Surfing Skillz

Haven’t you ever dreamt about what it’s like to ride a wave? Ride on water? Feel the connection? Well, surfing has all of those qualities. If you want to know how to surf you need to follow these step by step instructions along with a little background knowledge about how surfing became a sport.

Layout

First, you need to know how to lay on a surfboard. Most people know how to lay but they don’t know how to get up from the surfboard and it all has to do with the way you’re positioned when you’re on the ground. When you’re laying on the surfboard, your stomach should be flat on the board. Stick your legs straight together and have your feet pointed.

Once you have mastered the skill of laying on the surfboard you have to know the technique to get up into a half squat. Make sure you’re paddling the water first and once you think the wave is big, place both palms on the board and push up along with the dominant foot sliding upward into a mountain climber position.

How to balance

If you want to learn how to surf then you have to know how to stand on a surfboard. When you’re about to get up from a surfboard you should use your dominant foot so you can balance your body on the surfboard. Then once you get up from the surfboard, you have to bend your knees into a half squat. Make sure that your legs are both positioned equally of the stringer. If your board has no stringer imagine a straight line across to help you.

Riding a wave

Once you know how to get up from the surfboard you need to learn how to ride a wave. A way to practice riding a wave is by putting a jar or something that’s cylindrical that won’t break and putting a boogie board on top of the cylinder object. Place the cylinder object and the boogie board on a flat surface so the cylinder can move side to side easily. Practice balancing by standing on the surfboard.

Maintaining your balance

This is a bit confusing but bear with me. If you want to keep your balance straight on the surfboard, start with the single leg balance. Begin with the right leg.  Slowly lift the left leg forward while making sure the right leg is slightly bent. Hold this position for 60 seconds and repeat for the other leg. Make sure your spine is straight or you’re going to wipe out easily. Engage with your core muscles. That is very important if your learning how to maintain your balance on a surfboard.

How was surfing invented…

Tahitians were said to be standing on their boards occasionally. Standing on a board on top of a wave was perfected if not invented in Hawai’i. The first surfers to ever surf a wave were two fishermen. They thought it would be a good method for getting their catch and bringing them back to the surface.

Who made the surfboard?

Tom Blake, American Surfer, attached plywood over crossbeams to make a “hollow” board. He then added a pin under the surfboard to steer the board better.