Surfing waves and surfing with style are two different worlds. Learn how to become a graceful surfer.
A stylish surfer is someone who knows how and when to blend a gracious, smooth, and elegant approach with a fast, intuitive, and radical attitude towards different waves in various conditions.
In surfing, style can be a trend, but it should be more than that. Style defines who we are in a timeless way.
Take Miki "Da Cat" Dora, for instance. His signature hands-in-the-air surf style is still copied today by the younger generations.
Someone once said that style is everything. It's a signature; it's your mark. The truth is that style is always perceived, no matter how inexperienced you are.
Surf style starts when you're paddling, continues through your stance, and ends when you navigate the whitewater towards the beach.
However, we tend to believe that we surf better than we actually do.
Unfortunately, our surfing skills would not always win heats, and that is why we should be open to improvement.
From Good to Great
So, getting from good to great in surfing is generally a long journey. Yes, there are a few valuable shortcuts, and we're breaking them down for you.
Some say that the more they surf, the more they know there's a long road to perfection. Advanced surfing is all about details, experience, intelligence, and savvy choices.
Take a look at ten critical actions that will help you become a stylish surfer:
- Film Yourself: You will never improve a bottom turn if you have never seen how you do it;
- Watch Other Surfers: Take your time and analyze how your fellow surfers perform while you wait for the next set;
- Surf Through Winter: Surfing in adverse weather conditions will prepare you for the perfect-peeling summer waves;
- Stay Fit: Put processed food, sugary drinks, and cigarettes aside and follow a healthy diet;
- Read About Surfing Techniques: Surf books are encyclopedias of knowledge, and they will make you a better surfer;
- Study Surf Videos: There are thousands of clips on the web that will help you overcome your Achilles' heels;
- Train Visualization: Observe the lineup before paddling out and create a mental image of what you are going to do when you get there;
- Submit Your Surfing to a Master Critic: Ask an experienced surfer to monitor and scrutinize your surf;
- Know Your Surfboards and Your Waves: Understand your surfboard shapes, the fins setups you choose, and the behavior of your favorite surf breaks;
- Ride a Longboard Skateboard: Rehearse the moves, move from rail to rail, and smoothen your surf lines in the asphalt world;