Paddling with the best form will really make a difference with your surfing!
Paddling correctly will really make a huge difference with your surfing performance! And you will have way more fun and catching so many more waves too!! Have you ever thought about if your paddling skills are the best you could do? Check this is out, as it will help improve your paddling skills. Aloha! Enjoy some great tips for you!
- First, you need to be relaxed on your surfboard and have your body weight centered & positioned 50% on either side of the stringer or middle of your surfboard.
- Second, you want to arch your lower back and be up on your ribs with your legs together straight and relaxed.
- Third, you need to be looking forward in the direction you are going.
- Fourth, check where the wave is behind and start paddling to make sure you will have enough time to catch the nalu (i.e. wave in Hawaiian).
- Fifth, You can also improve your paddling by keeping your fingers together and pulling through the Moana (in Hawaiian ocean) starting by digging in by reaching as far forward and bringing each hand through and over arm. It’s very important when you pull your hands through to extend down past your hips before you pull out. Many people learn paddling by starting to pull out just past their lower chest. But you need to pull all the way through to improve your paddling.
If you don’t have a chance to surf or paddle very much, but you want to keep your paddling skills strong in your upper body, use this exercise to help maintain your upper body strength. Put on your fun sassy music, turn on a music video or what keeps your body moving, so you don’t get bored and quit. Perform the free style stroke 5 minutes a day and this will help you greatly. If you want to do it longer, it will improve your paddling and keep your upper body stronger when you can’t go surfing, as many of us do daily or at least a few times a week.
It’s also important to check the area you plan to go surfing 1st. If you have a better understanding where the waves are breaking and the rip currents to help you get back out to surf before paddling out into the waves each time, this is huge for you and your surfing!!!
What we always share with our clients is to watch the currents, waves breaking and timing of the sets coming for 10-20 minutes. If the waves are to big for your ability its, much better for you go down the road to find the best waves that will suit your paddling and surfing skills. This way you will feel much more comfortable in the surf. Feeling good when you are surfing and not being in to big of waves for yourself helps you progress so much faster. Its always so much more enjoyable to surf with fewer people in the ocean you choose to surf, which will give you so much more confidence as well!
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Happy Surfing and All The Best for all of you! We welcome you to come visit us on Oahu and Maui in Hawaii or down on the Gold Coast in Australia. www.surfclinics.com
And you can email Nancy on nancy@surfclinics.com or Text on our Hawaiian mobile number
+1 (808) 294-5544