SURFING SRI LANKA 08 BEGINNERS SURF TIPS

Learning to surf is no easy task. Whether
you’re taking surf lessons at our surf
camp in Sri Lanka or learning elsewhere, the road to riding your first wave is often riddled with wipeouts, embarrassments and tiny
frustrations. Despite all of that, no feeling
in the world compares to riding your first
wave. Here at our Sri Lanka surf camp,
The Surfer Weligama, we take pride on the skills of our expert surf instructors, who will be with you every step of the way during your learning process. To excel in surfing, you need a strong understanding of basic surf fundamentals and wave mechanics. So, whether you’re making your first steps in surfing at our surf camp The Surfer Weligama, learning to ride Sri Lanka beginner friendly waves by yourself or practicing elsewhere, keep reading for The Surfer Weligama’s 8 Beginner Surf Tips.

1. Position yourself correctly on the board

At our surf camp in Weligama, surf lessons begin on the shore in the sand, not in the water. On the beginner surf beach right in front of The Surfer Sri Lanka, our knowledgeable instructors will guide you through a lesson in wave mechanics, surf theory, and surf fundamentals. One of the first techniques you will learn is effective paddling. Proper paddle technique begins with your positioning on the board. If you’re too far forward on the board, you’ll nosedive when trying to paddle into a wave. If you’re too close to the tail of the board, you’ll create unnecessary drag, which will allow waves to roll under you as you try to paddle into them. Find the sweet spot on your board with a little trial and error and remember the spot on the board using a point of reference, such as your head’s position compared to the board’s logo.

2. Paddle effectively

Efficient paddling is key factor in your surfing progression. At The Surfer Weligama our instructors pay close attention to your paddling technique to make sure it is correct and effective. 
And the main step in mastering the proper 
paddling is to execute proper stroke form. To do this, reach one hand above your head (parallel to the water), and with a cupped hand dig into the water and pull your extend arm back towards you until it is perpendicular to your board point straight down underwater. Your stroke must stop when your arm is perpendicular to the board, if the stroke continues further back, your momentum will shift from forwards to downwards. 
During your surf lessons at our Sri Lanka 
surf camp, our surf instructors will review 
proper paddle technique before you enter 
the water. 

3. Don’t cheat on the popup

Learning to pop-up properly is vital in 
progressing as a surfer. On your Sri Lanka surf trip you will be keen-on catching every wave you possibly can. And even with good paddling and perfect positioning, your pop-up technique will make it or break it. 
If you want to learn new manoeuvres, ride shorter boards, and surf bigger waves, you’ll need to make sure your pop-up is flawless. New surfers are often tempted to “cheat” when they pop-up, by either grabbing the board’s rails or using a knee to help get to their feet. Both of these manoeuvres may work on exceptionally large learning boards, but they will ultimately throw you off balance and cause problems in your surfing progression if they become habit. To pop-up properly, place your hands flat on the board under your chest (like you’re doing a pushup), arch your back and raise your chest off the board as you feel the lift of the wave, and finally hop to your feet placing your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. You should be in a low, athletic stance. Our top rated surf instructors at The Surfer surf camp Sri Lanka will ensure you’re popping up correctly on each wave. 

4. Look down the line

At the stage of beginner surfing many people struggle riding on the face of the wave, and instead, end up surfing towards the shore in the flats. A simple solution that we employ at our Sri Lanka surf camp is to turn and look the direction you wish to surf. In surfing, where your head and shoulders face, your hips and board will follow. So, when you paddle into a wave and pop-up, turn and look in the direction you wish to ride.

5. Stay low

In surfing, maintaining a low centre of gravity will ensure you stay on your board and keep momentum down the line. Many new surfers attempt to achieve a low centre of gravity by bending at the waist. This, ultimately, puts them off balance and reduces the amount of control they have over the board. Instead of bending at the waist, ride with a slight bend in the knees, in a low athletic stance. Our instructors at The Surfer Weligama surf camp will make sure you follow the best surf practices and review proper surf posture before your first lesson.

6. Take off at the peak of the wave

During your first few lessons at our surf school at The Surfer surf and yoga camp Sri Lanka, you’ll start surfing on the inside, riding whitewater reforms. Eventually, as you progress, you’ll end up in the lineup. At your beginner surf stage, catching open-faced waves can present a new set of challenges. Many surfers try to paddle into waves on the shoulder, where the wave is smaller. Unfortunately, the shoulder of the wave lacks the steepness required to drop into a wave. The easiest place to take off on a wave is at the peak. The peak is the steepest part of the wave, where it first begins to break. As hard as it sounds, at our surf school at The Surfer Weligama we make sure you will make things right from the start following best surf techniques vital for your speedy progression.

7. Choose the right board

New surfers often want to abandone longboards as soon as they ride their first clean wave. Downsizing your board too quickly will stunt your progression as a surfer. While shorter boards are more manoeuvrable, they are far less buoyant and stable than longboards. At our surf camp The Surfer Sri Lanka we recommend beginner surfers to stay on longboards as long as it needed to learn wave mechanics, how to generate speed and how to turn. The talented instructors at our surf camp The Surfer Weligama will make sure you’re riding the correct board for your skill level.

8. Have fun!

Even though learning to surf can be a long and sometimes frustrating process, it should, above all, be fun! Sri Lanka best surfing beaches with its variety of beginner friendly waves will definitely help. As well as experienced surf instructors, keen to put you up and ripping in no time. At our Sri Lanka surf camp The Surfer Weligama we do our best to make learning process as fun and humanly as possible. Once you catch your first wave, you’ll forget about everything else and only think about catching the next one. We can’t wait to see you in the water!