| Surfing Tips for Beginners |
Practice pop-ups as many times as possible on land or at home. Practice improves your muscle memory and once you get out in the water you will be able to worry about everything else (wave size, holding the board correctly, etc...) because you will be comfortable popping up.
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Check out the conditions before going into the water (*if there are no surfers out, there is probably a good reason...don't go surfing alone!)
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When walking out towards the waves, always hold the board on your side/hip and perpendicular to the waves. Never bring the board in front of you as you try to jump
over a wave (if you do...your nose will never be the same).
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Penguin surf class in Antarctica
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If you notice yourself nose-diving (or "pearling"), move towards the back of the board. If you have time, get all of your weight to the back of the board (even feet/kness off of the board) and this will keep the nose of the board from going under the water.
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Surf Conditioning: Do push-ups at home & swim laps 2-3 times a week.
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Surf Vocab
(the main words you encounter when talking to a local surfer) |
Stance on surfboard:
Regular/Natural foot - Right foot on back of board OR
Goofy foot - Left foot on back of board |
Take off - the start of a ride on a wave |
Drop in - dropping into (engaging) the wave, most often as part of standing up |
Tube riding/Getting barreled - riding inside the hollow curl of a wave |
Grom/Grommet - young surfer (usually under 15 or so) |
Bottom turn - the first turn at the bottom of the wave |
Shoulder - the unbroken part of the wave |
Cutback - a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave |
Pop-up - Going from lying on the board to standing, all in one jump |
Duck dive - pushing the board underwater, nose first, and diving through an oncoming wave instead of riding it |
Pearling - accidentally driving the nose of the board underwater, generally ending the ride (from "pearl diving") |
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