You've been surfing for a few months, maybe 6 months to a year+? And we're assuming you've already got the basics down. You can catch a broken wave and stand up easily, you even occasionally catch unbroken waves and go across the face. Whats next? How do I progress from here? As a progressive surfer here's 5 tips to improve your surfing.
1 - Surf in the right conditions - Learn what conditions suit your level at your local beach. Every surf break is different and it's about figuring out when and where you should surf. Muriwai Beach has good waves for progressing on the mid to high tide with under 2m of swell (see photo). Watch other surfers your level before going in the water and that will always give you a good idea what to expect.
2 - Start to paddle - If you are predominantly standing on the bottom when you're surfing, the next step is to build your paddle strength. This means you're always paddling for the entire surf. If you surf at a beach with currents (which is normal) you will now need to be very aware of where you are in relation to the beach. Look back at the beach as often as possible when you first start paddling out further. This will help keep you safe as you will realise if the current is taking you down the beach.
3 - Surf more often - Like anything, consistency is key. Surfing is no different and if you're serious about progressing you would want to try surf at least twice a week. In summer, daylight savings allow you to surf up until 8.30pm. Use that time and go for a sunset session!
4 - Identify unbroken waves - Reading and understanding the waves comes from spending time in the surf. You can speed this process up by being extra observant. Every wave you see, ask yourself - Is this wave a left or right? Is it step or fat? Will it close out or peel? If you like the answers - Its a fat, right that will peel. Now your next question is can I get to the wave and catch it?
*Don't understand all the surf chat, see the bottom of the page.
5 - Controlling your board on the wave - This is something that comes natural for a lot of surfers. But if you don't feel like you have control of your surfboard the most common issues will be your foot placement when you pop-up or body position when you're riding. These issues are best fixed on a bigger board in smaller waves or skateboarding is an excellent way to cross train, it teaches you a lot about your weight distribution and body and foot position. Just start slow and wear pads.
*Some words that were used that might be new.
Unbroken wave - A wave before it has broken, also called a green wave. This is the type of wave intermediate and advanced surfers ride.
Across the face - Refers to ridding across the unbroken wave. The face (or wave face) is the unbroken part of the wave.
Currents - The movement of the water in the ocean.
Left or right - The direction of the unbroken wave from the perspective of the surfer paddling for that wave. Also called a left hander or right hander.
Step or fat - A step wave is breaking harder into shallower water and will be more hollow, this is good for experienced surfers but you want to avoid them as a beginner surfer. A fat wave is more gentle and mellow. They are the perfect type of unbroken wave to start with.
Close out or peel - A wave that is closing out means it's all breaking/crashing at the same time. This stops the surfer from being able to ride across the face. A peeling wave is the opposite and what surfers are looking for. A wave that peels will break either left or right and the longer it peals for the better.
Programmes we offer that teach this level -
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