Improve your surfing and make more turns
3
Min Read Time

Are you missing the best sections of every wave

Most average surfers will miss the best part of a wave, opting to kick out before they've done a turn. Isn't the point to do something fun on the wave? Not give up early and kick out?

Do you finish a surf thinking, I did nothing or I never found any sections to work with. Was it just close out after close out while you hunted for one good one?

What I said, regardless of how much it's closing out, there's sections to hit but you're just not seeing them? Crazy? Yes, no, maybe? Either way, I'm going to show you how to find a section in every wave and how to start work.

Safety surfing is boring. Time to be rid of it.

Close outs are your friend

Crazy...Surely, but, how many times have you done this?

You surf down the line, racing ahead, looking for a section, waiting for this thing to stand up and it never does.

As far as you're aware, no magic section has stood up or you've raced ahead of the wave and missed the pocket. The wave closes out and you kick out.

Why?

Why not hit the close out or oncoming foam? That's your perfect opportunity right there!

If you're working on your turns, guess what! The foam will help redirect you back down the wave. Win-Win! What would you rather do? Kick out or the below?

Progress as an intermediate surfer
Train to do better turns

Ok so maybe not the pro's, but at least start getting into this habit.

Average surfer hitting the end section
Be this guy right here on close outs

This is some average surfer, see's the end section coming and knows that's as good as any section to hit and will redirect them back to the foam.Start trying to turn off them or float over them.Obviously you also have when the whole wave closes out. This is just as good, but not as gentle.I still want you to hit that. If you're worried or scared, just attempt it and kick the board away from you. Safe.

Fail forwards

You've heard it before, we'll keep repeating it. You've gotta surf with the goal of falling off. Push yourself and get out of your comfort zone. It's too easy to kick out and you may get back out quicker and hunt for another wave, but you missed a great opportunity that was just there for you. If you hit the end section, you allow yourself to learn. You could do a turn, nurse a turn, wipeout or do one of the best turns you've ever done. All of those options are infinitely better. If you do not try, you do not learn. If you kick out, all you learn is how to kick out.  

Replacing this bad habit

First things first, yes there is gonna be fear of hitting the end sections, sometimes we just can't get there in time, but not even trying is a bad habit that's gotta go, and fast.What you need is a trigger word and some awareness. 

If you see an end section coming, say to yourself any of these:

  • Hit it
  • End section
  • Close out
  • Fail forwards

Anything, what ever you decide or what resonates with you.Just say it to break the pattern of bad habits and remind yourself, the one task is to hit that section and fail forwards. 

Do you have a long list of bad habits that need replacing? Feel like you need to rework or establish all of the foundations, the 12 Week Program will walk you through, step by step, at your own pace, how to work and improve on all of these.

Written by
Luke Hardacre
surf coaching