Common Surfing Mistakes

Surfing is a discipline that, like any other, requires technique and practice for mastery. However, in the learning process, it is common to make a series of mistakes that can affect not only the surfer's progress but also their safety. Below are some of the most common mistakes made by beginner surfers, with the aim of helping to identify and correct them to improve the experience in the water.

Some of the most common mistakes in surfing include

• Lying too far back on the board: This is one of the most common errors. If you position yourself too far back, the tail of the board sinks and the tip rises, making paddling difficult, catching the wave properly, and standing up. A correct position (belly button over the board's center of gravity) facilitates gliding on the water, allowing you to catch the wave with speed and at the right moment.

• Paddling without fully extending the arms: When paddling, it's important to fully extend the arms. A short and shallow paddle will not provide you with the necessary momentum to catch the wave. The correct technique involves a wide arm movement at the beginning and end of the stroke and deep in the underwater section.

• Excessively spreading the fingers while paddling: The fingers should be slightly separated but not exaggerated. Excessive separation decreases the efficiency of the stroke, as it reduces the push surface against the water. Imagine that your hands are paddles sliding through the water to propel you forward.

• Grabbing the edges of the board when standing up: This error is very common among beginners. By grabbing the edges, you reduce the ability to create space under the chest to place the front foot. Hands should be placed next to the board's edges.

• Placing the hands too far forward when standing up: When standing up, if the hands are placed too far forward, it makes it difficult to position the feet correctly. The hands should be aligned with the chest and the elbows close to the body.

• Sliding the body backward when extending the arms: This mistake causes the board to slow down and makes standing up uncomfortable.

• Supporting the knees and detaching the hands when standing up: Some beginners tend to support their knees on the board as an intermediate step before standing up. This method can create bad habits and affect speed and stability. The ideal is to perform a fluid movement directly to the standing position, without supporting the knees.

• Not looking in the right direction when standing up: Many beginners tend to look at their feet, the board, or toward the shore when standing up, which can lead to going down the wave in the wrong direction, or going straight down. To properly cross a wave, it is very important to locate the wave's escape while paddling and turn the body and board in the correct direction and angle.

Do you want to learn to surf and stop making mistakes?

Correcting these common mistakes is fundamental for progressing in surfing. Constant practice, patience, and, if possible, the guidance of an experienced instructor can accelerate the learning process and make the surfing experience much more rewarding and safe.

At Oceanside Gran Canaria, we are your surf school in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Discover our surf courses for all ages and levels.