Fundamental surfing manoeuvres

Surfing is an exciting and challenging sport that requires a certain skill set to navigate the waves. The most important manoeuvres include take off, bottom turn, cut back and floater as well as more advanced moves like air, tube riding, tail slide and the 180 turn. It’s important you learn these manoeuvres under the guidance of experts through surf lessons and in combination with yoga to improve your technique. You should also choose the right beach for surfing and use the best equipment for your safety.

Basic surfing manoeuvres

For beginner surfers it is important to learn the basic surfing moves to improve technique and to enjoy the waves to the fullest extent. The four basic manoeuvres that all surfers should know are: take off, bottom turn, cutback and floater.

Take Off: the first move on a wave

Take off is the first move every surfer has to learn. It consists of getting up on your surfboard and getting up speed on the wave, which is vital in order to carry out other manoeuvres. For a successful take off, the surfer must lie face down on the board, position their feet at the rear of the board and paddle with their arms to gain speed. Once you feel the wave is pushing you forward, push yourself up with your arms and stand up on the board.

Bottom Turn: backbone for any manoeuvre

The bottom turn sets you up for any manoeuvre on the wave. It is the movement you make to turn the board towards the top of the wave and prepare for the next manoeuvre. It consists of changing direction towards the face of the wave right after take off, bending the knees and turning the body towards the face of the wave.

Cut Back: returning to the breaking part of the wave

The cutback is the manoeuvre performed right after the bottom turn to take the surfer back towards the curl. This enables the surfer to stay with the wave and maintain speed. To perform it, the surfer must make a turn at the top of the wave, transferring weight to the back foot and turning the body in the opposite direction to that of the bottom turn.

Floater: keeping up speed

The floater manoeuvre is performed when riding over the closing section of a wave. It allows the surfer to exit the section and maintain speed without having to do a bottom turn. To perform the floater, the surfer must turn the board towards the top of the wave and ride over the lip of the wave, bringing arms and legs together.

These four manoeuvres are fundamental for any surfer wanting to progress and perform more advanced moves. It is important to practise them over and over again in order to improve technique and to be able to enjoy surfing to the fullest.

Advanced surfing manoeuvres

Advanced surfing manoeuvres require a higher level of skill and technique than the basic ones. The following manoeuvres are the key to success in competitive surfing and to improving your water skills.

Air: taking the surfboard into the air

The aerial movement (air) is one of the most impressive movements in surfing. It consists of “jumping” out of the lip of the wave and then landing inside it to continue riding the wave. To perform an aerial movement, you need lots of speed and great body technique.

Tube riding: surfing inside the barrel

Tube riding is a very technical manoeuvre that consists of surfing inside the wave with a tube or barrel of water forming over the surfer's head. This manoeuvre requires a high skill set in wave reading and body position within the wave.

Tail slide: letting the board slide on the wave

The tail slide is a technique that consists of sliding the tail of the board over the wave and then spinning the board back around to continue surfing. This manoeuvre combines both technique and creativity in its performance.

180 Turn: changing direction

The 180 turn is one of the most basic surfing manoeuvres, but in its most advanced form it demands great skill and technique. It consists of changing direction on the board while surfing a wave, and this requires excellent wave reading technique and body position.

These advanced surfing manoeuvres are vital for any surfer who wants to improve their skill set and technique. Each of the movements requires a specific technique and profound knowledge of the sea and the waves. Continuous practice and effort are key for a successful performance.

How to choose the best beach for surfing

Choosing the best beach for surfing will depend on the level of experience of each surfer and the water conditions at that moment. It’s advisable to look up the conditions of the beach before heading there, and to think about the type of manoeuvres you want to undertake and what type of wave you feel most comfortable with. You should also think about the safety conditions of the beach, currents and if there will be other surfers. In our surf school Oceanside on Gran Canaria, we always choose the beach with the best conditions for the surfer's level.

How to improve your surfing skills

Surfing is not just a matter of standing up on a board and riding the waves. Surfing is a sport that requires technique, skill and practice. In this section you’ll find information on how you can improve your surfing skills, whether you are a beginner or an advanced surfer.

Surf courses: for beginner and advanced surfers

If you’re a beginner, then the best thing you can do is to take surf lessons at a surfing school. The surf instructors will teach you the fundamentals of surfing, like paddling, how to take off, and the basic surfing manoeuvres. However, if you’re more experienced, you can choose an advanced course to perfect your technique and learn more complex manoeuvres.

Tips for learning the fundamental surfing manoeuvres

Once you’ve mastered the basic manoeuvres, it’s time to learn the more advanced surfing manoeuvres. You’ll need a solid foundation and lots of practice. Good positioning on the board, maintaining balance and good turning technique are crucial. In addition, continuous practice and the drive to better yourself are fundamental in order to master these surfing manoeuvres.

Some advanced manoeuvres you can practise are the aerial movement, tube riding, the tail slide and the 180 turn. These manoeuvres require great technique and experience, but with practice and patience they can be mastered.

Yoga and surfing: the perfect combination to improve your surfing

Yoga is an excellent way of improving your surfing skills. Combining surfing with yoga can help you gain more flexibility and balance, which in turn can improve your performance in the water. On top of that, yoga can help you to reduce stress and keep calm while surfing.

Surf camp: the complete surf experience

 If you want to get serious about improving your surfing skills, choosing a surf camp could be the perfect option. It’s a place where you’ll have the chance to get the most out of each day, learning from surf instructors and getting to know other surfers of all levels. What’s more, many surf camps offer additional activities such as yoga, breathing exercises and meditation to help you wind down after a day in the water.