How to Surf in 4 Easy Steps with a Surfboard, Bodyboard, or Stand Up Board

One of the hobbies I find most interesting living here in Hawaii is surfing. Whether you are on a short board, bodyboard, or stand up paddle board, I can show you in 4 easy steps “how to surf.”

paddleboard

1. Understand the Water

First thing before going out is to understand the water. You need to know where there are reefs and where the shallow areas are. This will prevent you from getting badly injured. Next, look for entry and exit areas. Then, watch the current direction. Lastly, know where and how the wave is breaking. Sometimes the wave may be breaking left or right, and sometimes it breaks both ways…

2. Paddle Out

Always set yourself outside of the other surfers. Make sure it’s in an area where there is no reef. Catch the wave on the bottom of the wave.

Bodyboarding, kick and paddle with both hands until on the wave.
Surfing with a long board or short board will take more effort because you are now only using your upper body to catch the wave, so you will need a little head start.
Stand up paddle boarding is easier to catch a wave but harder to get back out to the break. Catching a wave will require paddling on both sides unitl on the wave.

3. Choose a Direction

Now that you are on the wave, you will need to stay on it and turn left or right. Turning with a bodyboard, you will need one hand on the top corner and the hand on the middle edge of the opposite side.

So, if you are turning right, you would put your right hand at the top right corner and left hand at the middle edge of the left side, near the mid section of your body, then you will lean right and lift on the left rail. Going left is doing the exact opposite.

Surfing a short board or long board is harder. Before standing up, you will need to know if you are goofy foot or regular. Normally, you know by whichever is more comfortable when getting up. Get up by putting your hands in the middle of the board and pushing up with a little exertation. Place your feet in the goofy or regular foot stance. Now, to turn, you will use your back foot to pivet. Remember not to lean too hard and fast because you might lose balance and fall off.

Paddle boarding is easier to catch a wave because most boards are thick, wide, and long.

4. Catch a Wave

To catch a wave, you will stand with your feet side by side somewhere in the middle of the board while facing forward. Now, paddle on the left and right side of the board unitl you catch the wave. Once you are on the wave, use the same method as short or long boarding.