Welcome to the second part of the ultimate guide to learning how to surf, designed especially for beginner surfers who want to improve their technique and fully enjoy every session in the water.
If you've made it this far, you surely want to discover where to surf, what the best time to hit the water is, and what surfing equipment you need to start. Additionally, we'll give you tips to learn how to surf safely and excitingly.
Get ready, because in this article we will answer the most common questions that arise when you start surfing. Learning to surf has never been so easy, safe, and fast.
Is surfing difficult?
The short answer is no, but like everything, it's full of nuances. The more you practice, the faster you'll learn, and if you think it will be too difficult for you, we recommend taking lessons at a surf school to get into the water more safely.
What type of beaches should I learn to surf on?
To make learning to surf easier, we recommend choosing a well-known beach with sandy bottoms that gradually deepen. Also, it's always better to surf with company to ensure your safety and enjoy the experience more.
The best times to surf are usually first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. During these times, the temperature difference between the sea and the land creates an airflow from warmer to colder areas, causing wind on the coast that can influence wave conditions.
This happens especially when the temperature difference between the sea and the land is wider, generally between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM, when the sun is at its highest point. During these hours, the wind tends to be stronger, which can negatively affect wave quality. Therefore, early morning and sunset are usually the favorite times to surf, as they offer better conditions.
How to tell when there are good waves?
A fundamental point to make learning to surf less difficult is to know when the conditions are best for your level. For very beginner surfers, it's ideal to ask an experienced friend or a local school. Later on, it's important to learn how to read the wave report. For this, check out our article on how to read a wave forecast to learn how to predict waves.
What dangers exist in the water?
The main risks when surfing include currents, waves larger than you can handle, and rocky bottoms, which you should especially avoid in the early stages of learning. As you can see, learning to surf is not that difficult, but it depends a lot on where you practice and the sea conditions at that moment. With proper preparation and taking precautions, you will enjoy this activity safely.
Now, how to learn to surf?
Knowing how to learn to surf is the first step. To improve your technique, consistency is key. If your goal is to become really good at catching waves, you must accept that the process will be slow and, at times, frustrating. Be patient and enjoy the progress, however small.
What should I do the first few times I go surfing?
Don't expect to surf big waves in your first month of practice. During the first few days at the beach, it's advisable to stay in the white water area, where the waves are gentler and safer for beginners.
Grab your board and position yourself just in front of where the wave breaks (make sure they are small waves, no more than 1 meter high). Wait with your board, lie on it, start paddling, and wait for the wave to propel you with its energy.
Feel the pushing force, paddle if necessary to accelerate, and when you feel like you're going fast with almost no effort, jump up!
What skills do I need to train in my sessions when I start surfing?
- Achieve good balance while paddling lying on the board.
- Train your paddling strength.
- Learn to sit on the board while waiting for waves.
- Turn your board while sitting on it without touching the bottom with your feet.
Once you know and train these skills, you will be able to paddle and eventually catch small wave faces up to 1 meter.
Other tips on how to learn to surf
- Recognize which days are good for surfing and which are "bad."
- Understand which waves to paddle for and which to let pass. For this, unfortunately, there are no magic formulas or explanations; it's just observation of the sea for hours, days, and months, until one day, without realizing it, you read it like a book and can anticipate its movements to be where you need to be at the right time.
- Try to recognize which waves go to the right or left and what type of waves run and which ones break violently and close out quickly.
What happens when demotivation appears?
Both in life and in surfing, there are times when you feel like you're not making progress, and that can lead to deep demotivation. It's important to remember that progress in surfing, like in any other aspect, is not always linear. There will be difficult days, but also moments of great satisfaction. The key is to maintain patience, learn from mistakes, and enjoy the process. Every attempt, even the failed ones, brings you a little closer to your goal.
Stay calm, it's just another stage in your surfing progression, which usually passes after a couple of weeks.
The solution in moments of stagnation:
- Analyze your movements, even using photos or videos to see if you are doing something wrong.
- Ask for advice appropriate to your level.
- Write down tips on adhesive tape on your board to keep them in mind when you're out there.
How to learn to surf fast?
As we mentioned earlier, the process of how to learn to surf fast is not realistic. Surfing is a sport that requires a lot of practice, as the sea makes it very unpredictable. Conditions constantly change, and each wave is a unique learning opportunity. Don't get frustrated if you don't see immediate results; every day in the water is a lesson in itself. Patience and perseverance are key to improving and enjoying surfing.
However, we want to give you some final tips to keep in mind when trying to learn to surf fast.
How to learn to surf fast?
- Get your own surfboard.
- Wear a wetsuit to be comfortable in the water.
- Buy a Poncho to change after your surf sessions.
- Use sunscreen.
- Don't forget to drink water before and after, as well as adapt your diet to have enough energy in the water.
- Train your paddling and the muscles in your back, shoulders, and glutes, train your speed/agility when getting up, the position of your hands and feet, the control of your body and head when standing. Focus on bending your knees with your body weight on your heels, staying low with your center of gravity close to the board.
- Observe professional surfers and the sea a lot.
- Know the surfer's rules; in this case, they are more like surf etiquette or social behavior rules, where the rights of other surfers to catch a particular wave are respected.
Don't complicate things by trying to learn to surf fast; the important thing is to do it well. Enjoy, and above all, be patient. Surfing is the journey, not the destination. Go ahead and get your own surfboard, check out our Flysurf board catalog.
