Hi Kales, can you do a video on how to get the most out of (and improve) surfing windswell? A lot of your international viewers have to wide 6 second swell with very short sections. It would help a lot of us in the northern hemisphere out massively
i’m in south carolina by pawleys pier and we almost always have good waves at least 2-3 times a week and have really good swell, today was barreling with long lines, y’all trippjng
I grew up on the Georgia coast, most of the time it's choppy, small, and weak here. One of the side effects of learning to surf on crappy waves became apparent on my first surf trip (to Cocoa Beach) when I was 13. When I took off on a wave there, it was completely different. I had so much more time to think. Surfing on awful waves is a much more instinctual exercise. There's no time to think, you just have to get up and go. You have to train until everything becomes muscle memory, so that your body knows what to do and your brain just goes blank. That's another reason why there are so many good surfers from places with awful surf, in my opinion anyway.
I like those choppy days. Good shoulder to head slop. Waves everywhere but short rids. Great workout for when it cleans up. And the water is a little warmer with those on-shore winds.
Something to maybe cover in future videos. I was surprised how quickly I was able to progress my surfing as I started doing yoga. Hip flexibility is the king. I guess it is what you don’t realise is even a problem if you surf since being a kid. But when you start in your late 20s it becomes a huge issue (after all the years of sitting 9-to-5).
I live in israel that known for very small waves (the average wave in here in a normal week is somewhere between 70-100 cm) And this video realy helped me to get a better look on smaller waves and improve my surfin abilities so thanks
Great video @kales! Here in the Mediterranean (Valencia, Spain) we're quite used to have small waves and also with not too much energy, so this gives me a great group of hints for progression. Already got my Surkskate. Work in progress! It would be nice to also have a video to distinguish the way to surf a small wave vs surfing a, not so small but "slow" wave. You know, this type of waves that you need to cut back quite often in order not to get out of the power zone of the wave. Thanks a lot in advance from the opposite side of the planet!
Amazing breakdown, advice and visuals guys. Our customers ask for this sort of thing all the time so well done - you guys nailed it especially about weight and board size. The one element that would be great to cover in a video is how taller surfers should ride small waves. The distance of a pop up and the immediate acceleration is longer (more time required) for a taller surfer than a shorter surfer. We know there are lots of taller surfers out there that really, really struggle in small waves. Some pointers on this would be epic to help improve surfing technique. But hey... great job guys. Well done.
Not sure I understand why a taller surfer would have more trouble generating speed than a shorter guy ? how is this related ? ( im 6'2 so i m interested)
@@poppiiiii Hey Mathieu - the video title is called "how to surf small waves". The reference was particularly in popping up first - there is more distance for taller surfers from paddling onto a wave to getting to your feet. We are not talking about generation of speed - its the bit before that.
I still dont get it lol but that s fine. It s more about how quick you are to get to your feet, some shorter guys are slower than taller guys to get to their feet. I think you just need to be fit enough to get quickly to your feet AND landing your feet in the right spot to maximise weight distribution. Unfortunately for taller guys I think our challenge (at least it was mine when i started to surf) is hip flexibility, being able to land your front foot between your arms. I understand your point but I d disagree that this tiny difference is the reason why taller surfers are struggling in small waves. @@SmoothStarSurf
I d say however that it might be easier to surf when you are short because of low center of gravity, for tall guys it comes down again to this flexibility issue to make it up. Yoga and daily stretching, tissue release with foam roller, spiked balls, loosing up the lower body is key. My 2cents
Can u guys do a video where u film a whole session in POV on the Gopro and then break down your turns (like what went well and what could change) so that intermediate surfers like myself can get a view from the eyes and an analysis from the brain of you guys. That would be sick! Thanks and great work! Cheers from Cali 🤙🤙
Hey Kale, your vids are super helpful man. I’ve gone from surfing a Becker 7’11 fun board to standing and half maneuvering a 40L 5’10” quad in 4 weeks. Still definitely a beginner, no doubt, but I’m noticing the fast learning and fast progress for 4 weeks of surfing. Most helpful takeaways for me here were the clap and scoop (struggling to turn on my fish and get an intuitive sense for turning/maneuvering), and the point system analogy for wave power. They’re genius. Anyway, just wanted to drop a hello and thank you for all the awesome content. Cheers from Cali! Yeeeww
Question: Your recommendations about volume... I am confused, it seems low. Small and somewhat weak waves I would go for 33-36L board.. I consider myself intermediate and weigh "only" 65kg - maybe the thick 7mm winter wetsuit that we need here in Denmark adds 4-5kg, but still..
It's good that such low volume boards are recommended. The end result is that half the people in the water can't catch waves. More waves for the people who know what volume they should be riding!
