5 Ways to Make Your First Surf Lesson a Success

Surf Lesson

The most valuable piece of advice I would give someone who wants to learn how to surf is to get a surf lesson. Your first surf lesson will lay the foundation for many years of enjoyable surfing and will save you countless hours of frustration.

At your very first lesson don’t expect to spend all your time in the water catching barrels or hanging ten off your surf boards. More realistically you’ll spend approximately thirty to forty five minutes of your first lesson on the beach going through water safety and the stand up technique.

On the beach you’ll practice this stand up technique until your arms are sore. Its painful but a necessary evil.  When your out in the ocean paddling and the wave is pushing you, your adrenalin will be pumping and there will be water in your face. At this point you’ll be thankful for every second of your practice.

I think that if you can stand up on the board at all you have made your first surf lesson a huge success. You can start getting more ambitious once you’ve set a good foundation for your basic techniques.

I advise you to consider the following when looking for your first surf lesson:

Tip #1 – Accredited Surf School Instructors

When it comes to a surf lesson it is no different than buying any other product. Always check to see if the business is accredited with a national/state training program. This way you will have more of a chance of obtaining a quality surf lesson from an instructor that has been taught how to train students rather than someone that just knows how to surf. A good surfer doesn’t always equal a good instructor.

Tip #2 – Package V’s Single Surf Lesson

It’s difficult to gauge how much you are going to enjoy surfing, if at all, before you have ever tried it. A single surf lesson will give you the taste of what the sport is like and it is from here that you will be able to decide whether you wish to pursue it any further.

A package on the other hand, usually five lessons, will be cheaper per lesson and also gives you the advantage of using the same board, learning from the same instructors who will get to know you and your level and be able to see your progress in order to give you better advice.

Most courses/packages have an outline of what students will be able to achieve by the end and this sometimes helps in making your mind up. However the disadvantage of a package is that if you don’t enjoy the first lesson or decide that surfing is not for you, you have wasted a lot of money for lessons that you are not going to use.

Tip #3 – Instructor to Student Ratio

I think the instructor to student ratio is vitally important in order to get good advice, correction and instruction and to achieve your goals in the quickest possible time. Adult classes should not have more than 8 to 10 students per instructor. Classes for children should not exceed 5 students per instructor due to the safety element.

The lower the ratio the better service and more attention you will receive. This in turn transforms itself into better feedback and quicker results. In short, a smaller group to instructor ratio will result in a more ideal class.

Tip #4 – Surfboards (size matters)

A misconception by most first surf lesson participants is that they will be jumping on a Kelly Slater 5 ft 10 inch fibreglass board and paddling off into the sunset. When making inquiries at surf schools it’s a good idea to ask them what size and type board you are going to be learning on. Make sure you mention that this is your first lesson and you have no experience.

I strongly recommend that you begin your surfing experience with a 9-10ft, foam board and about 3-4 inches thick with rubber fins. This large and thick board helps with buoyancy, balance and control. This size and style of board will make your first few sessions more enjoyable. With a foam board you should be able to pick up waves and ride them literally all the way to the car park.

Tip #5 – Rash shirt & Wetsuits

When booking a lesson check out what clothing they provide. Without a rash shirt and wetsuit your lesson will be far from enjoyable unless you live in Hawaii. If not I’d recommend finding another school that does offer this service. At this stage you don’t want to be spending a lot of money on equipment when your not really sure if you are going to like surfing and continue on in the future.

From experience I would recommend you bring these things along to your first surf lesson:

1.    Water
2.    Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
3.    Boardshorts or swimmers
4.    Towel
5.    Change of clothes
6.    Sense of humour and willingness to have a go.

Congratulations, your now well on your way to becoming a surfer dude (or dudette).

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