Before you into surfing, there are a few surfing tricks every surfer should know:
Bottoms Up
Take off for the wave late, and remain steep within it. Time your bottom-turn perfectly so you can twist without losing speed. Stay low, bending your knees and distributing your weight evenly over the board. Put pressure on your toes as the rail finds the water’s surface.
Snap
The surfer moves from a bottom turn up to the top of the wave at a 30- to 50-degree angle. Find a steep wave and perform your best bottom turn. Use the board to direct yourself up the face of the wave. Once you’re halfway over the wave’s crest, turn your shoulders toward the wave and lift your arms, pushing away from the board with your back leg.
360
You’ll fully rotate while on the face of the wave during this move. For a carving 360, you’ll approach a 45-degree angle wave. Keep your speed, and drive your board toward the wave’s lip. Turn your board against the whitewater as you rotate, transferring your weight to your front foot.
Cutback
This handy trick lets you reduce speed and turn to change directions, taking you back from the wave’s shoulder to the steep part. At the wave’s top, shift your weight on your back foot. Lean your left hand down while digging the left rail into the wave. Turn your head and twist your shoulders toward the curl to change direction.
Remember, don’t be afraid of a few wipeouts — even the pros are known to fall off their board every now and then.