Volume maketh not the board. It’s about how/where it makes lift, and how strong a paddler you are. These are smalllllll boards for beginners. Jordy Smith weighs 85kg and rides 32-34L short boards, Julian Wilson weighs 78kg and rides 27-29L short boards. If you are a beginner intermediate go something around or just under half your weight in L, catch more waves and have more fun. Get that volume into a shorter wider design with a wider tail for small wave grovelling, or a longer eggy outline for trimming/carving. It’s two different ways of riding small waves and the type of board depends on how fat or hollow the wave is when small. Some waves are still top to bottom when small, and so the radius of the wave transition is tight. A short fairly flat board with some nose rocker and a flat midsection and a bit of concave under the front foot will help there, as the wave will give you plenty of push to get planing on the wave (rocker won’t hold you back) and the flatter mid section will give you some release without sacrificing rail rocker for the tighter turning radius. On the other hand a fat slow wave will need the extra length to develop speed and lift in displacement mode while paddling to allow you to even catch the wave, and the longer outline with more gradual rocker will give you trim to get through fat sections. An egg shape or a takayama style wide nose mid 6 to early 7 foot board is ideal in this situation. If the wave is top to bottom, however, this board would pearl unless it has a lot of nose rocker, which defeats the purpose. So. It depends on the wave and style of riding you want to do. Anyway, just my $0.02
I've been going to Cocoa Beach since I was a baby, but I always felt underwhelmed from the size of the waves. Never thought i could do more than just ride the line there!
ya gotta be lucky to have waves such as these, off a rocky bottom; here in Brazil sucks, cause all we got are sandy breaks that move alot with the current and small waves that generate no speed, and it gets quite frustrating to improve on such scenario
I've been surfing an 8 ft wavestorm-like foam board for 2 years in 1-3 ft waves and can take-off, turn and go down the face of the wave.... I've picked up a 5'10'' wavestorm fish and either have trouble catching the wave or if I do, feel like I'm going down so fast I don't have time to pop-up and end up body surfing all the way towards the beach..... Can you do a video specifically on how to catch waves on a fish with focus on the paddle-in and pop-up including technique?
wish id known you when i visisted down under back in 2016, would have been great for my progress (i wasted alot of time surfing waves that didnt fit my skill level and also i had no real teacher). you seem like a chilled dude to share the line up with too! i spent most my time in sydney surfing manly. really liked bilgoa too, whale beach we only surfed once, on new years cause all other places were filled. cheers mate!
Great video. But the wave messurement i dont understand. In my country a 1-2 wave means minimal surf condition. The wave is knee high, and you can only surf on a long board.
Great vids. Thanks. As a relative beginner I still get confused, when paddling out toward an oncoming surfer, about how to read what they are doing and get out of their way. Really don't enjoy the occasional snarls I get from them when I read it wrong. Any suggestions or ground rules.
One of the best surf vids I've seen. Thanks! Would love to see a video on catching more waves and not getting caught in the lip. I just learned from a friend that it helps to push the front of the board down into the wave as you catch it by pressing your chin to the board.
He probably ment your chin. If your forehead was on the board you wouldnt be able to see. As for getting caught in the lip, it sounds like you need to get to your feet earlier before the wave starts breaking. Which means you need to work on your paddle power and your drop-in (pop-up), i'd recommend doing push ups. The last 3 or 4 paddles you do should be your deepest and hardest which is when your chin will be touching your board.
@@KalesBroccoli Yeah its not necessary for learning to surf, but definitely helps in heavy barrels. Maybe not so much in 1-2ft slop. You're right tho, not so much chin more just being as low to your board as possible.
@@KalesBroccoli Thanks, that makes sense - I think it's a helpful way to think about leaning that far forward even if you don't put your chin on the board
Can you make a video about how to pump the board, to generate speed? Also, is there an exercise to practice pumping on a skateboard? I'm from Cocoa Beach, by the way...Another reason small wave surfers excel in the sport of surfing is that they have very little time to execute tricks. Here in Cocoa Beach, your ride on a wave only lasts literally a few seconds, and that's on a good day. In order to do tricks, you have to perform them very quickly. As a result, surfers like Kelly Slater are able to rack up the points quickly, performing lots of tricks in short succession. In contrast, surfers from Hawaii are very spoiled, having the best waves in the world, that seem to go on forever. As a result, their surfing style looks slow and lazy when compared to Kelly's. Kelly can probably do five tricks to their one trick.
Jason Hart hey Jason, I’m from St Augustine, Florida so I understand the struggle! I highly recommend getting a carver board to practice pumping. You can even just get the trucks online if you want, but get some soft wheels and find a basketball court or wide driveway. It really teaches you how to pivot and spring your turns. Even on flat ground it’s great practice, but as you get better you can take it to the park to really perfect your maneuvers. I have some carver videos on my page if you want to see the board in action!
@@WorkForAvocados I have lots of carver skateboards, too. I make my own decks, and buy the trucks on Ebay. The thing that really screws me up is that I surf regular foot, and skateboard goofy. Have you ever heard of people like that?
Jason Hart I’ve heard of it before, that’s unfortunate! I’ve started trying to pump switch and it’s helped my regular stance as well. Also doing some much needed ankle stretching. I feel like it looks really bad and sloppy at first but it’s slowly gotten better. Maybe Try it switch for a while
To all you learners out there. This video is not for you. This video is for someone who has learn't to surf and who can ride bigger waves and shred but can't generate power in smaller surf. Please please please don't think that as a beginner you will be able to follow the advise on this video and suddenly be able to surf like this guy (bloody good surfer that he is). He started surfing and passed through exactly the same phase as you are at and it took him many many many more hours of surfing before he could do anything with the info he provides here. What you need to do is get out there and surf. And then you need to get out there and surf. And then you need to get out there and....................surf. What he is telling you is something that you will quite likely pick up as you go, if you mainly surf small waves, BUT there is no point in trying to put it into action while you are struggling to stand up and stay upright. Just get used to riding the board, have FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN. Next, have FUN. Eventually you may reach a point where you can shred in big waves but not in small waves, that is the point when this video may be of use to you. In closing I'd like to say that surfing is in my opinion the greatest thing you can do for fun, every wave and day are different and I wish you the same amount of stoke that I have had over the years doing it!.
