The first thing you need is the right surfboard. Most people make the mistake of trying to learn how to surf on a board that is too short. They see pros riding short boards and think that's what they need. This is wrong and will only make you frustrated and give up trying to learn.

Make sure you get a surfboard that is a least 9' long. You want it to be thick and wide as this will insure it's buoyant and stable. A good choice for learning are those soft-top boards that are like giant Boogie Boards.

Practice these first steps on the sand before you get in the water:

1. Lay the board with it's fin, (or skeg), down in the sand so the top, (or deck), is facing up.

2. Lay on the board on your stomach so your head is about 2/3 of the way towards the front, (or nose), of the board. Since you will spend a lot of time laying on your board you should invest in a rash guard or other UV protective surf shirt such as a StayDry Shirt to protect your stomach from getting a rash and your back from getting sunburned.

3. This next part is done all in one, quick motion: bring your hands up near your chest and grab the sides of the board then jump up and bring your feet up to where your hands are so you are now crouched on your feet and holding the board. Be sure you bring your feet up and under you so you are on your feet near the center of the board and that one foot is ahead of the other, (which foot is up to you).

4. Slowly stand upright as you bring your arms out to the sides for balance. Be sure to keep your knees bent.

Practice this technique,(called a 'pop-up'), until you can quickly and smoothly jump to your feet in one motion.

Now you're ready to hit the water.

Go to a beach that either has small, gentle waves or lots of whitewater you can ride on. Whitewater, (or soup), is the water that rolls towards the shore after a wave has broken. It's the best place for learning as it will be easier to catch when you paddle. You can also have someone stand in the whitewater and push you into the wave while you lay on the board.

Enter the water pointing the nose towards the waves and lay on your board.

IMPORTANT: You want to lay on the board so that the nose of the board doesn't dip into the water OR point up out of the water too high. When you start to paddle you want the nose to be parallel with the water, just skimming the surface.

To paddle keep your head up, your legs together on the board and cup your hands as you reach out into the water and draw them back along the sides of the board. Bring them out of the water down by your hips smoothly and without a lot of splash.

Once you're out and white water is coming towards you turn and point your board towards the shore, lay in the correct spot, (nose skimming the water) and start paddling. When you feel the wave pick you up and start to push you without you having to paddle you're ready to 'pop-up', (see step #3).

It will take some practice but by the end of the day you'll have a lot of fun, get a great workout and be surfing. Just get yourself a rash guard and some board shorts and you'll be a total surfer, dude!

Introduction : -
These Surf Tips are presented courtesy of BiC Surfboards, and will be
helpful to all beginer surfers, as well as those just starting to get the
hang of things on a board.


Dropping in:-

When paddling, look behind to see how the wave is going to break. As soon as
you feel the wave carrying the board fast enough so that you don´t have to
paddle, stand up right away with your legs bent, with your body slighty
forward. Keep your body compact and look toward the bottom of the wave and
decide which way you want to turn.


Front Side Bottom Turn:-


During the takeoff you must decide where you want to turn once you have got
to your feet. If the wave is slow and sluggish, turn right at the bottom of
the wave to gain as much speed as possible. If it is fast and powerful, you
won´t need to turn right at the bottom, but instead a little earlier.

Bottom Turn Backside:-

To initiate your turn, pivot your shoulders in the direction you want to
turn (towards the wave) while pressing on your back foot with a little more
weight favoring the rail of the direction of your turn. A good bottom turn
is all about timing.

Floater:-

If the wave looks like its is going to closeout in front of you it´s a good
time for a floater. This involves you going over the lip and onto the top of
the wave and hopefully catching up with a re-opening section of the wave, or
other wise getting jacked by whitewater. The KEY to a successful floater is
speed. If you aren´t going fast enough, you won´t make it over the wash.

Cutback:-

As you finish your bottom turn, the breaking wave flattens out and the
wave´s face is not slopped enough to go for a re-entry. A good option here
is a cutback. A cutback is a wide turn on the flatter part of the wave,
which will take you back to the breaking section of the wave. With lots of
speed from the bottom turn, ride as high on the breaking wave as possible,
then pivot your upper body throwing your shoulders and arms back towards the
inside of the wave while adding progressive pressure to your back foot,
driving the board on the inside rail.

Snap or Snap Back:-

Sometimes you need to slow down when in the middle of a breaking wave to
avoid getting too far in front of it. The snap back is like a cutback but
faster. First, you have to put pressure on your back foot, followed by the
pivoting of your shoulders in the direction you want to snap back. The board
will turn by itself as you turn by itself as you turn your body. This turn
is made more with the flat of the board than with it´s rail. If you go too
far, the tail will slide.

Duck Diving:-

The duck-dive allows you to pass underneath waves while paddling out.
Avoiding the wave pushing you back to shore. The first few times you try
these it will be difficult. Once you get the move down it comes in handy and
is an essential part of surfing. Paddle toward the wave you want to duck
dive. About seven feet from the approaching wave hold your board by its
rails and push down on it with your arms as you would when taking off on a
wave. This will sink the board as deep as possible into the water. As you do
this bring one knee up under you, the board will remain under water. Once
the wave has passed, you can transfer all your weight and pull up your arms.
This will move the board to the surface.

Backside Re-Entry:-

As you finish your bottom turn look toward the waves peak which will break
in front of you. When you are under the peak, push on your back foot and
direct your shoulders toward the slope of the wave. Your board will
naturally follow the directions you point your shoulders and you will ride
up the face of the wave. As you move toward the top of the face, release the
pressure on your back foot and move your forward, directing the board back
down the wave.

Frontside Re-Entry (Start):

For this one, do close to the same thing as the backside. Put weight on your
back foot, direct your shoulders toward the face of the wave. The big
difference between this move and the backside is that the impact of the wave
will be hard on your balance. Just make sure you come down balanced and in
control.

Frontside Re-Entry (Finish):-

Once you get to the top of the wave, shift your weight to the front of the
board and aim your shoulders down the face of the wave. Remember, the key is
to be balanced and in control.

Re-published with the permission of BicSport.com.