Finally ready to take that first step and learn to surf?. We will try and cover as much as we can and compact all the helpful tips you will need when starting out as a beginner surfer .
Where do i get started ?
So maybe you have seen all your friends surfing or you have seen people having fun on the internet hitting the waves and it's got you excited to give it a go , good stuff!. Once you start surfing you will most likely be hooked ,it's just so much fun and an incredible sport to learn. There are multiple ways how to learn to surf ,here are a few to get started:
Book in a lesson with a local surf school ( this will give you a feel for surfing to see if you like it and you will be in good hands with qualified surf instructors )
Have a friend teach you how to surf ( this is a great free way to learn to surf and better yet you'll be having fun with a friend )
Watch youtube tutorials from experienced surfers ( there are many videos out there teaching the basics of surfing which is good if you are keen to try it by yourself )
Book a surf camp holiday ( this is a wonderful way to learn to surf as you will be around like minded people also discovering how to learn to surf )
Make sure you choose a suitable board as a beginner
Before getting out in the water you want to have the right kind of surfboard as a beginner surfer ,we have a blog post you can read showing you how to choose the right size board as a beginner you can read it here
Choose a surf beach that is suitable for beginners
As much fun as surfing can be ,it can also be dangerous if you are not too sure what you are doing.Some beaches have exposed rocks , larger swell , strong currents . You want to make sure you are choosing a beach that has beginner friendly waves ensuring you are safe when starting out.
As a beginner you want to start of in the white water ( we will cover this in the post),this is the section of the wave that has already broken and is usually a bit closer to shore.Starting out in the whitewater helps you practice standing up on a moving surfboard without having to worry about where the wave is breaking, other surfers out the back , going over the falls, or any other hazards. It's a good idea to have someone with you watching over you incase you need assistance , if you don't have anyone make sure you surf a patrolled beach with lifeguards.
Setting up your board
Make sure you have Selected the right board as a beginner ( previously mentioned in the past article we recommend going for a long soft board or a "Foamie" as these boards have more buoyancy and volume making it easier to stand up and help to start you off finding your balance a lot easier than it would be on a short board or something with less buoyancy. Make sure you have a leg rope so when you come off your surfboard it will be easy to retrieve , you want to make sure the leg rope is the same size as the surfboard.
Check out this video on setting up your leg rope
Setting up your fins on your soft top surfboard , check out this video explaining how to set up your fins
Waxing your board
There is a bit of confusion out there waxing soft top surfboards , most soft tops do not require any wax as they have enough traction although some have a bit more of a smoother surface and will require some wax.You can always give your board a go and if your not happy with the traction it has then apply wax for extra traction.Waxing your surfboard is very important as it provides the traction for your feet when you stand up on your board and also stops you from sliding off your board when you are paddling out.
How to choose the right wax?
The temperature of the water will determine the type of wax you will need for your board , different wax manufactures have different types of wax for topical , cool , warm and cold waters. Check out the sex wax image below showing which wax to use for the right water temperature.
Make sure you have a clean board when applying wax you don't want any dirt oil or grease on it before applying the wax. Use a base coat:. A lot of wax manufacturers make what is called a “base coat” wax, which is generally harder and forms small beads for the top layer of wax to adhere too. Give your board a quick layer of base coat wax. This will act as the foundation you will build on. There are many different techniques to apply the wax the most common are "cross section " , "circles " , or "straight up and down ". Which ever technique you choose apply a base coat until small bumps appear then you can apply the top coat and it will adhere to the board properly.Use the edge of the wax not the flat side to apply the wax. Apply a generous amount of wax to your board for proper traction.
Am i "goofy" or "natural/regular" footed ?
Some of you may be wondering what does that even mean ?.Being a goofy foot or natural/regular refers to the way you stand on your surfboard and which way you are facing when riding on the board.If you have ever been skateboarding , snowboarding or wakeboarding you should already know if you are goofy or natural/regular.
If you do not know what you are, a good way to find out is to lay on your surfboard at home or at the beach pretend you are paddling for a wave and stand up quickly see which way your naturally stand up this will determine if you are goofy or natural and which way will feel more comfortable for you surfing.
If you have your right foot forward on the board you are "Goofy" , if you have your left foot forward you are "natural/regular". Keep in mind if you are goofy you want to have your leg rope on your left ankle towards the end of the surfboard and if you are natural you want to have your leg rope on your right ankle towards the back of the surfboard.
Practice standing up on the beach first
Alright we have the surf beach chosen ( make sure its relatively small waves on the day) the board is set up ,lets do a few practice runs on the beach before heading out .
Where should my body be placed on the board ?. All boards are different sizes so its hard to have a defined rule that applies to everyone however as a beginner on a large board you want to be centred on the board your feet laying just on the back of the tail of the board.You do not want to be too far forward as the board will nose dive as you catch the wave , you do not want to be too far back on the board as you wont be able to catch the waves and it will create too much drag in the water.
