Foundations · 4 min read · Board: Any. A board with more volume helps a lot at first.
The skill that decides how many waves you catch. Most improvements people want come from better paddling.
Surfing is mostly paddling. Better paddlers catch more waves, from further out, with less effort, and reach the take-off with energy left to stand up.
Position
Lie on the centre line. The nose should sit just clear of the water. If the nose digs in you are too far forward, if it points to the sky you are too far back.
Chest lifted a little, back gently arched, head up and eyes on the horizon or the wave. Not on the nose of the board.
Feet together, toes off the tail. Legs still.
Stroke
Reach forward past your head, hand cupped, fingers together.
Enter the water in front of you, then pull the water under your body, all the way to your hip.
Alternate arms, long and steady. Rotate your shoulders a little with each stroke.
When you want a wave, take three or four hard strokes as the wave lifts the tail.
Mistakes
Short, splashy strokes with the elbows out. Reach and pull instead.
Head down, looking at the board. You lose the wave and your balance.
Paddling too slowly early. Beat the wave with speed, do not wait for it to catch you.
Always paddling in the middle of the pack, where you do not need to catch anything.
Drills
Twenty minutes of steady paddling before or after a session, without stopping.
Five sets of ten hard strokes with a rest in between.
Dry land: swimming and rowing build the same muscles. Surfers who swim catch more waves.
A guide is not a coach. If you can, take a lesson or surf with someone better than you.