At first, when you look at others surfing, you may feel that there is nothing to it. However, there is plenty of surf techniques to learn to surf and the best way to learn is by taking surf lessons. This means you can either enroll in a surf school, surf house or you can ask your surfer pals to teach you the tricks. If you want a quick rundown on surf techniques, read on.
Choose the right surfboard
The first thing you need to do at the very outset is pick the right surfboard and then you need to identify the best place to practice your surf techniques. Depending on how you choose the above two, your surfing experience can either go off very well or turn out to be a real pain. Ideally, you should pick a flat and sandy beach to practice your surf techniques.
Choose the right place to surf
Make sure you find a place where there is a lot of water for you to try your surfing. Avoid crowded places and those that are frequented by experienced surfers. You should also avoid places that are frequented by children and families.
Choose your surfing foot
Next, you need to decide which foot to surf with. You can either choose to have your left foot forward or you can choose to use your right foot forward. After choosing which foot to place forward, you need to practice popping up.
For this you need to lie on your surfboard and then with both hands on the board in a push-up position, you need to in one quick motion push up and plant your feet in a firm manner on the surfboard. Your front foot needs to be facing forward and the back foot should be facing sideways. When popping up, make sure you do not pop up to your knees as it is not only a bad habit but also it is harder to get to your feet when kneeling.
Wax your surfboard well
Another important surf technique is to ensure your surfboard is properly waxed to ensure optimal traction and a more solid footing. In addition, you also need to fasten your leash securely to the leash plug on your surfboard to prevent the board from being lost. Strap the leash to your back foot.
Look for wave crests
Once this is done, you can use another useful surf technique which is to watch the ocean. Know where the waves crest up and break and also watch for the whitewater rolling through to know just how far you need to paddle out. Take your board in your hands and walk into the water and walk as far as you can.
Next, climb on the surfboard and put your body lying flat on its stomach on the board. Be sure to position your body properly. Now, paddle out past the whitewater and next, try to catch a whitewater which you should attempt to ride towards the beach.
Finally, you will want to ride a real wave. For that you need to be on the lookout for how the waves are breaking in one spot every time. Learning how to catch the wave takes time and practice. Be sure to catch the wave before it starts breaking and as it grows, you should move faster. To catch the wave, you need to paddle at least as fast as the wave. Once the wave starts to crest, you need to point your board in the direction of the shore and start paddling.
As the board begins gliding, you should put your hands on the board in a push-up position and raise your body up by pushing upwards. Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the board and retain a crouching position. That is all there is to learning how to surf.
