In this very special week, celebrating International Women's Day, we want to bring you a new tip that might shed some light on how to improve your surfing. Improving your paddling is one of the most important things in surfing, both for getting to the peak and for catching the wave in a comfortable position. That's why, in this week's surf tip, we're bringing you advice on how to improve your paddling.
Why is improving your paddling and entry angle so important?
Tips to improve your surfing, and especially your paddling
Do you feel like you can't catch most of the waves you paddle for? Or that when you finally catch a wave, you ride it straight instead of utilizing the face? In that case, this tip on how to improve your paddling will help you.
The aspect we will be working on in this tip is one of the most important points when going to catch a wave: the paddling angle on the wave. When calculating this angle, it's important to consider your surfing level.
Depending on our surfing level, we should be aiming for different objectives when we go surfing. A beginner surfer seeks to be able to catch a wave, an intermediate surfer seeks to learn to ride the wave face, and an advanced surfer seeks to maximize the wave's energy and face to perform maneuvers on it. Therefore, our way of paddling for a wave must vary according to our level and our objective.
Here's how your angle relative to the wave should evolve as you improve your surfing:
Improving your paddling for Beginner Surfers
A beginner surfer's goal should be to be able to advance as much as possible with their paddling, so they can catch the maximum number of waves. Therefore, they should paddle towards the beach, without an angle to the wave. This will help them advance the maximum possible distance and catch more waves.
Tips to improve your surfing and paddling – Intermediate Surfer:
The intermediate surfer's goal in their surf sessions is to improve their surfing on the wave face, once they have mastered catching waves. For this, it is important to slightly direct the board in the direction the wave is going to break: left wave to the left, and right wave to the right. Doing this in the last 2 or 3 paddles before the takeoff will position us well enough to be able to surf the face.
Tips to improve your paddling at an Advanced level
The advanced surfer has already mastered the takeoff and surfing the face "straight", and what they should try to improve in surfing is finding the points of maximum wave energy to practice their maneuvers. Therefore, it is important that when catching the wave, they approach the critical breaking zone of the wave (you can review the different parts of a wave here), where they will have little time to stand up and follow the wave line. For this reason, they must position their board at an angle of up to 45º at the moment of takeoff.
International Women's Day in Surfing
For March 8, a tribute to all women surfers.
At Flysurf, we want to pay tribute to all the women who fill the lineups every day. As an inspiration to improve your paddling and your bravery in the sea, we leave you with this video of Maya Gabeira.
She broke the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed by a woman; an incredible example of strength and technique in women's surfing.
Always dry wetsuits? The invention that makes your surfing easier
A Spanish company has found the solution.
In addition to improving your paddling, comfort out of the water also counts. The Basque company Dryfing has designed the first wetsuit washer and dryer. Capable of washing 10 suits at once, it's the perfect solution for schools and surfers who hate putting on a wet wetsuit.
Idiot Box
In case you prefer surfing to watching TV
Kael Walsh shows us how time could be spent in Western Australia during the pandemic. This region of the country was isolated from the rest of the world with strong restrictions. This level of control allowed them to live a normal life within this wave paradise. So Kael Walsh spent as much time as he could in the water, instead of watching TV.
Ready to get in the water and improve your paddling? Tell us in the comments what other advice you need to keep progressing.
