Surfing Coaching
We think it’s time surf coaching grew up. We often hear experienced surfers say “I don’t need a surf lesson. I already surf.” We think this says a lot about the level of coaching people have come to expect. Surf schools have a reputation as having nothing to offer surfers beyond learning to stand up. Of course, there is a lot more fun to be had than that. Good coaching is important as you progress because so many technical aspects of surfing are very counter intuitive. So, why not expect as much from a professional surf coach as you would from a coach in other more main stream sport like golf or tennis? A surf coach should be a skilled teacher, an articulate communicator, not to mention an ocean safety expert.
What We Do
We take a logical, analytical approach. You will never hear us offering ambiguous advice like ‘feel the rhythm of the wave,’ instead we would simply communicate that this or that specific body movement needs to be your main focus on your next wave. We have broken surfing down into specific skill sets. We then teach them so that each new skill forms a basis for the next. We have found this approach demystifies surfing, accelerates progress, and builds confidence. It allows people of all ages and abilities to get into the sport of surfing and helps experienced surfers to develop greater speed, power and flow.
“You’re Going To Teach Me To Fish?”
We go with the ‘teach a man to fish rather than give him a fish’ approach. In every lesson you’ll learn a specific skill and know why you are learning it, as well as how it fits into the bigger picture. We lay down a clear road map from the first day you set foot in the ocean. We will make sure you understand which are the important skill sets for you to focus on and what mastering those skills will then allow you to do. The idea is that you can coach yourself right up to performing committed maneuvers in the critical part of the wave. After all, the faster you improve, the more fun you have. This is the scientific discipline of having fun in waves.
Theory Lessons
There are a lot of things which are much easier to communicate with a TV screen and a white board, rather than on the beach. So each day we have theory lessons covering every aspect of surfing from swell forecasting, to board design and etiquette not to mention the time we’ll spend in the pool working on paddle technique, duck diving , turtle rolling and then of course there’s the best tool we have… video analysis.
Using Video Analysis
Things always feel very different to how they look, so one of our best teaching tools is the video camera. Video coaching enables us to show you exactly what you need to do to progress your surfing to the next level. We film from the beach or even mount a camera on your surfboard to get the footage which is most helpful to you. Every level, from beginners to competitive surfers all benefit greatly from the video coaching experience, it’s great fun too!
After the surf session, we relax back at the resort and watch the footage on the big screen. It’s always a little humbling seeing yourself surf, it’s like hearing yourself sing, but it’s also a lot of fun and incredibly productive. Afterwards, we cut the footage together and make you your own mini surf movie. We do this every week and here’s one of our favorites from Januray 2012. You can check out all our weekly movies our YouTube channel.
