The more you get into surfing, the more you realize how important the foundations are. Aspects like speed generation, proper bottom turns, proper stance are crucial to unlock your surfing potential. Here are 15 technical tips that will help you surf better. They apply to most maneuvers and you will relate to them for years to come.

The more you get into surfing, the more you realize how important the foundations are. Aspects like speed generation, proper bottom turns, proper stance are crucial to unlock your surfing potential. Here are 15 technical tips that will help you surf better. They apply to most maneuvers and you will relate to them for years to come.

#1 Surf the right surfboard for your level and for the conditions
Riding the wrong surfboards can slow your progression down like nothing else. At an intermediate level, you should make sure you understand elements such as the surfboard’s volume, the surfboard’s rocker and the surfboard’s dimensions. As you get to a more advanced level, you might want to read more about surfboard fin set ups, bottom contours and tail shapes. Your progression will be much quicker with the proper equipment for your level, for your weight, and for the conditions that you're surfing.

#2 Positioning on the wave
Often, intermediate surfers focus mostly on their technique, but underestimate their positioning on the wave. Where you are surfing on the wave is very important. As you progress to get more comfortable with different parts of the waves, you start to realize nothing happens far out on the flat shoulder. Stay close to the pocket, generate speed and try to do a maneuver on the steeper part of the shoulder.

#3 Improve your bottom turn
Even after years of practice, most surfers still have room for improvement on their bottom turn. A proper bottom turn is a big part of the difference between a mediocre maneuver and a great one. Shift the focus from the maneuver itself to how you try to set it up with your bottom turn. You most probably will find ways to improve your surfing drastically.

#4 Your head is your steering wheel
Where you look and where you direct your head is where you will go. Lead with your head and keep it centered over your body to ensure proper balance. Notice here, the surfer’s head leads his turn. Before his surfboard or body starts turning, his head is already turned towards where he wants to go next.

#5 Turning needs twisting: head, upper body, hips and legs.
When you start doing turns and cut backs, you'll notice it goes in this particular order. First is head and shoulders turn in the direction he wants to go. Then his hips also twist towards that direction, and lastly, his legs follow. It's a misconception that surfers can turn simply by applying weight on their toes and heels. Unlike snowboarding or wake boarding, turning a surfboard requires much more body twisting to do a turn.

#6 Compress the lower body
Bend in the knees gives you mobility for turns, balance, and it helps you absorb shock when trying different maneuvers.

#7 Catch the wave at the peak
It's not just what you do on a wave, but where you catch it in the first place. If you're catching waves far from the peak on the flatter shoulder, it might actually be impossible to do anything interesting on the wave. Catching the wave near the peak usually puts you in a faster and steeper part of the wave where you can generate more speed and practice more interesting maneuvers.

#8 Generate your own speed
One of the biggest difference between intermediate advanced surfers and beginner intermediate surfers is their ability to create their own speed. Surfers do this by throwing their arms forward, decompressing and compressing, up and down the face of the wave and surfing from rail to rail.

#9 Paddle with power
Paddling for bigger, more powerful waves means you need a good paddle technique. Make sure your elbows are high when your hands enter the water and that you go as deep as possible with long powerful paddle strokes.

#10 Move your feet
Moving your feet is a game changer. If you need speed, move your feet forward on the board; if you want to do a sharp turn to change direction, put your back foot far on the end of the traction pad.

#11 Learn from other surfers
Learning from more experienced surfers around you. In the water, look at better surfers and analyze their technique, don't just sit there waiting for waves, look and learn.

#12 Practise rail-to-rail surfing
As you progress, learn to use your rails. Surfing from rail to rail means that your surfboard goes from one edge to the other. This helps you do a ton of maneuvers and helps you with speed generation and bottom tons. Next time you watch any surf videos, notice how much professionals surf on their rails, compared to how much time they spend riding their board, moving flat on the water.

#13 Focus
It's all in your head. Give yourself a goal before entering the water and work to achieve it. Don't forget to visualize yourself doing it.

#14 Visualize
One of the most important progression tips is to see it before you do it. What you are doing on the wave and what you think you're doing is often quite different. Having someone take photos and videos of your surfing can help you spot your bad habits. From our experience, seeing yourself surfing on photos and videos is probably the most efficient way to progress. A surf coach or an experienced surf friend could help you analyze your pictures and videos. This way, you'd have a better chance identifying the most important technical adjustments you need to do. By watching surf videos, you can also compare your surfing and correct some of your techniques by visualizing yourself, doing maneuvers properly.

#15 Have fun
As with most things in life, you get good at what you love to do. Taking things too seriously can take the fun out of surfing and hurt your progression. Life is too short, do like Rex Calderon and enjoy your time in the water.

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