Surfing 101: 5 Longboard Surfing Tips

If you just picked up your first longboard and you're itching to try it out, we suggest taking a deep breath and reading up on a few surfing tips. Unfortunately, jumping on your longboard for the first time without learning a few simple how-to's can lead to a disastrous beginning. Below we've listed 5 tips that will help you have a successful surfing experience.

1. The back of the board is your friend. Standing further back on your longboard gives you increased control. In this position, you'll have an easier time maneuvering your surfboard with your back foot.
2. The space between your feet matters. A shoulder width stance ups your balance and maximizes your center of gravity, which is crucial to staying on your feet. Too wide or too narrow a stance can negatively affect your ability to ride a wave.
3. Be aware of your upper body. Leaning too far forward at your waist makes controlling your longboard more difficult. A slight bend is best and will offer you the most control. Don't worry if you feel uncomfortable at first, with practice your body will become used to the positioning and it will soon feel like second nature.
4. Pop up to your feet not to your knees. When you are getting ready to pop up on your surfboard, its best to go straight to feet instead of popping up to your knees. While it may seem easier, it's actually harder to transition from your knees to your feet. To get used to the motion, practice popping up before getting into the water. Eventually, getting to your feet in one swift motion will feel natural to you, until then continue to practice in and out of the water.
5. Bend your knees for speed. Bending your knees helps you pick up speed while you are riding a wave. Experimenting with this concept is really the only way to gauge what works best for you. After you've mastered standing on your longboard, you'll want to play around with this approach to better understand how your speed changes with the positioning of your knees.

If you would like to purchase a longboard, please contact us today to view our inventory of new and used surfboards.