As a new surfer its much easier to learn basics in small surf than in bigger surf. Lots of people barely learn to catch a wave and want to move on to bigger waves right away without developing a solid foundation on smaller less critical waves which I think is bad. Get good on the small stuff. Develop solid technique and some proper muscle memory them move on to bigger waves. You have to crawl before you can walk.
Speed tips I've learned over the years: - The top third of the wave is where you want to generate speed from. Generally, the higher your line, the faster you'll go. - Paddle HARD! That extra bit of paddle speed will carry over into your first turn. - Certain turns (like carves) look great in big waves, but lame in smaller waves, understand what turns look great in smaller surf. - Unless you're chasing a section down the line STAY...IN...THE...POCKET, it's where all the wave's power is and it's the best place to do moves and recover from them with speed to flow into another. - Don't forget to shift your feet! When trying to build speed, quickly shift your stance forward and shift it back again just before a maneuver. - Don't force the wave, this results in 'ugly surfing'.
Hi great video!! I had a concern about a board i wanted to get your take if you believe it would be a good beginner short board for me. I am 150pds and 5'-10" height. I bought the catchsurf retro fish 5'8"x 19" 32 liter surfboard. Would that be a good choice for a first shortboard? I have enough experience to ride a wavestorm if that helps with my level. The Retro fish is a foamie but with my weight and height do you believe i can duck dive this board also? Cheers and hope to see way more videos!!
I really wish Cape Towns smaller waves were that big, had a forecast of 7ft waves this morning but when getting there it was a massive 2ft which didn't even look as big as your guys
Nice videos Please make a video about weight vs volume and how loosing weight allows you to surf smaller boards in small waves I was 82kg struggling surfing with a 35L board and I'm dieting now to reach 72kg and hope it works better Many thanks
Great vid! I’m a beginner intermediate surfer confertable on my longboard and can get up and ride the wave repeatedly. I’m looking to get a new surfboard to continue improving my surf, what would you recommend? Maybe look at one around 7’8?
I’d go a bit shorter if you’re comfortable personally, it seems you’re young, short, and light enough too. 7’8 is still pushing the limits of a longboard so if you want to really improve I’d consider a smaller fish
Hi i will like to know more about differences of surfboard for small wvs all around bordas and medium waves also some tips of choice fins easy to undestand
TOP! another amazing video. What advice can you guys give to a a surfer who's regular in surfing and snowboarding but has a goofy stance in skating? I feel I'm much more free and radical in skating than in surfing.On the other hand I'm surfing for a couple decades witch prevents me of changing... thanks
Crazy gr8; more please on using SmoothStar (Carver, if you are USA - I don't see where you can buy SmoothStar in USA) tricks, tips but these next gen skateboards appear to have potential to teach riders how to pump, create speed and turn. And then - bit more on board tech; fish template, flat and volume; you just don't hear enough about it and these waves - they are the waves most surfers will actually see...! Nice job... (Edit just to say I'm not making distinction b/w SmoothStar and Carver or any other brand; this is an Aussie site - go AU all the way - and was only encouraging Kales to expound on his 'land based' techniques...)
Hey Ken. We send boards all over the world, its not an issue. We have over 100 coaches around the world using SmoothStar for coaching their students because it has the closest feel to surfing - there really is no comparison. When you do a turn, the board responds, there is no delay or stiffness. Also - when you put the board on rail, it will hold consistently. SmoothStar represents surf functionality not necessarily fashion under the arm - this is why How to Rip use it. If you got any specific questions just drop us an email.
Thanks for your vids bro. So if I'm 1.70 meters and weight 65 kilos, what's the equivalent of that board I should get? I imagine you're taller and heavier than me. Thanks again man!!
Kale loving your vids mate! Quick one, I'm finding I get hung up heaps in smaller waves, surf bigger fine. I don't seem to have this on the west coast Aus where it's punchier but since moving to east coast I find this happening a lot specially at places like Cronulla. Any tips as to why?
Sick boys! When you're flying down the line trying to build speed, whats your weight distribution between your front and back leg? Are you putting more than 50% on your front leg to drive you down the line? I feel like on a skateboard it doesn't matter too much its more about the craving to generate speed. But I've seen clips of john john flying down the wave where it looks like he's almost putting no weight on his back foot at all?
@@KalesBroccoli dude your videos have gotten me from having never surfed in my life to pumping down the line on greenies in beach breaks in only 2 months of weekend surfing (3days a week max).. currently trying to learn to wip the tail out now and carve. Started on a fish like you recommended, did everything you guys said to do and surfing has changed my life. So thank you...
I'm looking for a holiday to surf for a few weeks. What place has consistent clean small waves? And also a nice place to be on holiday? Any ideas people?
