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If you’re willing to improve your surf skills and struggle at it there’s a cure for that. In this article, I’m going to share with you the 8 best tips on how to get better at surfing.
No matter if you’re just starting out or already an experienced surfer, surely you want to improve your riding skills and get better. However, there’s no single solution. It is a combination of multiple tips. These tips might give you an idea and a plan to grow your surfing skills.
So let’s get right to it.
Regular exercises
Being well trained is one of the founding stones of how to get better at surfing. You’ll use the power of your whole body in order to perform maneuvers on a surfboard. This is why you need to exercise regularly to keep your body fit.
Regular exercises will make you:
- stronger;
- more confident;
- more hardy.
Some of the exercises you can use for training are:
- Pushups – this will engage your upper body;
- Burpees – is a full-body exercise. It is great for training agility, coordination, and strength.
- Squats – will strengthen your quads, glutes, and calves;
- Jumping jacks – will train your cardio and endurance;
- Planks – are perfect for your core muscles.
Stretching
There are several reasons why you should stretch, especially if you are a surfer.
Regular stretching before surfing will:
- make your muscles more flexible;
- make your muscles more durable;
- greatly improve the way you surf, like adding more style to your riding.
Stiff muscles are more likely to get sprained during extensive movements. So this is another major reason why you should stretch, it will help reduce the risk of injury.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is a sport that originated from surfing. Back in the day surfers would skate when the waves were flat to maintain the skill. So this is another great way if you’re wondering how to get better at surfing.
Still to this day many surfers would practice skateboarding. There are many exercises you can do on a skateboard to simulate surfing movements and body position.
Skateboarding is a great alternative when the outside conditions wouldn’t let you surf. Also, this is a good exercise on its own. You can train your legs and cardio just by commuting around town.
However, some bad habits might evolve if you plan to train that way. Wrong body positions and movements are just a few of them. Check out the Surf Strength Coach video tutorial on how to improve your surfing with skateboarding:
Balance board
Another way how to get better at surfing and to make your training at home more fun is a balance board. It is a popular way amongst surfers to train balance, because of the multiple benefits for surfing it has.
This device basically is a board that stands atop a roller. There are many different types of balance boards out there. Check out our article on the best balance boards for surfing.
With the help of a balance board not only you can stand balancing but also practice surf movements. Thus training your muscle memory and maintaining skills. Plus 15-20 minutes actively spent on a balance board is good cardio training for you.
Ride with friends/group
It’s a known fact that doing something in groups like learning is more effective than doing it by oneself. There is even research dedicated to that topic. That also applies to surfing.
Riding with your friends and peers is not only fun, but it also generates a live competition feel. This pushes the boundaries of your comfort zone. Naturally, you’ll be progressing by challenging each other. People tend to copy other people’s behavior.
Not only that, but people can also give you valuable feedback and advice. That can help you improve and correct your mistakes. Once in a while, you might even receive praise or a compliment that can boost your confidence.
Finally riding with friends brings us to the next tip on which they can aid.
Film your riding
If you have the possibility to ride with friends/peers you can ask them to film you.
By watching how you ride from an observer’s perspective will let you know what kind of mistakes or flaws do you have. The video material will give you a picture of what your riding skills are.
The benefit is that you can make an instant review of your riding and make adjustments. Especially during a session if you were filmed on a smartphone or any other camera that has a preview option.
Also over time, you can compare your riding to how it was before. You can analyze yourself and actually see the improvements/downfalls.
Surf different conditions/spots
Knowing how to ride a certain type of wave is cool. But the ability to ride the different wave types in different conditions makes you a better surfer.
There are four main types of waves:
- beach break;
- reef break;
- point break;
- river break.
Try to surf in various weather and water conditions. You’ll learn how to adjust to different wave breaks and will gain new experiences.
Surfing at one spot all the time is not bad at all. But over time you’ll get used to it and it can become quite boring. Different spots will have different wave types as well. Besides, surfing at different spots is a good reason to have a road trip and travel to see new places and meet new people.
Try different boards
When surfing different waves, you probably will need a different surfboard. So that’s a good reason to learn to surf on different types of boards.
Surfboards come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each type of surfboard is meant for its own riding conditions.
Knowing the physics behind each board is going to make you a more experienced and versatile surfer. You’ll be able to control various boards and get familiar with the way different boards behave underneath you.
Conclusion
To sum up, everything, if you really want to know how to get better at surfing, keep your focus on surfing and exercising. Ride as much as you can, stay dedicated and consistent, and never give up. Train whenever possible, and seek mentoring and advice.
And most important you gotta have patience. The skill will not come overnight or even a week at a surfing camp. If you train hard, over time you’ll see the flowers of your hard work. If you feel down, sometimes taking a short break
If you truly love what you do and are dedicated you will prosper at it.
