Mark Visser putting his paddling skills to the test on a left at Jaws. Photo via Facebook. Credit: @fred_pompermayer.
Powerful paddling is an art form. It requires perfect rhythm between the arms, heart, lungs, and core, and it requires both strength and stability. That being said, perfecting your paddle technique is well-worth the extra effort. Not only will it help you catch more waves per session, but it will help you stroke into waves of any size with ample speed to make it down the face. This video with Mark Visser draws on a breathing technique used in boxing. Visser adapts this technique to surfing, as the explosive quality of paddling equates with throwing a punch.
