Many beginning surfers ignore the value of paddling when it comes to capturing waves.

Do not hold back and just lay in your surfboard waiting for the tide to push one along. Be aggressive and paddle to capture the wave as though your life depended upon it. Do this and I guarantee you will catch more waves, with the rate you buildup before to catching the tide, you will pearl less often.


What is pearling? Pearling is your dreaded moment that the nose of one's surfboard bites into the ground, causing it to dig , decelerate and whip the tail up from the air turning you off the surfboard. The way to avoid pearling is to shake hard so you aren't getting in to the wave too late. This is going to have you entering the wave with faster rate the tide will start to propel your surf-board earlier and you will soon be in your feet until the tide becomes overly steep.

To paddle most efficiently and have the maximum rate you up want to focus in your own shape. You first need to get placed properly in your surfboard therefore that it is going to likely be moving through the water at the appropriate angle. Surfboards come with a wooden stringer which runs the center line of this board. Use the stringer to put the entire body exactly in the center line of this board, not to the left or the right. Today you're centered, you want to correct your body either forward or back on the surfboard in order for the nose of this board is all about an inch above the drinking water. Too much ahead of the surfboard and the nose will probably dig in causing the surfboard to plow through the water, then slowing it down. If you are a lot back the nose will be full of the atmosphere and the surfboard is going to undoubtedly be slow to paddle. Most new surfers make the mistake to be too much back on the surfboard.

Now that start surfing are situated correctly, let's focus on your paddling form. You might wish to cup your hands and keep your palms together. Extend your arm all the way forwards toward the nose of the surfboard. Maintaining your palms together and hands cupped, dig deep in to the water and then paddle the length of the surfboard. Don't let your arms drift out to the side. As you're paddling keep your spine arched and your chest up off of the board. Hold your head up and your eyes again. Don't focus on the nose of the surfboard, keep your eyes trained on the water ahead and some other potential danger. The threat could possibly be in the form of an on coming surfer, large wave or large walls of whitewater.