Summer’s a great time to hit the beach and learn how to surf! You can practice the basics on baby waves. But after a while, you may want a bigger challenge. Sure—but don’t be an idiot about it. Here are some tips on how to take on the bigger waves.
Find a partner
As a safety precaution, it’s best to have someone near you. You never know what’ll happen, and it’s good to have a ‘back up’ to help you out of any trouble.
Reacquiant yourself with the basics
Even if you think you’ve got the basic surfing movements down pat, it’s still best to spend some time practicing the moves on the sand. Surfing involves good form, and it’s especially important to have that when you’re riding a big wave. Practicing on the sand makes you conscious of how your body should be aligned.
If you’re rolling your eyes and thinking, ‘Oh man, I’m so good I don’t even have to do that!’ then we have to burst your bubble. Arrogance can get you killed, especially when you’re out in the deep ocean where all the big waves are. Even the most successful surfers will tell you that, and if you’re just after a quick bit of fun or a chance to show off to the girls on the beach, we have only one thing to say: we hope you’ve got good insurance coverage.
Enlist an instructor
There are many surfing instructors who can help you prepare for the big waves. Those waves pose plenty of challenges and an instructor will be able to warn you and teach you some important moves. While you can, in theory, learn them on your own, the biggest question is…why? It’ll take longer and is much more dangerous to tackle a big wave without any idea of what to expect. Besides, you’ll need someone with you (see the first tip) and a surfing instructor is your best bet: not only can he help you in case you’re in trouble, he can tell you what went wrong and give you tips so you don’t make the same mistake.
Prepare for the fall
You will fall—nobody, not even the professional surfers, has 100% success rate. That is why one of the most important things to learn before you tackle the big waves is how to go under without hurting yourself and increasing your risk for drowning.
Photo from kaneva.com
Leave a Reply