I have a question, everybody is telling me to move forward on my board but when I get to that sweet spot I always nosedive no matter how hard I paddle. What else can I do? I'm sure my paddling is on point but when I see other surfers they don't paddle nearly half as me and still catch the wave. I've come to the point today where I just could not pull a strong paddle because I was so exhausted. Any tips? I weigh about 60kg and ride a 6'4, 36L
Practice on a pool paddling while maintaining the nose of the board up. Or if you wanna be lazy keep the position you currently use but instead pull your legs in. This will shift the weight more towards the front and if you feel like you are nose diving you can just extend your legs and you will shift your weight back. Once you learn how to shift your weight back and forth catching waves becomes so much easier than sometimes you won’t even need to paddle. I have caught few waves without paddling just by shifting my weight on the right time to create momentum
I'm U.S.A east coast New England. Those wave you're showing me are solid waist high. That's not really small to me. Try knee and thigh high. I found 1, you want to catch at the angle you want to go, stick to the wall while catching it and don't get so low you have to do a bottom turn. 2, You need to stick in that place on the face that has the power. You'll probably sink on a slow peeling wave so you need to find fast ones. Big wave, over head, the fear makes me run way ahead of the curl on the first wave or two. I look back and am disappointed as I see the power at the curl way behind me and i'm on this weak round mound. After those first waves I blew. I make sure to got to the bottom on takeoff and do a bottom turn. It keeps me in the curl.
I guess that is accurate. I have three different skates, one a carver which gets kinda close but the smoothstar seems to be the only one with the proper shape and double truck system to enable such type of movement and therefore land training for surfing in water
@@HowtoRip seriously guys you are sponsored by smoothstar of course you are going to say its better than a carver...half the pros on the WSL shred carvers and i think they are the best ppl to judge
Thanks for watching guys!! Enjoy and we’ll see you again soon!
Hey Kale i ride a 6'0 Funboard im 5'8 and my dad gave me it not old but quite new, but seems hard for me to generate speed on it thoughts?
I’m getting a 5’2 squash tail and a 5’4 fish which on do you think is best for small waves
GoPro Sessions fishes generally have more volume, making it easier to paddle into waves and are known for being able to generate speed easily.
Hi Kales, can you do a video on how to get the most out of (and improve) surfing windswell? A lot of your international viewers have to wide 6 second swell with very short sections. It would help a lot of us in the northern hemisphere out massively
Hey kale big fan and your videos have really helped me but I was wondering what that blue fish board is?
Meanwhile in South Carolina, that “1-2 ft wave” there would be our swell of the year 😂 Awesome vid!
Lmao yeah move on down here to Carolina Beach bro our waves suck but SC never has any wave but you guys are getting a wave pool! Millions investment
I just picked up surfing in North Myrtle Beach hahaha, I managed to catch some lol
i’m in south carolina by pawleys pier and we almost always have good waves at least 2-3 times a week and have really good swell, today was barreling with long lines, y’all trippjng
Summer dolldrums this week...skating...but need wave!!
You have the same fall hurricane season I have. 12' to 15' some of those swells.
I grew up on the Georgia coast, most of the time it's choppy, small, and weak here. One of the side effects of learning to surf on crappy waves became apparent on my first surf trip (to Cocoa Beach) when I was 13. When I took off on a wave there, it was completely different. I had so much more time to think. Surfing on awful waves is a much more instinctual exercise. There's no time to think, you just have to get up and go. You have to train until everything becomes muscle memory, so that your body knows what to do and your brain just goes blank. That's another reason why there are so many good surfers from places with awful surf, in my opinion anyway.
I like those choppy days. Good shoulder to head slop. Waves everywhere but short rids. Great workout for when it cleans up. And the water is a little warmer with those on-shore winds.
With surfing horrible waves you too get good at reading that 1 wave that comes in that is perfect every so often
Something to maybe cover in future videos. I was surprised how quickly I was able to progress my surfing as I started doing yoga. Hip flexibility is the king. I guess it is what you don’t realise is even a problem if you surf since being a kid. But when you start in your late 20s it becomes a huge issue (after all the years of sitting 9-to-5).
Nikita Butenko yoga is great for surfing for sure
That scoop and clap demo is a great way to break down the method of generating speed. Thanks!
6:17 - For the scoop n clap. 🤙
Can you do a video on how to surf small to small-ish waves that are short/close out quickly.
Unmmmm maybe
That would be nice. I live in a place where the waves are mostly hollow and quick so before thinking about turning you gotta survive the close out :)
@@HowtoRip Same for me, our waves in the Netherlands and UK are mostly small hollow wind waves. Would love to see some input on it!
Agree. That would be cool.
@@HowtoRip There are is plenty of demand for it!
I live in israel that known for very small waves (the average wave in here in a normal week is somewhere between 70-100 cm)
And this video realy helped me to get a better look on smaller waves and improve my surfin abilities so thanks
Thanks a lot! The waves here in The Netherlands are almost always small
SurfTheC still worth a trip though?
@@KalesBroccoli Yess! The waves in Scheveningen and other spots can be very fun sometimes
I’m so glad you made a video about this because I love surfing small waves 😄
Jude Jeffery me too 😁
"4 foot wave like this" meanwhile in LA that's a 6-7 huge day hahahahaha
lol... australians "1-2 ft wave like this" - over here on the e. coast we call that a 3 ft wave hahahha
That's a solid 4 where I live
4 where I live
He’s prolly talking abt the back of the wave, but still when he said 4 and was in the barrel lol
Saw those waves and thought the same thing. Maybe even 4 ft
I would take those small waves any day 😂. Shits like chest high
great video Kale. Yep, I'm in Florida too.....smaller waves most of the year...for sure.
Great video @kales! Here in the Mediterranean (Valencia, Spain) we're quite used to have small waves and also with not too much energy, so this gives me a great group of hints for progression. Already got my Surkskate. Work in progress!