When you actually get out in the water you will be able to move around on the board until you find that sweet spot that feels right and is well balanced ,if the nose is dipping down move back a bit and if the nose is raised too much move forward a touch.It will take a little bit of time when you are learning how to surf to get that balance right but after a while it will become second nature.
Practice your pop up technique
Whilst still on the beach we want to lay in position on our board , pretend to paddle (will show paddling technique later).
Put your hands flat on the surfboard, have them just under your chest and push up
Toes should be just on the tail of the board
Create space between your body and the board. If you can try to make sure your knees , waist and legs are not touching the board
If you are goofy slide your right foot forward in between your hands , if you are natural bring your left foot forward in between your hands
Stand up ,keep your body low, keep knees bent for stability and keep looking forward
Feet should be just a bit more than a shoulder length apart
Both feet arches should be equally over the centre line or stringer of the board
Front foot should be close to the centre of the board and back foot close to the tail of the board
Nice one , keep practising that until you feel you have nailed it and are ready to hit the waves . Check the image below if you have any doubts on how to pop up.
Lets hit the waves
When your firstly head out into the surf you want to start off in the white water which is the safe space of the wave that has already broken , this is the best place to start and will give you a good sense of how your board will glide through the water and you'll be able to make initial progress finding your balance.
When heading out into the white water most the time its shallow enough to walk out with your board you can do this by holding the nose of your board and walking it out to the white water section or have it by your side with your hands on the board guiding it over the waves or if you want you can hold it under your arms as you are walking out.
Paddling technique
Make sure you are centred on your board with your toes just at the tail of the board find that sweet spot when you feel as though your are nice and balanced
Make sure your feet don't drag in the water creating resistance
Raise your chest slightly , arch your back and keep your head and upper body as still as you can looking forward
Slightly cup your hands leaving a little bit of space in between your fingers
When reaching forward make sure to bend your arm , extend as far forward as you can
Try to be as smooth as possible reaching forward , pushing down underwater coming back just past your hips then out of the water
As you complete one stroke with one arm and it goes back prepare your other arm for the next stroke
Repeat the process
As you paddle more and more you will become fluid with your movements and more efficient at paddling . The more efficient you are at paddling the easier it is to catch waves , paddle out and you wont be using as much energy as you would with a poor technique.
Catching that first white water wave
Once you are comfortable paddling on your board and getting out to the white water its time to get yourself onto a wave .The first time catching a wave you want to just practice the motion of actually getting onto a wave.Its best to first practice just catching the wave and not standing up this will give you a good idea of how it feels when the wave actually propels you forward.
Once in the right section of the white water wait until you see a nice wave heading your way
if you are standing next to your board turn your board facing the beach and hop on
If your are sitting on your board use your legs and arms in the water to turn yourself around facing the beach
Make sure you are centred on your board and not too far forward not too far back we don't want to nose dive or not catch the wave at all
Start paddling to gain some momentum before the wave comes
Do not stop paddling until you feel the wave catch you and feel the momentum pushing you forward
Keep looking forward at the beach
Let the wave take you in as far as you can until the momentum runs out then you can jump off your board head back out and try it again.
Congrats you just caught your first wave , shall we stand up now ?
Standing up
Now things get interesting , let's get standing . We can practice in the white water again but this time we will stand up and use the pop up technique we talked about before.
Once out in the white water we will wait for a wave like we did before
As soon as you see a suitable wave coming your way make sure you are centred and balanced nicely on your board
Paddle to gain some momentum
Do not stop paddling until you feel the wave catch you and bring you forward
Once you know you are on the wave put your hands flat under your chest
Push up making space between your body and the board
If you are goofy bring your right foot forward in between your hands , if you are natural bring your left foot in between your hands
Stand up , keep the knees bent and your body low
keep looking forward at the beach , this will allow you to continue straight
Nice one you just learnt how to stand up
It will take some time to get your balance right and to get a good feel for your board but with practice it will become a breeze standing up , just keep at it as much as you can.
PRACTICE , PRACTICE ,PRACTICE
Surfing is one of those sports that tends to take a lot of time to get used to and to get good at but just like anything the more you practice the better you get.It can be a little frustrating at times when you feel like its taking a long time to get better but once you get that feel for it you wont look back.Try surfing with experienced friends that can take you out the back and go beyond catching white water waves (only when you feel comfortable enough ).Try hiring a surf coach to progress even faster. As you progress with your surfing you will be able to start surfing bigger waves ,trying new surf breaks that are more advanced and as you move up surfing levels you will move onto different boards depending on your skill level. It's really exciting and fun learning to surf , hopefully you will be out there ripping in no time.
Where to find great beginner surfboards?
If you are looking to get your first surfboard , we have some great surfboards that are perfect for beginners looking to learn how to surf.They are really great boards that wont break the bank .Feel free to check them out , wish you guys all the best learning to surf.
www.noosasurfboardco.com.au
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