Email Signup

InsidrInfo.com Topics

Adventure Travel
Skiing
Climbing
Backpack Travel
Backpacking
Family Adventure
Hiking
Mountain Biking
Mountains
Sailing
Snowboarding
Surfing
Travel
Trekking

Photo of The Week

Page of The Day

Adventure Cruising
Great adventure cruising information, ideas, and photos, written by adventure cruising experts.

Home >> Surfing >> Learn To Surf

Learn To Surf

Learn To Surf info, ideas, and photos

Father and son surf lesson in Morro Bay, CA
Photo: Mike Baird, through a Creative Commons Attribution License

Wanna Learn to Surf?

You want to learn to surf? Because surfing is one of the most difficult action sports to learn and to master, learning to surf can be a real challenge.

If you want to learn to surf, you've got several options. Learn to surf on your own, learn to surf from a friend, learn to surf at a surf school, or learn to surf at a surf camp.

Learn to Surf on Your Own

If you decide to learn to surf on your own, you won't be the first ever. We're not gonna tell you to not try to learn to surf on your own. You can save a lot of money by deciding to learn to surf on your own. If you've skated or snowboarded before, you may already have some of the skills needed to successfully learn to surf on your own, and you'll probably have better chance of standing up sooner.

At the same time, be prepared to be completely clueless for many sessions, and to get worked over and over as you use trial and error to learn to surf. To learn to surf is hard; To learn to surf on your own with no help from anyone else is masochistic.

If you decide to learn to surf on your own, prepare a little. Fitness is important as you prepare to learn to surf. Make sure you can swim at least 100 yards by yourself tired. Spend some time studying up using books and online resources on how to learn to surf that are available here. Take a look at the Surf Atlas at WannaSurf. Check out the surf report for your beach that are available here at InsidrInfo.com. For your first day, don't even bother trying to go out if it's bigger than 2-3 feet.

When you go out make sure you spend a lot of time on shore watching others and watching the waves. It's impossible to surf something you don't understand, and understanding waves is critical to learning how to surf. It's important to watch others, so you can learn from them, not just technique, but courtesy. Pay special attention the concept of respect and how you see surfers respecting each other.

Learn to Surf from a Friend

To learn to surf from a friend can be a great bonding experience or it can be hell. You just never know. Make sure they're someone you can trust, who will really be willing to take the time to teach you. There's a big difference in skill sets between a friend and a teacher, so don't confuse the two.

If you choose the right person, they'll be patient with you and spend time working on paddling and standing up on land before even venturing out into the waves. They won't simply abandon you once you go out, but at the same time, realize that surfing is essentially a solo sport and that even with a friend, you'll be alone. Be prepared to be self sufficient in the water. Make sure you have a place to meet up in case you get separated.

To learn to surf from a friend is a bit risky. You stand a better chance of standing up sooner than if you learned on your own, but unless your friend is an off duty instructor, chances are you'll have holes in your surf skills and knowledge, so the name of the game will be to supplement your practice with books and online resources on how to learn to surf that are available here.

Learn to Surf at a Surf School

If you want to learn to surf, surf schools provide good hourly or daily instruction and hundreds of beaches all over the world. Chances are, if you go to a surf school, you'll be standing up in half the time that you would have even if you learned from a friend. A lot of surf schools are drop in and you don't even need a reservation. Others you'll want to call ahead. Most surf schools will provide all equipment, but make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen.

Here's a list of surf schools around the world.

Learn to Surf at a Surf Camp

A Surf Camp is a great option to learn to surf, if you have the cash. There's nothing like a week of instruction and practice in a beautiful exotic place to build surfing skills and confidence in the water. You'll learn even faster this way than any other method. Surf camps come in all shapes and sizes from local day camps at a beach near you to camps on far off beaches in place you've never even heard of and can't pronounce.

Here's a list of surf camps around the world.

Things About Learning to Surf Other Sites Might Not Tell You

If you're a newbie, be sure that that far away surf camp you sign up for to learn to surf is more than just a lodge. Ask a few questions about who teaches and how many classes they teach. A lot of beach hotels have repositioned themselves as surf camps, when in reality there's no real formalized surf instruction.

As you learn to surf, there are a few simple little tricks to remember that will get you up much more regularly. It starts with your board. Rent a long board not a short board - Get a really, really long 9' plus longboard. If possible rent a board with a center line. They look old school, but they really help. When you stand up, make sure you stand up quickly all in one motion, easier said than done. When you do stand up, pay attention to that centerline on the board. Make sure your feet are balanced side to side on that centerline and front to back so the nose will stay out of the water. If you do these simple tricks, you'll learn to surf in no time.

Links to Learn to Surf Books

Learn to Surf by James MacLaren

Learn to Surf for Beginners by Academy of Surfing Instructors

Learn to Surf: Intermediate Level by Academy of Surfing Instructors

Learn to Surf: Byron Bay by Messenger Publishing

Learn to Surf: Bondi by Messenger Publishing

Learn to Surf: Manly by Messenger Publishing

Surf Diva: A Girl's Guide to Getting Good Waves by Isabelle "Izzy" Tihanyi and Caroline "Coco" Tihanyi

Longboarder's Start-Up: A Guide to Longboard Surfing (Start-Up Sports series) by Doug Werner

Links to Learn to Surf DVD's

Learn to Surf 1-2-3

Learn to Surf with Andy Irons