How to learn to surf in just 5 steps - Beginner's guide

Although the learning process can take some time, it can be one of the best experiences of your life. Here we explain how to learn to surf in just 5 steps safely and efficiently!

Choosing the right board is very important: it can make the difference between surfing 20 waves or none at all. It's not about having the latest model, but about having the right volume and rocker.

What is rocker? Keep reading and you'll find out.

Volume measures the board's buoyancy and depends on the board's length, width and thickness. As a beginner you need plenty of volume, so it's best for you to choose long boards such as longboards or foam boards, with a flat rocker. That way it will be easier to learn to surf.

Rocker is the curved shape of the board's surface and has many advantages for experienced surfers, but for beginners, rocker will only slow you down.

You'll have heard people talk about these boards:

Shortboard: Also known as small surfboards. They work for all kinds of waves in good surf conditions. We recommend this board for intermediate-level surfers.

Evolutive (mini-mal): This is the beginner's board par excellence. They're big and thick. You know the ones most surf schools use? Well, these are the very same. They give more stability and buoyancy.

Longboard: These are boards from 2.75 metres upwards and are wider and thicker than short boards (shortboards). Manoeuvres are smoother, but they're faster boards.

Hybrids: All-purpose boards that handle any kind of wave. They don't require a high level.

SingleFins: Characterised by having a single fin on the surfboard. They work perfectly for better bottom turns.

TwinFin: If you're old school, you'll like these surfboards. They're retro-style boards from the 70s and 80s. Their big difference lies in the design. Their design only allows you to surf small and medium waves, unless you're like Asher Pacey, who surfs a mini twin among the huge waves of the Maldives. Recommended level: Intermediate.

The right spot is crucial for learning this sport, both for safety and for enjoying yourself in the water. To know whether a spot suits your level, you need information about the daily wave conditions there. Some spots can be perfect on certain days, while on other days they'll only be good for expert surfers.

Since you're reading this post and want to know how to learn to surf, we take it you're a beginner, which is why we recommend you experiment with the small waves that break close to the shore. They're small but long, and will give you enough time to get used to the board and make your first attempts at standing up.

Yes, it's very cool to watch more experienced surfers carving bigger waves, but watch out! You still have a long way to go before you can do that. Be realistic and practise near the shore: small waves are more fun than they look. Following this advice is how you'll learn to surf more safely.

If you head for bigger waves, as well as getting in the way of more experienced surfers, they may indirectly send you away. Sometimes a look is enough.

The way to learn to surf is by respecting others and vice versa. Find your place in the sea.

How to learn to surf safely

One of the things that gets overlooked when you're trying to learn to surf is safety. Surfing safely is one of the most important things and we mustn't underestimate it.

The biggest risk of an accident in surfing is hitting your own board. When you fall off the board, try to jump as far away from it as possible and protect your head with your arms. It's also important to keep a good distance from other surfers, since another common accident is surfers colliding.

Don't lose sight of what's behind you; always stay alert to the people positioned behind you. Remember that, in this situation, you're the skittle and they're the ball.

The impact zone is where the lip of the wave hits the sea, and it's the moment when the wave releases all its power, so it's best avoided. Paddle towards the sides of the wave, where there's no impact.

You also need to be careful not to cut across when someone else is surfing a wave. On these occasions, you'll need to get past the wave using the duck dive or turtle roll techniques.

Duck dive: Going under the wave by diving with the surfboard.

Turtle roll: As the name suggests, use the board as a shell.

If you find yourself facing a strong current, never try to paddle against it; instead paddle sideways until you're past it.

It may also happen that you're paddling towards the shore but don't seem to be getting anywhere. Watch out! You're in a very dangerous situation. You'll tire very quickly and the sea will pull you out more easily. Save your strength and swim to one side, towards an area where it's easier to paddle to the shore.

Staying in control on the surfboard

One of the first things you need to learn is to stay in control on the board when getting past the waves. When going into the water, it's best to hold the board by the nose and perpendicular to the waves. For small waves the most efficient technique is to push the board with the palms of your hands and straighten your arms.

There's another, less elegant way to get past the waves and head out to sea.

It comes naturally to people starting out in surfing, and it's probably the first thing you did when you saw your first wave. It simply involves getting off the board and guiding it with your good arm. We don't recommend it, because with a more powerful wave it can be very hard to control and hold on to. It's quite possible that, because of the force of the wave, you won't be able to hold the board and it will be swept towards the shore. You'll be dragged back with it because of the leash that connects you to the board.

This technique is common because it's much less tiring.

As we can see on the right of the image, we'll wait holding the board with our good arm (in this case the left) and jump when the wave reaches us. This technique is less tiring, but the correct technique is the first option.

During your first days surfing, your focus will probably be on the techniques of paddling and getting up on the board, which, although they may seem simple, involve crucial elements that will improve your performance. You can practise these techniques on the sand before getting in the water to try to make them automatic, so they feel more natural once you're out there.

Below you can see a visual guide to learning how to stand up in surfing:

The next step will be to apply these techniques, which look easy at first sight, but you'll see things get more complicated in the water. You've just seen some images that can help you get the basics of the technique for standing up on the board, but there's another technique for learning to surf: your own.

The truth is that everyone ends up perfecting their own pop-up technique to suit them. Factors such as flexibility, strength and other factors specific to each person come into play. The key is to practise, practise and practise.

By following the steps and safety measures we've talked about throughout this post, you'll learn to surf correctly, quickly and safely.