due to the coronavirus, i’m still not allowed to give surf lessons. so i’ll give a couple tips right here. first, i want to talk about stance. meaning where to plant your front and back foot. then i’ll talk about how to wipe out. yes, this could cost you a trip to the emergency room.
FOOT PLACEMENT: every surfboard has a “sweet spot.” that means your board is designed specifically to perform better when you’re standing in the right place. your front foot should be at a slight angle forward and right in the middle of the surfboard. the sweet spot is usually right under your chest when you’re lying down on the board. the back foot should be right on the tail. usually that’s in-between the side fins and back fin on the bottom of the board. so if you push, your board should trust into the fins and drive, therefore giving you speed. if you still don’t understand, send me a photo of your stance on a wave and i’ll help you fix it. and once you fix it, your board will work 100x better. and then you will be 1000x happier…
THE WIPEOUT: knowing how to wipe out is very important. if you’re going to fall, jump as far away as you can from your surfboard. and if you can, kick your surfboard to the side. most people get hurt by getting hit by their own board. understand that you leash is 6-8′ long so if you feel tension when you fall, it usually means your board is far away from you. if you don’t feel any tension on your leash, that means your board is right by you. so when you come up, make sure you come up slowly. i never come up unless i feel my leash pulling a little.
next time i’ll teach you how to barrel ride. stay tuned…