It would be nice to also have a video to distinguish the way to surf a small wave vs surfing a, not so small but "slow" wave. You know, this type of waves that you need to cut back quite often in order not to get out of the power zone of the wave.
Thanks a lot in advance from the opposite side of the planet!
Amazing breakdown, advice and visuals guys. Our customers ask for this sort of thing all the time so well done - you guys nailed it especially about weight and board size. The one element that would be great to cover in a video is how taller surfers should ride small waves. The distance of a pop up and the immediate acceleration is longer (more time required) for a taller surfer than a shorter surfer. We know there are lots of taller surfers out there that really, really struggle in small waves. Some pointers on this would be epic to help improve surfing technique. But hey... great job guys. Well done.
Oh great point!!! For sure guys love ya work!! And thanks for the boards 😁😁
Not sure I understand why a taller surfer would have more trouble generating speed than a shorter guy ? how is this related ? ( im 6'2 so i m interested)
@@poppiiiii Hey Mathieu - the video title is called "how to surf small waves". The reference was particularly in popping up first - there is more distance for taller surfers from paddling onto a wave to getting to your feet. We are not talking about generation of speed - its the bit before that.
I still dont get it lol but that s fine. It s more about how quick you are to get to your feet, some shorter guys are slower than taller guys to get to their feet. I think you just need to be fit enough to get quickly to your feet AND landing your feet in the right spot to maximise weight distribution. Unfortunately for taller guys I think our challenge (at least it was mine when i started to surf) is hip flexibility, being able to land your front foot between your arms. I understand your point but I d disagree that this tiny difference is the reason why taller surfers are struggling in small waves. @@SmoothStarSurf
I d say however that it might be easier to surf when you are short because of low center of gravity, for tall guys it comes down again to this flexibility issue to make it up. Yoga and daily stretching, tissue release with foam roller, spiked balls, loosing up the lower body is key. My 2cents
Can u guys do a video where u film a whole session in POV on the Gopro and then break down your turns (like what went well and what could change) so that intermediate surfers like myself can get a view from the eyes and an analysis from the brain of you guys. That would be sick! Thanks and great work! Cheers from Cali 🤙🤙
-SpyGuy- yes doing that on this channel here shortly
exactly! i surf in every condition we have down here in Victoria, always have. defiantly makes you a better all around surfer! love your videos man.
Corey thanks Corey !! :)
That’s a sick barrel you got there is that you’re too secret spot ?
Great video, I notice you are always toeside. I believe its harder to do on the heels, but is it possible to get the same speed/pump backside? thanks.
Hey Kale, your vids are super helpful man. I’ve gone from surfing a Becker 7’11 fun board to standing and half maneuvering a 40L 5’10” quad in 4 weeks. Still definitely a beginner, no doubt, but I’m noticing the fast learning and fast progress for 4 weeks of surfing.
Most helpful takeaways for me here were the clap and scoop (struggling to turn on my fish and get an intuitive sense for turning/maneuvering), and the point system analogy for wave power. They’re genius. Anyway, just wanted to drop a hello and thank you for all the awesome content. Cheers from Cali! Yeeeww
Good job man bet you’re really good now
Question: Your recommendations about volume... I am confused, it seems low. Small and somewhat weak waves I would go for 33-36L board.. I consider myself intermediate and weigh "only" 65kg - maybe the thick 7mm winter wetsuit that we need here in Denmark adds 4-5kg, but still..
Each to his or her own
It's good that such low volume boards are recommended. The end result is that half the people in the water can't catch waves. More waves for the people who know what volume they should be riding!
Volume maketh not the board. It’s about how/where it makes lift, and how strong a paddler you are. These are smalllllll boards for beginners. Jordy Smith weighs 85kg and rides 32-34L short boards, Julian Wilson weighs 78kg and rides 27-29L short boards. If you are a beginner intermediate go something around or just under half your weight in L, catch more waves and have more fun. Get that volume into a shorter wider design with a wider tail for small wave grovelling, or a longer eggy outline for trimming/carving. It’s two different ways of riding small waves and the type of board depends on how fat or hollow the wave is when small. Some waves are still top to bottom when small, and so the radius of the wave transition is tight. A short fairly flat board with some nose rocker and a flat midsection and a bit of concave under the front foot will help there, as the wave will give you plenty of push to get planing on the wave (rocker won’t hold you back) and the flatter mid section will give you some release without sacrificing rail rocker for the tighter turning radius. On the other hand a fat slow wave will need the extra length to develop speed and lift in displacement mode while paddling to allow you to even catch the wave, and the longer outline with more gradual rocker will give you trim to get through fat sections. An egg shape or a takayama style wide nose mid 6 to early 7 foot board is ideal in this situation. If the wave is top to bottom, however, this board would pearl unless it has a lot of nose rocker, which defeats the purpose. So. It depends on the wave and style of riding you want to do. Anyway, just my $0.02
Having said that, this is an excellent vid on speed generation and general small wave riding. D
@@renegadefunkstar Thanks for a VERY useful explanation!! Quite complex matter.. I easyly get focused on dims and especially volume. Thanks a lot.
How to surf Florida
I've been going to Cocoa Beach since I was a baby, but I always felt underwhelmed from the size of the waves. Never thought i could do more than just ride the line there!
Awesome, man! The videos you guys make are so professional, this really amazes me hahah
Gabriel Aleks ah thank you!!
Yew! If I didn't live so far away in the US the retreat would be killer! Thanks for the videos and continued awesome advice!
