Surf training is a real mixed bag. Social media is rife with influencers that promise to improve your surfing if you just shell out cash to watch a few videos. While some of them can be legit, others feel more like snake oil than anything. Then there’s out-of-water training like balance boards and surf skates that, even if they work, honestly just look kind of goofy.
Surf comedian Luke Cederman, of the Raglan Surf Report, recently created a video parodying these types of training programs. In his latest YouTube post, he’s joined by Billy Stairmand, the New Zealand surfer who will represent the country in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
“With my advanced surf beta coaching program, which is a totally legit thing, because I went and did a three-day course and paid $400 for this coaching certificate, I’ve been able to take Billy’s surfing to the next level,” says the comedian to camera. Afterwards, Cederman is shown coaching Billy through “surf-skateless surf-skating” and repeatedly hucking a Swiss ball at his head.
The Swiss ball in particular is in reference to a video from skippersurfreview. In it, influencer Yury Tsedenov can be seen doing some cross-training that involves getting repeatedly bopped by the aforementioned gym equipment. It’s up for debate whether the technique can actually help with balance in the water, but the sight of a surfer crouching on land, while getting prodded by a squishy, inflatable ball is certainly a sight that’s ripe for parody.
“It used to really bother me, getting hit by a Swiss ball out in the surf,” says Stairmand in the parody video. “There could be a Swiss ball flying at you any time,” adds Cederman “This is exactly like surfing, Billy.”
