – with waves,
windspeed, swells, and tides – that does not stay constant. But fret not for this guide will help you
experience a new recreational hobby to the fullest.
This guide will be broken down in certain parts for ease. The first parts will deal on what
to prepare before studying surfing. Succeeding parts will discuss the basic forms and how to
balance properly and how to actually “surf” and ride a wave.
PART 1: PRE-SURFING
Since surfing, at its essence, requires you to be in deep waters – it’s more of a requirement
to know how to swim. While you can still surf in shallower waters, it’s still recommended to be
able to swim. Swimming helps in preparing yourself before catching the wave and recovering after
catching said wave.
One of the core equipment needed for surfing is the surfboard – each with specific
characteristics. Looking at them from a surf shop can be quite intimidating. However, it is
recommended that before buying a surfboard, you rent one. In doing so, you can learn the surfing
basics without a sudden exorbitant payment. The primary characteristic of a beginner surfboard
should be its buoyancy and durability. Buoyancy so that you can float easily and durability for
longer surfing hours before needing maintenance. Of course, becoming more adept at the sport
means advancing and using more sophisticated equipment. It is also crucial to realize that the size
of the board is important along with its relation to your own size and weight. The heavier or larger
you are, the board volume you need also increases. It will be much more difficult to learn surfing
in a board that’s smaller than your own frame. Another thing to remember is that surf shops hire
actual surfers and employ surfing coaches. They can answer any kind of query or question you
during your purchase.
Due to the predictability of its characteristics, the longboard is the most favored surfboard
by beginners. Its large frame and great board volume make it easier to practice paddling, standing
up, and cruising a wave. However, it comes with the cost of lacking maneuverability. The difficulty
of using surfboards increases as its size decreases. Experts and professional surfers use smaller
surfboards for ease of maneuverability and greater sense of control for their performance. In n=ant
case, the common practice is to learn using a longboard then slowly advancing to smaller, thinner,
and more efficient boards. Such boards are categorized by lengths. Below is a breakdown
Longboard is the most common – used in almost any beaches. The longboard generally has
a length of nine feet and upwards. Its large size makes it the easiest surfboard to familiarize and
master basic surfing techniques. The common longboard has a single fin, while more advanced
models have three fins for maneuverability. You can generally see it in many surfing stores and
beaches.
Gunboard is a size below the longboard. Generally larger than seven feet and used for bigwave surfing. These are thin boards with noses designed for experts surfing challenging waves. It
can handle steep drops and high speeds with ease, but it’s hard to control if you're a beginner.
Mini Mal, Mini Tanker, Funboard, Fish, Egg, Bonzer are all boards of the same size. These
boards are smaller than eight feet and can be as small as five feet. It has a larger volume than the
shortboard – making it easier to stand but rather lacking in maneuverability. Fish boards are even
shorter than shortboards and much wider. The fish board’s flatness and small profile make it ideal
for riding small surf that other boards sometimes struggle with. It's a great board for intermediate
and advanced surfers.
The shortboard is made for the most proficient surfer. Designed with less than six and a
half feet in length and little volume, its designed for high-performance surfing for quick turns and
greater speed while riding larger waves. It has sharp nose and multiple fins. It takes more practice
to master a shortboard than longer types of surfboards.
Another equipment that is essential to acquire is a wetsuit. A wetsuit is, like a surfboard,
an equipment you can rent beforehand before deciding to ultimately purchase it. It’s a slim fitted
full body suit that can prevent chills and hypothermia and also protect the skin from sunburn while
waiting for waves.
It is also important to purchase surfboard wax. Surfboard wax can also be found in a surf
shop. It is rubbed on top of the surfboard. The wax helps you stabilize while riding by providing a
better foot grip. Better grip on the board means better balance during surfing. Temperature of the
water changes which wax is needed to be applied. As such, ask the surf shop for the best type of
wax during the session. Do note that since it increases grip, during application of the wax, its
important to not get the wax sandy. It can be very abrasive and can hurt both stomach and feet.
Lastly, the leash of the surfboard. Leashes are a small cord that is attached to the end of
your surfboard and to the base of your leg. Some surfboards don’t have leashes installed
immediately, while others have it pre-installed. It keeps you and your board from being separated
in the water. Surfing without a leash in deep waters would be too dangerous since a wipeout can
leave you without any flotation device. Also, a wild surfboard is very dangerous for both the surfer
and other people in the area.
