This tutorial with Kale Brock provides an in-depth, three-step roadmap for achieving or perfecting your cutback. The focus is on linking the critical movements—compression, rotation, and extension—from the bottom of the wave all the way through the arc and exit for continuous flow.
Step 1: Perfect Your Bottom Turn Sequence
The cutback begins with your bottom turn, which is composed of three simultaneous movements: compression, rotation, and extension
Compression
Gradually compress your body starting from the power zone up high, loading yourself into a strong position at the bottom of the wave.
Rotation (Looking)
As you compress, your eyes, head, and shoulders should gradually rotate to look and point up to the lip of the wave where you will initiate the turn.
Extension (The Jump)
Perform a jumping-style movement out of the bottom of the wave to defy gravity and move back up the face. Your back arm should pull into a neutral (behind you) position to prepare for rotation
Visualization Tip
Visualize the process as a “smile shape.” The compression starts at the top and finishes midway, while the extension starts midway and finishes back up at the top.
Step 2: Optimal Rotation Within the Maneuver
Throw the Trailing Arm
To initiate the turn, throw your trailing arm from behind you up and over the lip of the wave until your shoulder meets your ear. This ripples rotation through the entire body.
Avoid Over-Rotation
A common mistake is over-rotating too quickly, resulting in a disconnected turn. Think about rotating smoothly, passing through each “hour” of a clock face for connected torsion.
Vertical vs. Horizontal Angle
For a more vertical cutback, throw the trailing arm higher. For a more horizontal (roundhouse) cutback on fatter sections, keep the trailing arm lower to ensure a slower, less aggressive transition onto the rail and avoid bogging.
Step 3: Link the Turn (The Finish)
Lead Arm Takes Over
At about the halfway mark of the cutback, the leading arm takes over from the back arm and begins pulling upwards towards the white water. This drives out the turn and creates a longer, visually interesting arc.
Back Leg Extension
The upwards pull of the leading arm forces the back leg to extend out and into the board, maximizing spray and exit speed to achieve flow.
Summary of the Roadmap
The process is: 1. Perfect the three stages of your bottom turn. 2. Learn the optimal rotation within the maneuver. 3. Link everything together with the back leg extension.