Surf Tips: Prioritize Your Length of Ride
Your mentality while surfing should be geared toward making decisions that increase your length of ride. That often includes navigating a series of obstacles that are trying to cut your ride short.
- If the wave looks like it is starting to section out in front of you, you may have to speed up and take a high line to beat it.
- If the wave hits a deep spot and gets soft and fat all of a sudden, you may have you fade deep back toward the breaking section to garner enough energy to make it through.
- If you get out too far ahead of the wave, you may have to cut back toward the pocket to stay where the energy of the wave is.
- When you are riding a longer board, sometimes you have enough planing power to simply set your inside rail and ride through a whitewash section that would be hard to beat on a smaller board.
Whatever the wave throws at you, navigate it in the name of longevity.
Part of the challenge of surfing is mastering the ability to read what the wave is doing (or about to to) and react to it with cat-like quickness. This requires a working knowledge of the tendencies of the waves you surf most often and a familiarity with your equipment that only comes with time and repetition.
Focusing on length of ride will force you to make decisions that help you navigate obstacles instead of simply hunting for one quick turn and a kick-out.
Prioritize length of ride every time you paddle out, and I believe your surfing will improve.
Tip: In general, stay as close to the pocket as you can because that is where you channel the most wave energy and harness the most speed.
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