Getting all the items for surfing is only half the preparation. The other half is preparing
yourself and knowing “surfing ethics”. Before paddling out into the sea, do stretches first. Focus
on stretching your legs and arms since both are needed for paddling and surfing. Having cramps
after a wipeout would be dangerous.
After finishing the stretches, take the beach in. You’ll want to know where the other surfers
are, where the waves crash or “break”. Waves “crash” when the water reaches its peak and hits the
sea again. You need to make sure that the waves are large enough to ride but small enough to not
be a problem in case of a wipeout. It’s more of a waiting game at that point. In the case of travelling
to a tourist spot to surf, the locals know the area best and how the waves will react. As such, it is
important to follow their lead and be polite.
It is a common practice that only one person surfs per wave. This is to prevent surfer
collision and other accidents. The surfer closest to where the wave breaks have the right of way.
If a wave came and will break on the left side but will peel on the right side, the surfer to your left
when you’re facing the shore has the right of way. You then need to stop paddling and wait until
the next wave. If a wave is peeling in either side, one surfer can ride the wave in both directions.
Someone will usually yell “going left” or “going right” to indicate their direction, and that they
have the right of way. It is actually bad etiquette to paddle around the surfers, so it’s better to wait
for your turn.
Nowadays, surf spots can be reviewed online. You can check which shops are open at any
time of day along with the lessons they teach. This is an advantage for beginners that wants to
learn in a friendlier and less competitive atmosphere than famous spots.
PART 2: CATCHING AND RIDING A WAVE
The main part of surfing is being able to position yourself properly as an incoming wave
slowly rolls in, then with speed and finesse, stand up on your board, maneuvering it to coast and
ride the curl of the wave. The tricks and other techniques done by professional surfers can be
replicated but not really necessary.
Before trying to catch a wave, it’s important to know how to stand on the board. This is
essentially the most difficult part of surfing, since beginners are expected to do multiple things at
once and within a small window of time. As such, it is recommended to practice. In the shore or
at your backyard, lie belly-down on your board. Imagine yourself as facing the shore and slowly
paddling to catch the wave. Bring your hands below your chest, with the flat of palms on the board
while your fingers curl over the sides of the surfboard. In a swift motion, push your body up and
tuck your feet up. Place one foot where your hands pushed up from and the other at least a
shoulder’s width behind. Once standing, bend your knees, and loosen your arms and plant your
feet on the board. As long as you have established your center of gravity, you are safe.
Depending on which of your foot is in front determines your stance. Having your left foot
in front means you have a “regular” stance, while having the right foot in front means you are in a
“goofy-footed” stance. If your hands or feet keep slipping, applying more wax can help. Practice
doing this both at the shore and at the shallow waters to ensure you get comfortable. New surfers
will have this tendency to adopt a stance similar to squatting. While it’s comfortable for them, it
actually makes controlling the surfboard harder to control. Balancing atop the surfboard means its
side to side and not front to back. Also, avoid getting to your knees and not standing. You’re more
prone to wipeouts if you keep to your knees. This is why surfers stands up as quickly as they can
in order to minimize potential wipeout.
When out in the sea, you first need to locate a spot. The place needs to be waist deep in the
white water, where the waves have already broken. This is the optimal place to being your surfing
practice sessions. Check for other surfers before starting your paddling practice. The area should
be deep enough to keep you from hitting your head should you fall off. Also, in both local and
foreign beaches, try and pick a reference point using a landmark on the shore. This will help gauge
the distance as you move into deeper waters.
Following etiquette, when you see a wave that you can catch, turn around and face the
shore. Lie belly down and start paddling, slowly picking up speed. Choose whether to go left or
right early. Paddling ahead of the wave is dependent on its size. Low wave means paddling in that
direction before the wave hits. However, larger waves mean waiting until you are pulled up onto
the wave. As the wave slowly catches up to you, slowly start speeding up. Don’t be afraid to look
behind you and gauge where the wave is behind you. The surfboard’s tail should be perpendicular
to the wave as you paddle towards the shore. Lining up with the wave is the key. When you feel a
burst of speed from behind, it’s the right time to stand up. Don’t look at your feet or back at the
wave but rather keep looking forward. Look at where you’re going to guide your surfboard while
keeping your knees bent and your weight slightly adjusted in your back foot. You can also hold
out your arms to balance yourself. Feel the rush of the guiding the surfboard and cruising the wave
and you’ll soon realize that you’re surfing.
You can then try turning the surfboard. Since you have set your surfboard as perpendicular
earlier, you now need to angle it across the wave in the direction you originally intended to surf
in. As you familiarize yourself to the feeling of surfing, you will need to try angling your board
across a wave. Along with adjusting the surfboard itself during turns, lean into the turn with your
body, keeping your center of gravity on the board. That’s it! You’re surfing!
