Carving is how surfers drastically change their direction on a wave. Turning on longboards is different than on small boards; longboarders often need to bring most of the board out of the water to carve and then re-accelerate to regain lost speed. This tutorial breaks down the process into three simple steps.
Key Takeaways & Tips
Step 1: Press the Carving Button
Initiate the turn by shifting your hips and weight over your back heel or back toes, depending on the direction you want to turn. These “carving buttons” are located at the surfboard’s tail. The sharper the turn, the further back your feet must slide.
Step 2: Rotate the Chest
Once weight is applied, start rotating your upper body in the direction of the turn. Imagine your chest needs to aim towards your target. Look where you want to go because the head leads and the rest of the body follows.
Step 3: Re-accelerate
After the carving is done, you must quickly get back into your normal stance to avoid keeping the brakes on. Slide your hips and feet forward to move your weight back over both feet equally and regain momentum efficiently.
Carve When Wave Finishes
When first learning, practice carving when the wave is about to finish. For example, if the wave is about to close out, carve one last turn towards the beach. This allows you to practice the technique without the consequence of losing a nice wave.
Carve When Too Far Ahead
If you are trimming down the shoulder and getting too far ahead of the pocket, carve down toward the bottom to slow yourself and allow the white water to catch up before turning back up toward the shoulder.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Abrupt Swinging
Trying to force the directional change by abruptly swinging your upper body. Bigger surfboards are heavy and bulky; they take time to respond, so you must hold your position to let the board react.
Not Rotating Enough Backside
On the backside, it is easy to think you are rotating correctly when only your head is pointing toward the target. You need to completely rotate your chest for it to point where you want to go to ensure the turn follows through.
Straying from Normal Stance
Failing to get back into your normal stance (weight equally distributed) after the turn. The longer you hold the carving position, the more speed you lose, and the more you need to re-accelerate.