Tips For Beginner Surfers to Have a Swell Time

You’ve made the decision that you want to try your hand at surfing and you’re all excited for your stand-up paddleboard (SUP) surfing journey to begin! But, before you can shred those waves like a pro, you’ve got to get familiar with some tips for beginner surfers that will help you to seas the day! So, get on board as we unload a wave of knowledge that will turn you into a surfing legend in no time at all! 

Surfer on Board!

Before you can get out on the water effectively, you’ll need to learn how to mount and dismount your board. Follow these 4 simple steps and repeat until you get the hang of it!

1. Stand beside your board in knee-deep water (make sure the fins aren’t touching the sand or rocks below)
2. Hold the edges of your board and slowly work your way onto the board in a kneeling position. You’ll want to make sure you’re positioned behind the center point, which is where the carry handle is.
3. Keep your hands gripping the side of the board and slowly move your feet to where your knees were. Do this one foot at a time.
4. Stand up slowly; starting by raising your chest up while keeping your knees bent. When your chest is vertical, you can extend your legs and stand up. 

Balancing Can be a Beach!

Without the right tips for beginner surfers to guide you, balancing can be tricky at best and downright impossible at worst. Follow the below steps and repeat until you feel comfortable!

1. Position your feet hip-distance apart between the edges of your board
2. Keep your toes pointed forward while bending your knees slightly and ensuring your back is straight
3. Keep your head and shoulders steady and shift your weight by moving your hips, rather than swaying your whole body
4. Keep your eyes forward (toward the horizon) and do not look down at your feet as you’ll potentially overbalance

If you find it tough to balance, one of our tips for beginner surfers is to pick a board that is built for stability like the AquaPlanet Wilderness. This board will allow you to find your feet much faster and will protect you from unexpected bumps and scrapes once your skills improve and you get out on the waves!

Water You Supposed to Do With Your Paddle?

Paddling isn’t too tough to master with the right technique, so why pout when you can ride the waves like a pro? The below simple tips for beginner surfers will help you paddle effectively wherever you need to go!

1. Angle the blade of your paddle forward from the shaft, toward the nose (front) of your board
2. When paddling on the right side of your board, your right hand should be lower on the shaft with your left on the T-grip, toward the top. Reverse your hand positions when you need to paddle on the left. 

If you find that paddling requires a lot of effort, then pick a board that’s lightweight and won’t weigh you down. The Hurley PhantomSurf Ombre is a compact board that’s built to be easy to transport and easy to move on the water. The lack of weight means you need far less power to maneuver your board, even in choppy conditions.

Wave Goodbye to Your Troubles

When it comes to catching small waves, we’ve got some important tips for beginner surfers. Choosing an iSUP is the ideal starting point for surfing since the extra power and control provided by the paddle make it possible to surf smaller waves, which is far less scary than barreling into a monster wave on your first try! To surf small waves effectively, practice the below steps:

1. Paddle onto your selected wave and stand closer to the nose of your board with the tail (back) and fins out of the water
2. Use smaller and gentler SUP strokes to get onto the wave, or else your board will start turning
3. Let the wave pick your board up. You will feel it beginning to push your board the opposite direction of where you are facing
4. When on the wave, lean back and keep the tail and fins out of the water. Begin trimming your board (gently lean to one direction so that your board begins to turn)
5. To fully turn back around, lean forward and let the fins enter the water. The board will begin turning automatically if you have trimmed successfully
6. You’re surfing! Yeah, bouy!

If you want to surf with extra precision and really build your skills quickly, you should opt for a board that is purpose-built for the job. The AquaPlanet Wingtail has a unique wing tail design that lets you carve up waves in style and provides amazing connection to the water, so you can always feel exactly what’s happening and react accordingly!

Started Foam the Bottom Now We’re Here!

With this list of tips for beginner surfers, you should have the toolkit to effectively begin your surfing journey! Make sure to choose the right board for your needs and get in plenty of practice. Keep in mind, that perfecting each step of our tips for beginner surfers guide will take time, so be patient and remember that success isn’t instant, it comes in waves!