The Unconventional Guide for Learning to Surf

Where to Surf:

It is crazy how much the surfing conditions will affect your first surfing experience. I cannot recommend enough to look for a good beginner wave location. You may be wondering- what does a beginner location look like? Well, by my definition, it includes the following:

1. Zero to One-foot waves: yes, I know this sounds incredibly small, but once you are in the water and at eye level with the ocean, you will realize 0-1 foot waves are bigger than you think. 
2. Non-windy conditions: you may have heard of the phrase “the water is like glass.” This is ideally what you are looking for. The way to get this is by going surfing earlier in the day. Typically the earlier you surf, the less windy your conditions, and as a result, the nicer the waves.
3. A beach you are comfortable at this is another key factor to learning to surf. I recommend going somewhere with a sandy bottom. There is a good chance you will be falling a lot your first time(s) learning to surf. Having sand as the bottom is less scary than a reef or rocks below you. This will help keep your confidence up! I would also assess how crowded the beach is. If there is a less crowded spot you see that still has good conditions, try there first.

What to Do Before You Get in the Water:

Once you know where and when you’re going, it’s time to learn what to do before you get in the water, including knowing the board and how to handle it. Here are my recommendations to set yourself up for success:

1. Make sure you have a good beginner board: I recommend at least a 7-foot board for beginners, longer if possible. The longer the board, the easier it will be to catch a wave and balance once you stand up. Also, make sure you have a leash to put on your back foot and a wetsuit (vertical zipper goes in the back, horizontal zipper goes in the front) if the water is cold.
2. Know if you’re normal or goofy: Normal means you would put your left foot forward. Goofy means you put your right foot forward. If you are unsure of which you are, I recommend getting in stance for doing a cartwheel and whichever foot you put first is which foot you’ll put first on the surfboard. 
3. Watch instructional videos: Barefoot Surf has become a regular part of teaching friends to surf when they come to visit. Before we even put wetsuits on, they watch these. They are incredibly helpful!
   • 7 Tips beginners need to know to Start Surfing
   • How to Catch an Unbroken Wave
   • Top 9 Surf Rules you need to know
4. Lay on the board before getting in the water: test out paddling, standing up, and riding a wave while on land. Understanding this feeling is crucial when first starting out!

What to Do Once You’re in the Water:

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the water!! You’ve done a lot already and are about to finally get to what you came here for. By now, you have your wetsuit, rashguard, or swimsuit on, your leash on your back foot, and have your surfboard in hand.

Wait for the calmest time to get in: As you approach the water, wait until the waves are looking as calm as they will be before you walk in. The largest waves typically come in sets of 3. If you wait for these to roll through, it will be a much more pleasant experience getting in.

Go about waist deep: As you walk in, hold your board on your side under your dominant arm. Walk out deep enough for the water to be waist height, before the main breaking area. Here you can let your board float or hold it. Whatever you do, make sure to have the majority of the board behind you when you are facing the waves. This way if a big wave comes through, your board won’t come back and hit you.

Catch whitewash waves: I recommend catching white wash waves until you’re ready to go out past the break and catch unbroken waves. For me, this was about 6 months until I really felt comfortable to do this regularly. It will be different for everyone though. When white wash is coming up, kick off the ground with your dominant foot (this gives you some extra speed) and hop on the board just as the white wash is coming up. The white wash should catch you and push you forward. 

How to Stand Up:

Now that you’re on the wave, remember all the tips from the surf videos (it can be overwhelming, I know). Keep trying to hop on the board and make sure you caught the wave. Take these steps to stand up:

1. Do a push up on the board
2. Bring your back leg forward about 1 foot
3. Bring your front leg forward so your legs are wider than hips distance apart
4. Use your legs and core to stand up, keeping your knees bent and core engaged
5. Try to balance using your arms

This will take some trys. Once you do this, you’ve caught your first wave!!