One of the best things about surfing is that it is accessible to almost anyone. All you really need is a surfboard and access to the beach.
Unfortunately, most beginning surfers donʻt seem to think that itʻs possible to learn how to surf on their own, without the need for a surf class or to hire a pricey instructor.
Iʻm here to tell you otherwise.
It is possible to teach yourself to surf, but to be successful at it you have to have access to a surfboard, a beginner friendly beach break, be a strong swimmer, understand surf etiquette and most importantly, be persistent enough to go out almost everyday for 2 weeks to a month.
Before you go running out to catch your first wave, letʻs make sure you understand all the little details to getting started with surfing so you can be as prepared as possible.
After all, you may be just a beginner, but you donʻt have to act like one when you get to the beach.
How hard is it to teach yourself to surf?
Surfing is one of the hardest sports to master. It takes time to learn the basics and a lifetime to master. You need the physical ability to paddle into waves, but you also have to understand how to read the waves, adjust to changing conditions and deal with other surfers in the lineup.
A beginning surfer can expect to take 2 weeks to a month of regular surfing before theyʻre consistently catching waves and popping onto their feet in whitewater waves. Expect another year to be able to competently ride down the face of the wave and a lifetime to master any tricks.
To make learning to surf easier, there are a few things to do before you even get in the water that will help make your first surf session go smoothly.
Ocean Awareness Skills
When I was first starting to surf, Ocean Awareness Skills were the skills that I learned first. Taking time to understand the ocean was key in helping me catch all the waves I wanted. Here are a few things you can do to improve your ocean awareness skills.
- Watch the Surf
Have you ever seen surfers pull up to a spot, run out of the car and watch the waves for a good 20 minutes before paddling out?
Not only are they psyching themselves up for a surf, but theyʻre also reading the conditions. How big are the waves? Where are they breaking? Whatʻs the best way to paddle out? Are there any currents or riptides? etc.
You should do the same. Before paddling out, head down to your nearest beachbreak (because thatʻs where youʻll be learning) and watch the waves for at least 5 minutes for every foot in size.
Notice how long it takes for each set to come in and how much time there is between each wave in a set. Watch how the other surfers are catching waves.
Now, forget about those surfers on the outside and look at the whitewater waves breaking on the inside. That is where youʻll be surfing until you develop a better understanding on how to catch waves and stand up consistently.
As you watch these whitewater waves, notice not each one is created equal, just like the waves on the outside. Some have a lot of power to them. Others are crossed up with side swell.
And then there are the ones that are just perfect for you to learn on; slow, mellow whitewater rollers that are in waist to chest high water heading perfectly towards the shore.
Pay close attention to what creates these type of waves, this is crucial for wave selection.
- What Is The Tide Doing?
The current tide conditions are another important factor to consider when checking the conditions. Often times, it is the tides that will determine whether or not the surf will be good, if the waves will be hollow or mushy and so on.
For most beachbreaks, building tides going into high tide is generally the best time to surf, but if the tide gets too high it could create mushier conditions, sometimes even to the point of shutting the waves down completely at peak high tide until it begins to decrease again.
High tides can also create dumpier shorebreak conditions.
If you are just starting out and will be catching waves in the whitewater, you may actually want to surf at a lower tide.
Typically at low tide, the waves will break for a longer period of time before reaching the shore as opposed to breaking right on the shore which can be common at high tide.
This all depends on your local surf spot of course, your personal observations of your local break may be a better guide.
Another important factor to consider with tides is how they can affect currents. At my local beach break, there are way more rip tides at low tide than high tide. Youʻll want to be aware of any hazards that tides may pose at your local break. - Howʻs The Wind?
Do you know what the wind is doing? Does it get windy every day at 10? Is it blowing straight offshore that you might get blown out to sea?
Knowing the wind is just as important as knowing the surf, it could make or break a session.
While it is not as important when you are catching waves in the whitewater, it will be a huge factor when you begin to try and ride down the face of a wave.
Lucky for us there are plenty of resources that will tell us what the wind conditions will be. My favorite is Surfline of course, one stop shop where you could get wave, wind, and tide conditions for your local break.
It helps to know when the best time for surfing is to beat the winds. To learn more about what time that is, be sure to read this post so that youʻll know when to time your next paddle out.
Swim Skills
If you canʻt swim, you do not belong in the ocean. Your board is only a safety device until it is no longer with you. I have had my leash break on a number of occasions and have had to manage long swims in big surf to retrieve it. You need to be a strong swimmer.
The hardest part of surfing is not the actual wave riding, but the constant paddling, duckdiving and wave positioning that you need to engage in before you even get into the right spot to catch a wave. It is exhausting and can tire you out before you even catch your first wave.
Granted, your swim skills will grow with your surfing skills, but if you donʻt have at least the basics down, youʻre going to want to start there.
Go to your local pool and swim laps. Lots of them. Freestyle. Backstroke. Doggy paddle. Get used to swimming every style there is (except maybe butterfly, I hate that one).
