Mick Fanning shares his secrets to generating speed, emphasizing that surfers must actively use the entire wave face, from bottom to top, to accelerate. The tutorial details the importance of where to position your feet and how to use body movement to create a gliding swoop along the wave.
Key Takeaways & Tips
Utilize the Whole Face
To get the most speed, you must use the whole wave face, going from the bottom of the wave to the top. If you just wiggle in the middle, you sometimes even lose speed. Push on your front foot and accelerate out of the turn.
Foot Positioning
Move your back foot up on the board so that your stance is positioned over the thickest part of the board (usually the middle area). This is where you will get your most speed out of the board.
The Gliding Swoop
The movement should be a nice gliding swoop achieved by using the crunch low, stand high technique. Crunch low on the compression and then stand high on the extension to get that nice fluid glide.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Wiggling in the Middle
Wiggling in the middle of the wave face is a common mistake that causes surfers to lose speed instead of gaining it.
Riding the Flats
Avoid riding far down the bottom of the wave into the flats, as this is where you can easily lose momentum.
Incorrect Foot Placement
Leaving your back foot too far back on the tail block will reduce speed, as you are not positioned over the thickest, fastest part of the board.