You should probably work your way up to this kind of thing. Photo: Shutterstock
A long time ago, Albert Einstein defined insanity as trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Surfers then, must be a little crazy. While the key to getting better when you’re just starting out is definitely repetition–getting out as much as possible in the first few months is critical if you’re serious about improving your skills. That time will inevitably be filled with more wipeouts than actual surfing, but that’s where your learning comes from. You learn to read, select, and time the waves, what to do when you’ve chosen one to chase, and what to do when it eats you up.
While you’ll eventually get your bearings and actually start to ride waves, the part where you start to get a little insane is when you think you that you’ll get “good” surfing at the same wave at the same break, forever. The truth is, you need to try different spots as often as you can–this will be a big part of what ultimately makes you a better surfer. Waves form and break differently in each spot. Even spots that are only geographically separated by a few miles tend to produce waves that behave differently. In SoCal for instance, the waves at Malibu and Sunset Point tend to be pretty consistent and generally forgiving. For that, they are great for learning and honing your skills (I’d recommend Sunset over Malibu because the crowd at Malibu can be overwhelming). The waves coming out of Venice Breakwater or El Porto in Manhattan Beach, on the other hand, are usually heavier, faster, more hollow, and less forgiving–good for learning on smaller 2-3ft days. No two waves are alike; they will form and break differently in every part of the world at each spot you try.
It’s this constant change that will allow you to begin to hone your skills in adapting to adversity to become a better surfer. Getting pinned down or trapped inside during a big set for your first time can be scary, and you won’t really know how to handle it. But when you come out of one of those situations early on (and you will), you’ll be glad not only because you feel like a badass for surviving, but also because you’ll know what to expect and how to handle it next time.
Our mental state heading into difficult situations largely impacts the outcome. So try new spots and ride new waves. Get out of your comfort zone, figure out how to navigate those sketchy situations, and think positively! Because when you actually pull into, get down the face, and hear the wind whooshing by on your first six-footer, you’ll realize that all the tumbling was worth it. Of course, build your confidence on the two-to-three-footers first, and you’ll be on your way to having more fun in the water.