A great tool to bring with you to the pool (if your local pool will allow it) is a SurfinShape training board. It can really help strengthen your paddling muscles even if you canʻt get in a surf.|
Another thing you can do is to take your surfboard to a spot with no waves and go for a paddle. Get your paddling muscles used to the motion. Increase their endurance. Get them ready for when you are ready to catch waves. This will also help you get used to paddling and maneuvering your board before the actual surf day.
It just so happens that I wrote a complete guide to paddling that I think will help bring your skills up to the next level. I encourage you to give it a read, but only if you want to paddle better and catch more waves.
Can I Learn To Surf If Iʻm 40?
Learning to surf is not just for young kids, plenty of adult learners 30, 40, 50, 60 or even older have learned to surf and do it well. Check out this post to learn more on how they do it. There is no age limit to learning how to surf. What it takes is a commitment to learning, decent physical condition, and time.
TIME
The biggest hurdle I have witnessed for beginning adult surfers is the lack of time. Family, work and other societal pressures tend to take precedence over a selfish pursuit such as surfing.
But once you realize how much happier surfing can make you in those other areas of your life, youʻll quickly find ways to devote time to your newfound passion.
PHYSICAL CONDITION
Another hurdle to surfing at an older age is ones physical condition. Your back and knees just arenʻt the same as they used to be, but you can strengthen them.
I do yoga and other work out videos that strengthen my core, knees and back as well as stretch and lengthen my muscles. Granted, I can do more (and eat better too), but even the bare minimum I do is enough to keep me in the water.
Make sure you strengthen any problem areas in your body and if your muscles feel tight, stretch, stretch, then stretch some more. The best way to minimize injury is to increase flexibility.
Gearing Up For Your First Paddle Out
If you havenʻt already, itʻs now time to get your gear. Donʻt worry, it doesnʻt have to cost an arm and a leg. I got my first board used for $75 and I was off to the races. You might even be able to find one for free! Either way, you really should know what to expect when it comes to how much surfing costs. Luckily, I wrote this post that will break it all down for you.
Board Selection
Picking the right board depends on a few factors, but no matter what you do, I suggest you buy a used surfboard instead of new one. Hopefully youʻll progress past the beginner stage pretty quickly. Youʻll only be using it for a few months before its time to pass on. So save your money.
For a first time surfer, the size of the board you will want to use will vary based on your weight and height. Basically, your board should be 3ʻ to 4ʻ taller than you, at least as wide as your arm is long from finger tip to armpit, and about 2.5” thick if you are less than 200lbs and 3.5” thick if you weigh more than 200lbs.
I like the board to have a round nose when just starting off, but a board with a pointed nose with those same dimensions will work as well.
And as much as I hate them, soft top longboards are really good boards to learn on. Most fit the dimension criteria, they can be beat up without too much damage and theyʻre cheap.
Wax It Up
Before paddling out on your new surfboard, itʻs important to add traction to the deck so that your body and feet donʻt slip off when you try to paddle and stand.
A standard fiberglass surfboard as well as some softtop surfboards require an application of surf wax to create traction on an otherwise smooth and slippery deck. To find out which type of soft tops require wax, be sure to read this post before you ruin a perfectly good surfboard.
There are many wax brands to choose from, some are even made with ecological materials. But donʻt be fooled, not all surf wax works the same. I have found that there are a few brands that perform better than the rest.
3 of my go to favorites are Sticky Bumps, Matunas and Sex Wax Quick Humps which you can buy at your local surfshop or on Amazon. Learn more about these wax brands in this post in which I compare them all.
Wetsuit or no Wetsuit
A lot of beginning surfers wonder if theyʻre going to need a wetsuit. A good way to answer that question is to head down to your local break and see what others are wearing. If everyone is wearing a wetsuit, then it might be a good idea for you to wear one too.
I know from years of watching water temps every summer when I was a kid is that anything over 68 degrees was warm enough to not need a wetsuit, you could even get down to 65 degrees with no wetsuit, but that was pushing it. Below 68 degrees and a wetsuit is pretty much necessary for most people.
If your local break requires a wetsuit, be sure to read this article before heading down to the surfshop so you can be sure that the wetsuit you pick out is actually the right size for you.
Other Necessary Gear
At this point youʻre ready to catch some waves, but equipping yourself with a good surf leash and applying some sunscreen is a good thing to do before paddling out.
While you will mostly be riding close to shore where a surf leash would not be necessary, it still is a good idea to get use to wearing one. Most surf leashes are pretty standard, except for the velcro. You want a leash that will last and not give way when you least expect it. Check out this one from DaKine, itʻs one of the best leashes out there.
Sun protection is not to be forgotten either. While these days I like to wear a hat and rash guard to protect me from the sun and to keep the reef safe, I do use a few sunscreen brands from time to time that are reef safe.
My favorite reefsafe sunscreens are by Manda and CocoAloha.
