So you know how to catch a wave and you're comfortable in the surf, but you want to improve your technique and control. Here two-time world champion, Mick Fanning, gives you his top five tips for intermediate surfers, taken from his new book "Surf For Your Life: Grommets' Edition", co-authored by Tim Baker.
Photo by StockXCHNG
So you can stand up, but how can you finesse your style?
So you can stand up, but how can you finesse your style?
INTERMEDIATE
1. The bottom turn sets up everything else you want to do on a wave. As a general rule, the better your bottom turn, the better your top turn will be.
2. The best way to learnt to do a proper bottom turn is to ride a bigger board when you’re young. Try riding a board that’s two to six inches longer than your normal shortboard.
3. Understanding your surfboard is the most important thing any surfer can do. When I was young, I was always asking my shaper Darren Handley about why board do this and that ... Over time, I developed a good understanding of how a surfboard works.
4. I enjoy riding lots of different boards. It keeps things fresh and exciting. I recommend jumping on a single fin or a twin fin every now and gain. Ride it for a few days, then when you jump back on your regular shortboard you will have a new respect for how surfboards have evolved.
5. When you start performing the basic manoeuvres, there is one key thing to remember: Where you look is where you go. Always focus on the part of the wave you want to get to next.
Note: The advice given here is of a general nature only, and surfers should seek their own guidance appropriate to their abilities and local conditions where ever they choose to surf.
These tips are taken from "Surf For Your Life: Grommets' Edition", by Mick Fanning and Tim Baker available from Random House, RRP: $13.49.