Matthew Wetmore Thank you 😊🤙🏽🏄🏼♂️
Great video guys! I’d really like to see one about improving more critical takeoffs when surfing faster waves and slabs.
Karl Jakobsson okay
Dump your self over the falls until you get pitted bro. Waapaa. Just go surf
First video by you guys that I heard some decent background music haha! Glad youre making these videos man, keep it up!
Always limited with creator libraries
ya gotta be lucky to have waves such as these, off a rocky bottom; here in Brazil sucks, cause all we got are sandy breaks that move alot with the current and small waves that generate no speed, and it gets quite frustrating to improve on such scenario
I've been surfing an 8 ft wavestorm-like foam board for 2 years in 1-3 ft waves and can take-off, turn and go down the face of the wave.... I've picked up a 5'10'' wavestorm fish and either have trouble catching the wave or if I do, feel like I'm going down so fast I don't have time to pop-up and end up body surfing all the way towards the beach..... Can you do a video specifically on how to catch waves on a fish with focus on the paddle-in and pop-up including technique?
Perfect ! Very clear breakdown and advice.
Roger Pye thanks roger!
Great video, new to surfing, helping heaps.
anthony s awesome :)
wish id known you when i visisted down under back in 2016, would have been great for my progress (i wasted alot of time surfing waves that didnt fit my skill level and also i had no real teacher). you seem like a chilled dude to share the line up with too! i spent most my time in sydney surfing manly. really liked bilgoa too, whale beach we only surfed once, on new years cause all other places were filled. cheers mate!
tonerde ah thanks mate!! :)
Cool video! A video about the different surfboard types would be cool
For sure
sheeeeshe this video is just amazing! Explanation is so simple and easy! thanks a lot for tips man
Great video. But the wave messurement i dont understand. In my country a 1-2 wave means minimal surf condition. The wave is knee high, and you can only surf on a long board.
Great vids. Thanks. As a relative beginner I still get confused, when paddling out toward an oncoming surfer, about how to read what they are doing and get out of their way. Really don't enjoy the occasional snarls I get from them when I read it wrong. Any suggestions or ground rules.
Stuart Palmer that comes down to predicting their line on a wave which comes with experience and wave knowdlehe
@@KalesBroccoli Thanks Kales. So I guess we need to piss a few people off while we gain experience then😊
@@stuartpalmer4926 going under is always better than going over even on little waves that way he can just ride over you
One of the best surf vids I've seen. Thanks!
Would love to see a video on catching more waves and not getting caught in the lip. I just learned from a friend that it helps to push the front of the board down into the wave as you catch it by pressing your chin to the board.
He probably ment your chin. If your forehead was on the board you wouldnt be able to see. As for getting caught in the lip, it sounds like you need to get to your feet earlier before the wave starts breaking. Which means you need to work on your paddle power and your drop-in (pop-up), i'd recommend doing push ups. The last 3 or 4 paddles you do should be your deepest and hardest which is when your chin will be touching your board.
Nunchuk For Grandma ha yes, meant chin.
It’s not really to do with the chin it’s the forward weight of the upper torso which helps catch the wave
@@KalesBroccoli Yeah its not necessary for learning to surf, but definitely helps in heavy barrels. Maybe not so much in 1-2ft slop. You're right tho, not so much chin more just being as low to your board as possible.
@@KalesBroccoli Thanks, that makes sense - I think it's a helpful way to think about leaning that far forward even if you don't put your chin on the board
Can you make a video about how to pump the board, to generate speed? Also, is there an exercise to practice pumping on a skateboard?
I'm from Cocoa Beach, by the way...Another reason small wave surfers excel in the sport of surfing is that they have very little time to execute tricks. Here in Cocoa Beach, your ride on a wave only lasts literally a few seconds, and that's on a good day. In order to do tricks, you have to perform them very quickly. As a result, surfers like Kelly Slater are able to rack up the points quickly, performing lots of tricks in short succession. In contrast, surfers from Hawaii are very spoiled, having the best waves in the world, that seem to go on forever. As a result, their surfing style looks slow and lazy when compared to Kelly's. Kelly can probably do five tricks to their one trick.
Jason Hart hey Jason, I’m from St Augustine, Florida so I understand the struggle! I highly recommend getting a carver board to practice pumping. You can even just get the trucks online if you want, but get some soft wheels and find a basketball court or wide driveway. It really teaches you how to pivot and spring your turns. Even on flat ground it’s great practice, but as you get better you can take it to the park to really perfect your maneuvers. I have some carver videos on my page if you want to see the board in action!
@@WorkForAvocados I have lots of carver skateboards, too. I make my own decks, and buy the trucks on Ebay. The thing that really screws me up is that I surf regular foot, and skateboard goofy. Have you ever heard of people like that?
Jason Hart I’ve heard of it before, that’s unfortunate! I’ve started trying to pump switch and it’s helped my regular stance as well. Also doing some much needed ankle stretching. I feel like it looks really bad and sloppy at first but it’s slowly gotten better. Maybe Try it switch for a while
Great vid!!! Loved the concepts covered, good detail, and exposition. Thanks.
Thank you for your great videos - they are very informative and useful for learning.
To all you learners out there. This video is not for you. This video is for someone who has learn't to surf and who can ride bigger waves and shred but can't generate power in smaller surf. Please please please don't think that as a beginner you will be able to follow the advise on this video and suddenly be able to surf like this guy (bloody good surfer that he is). He started surfing and passed through exactly the same phase as you are at and it took him many many many more hours of surfing before he could do anything with the info he provides here.
