Surfing is a thrilling sport, but making turns while riding the waves can be a challenge for beginners. Learning how to make turns is essential for controlling your board, improving your performance, and enjoying the ride. In this guide, we will explain how to make turns in surfing, including the basic techniques, types of turns, and tips for improving your skills. Whether you’re new to surfing or an experienced rider, these tips will help you take your surfing to the next level.
Understanding the Basics of Surfing
Before we dive into the techniques for making turns, it’s important to understand the basic principles of surfing. Surfing involves riding a wave on a surfboard, using your body and board to navigate the wave’s energy. To successfully ride a wave, you need to maintain balance, paddle at the right time, and position your body correctly.
The position of your body on the board is key when making turns. Most surfers stand with one foot forward and the other foot at the back of the board. The foot at the front is usually the left foot for regular surfers and the right foot for goofy surfers. This stance plays a significant role in how you make turns.
Why Making Turns is Important in Surfing
Turns are essential for navigating the wave, controlling your speed, and staying on the board. They allow you to change direction and avoid obstacles in the water. As you progress in surfing, you will need to make sharper and more dynamic turns to ride bigger waves and gain more speed.
Turns help you stay on the face of the wave, which is the part of the wave that’s breaking. Without turns, surfers would quickly lose their position and get caught in the whitewash (the foam created after the wave breaks).
Types of Turns in Surfing
There are several types of turns in surfing, each used for different situations. Let’s go through the most common ones.
1. The Bottom Turn
The bottom turn is one of the most essential turns in surfing. It happens right after you catch the wave and is used to gain speed. You perform this turn at the bottom of the wave to start heading towards the wave’s open face.
How to Perform the Bottom Turn:
- As you ride down the wave, lean towards your front foot (for regular surfers, it’s the left foot; for goofy surfers, the right foot).
- Push down with your back foot to pivot the board.
- Use your body to generate power and begin turning towards the wave’s face.
- This turn sets you up for further moves, so make sure it’s smooth and controlled.
2. The Top Turn
The top turn is performed near the crest of the wave. This turn allows you to change direction and move back down the wave after completing a bottom turn. The top turn helps you maintain speed and positioning.
How to Perform the Top Turn:
- After completing the bottom turn, move towards the top of the wave.
- Shift your weight to your back foot while leaning your body forward to initiate the turn.
- Use the rail of the board to carve through the wave, and look in the direction you want to go.
- As you finish the turn, you should be positioned to ride the wave’s face again.
3. The Cutback
A cutback is a sharp turn used to redirect your board back towards the breaking part of the wave. It’s one of the most important maneuvers for maintaining flow on a wave and staying in the pocket.
How to Perform the Cutback:
- Begin by riding down the face of the wave.
- As you approach the breaking section, initiate a hard turn back towards the whitewater.
- Push down with your back foot to make the board respond quickly.
- Stay low to the board to keep your balance and maintain control during the maneuver.
- Finish the cutback by returning to the wave’s face and continuing to ride.
4. The Reentry
The reentry is a high-performance maneuver where you turn your board back into the wave after getting close to the lip (the top of the wave). This maneuver is common in more advanced surfing and helps maintain speed and positioning.
How to Perform the Reentry:
- Approach the lip of the wave and get ready to redirect.
- As you reach the top, initiate a quick turn with your back foot.
- Use your body weight to help the board cut back towards the wave.
- Stay balanced and keep your eyes focused on the wave to complete the move smoothly.
5. The Floater
A floater is a turn that allows you to ride over the top of the breaking wave. It’s typically used when you’re near the lip, and the wave is about to break. This maneuver keeps you from getting stuck in the whitewater.
How to Perform the Floater:
- As you approach the breaking wave, prepare for a quick, smooth move.
- Glide your board over the top of the breaking wave.
- Stay loose and use your body to stay balanced.
- Once over the whitewash, drop down to ride the wave again.
Key Techniques for Making Turns
Making successful turns in surfing requires practice and a solid understanding of technique. Let’s go through some key techniques that will help you turn with control and precision.
1. Weight Distribution
Proper weight distribution is key when making turns. To initiate a turn, you need to apply pressure to the appropriate part of your board. For most turns, your weight should shift from your front foot to your back foot, or vice versa, depending on the direction of the turn.
To turn right (for regular surfers): Shift weight to the back foot and look in the direction you want to go.
To turn left (for regular surfers): Lean on your front foot and push down with your back foot.
2. Use Your Hips and Shoulders
Turning a surfboard isn’t just about moving your feet. You need to use your entire body, especially your hips and shoulders, to generate power and control.
For bottom and top turns: Use your shoulders to lead the movement, while your hips follow.
For sharper turns: Rotate your hips and shoulders more aggressively to help the board pivot.
3. Stay Low and Centered
When making turns, staying low on your board provides better balance and control. Keep your knees bent and your body centered over the board. This helps absorb the energy from the wave and keeps you stable during the turn.
4. Practice Carving
Carving is the act of turning the surfboard smoothly along the wave’s face. To carve effectively, use the rail of your board to dig into the wave. The deeper you carve, the sharper your turn will be. Carving takes practice, so try to make small, controlled turns before attempting bigger ones.
Tips for Improving Your Turning Skills
Improving your turning skills takes time, but with consistent practice, you’ll be able to make smooth and controlled turns on any wave. Here are some tips to help you improve:
1. Start with the Basics
If you’re a beginner, start by practicing the basic turns, such as the bottom turn and top turn. Focus on getting the technique right before attempting more advanced moves like the cutback or reentry.
2. Watch Advanced Surfers
Watching experienced surfers can give you a better understanding of how to execute turns. Pay attention to their body movements, board positioning, and timing. This will help you visualize the turn before attempting it yourself.
3. Surf Different Waves
Surfing different types of waves will help you develop better turning techniques. Small, gentle waves are ideal for beginners to practice basic turns, while bigger, more powerful waves will help you master more advanced maneuvers.
4. Focus on Timing
Timing is crucial when making turns. If you initiate a turn too early or too late, you’ll lose momentum. Practice turning at the right moments on the wave to maintain control and keep your speed.
5. Take Lessons
If you’re struggling to make turns on your own, consider taking surfing lessons. A professional instructor can give you valuable feedback on your technique and help you improve faster.
Conclusion
Making turns in surfing is an essential skill that every surfer needs to master. By understanding the different types of turns, practicing the key techniques, and following the tips provided, you’ll improve your turning ability and ride waves with more control and confidence. Remember, surfing is a journey, and with consistent effort, you’ll soon be making turns like a pro!