3 Paddling Mistakes Surfers Make That I Hate

This tutorial addresses three common paddling mistakes that many surfers make. These errors cause huge problems in surfing, lead to a low wave count, and cause surfers to get tired and fatigued much faster.

Key Takeaways & Tips

Mistake 1: Incorrect Leg Positioning [1:00]
The mistake is having legs off the board or kicking wildly. The ideal positioning is to have your knees on the board and snugged up close to each other. Keep everything thin and within the rails of your surfboard so the flow of water is not disrupted (like landing gear on an airplane).

Mistake 2: Low Chin/Head Posture [1:53]
A low chin close to the surfboard is a dead giveaway of a new surfer. This greatly reduces paddling power and can be bad for your neck. You should have an arched back with your head high up off the board to give your arms more room to move at the optimal paddling angle.

Mistake 3: Failing to Find the Glide Point [2:24]
Failing to find the optimal glide point position is the biggest mistake. To find it, position yourself forward on your board so that when you paddle, you struggle to keep the nose from digging into the water. Then, slowly inch backward until the nose is just barely staying above the water.

Wave Count Impact [3:14]
Good paddlers catch two to three times more waves than the average paddler. Fixing these three skills before anything else is critical for increasing your wave count and becoming a better surfer.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Kicking Legs [1:00]
Avoid kicking the legs or having them disrupt the flow of water. Keep your legs neat and thin within the rails, like an airplane’s stowed landing gear.

Being Too Far Back [2:35]
If you are too far back on the board, it slows you down because the nose is too high, creating unnecessary drag.

Being Too Far Forward [2:24]
If you are too far forward on the board, the nose digs into the water, slowing you down and requiring constant adjustment.

Moving Onto Other Skills [0:18]
Do not move on to other aspects of surfing before perfecting paddling. Failing to perfect paddling causes a huge problem: a low wave count and unnecessary fatigue.