28 Feb What all beginner surfers should know…

We’ve all been a beginner at some point, most of us are still learning every day! Sometimes our expectations of surfing can be set really high and when we don’t look like that surfer girl we’ve all dreamt about it can be so disheartening. This might lead into you throwing in the towel and wanting to quit. We really want to avoid this from happening, so here are our 5 points of advice we think will help every beginner surfer.

1.You will wipe out and that’s okay ok.

It’s all about learning your boundaries at the start. Sometimes, the biggest wipeout will be your best blessing in disguise. Once you nose dive a couple of times you will soon learn to sit further back on your board! You’ll also get over the ‘fear’ of wiping out, just get it over and done with and embrace the ride,  you’ll realise next time doesn’t seem so bad. 

2.Don’t wait for that perfect wave.

Unfortunately you’re wasting your time. As a beginner just take as many waves as you can (as long as your not in the way of someone). The more waves you catch when you’re learning to surf is better! We are all waiting for the perfect wave, but unfortunately it doesn’t come around often enough and you could be waiting for a very long time. Try surfing in all conditions; on-shore,off-shore and cross-shore, these types of conditions will help build a strong foundation to making you a better surfer. 

Photo by Chris Hall

3. Practice, practice and more practice.

Surfing has one of the steepest levels of improvement and you need a lot of determination! It’s a really hard activity and it takes a lot of time to get used to all the different factors such as the waves, the wind, the board, your balance etc. Be patient with yourself, set small goals and go smash them.  Get in the water any chance you get and focus on specific things like your pop up or trimming. You’ll get there! 

Photo from Women + Waves Surf Club

4. Have fun!

 Be happy with being a beginner! It’s a really fun care free stage and you should enjoy every moment of it. Other surfers are much more forgiving if you see you are learning and having fun. It shouldn’t be scary or an unenjoyable experience, take it at your own pace and have fun! 

Photo: Women + Waves Surf Coaching Weekend with Newquay Activity Centre.

5. Get professional help.

This is your fast track to becoming  a good confident surfer. It’s ok to ask for help! A good surf instructor will instantly be able to see where you need to make improvements and with some small simple tips you will soon see a huge difference in your surfing. Try photo and video analysis, this helps you visually pin point and work on those kinks. Once you see yourself in a poo stance you’ll never want to stand like that again! An instructor will also go through how to read waves, rips and currents and where to sit in the line up. This can take ages to work out by yourself and can sometimes get you in trouble if done incorrectly. So definitely look at booking a lesson or two just to get the basics nailed and avoid creating bad habits. 

Photo: Women + Waves Surf Coaching Weekend with Newquay Activity Centre.

We hope these tips encourage you to get in the water and not quit. Surfing is an incredible lifestyle changer and is amazing once you’ve got the hang of things. We are always learning and that’s part of the fun. 

If you wish to join one of our 2 day surf coaching weekends to fast track your surfing check out our upcoming dates by clicking here.

Photo: Women + Waves Surf Coaching Weekend with Newquay Activity Centre.