Published on March 16, 2018 Comment(s): 0
Has the thought of riding a fiberglass board on top of the moving ocean taken your fancy? Maybe you have seen surfers out in the water having an amazing time, or you watched some incredible videos. Some people have said that learning to surf has changed their life, so maybe it can change yours too. We have put some top tips together to help you get started whilst being safe and having fun.
• Choose a good location
When it comes to surfing, one important thing to know is that there are different types of waves. These include:
• Reef breaks: These waves will break over coral reef or rock shelves. They are often predictable and consistent. This is one of the reasons why reef break waves are so much fun and great for beginners.
• Point breaks: These are the type of wave that will wrap around any point of land that sticks out from the shore. If the wave comes in from the right direction, it can make for some of the longest waves to surf.
• Beach breaks: These are waves that will break over sandbars. These can differ from each other depending on the quality of the sandbar itself. Thanks to the sandy bottom, this makes them the perfect choice of wave for beginners.
In addition to this, there is also a wave season. Most places will have an on season, you can easily find out when the wave season is in your area, this will be when the waves are consistent and bigger. In contrast to this, you can also have an off season. Waves during this period of time tend to be smaller and occur less often. It is recommended that, when you first start to learn to surf, the best time to go is during the off season because the waves will be more manageable and less crowded. Although, one thing to note, when you begin to learn, the wave quality won’t make much of a difference.
One other good thing to do to help improve your surfing is to start to read the waves. You can have great balance and be strong, but if you struggle to read where the waves are breaking, you won’t be able to surf any when you are out there. The skill required to read waves is tough, it requires time and practice, but it is something that you will learn over time. Why not consider, before going out, spending some time sitting on the beach watching the waves? Try to notice patterns, look for where the wave breaks and in what direction. You should also take into consideration whether the tide is high or low and also what the wind is doing.
• Prepare Your Body
Many don’t realise, but surfing is a physically demanding sport. It requires a mixture of strength, balance, power, flexibility and endurance. Here are some things you can look at working on before getting on the board.
Get comfortable in the water
This is important, so consider spending some time in the ocean or even the pool. As well as helping you get comfortable in the water, swimming is also the perfect way to develop your paddling strength. For beginners, the biggest obstacle they have when surfing is being afraid of the ocean. The best way to increase your confidence in the ocean is to spend some in there, and you can also practice your breath-holding.
Improve your balance
To master the art of surfing, you also have to master balance. The good news is that you can improve your balance simply by doing some training. One of the best ways to do this is by using a balance board, bosu ball or an indo ball. These are the best options as they are able to simulate the surfing motion. Look at adding 10 – 20 minutes of balance work a few times a week.
• Get The Right Gear
Surfing is a lot of fun, but the gear you use is also very important. Wet suits are essential to help increase your time in the water. But, if you are lucky enough to surf in warm water, this is something that you won’t necessarily need to invest in. When investing in a wetsuit, it's important to do your research. Buying the wrong wetsuit may prevent you from enjoying your experience out in the water. Comfort and warmth are the first factors to consider, you should have a rough idea of the average temperature of the water where you will be surfing. A good fit is essential, as an ill-fitting wetsuit will not keep you warm!
Why not add Charlie McLeod’s HYPERLINK "http://www.charliemcleod.co.uk/category/driathlon/"Driathlon as a key part of your kit? This is a highly absorbent performance microfibre piece of kit that will not only have you dry in seconds, but it will also able to offer a quick changing system water side. Once you have changed, you can roll up your Driathlon using the elastic strap.
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