What you need to do is get out there and surf. And then you need to get out there and surf. And then you need to get out there and....................surf.
What he is telling you is something that you will quite likely pick up as you go, if you mainly surf small waves, BUT there is no point in trying to put it into action while you are struggling to stand up and stay upright. Just get used to riding the board, have FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN.
Next, have FUN.
Eventually you may reach a point where you can shred in big waves but not in small waves, that is the point when this video may be of use to you.
In closing I'd like to say that surfing is in my opinion the greatest thing you can do for fun, every wave and day are different and I wish you the same amount of stoke that I have had over the years doing it!.
We obviously disagree but thanks for the constructive thoughts!!
As a new surfer its much easier to learn basics in small surf than in bigger surf. Lots of people barely learn to catch a wave and want to move on to bigger waves right away without developing a solid foundation on smaller less critical waves which I think is bad. Get good on the small stuff. Develop solid technique and some proper muscle memory them move on to bigger waves. You have to crawl before you can walk.
Love that you guys are making these videos. I grew up on those same breaks ;).
Jonniejonjon cool
I love watching these, no matter your skill level it’s a good tool to fine tune your surfing. Great break down boyz🤙🏾🤙🏾 aloha
Thank you :)
How do you feel about the twisting and carving of a rip-stik? Good motion practice?
What do you think about foam short boards? Any suggestions?
Love your channel. Keep up the great work!
Great video as usual guys! Would love it if you could break down how to do a floater. I’m really struggling with that
Kale, what is the skateboard you're using for drills? Thinking about getting one to mess around on for extra practice
Speed tips I've learned over the years:
- The top third of the wave is where you want to generate speed from. Generally, the higher your line, the faster you'll go.
- Paddle HARD! That extra bit of paddle speed will carry over into your first turn.
- Certain turns (like carves) look great in big waves, but lame in smaller waves, understand what turns look great in smaller surf.
- Unless you're chasing a section down the line STAY...IN...THE...POCKET, it's where all the wave's power is and it's the best place to do moves and recover from them with speed to flow into another.
- Don't forget to shift your feet! When trying to build speed, quickly shift your stance forward and shift it
back again just before a maneuver.
- Don't force the wave, this results in 'ugly surfing'.
That's great stuff mate. I'm guilty of most of them but agree with you entirely. Cheers.
Hi great video!! I had a concern about a board i wanted to get your take if you believe it would be a good beginner short board for me. I am 150pds and 5'-10" height. I bought the catchsurf retro fish 5'8"x 19" 32 liter surfboard. Would that be a good choice for a first shortboard? I have enough experience to ride a wavestorm if that helps with my level. The Retro fish is a foamie but with my weight and height do you believe i can duck dive this board also?
Cheers and hope to see way more videos!!
I really wish Cape Towns smaller waves were that big, had a forecast of 7ft waves this morning but when getting there it was a massive 2ft which didn't even look as big as your guys
Love Cape Town!!
Love your work. Always plenty for me to learn and work on
Chad Atkinson sweet!
Great content, ideas and explanation. Well done fellas.
Antony Neeson 🙏 😁
Can you guys please do a backhand and forehand barrel riding technique video? Love your videos, yew!
Will try! Covered a little in our 6 Advanced Surfing Lessons video
Nice videos
Please make a video about weight vs volume and how loosing weight allows you to surf smaller boards in small waves
I was 82kg struggling surfing with a 35L board and I'm dieting now to reach 72kg and hope it works better
Many thanks
witch board are you using for smaller waves, and witch board are you using in the video?
Great vid! I’m a beginner intermediate surfer confertable on my longboard and can get up and ride the wave repeatedly. I’m looking to get a new surfboard to continue improving my surf, what would you recommend? Maybe look at one around 7’8?
I’d go a bit shorter if you’re comfortable personally, it seems you’re young, short, and light enough too. 7’8 is still pushing the limits of a longboard so if you want to really improve I’d consider a smaller fish
Hi i will like to know more about differences of surfboard for small wvs all around bordas and medium waves also some tips of choice fins easy to undestand
TOP! another amazing video. What advice can you guys give to a a surfer who's regular in surfing and snowboarding but has a goofy stance in skating? I feel I'm much more free and radical in skating than in surfing.On the other hand I'm surfing for a couple decades witch prevents me of changing... thanks
Johnny Tejo that’s an odd combination not sure but shouldn’t matter which foot is forward same techniques apply
Crazy gr8; more please on using SmoothStar (Carver, if you are USA - I don't see where you can buy SmoothStar in USA) tricks, tips but these next gen skateboards appear to have potential to teach riders how to pump, create speed and turn. And then - bit more on board tech; fish template, flat and volume; you just don't hear enough about it and these waves - they are the waves most surfers will actually see...! Nice job... (Edit just to say I'm not making distinction b/w SmoothStar and Carver or any other brand; this is an Aussie site - go AU all the way - and was only encouraging Kales to expound on his 'land based' techniques...)
Hey Ken. We send boards all over the world, its not an issue. We have over 100 coaches around the world using SmoothStar for coaching their students because it has the closest feel to surfing - there really is no comparison. When you do a turn, the board responds, there is no delay or stiffness. Also - when you put the board on rail, it will hold consistently. SmoothStar represents surf functionality not necessarily fashion under the arm - this is why How to Rip use it. If you got any specific questions just drop us an email.
