learners hacks
3 Essentials for a Technique Tune-Up
Surfing well is hard work. If it wasn’t, everyone would be good at it, but that's not the case. The following tips are critical for technique improvement. However, remember not to try to perfect all of these in the span of a single session.
Surf from Your Back Foot:
Now, I'm not suggesting you lean way back and hit the brakes. It's essential to transfer weight back and forth to create speed and complete certain maneuvers. However, many of us forget that a high level of maneuverability resides in the very tail of the board. Next time you're up and riding, try shifting your back foot just a few centimeters back. You'll be surprised at the difference.
Bend at the Knees:
There’s nothing more cringe-worthy than seeing someone surf while standing straight up, attempting to turn, falling flat on their face, and then floating to the surface, wondering what happened. Keeping low and bent allows us to utilize our mass to create speed, as well as maintain a low center of gravity for better stability. Often, we aren’t as low as we think we are. A great way to see this for certain is to get filmed.
Lead with the Chest:
Surfing is somewhat like riding a bike—where you look is where you go. Or, to put it another way, the direction your chest faces is where you'll head. For instance, if a surfer aims to complete a backside top turn, it's not enough to just look at the lip. To achieve a vertical angle, a surfer must bend at the knees, open up their arms, and face their chest toward the lip if that's the direction they want to go. Where the chest and head are faced is where the body will follow.