Backhand Barrel Riding | Why It’s So Hard And The Mistakes I Make

This tutorial is an honest breakdown of the difficulties of backhand barrel riding, specifically filmed at a wave pool. Ant from Ombe Surf analyzes his personal mistakes, focusing on the mental barriers, the physical problem of knees blocking shoulder rotation, and the need to trust the line into the tube.

Key Takeaways & Tips

The Core Problem [23:20]
The main technical problem identified is that both knees are pointing forward (in the direction of the wave) and are **blocking** the outside shoulder from rotating around. This prevents the body from completing the necessary rotation for the backside line [23:32].

The Solution [25:35]
The solution is to train the body to point the knees more towards the front (down the line) instead of to the side. The surfer needs to train themselves to drive the hips and legs to be more in a sprinter’s stance, which requires deliberate practice to feel natural [25:49].

The Mental Hurdle [26:19]
The backhand barrel is difficult because the surfer is scared of getting slammed into the floor and getting flipped over. If the surfer understood why they were getting flipped over, they would gain the confidence to commit [26:23].

The Stance Difference [24:08]
When comparing the proper stance, the knee position in the barrel should be pointing more forward, whereas Ant’s knees were pointing out to the side. The correct stance allows the head to face the exit while the knees follow [24:35].

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Knee Block [23:32]
A major mistake is allowing both knees to point out to the side of the board, which blocks the shoulder from coming around and prevents the necessary rotation for the backhand carve in the barrel. This causes the surfer to get flipped over [26:28].

Worrying About the Fall [26:19]
The mental fear of getting slammed and having their ego damaged prevents the surfer from moving their body correctly. The lack of commitment is caused by the physical mistake [20:14].

Surfing Flat [15:34]
Even when practicing turns, the surfer continues to surf flat on the board, which indicates a fundamental issue that prevents the board from engaging on rail in the barrel [15:29].