GO FROM BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE SURFER WITH THESE THREE TIPS
Alright, You've had your first surf lessons and may have even been to a surf camp. You've learned the basics and can surf an unbroken wave down-the-line. What now? A lot of surfers get stuck at this level. With the following tips from professional surf coach Pepijn Tigges, you don't have to worry about that!
Here are the top 3 intermediate surf tips to go from intermediate to advanced surfing.
Surf Tip 1: Make videos of yourself
Filming and analyzing yourself is one of the best things you can do to improve your surfing skills. Sometimes surfing feels great, but in reality it can be not so great…. Not saying you surf bad, just that everyone can improve. You will also discover mistakes that you were never aware of and now you can work on perfecting your personal style.
As you analyze the videos, note the following:
Do you use the wave?
Are you high or low in the wave? Or do you alternate that?
Which direction are you looking?
Down the line? To the beach? Or to your board?
Where are your arms?
Are they in front of you, next to you or does one stay behind you?
All of these variables ultimately affect your surfing skills. If you have them all under control, you will make rapid progress. Now you can make conscious and purposeful progress during your next session. That's why we definitely recommend finding a filming- & surfbuddy. So you can surf together, film each other and alternate the two together. Or just ask your (non-surfing) bff or family member... Few will say no to a day at the beach!
To make even more progress you can also send in the video’s to Pepijn for analysis if you join the online ‘Surf Academy Pro’ course.
Surf Tip 2: Fix common mistakes
Many intermediate surfers make the same mistakes over and over again. With many years of experience as a surfcoach, Pepijn knows better than anyone which mistakes occur most often and which are the most persistent to unlearn. Tackle your pain points early so that you can focus on the next step as quickly as possible. Fortunately, you can practice the points for improvement below wherever and whenever you want!
A wrong pop-up
Make your pop up solid as a rock. Practice your pop-up 20-40 times every day, it will take you a few minutes. In a month you have done at least 600 pop-ups and there is a very good chance that you have also improved your pop-up in the water. By continuously repeating this you train your muscle memory so that your pop-up will go automatically. This way you can focus 100% on your surf tricks instead of on the pop-up.
Catching too few waves
Train your paddle fitness and strength by doing paddling & swimming training. By training both you can keep surfing longer, you catch a lot more waves, so you can practice more and therefore progress faster. You can train this in a swimming pool, in the sea, or just with your wetsuit on in a river or lake nearby! (You get Pepijn’s personal training for free in the Surf Academy Pro course. Loads of people have already used and tested this training and it’s very effective.)
Have you already planned your next surf trip? Start your paddle/swim trianing two or three months in advance. This way you are completely surf fit and you can get the most out of your surf holiday.
Surf Tip 3: working with a professional surf coach
From beginner to pro surfers, every surfer interested in making good progress needs a professional surf coach. For example, Pepijn says the following:
"What works best for me to make progress is when I work with a surf coach. I also see it in the surfers I coach myself, they are often stuck at a certain level for a long time and the moment that If they get good coaching, they can break through that level."
With a surf coach you get new directions every time. Now you think, but I do know what to do, right? Knowing is different from performing and a professional surf coach can therefore give you unique and personal tips that will make things go a lot better. We certainly experienced this during our Intensive surf coaching weeks!
Improve your surfing skills immediately by going on a coachingtrip with Pepijn. For example to France or the Maldives. (See button)
All these surf tips are the common mistakes of intermediate surfers and are mainly about the start of your wave. A good paddle often results in a faster pop-up and that in turn provides a better lead to the bottom turn.
Remember that the most important thing is to have fun in the water if you want to make progress. Enjoy nature, the waves, the trial and error and everything around it. From meeting physical challenges to overcoming mental barriers, be you
From meeting physical challenges to overcoming mental barriers, be aware of the small changes and notice the progress.
SURF COACHING WEEKS
Pepijn has been surfing for 18 years and has been working as a fanatic surf coach for 10 years. He has been training with the Dutch team since his teenage years and made his debut at the world championships in Japan in 2019. Outside of his surfing career, Pepijn coaches intermediate and advanced surfers with great passion. He even launched an online Surf Academy Pro course where he shares the full roadmap to becoming a better surfer, which teaches you everything you need to get better at surfing.
Do you want to know more about Pepijn and discover all the top intermediate surf tips? Then sign up for his online surf course SURF ACADEMY PRO and keep an eye on his Instagram for useful surf tips!
