Are you frustrated with the quality of your surfing? Do you want to increase your fun on the beach? These are some of the most common mistakes that surfers make. The first thing you have to do is to find a surfboard that fits your body perfectly. You can find this out by asking around or by trying different sizes at the surf shop. To be able to ride a surfboard without falling off, you need to know how to do it! You will also need patience and focus, but it will be easy once you get the hang of it.
1. Find the right equipment for you
There are two types of boards: longboards and shortboards. Longboards are about 10 feet long and have more surface area than shorter boards, so they are ideal for beginners because they are more stable. Shortboards are about 5-6 feet long and have less surface area, so they are easier to turn, making them ideal for experienced surfers who want to do tricks on their boards. If you are on the lookout for the best, look no further than Freeride Surf and Skate.
2. The Position
The position is the most important thing in surfing. If you don’t have a good stance, then you can’t do much with your board. The position consists of four different things: the stance, the paddling technique, the balance, and the foot positioning.
The Stance: Your stance should be deep in your board with one foot in front of the other and slightly turned inwards towards the nose of your board. The paddling technique: Your paddle should be moving when your surfboard hits the wave; when it hits, take a deep breath and pull down on your paddle and bring it back up in preparation for another wave or in case you fall off balance. You should also bend your knees when doing this so that they aren’t straight and stiff while you’re paddling. The Balance: Your balance should be focused on keeping yourself upright while waiting for another wave. If no waves are coming, continue paddling.
3. Don’t fight the wave
As a rider, your goal is to ride the wave in a way that you can go as fast as possible and be able to surf it for as long as possible. If you fight the wave, it will usually result in you falling off the board, getting hurt, or even worse, hurting someone else too. If you just give in to the wave and let it do its thing, it’s going to do all the hard work for you and allow you to have a great time surfing. So just relax and enjoy yourself!
4. Get a feel for the water
Once you get out on a wave, your instincts will take over. You’ll know exactly when to turn left or right, how much pressure to apply with your knees, and so on. But until then, take some time getting used to being in close contact with the water. If you’re new, chances are you’ve never touched surfing before, so it’s best not to try anything too complicated until you’ve got used to this feeling of being surrounded by water.
5. Get your timing right
The best time to catch a wave is about 15 feet from shore and moving at least 35 miles per hour. If you wait until the wave is within 10 feet from shore, the speed should be 45-50 mph. This timing helps avoid being caught in the “swallow” or “washing machine” – the area where the curl of water rushes back out to sea after breaking on the beach.
6. Practice your balance
You can’t ride a wave if you don’t know how to balance on the board. The first step of learning how to surf is to practice your balance on the board, even before riding it. Start by standing on the board with your arms stretched out at your sides, then bend forward at the waist and try to keep yourself upright on the board as it rocks back and forth.