Yep will have more soon!
Hey man .. Thanks for the vids .. Totally helped me
Good job. I've learned a lot from you guys. Thank you
Looks like Seaford on the mid coast of Adelaide... Triggs or 3 poles maybe??
what is the name of the blue board ? i love it
Thanks for your vids bro. So if I'm 1.70 meters and weight 65 kilos, what's the equivalent of that board I should get? I imagine you're taller and heavier than me. Thanks again man!!
Can I generate speed on 5´11 20.5 25/8 36liters surfboard? or is it to "big"? my weight is 82kg. Thank you!
I like those sunglasses are they Oakleys?
Kale loving your vids mate!
Quick one, I'm finding I get hung up heaps in smaller waves, surf bigger fine.
I don't seem to have this on the west coast Aus where it's punchier but since moving to east coast I find this happening a lot specially at places like Cronulla. Any tips as to why?
Good lesson
Good stuff. Thanks guys!
Great film thanks
Good video, about litters it depends a lot on surfers weight
Great content mate. Keep it up!
Campbell Morrow thank you :6
That was fantastic. Good job!
Bryan Swett thank you 😊
Sick boys! When you're flying down the line trying to build speed, whats your weight distribution between your front and back leg? Are you putting more than 50% on your front leg to drive you down the line? I feel like on a skateboard it doesn't matter too much its more about the craving to generate speed. But I've seen clips of john john flying down the wave where it looks like he's almost putting no weight on his back foot at all?
Good idea for a video.
great advice. THX!
Awesome... teach barrels!
Thank you thank you for what you guys do it's so helpful thank you
Would love to near which side of Aus this is.
awesome tips thanks.....loving the vibe.....Green Living Path......youtube bless
Green Living Path Alyogi thanks :)
Love the music Kale! What is this?
Benny Lindo from epidemic sound not sure mate sorry 🤷🏼♂️
hi! who is performing the music?
*Good stuff!*
Ho Stevie! Thank you 😊
Really good material, congrats, hope u make more content like this ;)
João Costa thanks will do
Sick.. as always 😎
1stnight1 thank you ;)
@@KalesBroccoli dude your videos have gotten me from having never surfed in my life to pumping down the line on greenies in beach breaks in only 2 months of weekend surfing (3days a week max).. currently trying to learn to wip the tail out now and carve. Started on a fish like you recommended, did everything you guys said to do and surfing has changed my life. So thank you...
I forget to say thank you and congrats! Great video
Hello, how do you know the volume of the table?
I'm looking for a holiday to surf for a few weeks. What place has consistent clean small waves? And also a nice place to be on holiday? Any ideas people?
thank you folly beach, SC for all your small ass waves 🙏🏼
Excelente explicacion
Merci beaucoup
what camera do you use??
Awsome breakdonw mate! Cheers!!
Cedrick Gomes thanks! :)
I have a question, everybody is telling me to move forward on my board but when I get to that sweet spot I always nosedive no matter how hard I paddle. What else can I do? I'm sure my paddling is on point but when I see other surfers they don't paddle nearly half as me and still catch the wave. I've come to the point today where I just could not pull a strong paddle because I was so exhausted. Any tips? I weigh about 60kg and ride a 6'4, 36L
Activate back extensor muscles so you are a banana shape paddling in
Practice on a pool paddling while maintaining the nose of the board up. Or if you wanna be lazy keep the position you currently use but instead pull your legs in. This will shift the weight more towards the front and if you feel like you are nose diving you can just extend your legs and you will shift your weight back. Once you learn how to shift your weight back and forth catching waves becomes so much easier than sometimes you won’t even need to paddle. I have caught few waves without paddling just by shifting my weight on the right time to create momentum
What type of jr surfboard is that?
Great video! Gratitude!
I personally prefer to ride small waves not to mention in QLD, AUS the waves are usually around 1-3ft
Going surfing soon......has anyone got any tips and tricks? Many thanks
Yeah like 40 videos even :)
Everyone should have a fish in their quiver...no doubt about it. Thanks mate! !!!
Anyone know the name of that skateboard he was practicing on in the parking lot?
Smoothstar
I'm U.S.A east coast New England. Those wave you're showing me are solid waist high. That's not really small to me. Try knee and thigh high. I found 1, you want to catch at the angle you want to go, stick to the wall while catching it and don't get so low you have to do a bottom turn. 2, You need to stick in that place on the face that has the power. You'll probably sink on a slow peeling wave so you need to find fast ones. Big wave, over head, the fear makes me run way ahead of the curl on the first wave or two. I look back and am disappointed as I see the power at the curl way behind me and i'm on this weak round mound. After those first waves I blew. I make sure to got to the bottom on takeoff and do a bottom turn. It keeps me in the curl.
I have a Carver is it the same as the smoothstar?
No. To be honest, nothing compares to the SmoothStar
I guess that is accurate. I have three different skates, one a carver which gets kinda close but the smoothstar seems to be the only one with the proper shape and double truck system to enable such type of movement and therefore land training for surfing in water
@@HowtoRip seriously guys you are sponsored by smoothstar of course you are going to say its better than a carver...half the pros on the WSL shred carvers and i think they are the best ppl to judge
Great video! Awesome advice!
Houston McClurkan thanks :)
6:17 - Scoop n clap 🤙
Pretty good but On my bottom turn, I like to throw those hips forward and arch my back. It feels good on my tired old back.