10 tips to get started with your first surf lesson.

10 tips to get started with your first surf lesson.

Are you getting ready for a surf lesson or surf camp? We’ve compiled a list of tips to get you started with your surf!        Surf might look easy ,but soon you realize that you is not as easy as it looks. But, wait! Don’t let that put you off.

Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day and every surfer has been once where you are now.

With some great tips and tricks, you’ll soon find yourself popping up on the board instead of wiping out in the water.

So here we go! In this article, you’ll find 10 tips to get started with your first surf lesson. These include:

 

1. Have a positive attitude
2. Trust the process
3. Be physically ready
4. Start with the basics – the pop-up technique
5. Learn about water safety
6. Wear the right swimsuit/wetsuit/sunscreen
7. Eat well
8. Read to get familiar with the common terms
9. Plan in advance
10. Stay close to your pack

Keep these things in mind and you’ll be soon riding the waves like a pro.

 

A positive attitude is everything

When it comes to trying out something new for the first time, it’s natural to be nervous and apprehensive.

Same goes for learning how to surf for the first time.

Keep all negative feelings and uncertainties about not being able to learn aside.

Become involved with an open mind and be ready to give in your 100% to get the most out of the surf lesson.

You’ll be popping up on that board in a flash.

 

Trust the process of learning and leave everything else behind

One of the best things about surfing is that it empowers you to enjoy the present moment. So, you can let all your expectations fade away.

Be ready to wipe out all your frustrations, distresses and objections from your mind and, focus on living in the moment.

In the end, the best surfer is the one who has the most fun.

Once your anxiety reduces and you start feeling at easiness, you’ll soon be flowing with the waves with a huge smile on your face…and eternal memories in your heart.

Like we often say, “It’s all about having fun in the water and feeling like we’re kids again!”

 

 

Focus on your physical fitness

Surfing is an adrenaline-charged experience. But, it’s quite a physically challenging sport.

Before you join your first surf lesson, try to be in a good physical condition.

You’ll need a general range of physical abilities to paddle out, angle off your take off, catch a wave and stand up on your surfboard.

Surfing involves short spurts of cardio and adrenaline so, you should focus on doing intense workouts in short intervals.

Cool down for about thirty to sixty seconds then repeat the workout.

Popping up and paddling are two vital steps of your first surf lesson and both these steps involve extensive upper body movements.

So, before starting your surf camp, try to hit the gym and work on your shoulders, back, chest, and arm muscles.

Effective surf training will help you catch more waves, stay fit longer in the water and prevent injuries after a bad fall.

 

Practice your pop-up technique

The first step that you’re probably going to learn in your surf lesson is how to stand up on the surfboard.

Popping up on your board is something that you can easily practice by yourself. Without any coach, waves, or even a surfboard!

Your surf camp will introduce you to a number of precious tips on how to master the pop-up technique. But until you get there, you can rehearse it on a yoga mat at home.

Draw a straight line and make sure your feet land in the middle of that line.

Practicing the pop-up technique will not only prepare you better for the surf lesson, but you can also incorporate it into your interval workout!

Developing the muscles you need to pop up fast and efficiently will help you enjoy your surfing experience.Learn about rip currents and how to manage them

As a surfer, you must understand what rip currents are and how they can impact your surfing experience.

A rip current is a strong, speedy water channel that moves directly away from the shoreline and cuts through the lines of breaking waves.

Now we don’t want to scare you. We just want you to be able to identify what rip currents are and how you can keep yourself safe.

Some identifiable characteristics of a rip current include:

A line of seaweed or rubble that’s flowing gradually out to sea

A jerky channel of water, or a disturbed pattern of arriving waves.

 

It’s vital that you know how to distinguish a rip current and also how to escape one if necessary.

 

If you get caught in the current, it’s natural to feel like swimming against it and back to the shallow water. But, this won’t work as the sea is stronger than you, no matter how expert of a swimmer you are.

The best strategy is to not fight the current. Instead, swim parallel to the shore or follow the current out.

In case you can’t swim parallel, the next best option is to ride the current out and follow it to unruffled waters.

It’s always essential to remain calm and not to panic. You don’t want to waste energy by freaking out.

So, before you climb on your board and start surfing, keep the rip current safety in mind.

 

Here is a good tip to remember:

Before you get in the water, remember to have a point of reference on the beach (like a tall tree, a flag or a lifeguard chair).

This will allow you to be able to notice if the water is taking you out of your desired position in the water. And always go to surf accompanied.

