Millions of people all over the world regularly enjoy sporting activities, whether it’s watching them or taking part. Outdoor sports can be great fun, and there’s nothing better than being in the sea for some of them. Surfing is one of the most challenging and complex sports to master because every wave is different.
Many people want to up their game, whether they are newbies or intermediate. A person may or may not know their strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps some bad habits have crept in, or there are specific areas requiring attention. This article has been created to help you surf quicker and better.
Receive Quality Training
It’s true that people can learn loads by reading books and watching YouTube tutorials. Having said that, there is no substitute for a friend or trainer teaching you right from the start. If your foundation is correct, everything can be built upon that. For paid tuition, always check the online reviews first.
Santa Barbara has many popular surfing locations, including Hammond Reef, Leadbetter Beach, Summerland, and Fernald Point. If someone opted for Santa Barbara surfing lessons, they may have all their equipment provided, including the surfboard, leashes, and wetsuit. Training would be provided by qualified instructors who make safety (including that related to Covid-19) a priority.
Many sessions run for an hour and a half. If a person had one-on-one training, they could focus on developing their speed, but this may still be possible when there are groups of 2,3, or more.
Use A Quality Board
Many beginners use soft top surfboards that are smaller in size. Whilst they may be great fun to use, they won’t be designed for speed. As a person progresses they may wish to buy a 9 feet longboard with plenty of width. Basically, big is beautiful.
In contrast to the beginner boards, larger versions make it easier to maintain balance and stability. It will also be easier to do your pop-ups, too (This is where you’ll be moving from a belly-down position to upright, whilst on the water).
Choose The Right Location
This is not as easy as it sounds, as the daily weather can be a major factor. It may be possible to research the wave conditions of your local beach by going online beforehand.
Sometimes a sandy beach will enable you to go faster than a rocky one, and at other times the opposite will be true. If you aren’t confident with your stability and speed, avoid getting too near coral reefs and rocks. Sandy beaches will obviously be safer.
Stick with people at the same level as you. That way, if you are travelling fast the other people will be too. It could be a safety issue if you pick up speed too close to unstable learners. The reverse is also true – if you are new to this the local experts may be exasperated to find you near them.
Practice On The Ground
This can occur in your living room or on the beach. Whilst waves vary, the ground will not! This makes it a stable point from which to work on your technique. Remember: the same rules apply, no matter which maneuver you’ll be doing. Learn to develop your knee bending and stamina, body rotations, and bottom turns.
Stretching exercises will help you limber up before and after surfing. They can be done on the beach too. Also, practice your pop-ups from here.
See Yourself Surfing
If you have a friend on the beach, have them take lots of pictures of you. Better still, obtain video footage of your surfing. It will then be easier to assess your technique, especially if you can view it in slow motion.
There may be obvious things you are doing that are slowing you down. You’ll want to check how well you bend your knees. You could also monitor whether you are facing ahead and throwing your arms forward for speed.
Practice imagining yourself surfing fast. Many sportspeople do visualization and find it helps with their technique and focus.
Learn About The Waves
Initially, you’ll be needing smaller waves and ones that aren’t too frequent. Learn to catch the wave early on rather than when it is flattening down, or there will only be so much you can achieve. Stay close to the pocket and use your head to steer.
When someone combines good training and technique with plenty of practice, they will be well on the road to success. Every surfing session will then be both challenging and exhilarating.