What Surf Spot Do You Choose When Learning
If you googled “The Best Surf Spots for Beginners” the top performing posts will have lists of some of the most famous waves in the world, and some of the most crowded.
While Waikiki is a great beginner longboard wave, itʻs not a good first timer wave. The paddle out is far. The waves break in deep water and people are everywhere. Itʻs the same at all the other so called “beginner” spots.
Beachbreaks Are Best
The best surf spots to surf when you are a first time beginner are those no name beachbreaks with waves smaller than 3ft that few others are surfing. This is a spot where the waves mostly close out, the bottom is sandy, and the waves gently break for a long period of time over shallow water.
It will be a spot like this where youʻll be free to look like a total kook and not embarrass yourself in front of too many other surfers. Youʻll also minimize the chance of getting in the way of other surfers, which is a huge no-no when you are just learning.
How To Get There
If you can walk to the beach, consider yourself lucky, Iʻd love to trade places.
For the rest of us, youʻll most likely need to transport yourself and your board from your home to the beach by car. You will need roof racks for this or a larger car such as a minivan or truck.
You could get temporary racks that strap onto your car, use the factory racks that came with your car, or install after market racks that are permanently installed to your roof.
Either way, make sure you have a way to get your board to the beach.
When You Get There
Park your car or bike. Take your board off the racks and give it a light coat of wax. This is also a good time to watch conditions.
If the waves look good, get the sunscreen on, attach the leash to the board, suit up and head on down to the shoreline.
If youʻre wondering what to do with your car keys, I like to hide them someplace on the beach away from the car. Others have hide a keys or little lockboxes. Itʻs really up to you.
Paddling Out For The First Time
Actually, for your first time, you wonʻt really need to paddle out, nor stand up for that matter. In fact, the first couple waves should be caught from a place where you can still touch the bottom and youʻll remain in the prone position.
This method of learning is not taught by many folks, but has been proven to increase a beginnerʻs long term ability to pick up the skill of surfing. It was gleaned from the folks over at Surf Simply, one of the most premier surf schools in the world located in Costa Rica.
Begin on the beach by laying your board on the sand. Lay down on your board and try popping up a few times. Which foot came forward? Put your leash on the opposite foot (foot closest to the tail) and itʻs time to head out.
Walk out with your board through the surf until you find yourself just in front of where the waves have already broken and where you can also still touch the bottom.
Start By Catching Waves
Hopefully youʻve spent some time observing waves from shore and you know by now which waves are good and which waves you should pass up.
When that wave does come, position yourself so that as the whitewater reaches you, you can jump into the wave and land on your board with your toes just touching the tail or hanging off ever so slightly.
Do not worry about standing up at this time, just have fun experiencing the feeling of riding a wave..
Slow Down/Speed Up
As you ride the wave towards shore on your belly, practice sliding back on the board and lift the nose up out of the water. You should feel yourself slow down. Quickly slide back up to the midpoint of the board and feel it speed up. Practice this a few times.
This exercise will get you used to catching waves as well as how to control the speed and flow of a surfboard.
Practice Direction Changes In The Water
Now that youʻve tried out the brakes and accelerator, itʻs time to turn the steering wheel. Catch another wave on your belly, but this time try sliding back towards the tail and changing directions on the wave, from left to right.
Try moving to the midpoint of the board and turn. How well does it perform? Practice this exercise a few times.
This exercise should really begin to get you to understand what it takes to turn a surfboard on a wave.
Angling Takeoffs, Move Forward
For this exercise, you are going to take off on in the whitewater on your belly at an angle, either to the left or to the right. Move forward on the board, see how far forward on the board you can go before the nose pearls under the water.
Try turning. Slide back to the tail and turn the board to the opposite direction as hard as you can. Then try to regain speed by sliding up towards the nose of your board again.
This exercise will help you understand the power of trim, and the need for speed to make good turns.
The Time To Stand Has Come
Are you feeling ready? Mastered those previous exercises? Then the time has finally come for you to stand.
This time, the next time you jump into a whitewater wave, try popping up by planting your backfoot on the tail and bringing your front foot through and up towards the middle of your board, standing up at the same time you feel the wave begin to propel you with its energy.
How did it go?
It took me a month to really get this step down. I have seen others figure it out their first time. The important thing is to not compare yourself to them.
If you want to learn, you will, it may just take you longer. But I guarantee you, once youʻve figured it out, your life will never be the same. So enjoy the journey.
Next Steps…How To Duck Dive Any Kind of Surfboard Board
Hopefully it doesnʻt take you as long as it took me to learn to stand up on a surfboard. If youʻre finally standing up on a board regularly, congratulations!! Welcome to the Surf Club.
Now itʻs time to paddle out the back to where the real surfers are at. But that takes a whole other set of skills. Be sure to learn exactly how to do it by following along with our series on learning how to surf.
In the next article, How To Duck Dive Any Kind Of Surfboard, we go over one of the most important, but overlooked skills in surfing, duckdiving.
