To a Beginner From a Beginner: Wakesurfing tips
For me, this past week was the week of trying new things. I went out on the boat Wednesday evening and brought along some other Gordy’s employees and I (the least athletic/coordinated person on the planet), decided to give surfing a try for the very first time! With that being said, I thought I would share with you some quick surfing tips for beginners that I received from our lovely Gordy boys, and hopefully you will be able to apply them during your own surf sessions!
The hardest thing for me was honestly getting up on the board, and I think that is the hardest part for almost everyone. When I originally started out, a common mistake that I was making was that I kept trying to force myself up too quickly, which just caused me to completely wipe out right away. Something I learned from that was to let the boat pull you up, and don't try to force it. I started with my feet resting on the board, knees to my chest, and pushed my heels into the board as I tried to stand up.
Despite trying to apply these tips I know that it takes time to actually get up and moving on the board, and I wasn’t going to get it on the first try. With it being my first time, I wasn’t able to get myself to stand up for more than five seconds. Something else I learned was that you’re going to fall no matter what, so when you fall it’s important that you fall safely. At first, I thought that jumping in the water would help me fall gracefully, but I found that it actually worked out better when I just let myself fall in a more gentle manner.
I think my overall take away from my first surfing experience was that despite my many wipeouts, it’s important to keep getting up and try again, as cheesy as that sounds. At first I was intimidated because I went out with experienced surfers that made getting up look so easy! But when you’ve succeeded multiple times after a lot of practice, it becomes natural. If I had to give any more advice it would be don’t be afraid of looking ridiculous, good things take time and repetition. You will be up and moving in no time! I know I will be!
I hope everyone had a great weekend and I can’t wait to get to see you all out and about on the lakefront soon! Have a Gordy-Great week!