Intermediate Tips

Five Tips to Improve Your Surfing

One of the most difficult challenges to face any athlete is finding a way to improve your surfing. It’s no easy feat. It takes a commitment to spending time in the water and using the right equipment. Beyond those factors, there are no obvious actions you can take to improve surfing performance. The Scientists at SurfScience.com want to help. Read our tips below.

Surf Lessons

Taking a surf lesson is a great way to improve your surfing and feel more comfortable in the water. Beginners will quickly learn some of the fundamentals that are usually learned only through experience and time.  Surf lessons also help you avoid beginner surfing mistakes that new surfers might not have thought about. Who has time for that? Quicken that learning curve and get better faster.

Challenge Yourself

This tip could apply to any sport. Don’t allow yourself to feel too comfortable. Once you master the 2-3 foot mushy beach break, then it’s time to paddle out on the 5-6 foot days. You will be surprised how your instincts and muscle memory will take over, allowing you to make key maneuvers in critical sections of the wave. A little more size will also provide more speed. This will facilitate your surfing improvement.

Surf Around

Surfing is a dynamic sport where you must adjust to your surroundings. Traveling to an unfamiliar break with different conditions will show you how much you can improve your surfing and how quickly you must react to unexpected shifts in the wave’s surface. Surfing fast and steep waves for the first time will be a real learning experience. Be safe by paddling out with a mate who knows the break.

Surf Trip

Going on a surf trip will open your eyes up to a different way of life. It can also drastically improve your surfing. It’s easy for the average weekend warrior’s skills to plateau when you surf only once or twice each week. If the conditions aren’t epic (likely) or if there is a good crowd in the water (also likely), then it can be difficult to get your wave count up or score some long rides. The cure: surfing good conditions with no crowds for several consecutive days. You will have time to work on your mechanics, catch a lot of waves, and elevate your surfing. You will feel like a different surfer when you return home.

Hire A Coach

Professional instruction is not just for beginners. Tiger Woods has a swing coach, after all. You will love hearing helpful tips from someone who knows how to surf and helps others improve their surfing as a profession. Your coach will watch your technique, wave selection, and will probably use a video camera to point out areas of concern. It will do a ton of good to hear his pointers and critique of your style while watching your session on video. We also highly recommend hiring a surf coach on your surf trips. Make the most of that trip and improve your surfing! He will help you maximize your time away from home and guide you to the most appropriate breaks for your surfing ability.