PART 3: POST SURFING EXPERIENCE
Successfully managing your first wave can feel exhilarating. However, like any other sport
– it doesn’t end after the wave you rode ends. You’re still in deep waters. It’s still better to keep
your bearings at least until you’ve reached the shore. There are a few more guidelines and safety
measures to follow after catching waves. Some of these tips are for when you “wipe out”.
Make sure to always cover a large surface when falling on the surface of the water. By
falling flat, you don’t drop deeper than necessary – thus preventing a probable collision with
something underwater. If you manage to fall even deeper than usual, cover your head when you
fall, especially when you get separated from your board.
Paddling out or leaving the surfing area needs to be done while there are no waves crashing.
It’s important to stay out of the way to prevent accidents. Other surfing spots have channels (an
area where waves don’t break) which is the recommended place to paddle out. Don’t paddle out
through the surf as it will be more tiring. Since surfing takes longer time than most activities, it is
more prudent to conserve your energy for as long as you can. If there’s a surfer riding a wave, do
keep out of their way to prevent accidents.
Also, post-surfing routines exist but are usually forgotten by most beginner surfers. These
routines can help in lessening the stress you experience after an exciting and active day at the
beach.
Drain any traces of salt water from your ears. Surfer’s ear is usually caused by unremoved
water in the ear canal – potentially increasing the risk of impaired hearing. Conduct stretches after
surfing. The stretches loosen the rigidity of your muscles that you need while riding the waves.
Stretches also loosen the muscle tension – making you feel more relaxed after the activity. For
food intake, eat proteins to restore body energy and build muscles while surfing. Avoid drinking
beer and prepare water bottles beforehand. Clean both your wetsuit and surfboard using freshwater
shower to prevent corrosion and last longer. The saltwater is corrosive to a surfboard, and severely
degrades the quality of the wetsuit if not properly washed.
If you need more tips and lessons, talk to more experienced surfers or instructors. Another
thing to consider is to also invite a friend or an acquaintance who surfs. The best way to practice
is with someone you trust nearby who knows more about surfing than you do, and can provide
feedback and advice. Also, if there is a lifeguard tower, plan to surf at a time when the lifeguard
is active. Accidents can occur anytime and it’s better to have someone watch over you.
After a few surfing sessions, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you get tired and how sore
you are despite doing the proper routine before and after surfing. Swimming has been known as
the best exercise in that it actually incorporates the entire body. Surfing takes the swimming
exercises and adds an extra element of difficulty so its more taxing than the former. It needs both
core training and muscular endurance for the arms and legs. As such it’s important to conduct
certain exercises that target these muscles and improve upon them. Surfing is unlike other sports
in that it is interval-based. It’s more of a “catch a wave, then surf it, then rest and wait for another
wave” instead of basketball’s constant running. In any case, exercises below can help improve
different muscles when you’re not surfing. These can be done on times when you’re not surfing.
Firstly, deltoid muscles for paddling. These can be done by conducting Dumbbell FrontLateral Raises. You start with your feet hip-width apart and with dumbbells on both of your hands.
You will need to raise both overhead. Keep your shoulder blades down and your back and arms
fully extended. You need to keep your arms straight before lowering one dumbbell aloft. It should
be 4 seconds aloft, then 1 second down. You will have to alternate which stays aloft to simulate
paddling. Aim for three sets of 15 repetitions.
Second, chain muscles for turning your surfboard. An exercise that can help would be the
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts. You start with your feet hip-width apart. Push your hips backwards
while keeping your knees over your ankles. Reach below and lift the barbell. Keep your shoulders
down and your back flat. Basically, lift the barbell and stand properly and hold it for ten seconds.
Then, slowly lower the barbell to the floor. Its recommended to use weights that are easy to lift
before moving on to the heavier ones. Aim for three sets of 10 repetitions.
Finally, the core muscles for powerful and sudden turns. This can be achieved with Core
Rotations on a Swiss Ball. You would need to sit upright on a swiss ball with your feet on the
ground. Knees should be at 90 degrees. Holding the weight with both arms, extend it in front, while
keeping your shoulder and back level. Lean back and slowly lower the weight to either side. Then
rotate it to the opposite direction and keep alternating. Aim for three sets of 10 repetitions.
Now, all that’s left is to fully enjoy surfing with your friends in an exotic beach! Have fun!