This tutorial, presented by Chris Bond, breaks down barrel riding—the holy grail of surfing—into three key parts: the entry, the barrel itself, and the exit. It details the different techniques for entry, how to manage speed inside the tube, and the proper stance needed to maximize tube time and get shot out.
Key Takeaways & Tips
Three Entry Methods
There are three ways to get into the barrel: 1) The **backdoor** (positioning yourself from behind the peak), 2) The **stall** (slowing down with a kick stall or arm drag), or 3) **Dropping straight into the pit** (requires the most commitment) [1:41].
Stall Technique
You can stall either with one hand, two hands, or by doing a kick stall snap to get into the barrel. This slows you down so you are at the exactly right pace as the wave starts to barrel [1:36].
Speed Management Inside
To maximize your barrel time, ride at the same speed the barrel is moving. You can slow down by putting one or two arms in the wave face, or speed up by letting go and even pumping your board down the line [2:08].
Barrel Stance
For the stance, you want your legs nice and bent, back straight, head upright, and looking out of the barrel. Your eyes should be open and looking up to the top corner to see what the lip is going to do [2:17].
The Exit
The most common exit is to get shot straight out onto the shoulder. Alternatively, you can take a high line if the wave starts to pinch, or drop a low line if you want to set up for a turn and burn off speed [2:56]. The “doggy door” means riding straight towards the beach as the wave closes out [3:07].
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Bending from the Waist
If you bend over from the waist while inside the tube, your head is going to end up touching the face or the lip, and you will end up going over the falls backwards [2:37].
Not Committing
The most common mistake is not committing to the barrel and bailing before the wave has even knocked you off.
Getting Sucked Over
You must make sure that you do not bend from the waist and get sucked higher and higher up the face, or you will be sucked over the falls backwards.
Not Keeping Eyes Open
You have to keep your eyes open to enjoy the view and make the barrel, which helps you see the exit and predict the wave’s movement.