Learn to Surf
Learning to surf can often be a frustrating
experience. To assist you in getting the most from your time in the water we
have put together a few pages to help you get on your way.
It’s perfectly acceptable and highly recommended to take surfing lessons when you’re just beginning. You might think surfing is straight forward and that you will have the natural
ability to pick it up right away, but the reality is that surfing is a very
difficult sport when you first start out and there are loads of little tips that
you can gain only from a surf instructing professional.
Surf lessons can be private or in groups and usually last
for about an hour. It is likely that you will be given a foam board that
is nearly 10 feet long and very lightweight for your first lesson. These types of boards give maximum
float and are easy to paddle. Most surf schools ensure that you will stand up
on a wave. If you don’t, you can usually return for another lesson for free
until you nail it. It might seem unnecessary and uncool, but a beginning surf lesson
will likely accelerate your surfing ability more than the trial and error of
learning on your own. If you go it alone, your learning curve will likely be
slower, more painful, and can even be dangerous.
Another thing to keep in mind is that friends who
are good surfers, are not nessacarily good surf instructors. Some of your
friends may have been surfing for years, but if you ask them to help you learn,
they could end up teaching you incorrect techniques. You and your experienced
surfing friends might paddle out together, but your friends might leave you
treading water at the lineup while they’re catching all the waves.
That’s why you are much better off parcelling out
the $50 or so for a first lesson. Surf instructors get paid to answer questions
and help you onto a wave. Their primary goal is for you to have a ball while
riding your first wave. To take full advantage of the time you have with your
instructor, it is wise to prepare a list of questions you can ask. There’s no
limit to the ridiculous or stupid questions you can ask a surf instructor.
Surf instructors make sure they take their pupils to
beginner surf breaks that are usually a bit crowded. This can be a most
mortifying experience, but you will be among others who are in the same boat as
you. One thing is for sure: Wherever it is you go with your teacher, he or she
won’t paddle you out to a break that you can’t manage, so you know you will be
safe and taken care of. For this reason, surf lessons guarantee that you will
paddle back out another day wanting more. Goodness knows you don’t want to be
in over your head or get injured and be too frightened to try the sport again.
So begin off on the right foot by taking one surf lesson. Once you get that
initial lesson out of the way, you’ll feel far more confident going it alone thenceforth.