 

Wear the Appropriate Surfing Attire and Sunscreen

If you’re at a surf spot where the water is cold, you’ll be required to wear a wetsuit for your surf lessons. If you surf where water is hotter you will certainly need good sun protection.

In Dominical you will never need to use wetsuit but you will definitely need a lot of sunscreen and some long-sleeves rash guards!  It will help you protect your chest from the irritation of the wax and the board along with protecting your upper body from turning lobster red.

Sunscreen for surfing

The kind of sunblock you choose must be water resistant, specifically formulated for water sports, and it should guard against both UVA and UVB rays.

It usually works for 80 minutes. So it’s best to wear a rash guard, especially if you’re escaping Northern winter.

We strongly recommend not using any normal sunscreen for your face. It will eventually leak and burn your eyes.

Tip: Use Zinc face stick to protect your face from the sun.

Ask your surf camp where you can buy this product, as it may be difficult to find in your hometown if you’re not close to the sea. You can probably find zinc face stick made specifically for surfing once you arrive at your destination.

 

Eat well

Eating well doesn’t mean to fill your tummy with a heavy meal.

Surfing is a rigorous exercise and you’d want to properly fuel your body so that it can handle a few hours’ worth of physical activity.

Avoid eating oily and greasy fast food.

Just like overeating, not eating enough could be bad too. Consuming insufficient calories could lead to exhaustion.

So take a pleasing, healthy athlete’s meal of good carbs.

Not sure what to eat?

A bowl of whole wheat oats or grain cereal with some fresh fruits would work well.

 

Read Surfing Blogs and Guides Online

You’ll find plenty of instructional guides and surfing tutorials over the internet. So, go online and read the basics of surf lessons.

You might not remember everything written in these blogs but that’s okay. Just try to acquaint yourself with the fundamentals.

This way, you’ll be fairly familiar with what occurs in the preliminary surf lesson.

You may, later on, recall all that you’ve read at some point during your surf training.

And, your body might just follow the mind when the time comes to perform those moves on the surfboard.

Here’s another benefit of reading surfing related articles: You’ll get acquainted with the common terms.

Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything. Just ask your instructor about it, that’s why he’s there.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Plan Your Surf Trip and Surf Lessons in Advance

Here’s how you can plan your trip ahead in time to avoid any last minute mood-spoilers:

Want to save money without compromising on the fun?

Avoid planning your trips around holidays such as Christmas, New Year, and Spring Break etc. as flights are super expensive during the typical holidays season.

How long of a vacation you can get off work?

If your holiday time is limited and you want to surf as much as possible then flying to Central America might be a better option!

Think about what kind of experience you want…

Do you want your holiday to be focused mainly on surfing (so that you may surf as much as possible)?

Then, choose surf lessons with only a few other students.

When learning in a small group, your coach can give you individual feedback between waves so that you can improve fast.

Or

Do you want to go low budget and stay at a hostel on the beach with less support in the water and just chill on the beach and party late at night?

Think about this since surf conditions are usually good early morning…

And drinking late at night will be counter-effective.

Booking your surf trip to a party-oriented hostel where people are not necessarily focused on surfing might spoil your experience. Especially if you want to focus your holiday on learning how to surf.

 

Serious about learning how to surf?

Check out our  intensive surf coaching weekly packages in Costa Rica.

 

Don’t stray from your fellow surfers

If your first surf lesson goes successful, you might feel encouraged to cruise alone. But, regardless of how self-reliant you feel after your lesson, don’t move too far away from your fellow surfers. As a novice surfer, you need to stay close to your pack.

Waves conditions can change quickly from one day to another.The quiet smooth little waves session you had the day before can become big waves with consequences at the same surf spot just the next day.

 

Tip: Assess the surf spot with someone of experience before going on your own. A general rule of thumb is:

Don’t paddle out if you’re not 100% sure you can make it back to the beach withouth your board, swimming by yourself (in case you lose your board out there).

Find information about the spot, the tides and the local crew surfing there. You definitely want to be careful not to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and piss off the more skilled surfers. This could ruin both your and their experience.

 

If you’ve got some free time after the lesson and you want to have fun in the water, ask your surf coach if he feels you’re ready to go by yourself.

 

And then ask some fellow learners to join you. It’s better than taking the risk of going alone in a place where you don’t know…

The key to learn surfing is not to stress out over your surf lesson.

Remember, the whole learning process is supposed to be enjoyable and exciting.

So, join your surf lessons with the right attitude, be prepared to learn new things, and practice them as much as you can.

Now that you know what to do to ace your surf lessons, it’s time to practice these cool tips.

Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience with other beginner surfers who are equally passionate about learning surfing.