Surfing Perfection: What Kelly Slater Teaches Us About Mastery

Screen shot from the video analyzed.


Surfing legend Kelly Slater is widely considered the greatest surfer of all time, with 11 world titles over a dominant 30-year career. So how does he make riding waves look so effortless and flawless? In a recent podcast episode, the host provided an in-depth technical breakdown of Slater's precision technique. By analyzing slow motion video clips frame-by-frame, we can glean priceless lessons that can help improve every surfer's skills.

The conversation focused on a clip of Slater executing a series of smooth, powerful turns on a solid wave at in Hawaii. Right away in the drop, he compresses into an athletic lunge position to generate speed and harness the wave's energy optimally. Slater then rolls the front of the board through the bottom turn to maintain momentum instead of sliding the tail in a dramatic fashion. He holds this carve for an extended period, drifting the board to throw up a tall curtain of spray.

Slater then transitions seamlessly to the top of the wave by exhaling and twisting his upper body to direct his gaze to where he wants to go next. This body-wave connection exemplifies the flow state that all surfers aim to achieve. As he rides down the face again, Slater keeps his head and chest upright for optimal balance and vision. He leans his body over the front foot and drops his back knee to control a series of snaps, utilizing his core strength to generate power.

The analysts emphasize how Slater finds the perfect balance between speed, power and flow. He utilizes the wave's energy so efficiently that his surfing appears almost effortless. We can learn a lot from studying how Slater maintains flow between maneuvers with subtle movements and weight shifts. The ability to blend power, speed and flow comes from flawless technique refined over decades of practice.

True mastery lies in the small details. While watching footage helps, we have to translate visual knowledge into muscle memory through repetition in the water. This allows complete focus on precision instead of dealing with crowds. Proper technique unlocks the flowing, Zen-like state that Slater embodies.

So next time you paddle out, remember Slater's lessons: compress into your turns, utilize the wave's power, twist to transition smoothly, keep your head upright, lean over your front foot, and blend it all together seamlessly. Mastering the nuances is the path to surfing perfection.

Check out episode 25 of the podcast for more, and click the link below to see the video described.

https://surfmastery.com/podcast/claytonnienaber2

How to Start Surfing - 5 Steps to Learn Fast

Surfing is difficult and dangerous, it's one of the hardest things to learn. You have to learn in the chaos and unpredictability of the ocean. Everytime you surf the conditions are different and no two waves are the same. Combine that with the inherent risk of shark attacks, stray surfboards, sharp rocks and crowded line ups, learning to surf seems near impossible. But surfing is amazing and it's the barrier to entry that makes it so exciting.

Surfing is a thrilling water sport that offers a unique connection with nature and an adrenaline rush like no other. However, getting started can seem intimidating, especially for those who have never ridden a wave before. How to surf. In this article, we will outline five steps to help you begin your surfing journey, address the common barriers that often discourage beginners from pursuing this exciting sport and give you some principles to remember as you learn to surf.


Step 1: Gear up and choose the right board

The first step in starting surfing is to gather the necessary equipment. The key component is selecting the right surfboard for your skill level. As a beginner, it's best to start with a larger, more stable board known as a longboard. This type of board offers better balance and buoyancy, making it easier to catch waves and maintain stability while learning. I recommend you get a 8-9ft soft top. You will likely need a wetsuit, talk to some local surfers or the local surf shop to get the right one for your local conditions. You will also need a leg rope (leash). Do NOT get a cheap one. Add in a block of wax and you are set.

Step 2: Find the right beach and conditions

Not all beaches are ideal for beginners, as different locations offer varying wave conditions. Look for beaches with mellow, rolling waves that are suitable for learning.The place where the local surf school operates is a good place to start. It's also important to consider the local weather conditions, such as wind direction and tides, which can significantly impact wave quality and your surfing experience. Talk with experienced surfers or local surf schools to find the best options. 

Step 3: Take a group surf lesson

Learning to surf can be challenging, and having guidance can make a world of difference. Consider enrolling in a group surf lesson or finding a mentor who can provide valuable tips, techniques, and safety guidelines. An experienced instructor can teach you the basics, including paddling techniques, timing, and how to catch and ride waves. Their expertise will help you progress faster and build confidence in the water. This also gives the opportunity to research step 2 and to meet some people to learn with.

Step 4: Catching waves

Now you have the gear and the basics it's time to put the hours in. Your first goal should be to master catching white water waves. Catching waves is about positioning and timing - not paddling. I recommend that you don't paddle for waves until you are comfortable catching them using timing and board placement. 

Stand in water between hip and chest width with your surfboard pointing towards the beach. Wait for the wave to almost hit the tail of your board and then jump on as you lunge forward. If you time this right then you will instantly join the wave.

Step 5: Standing up

There is no rush to stand up. Transitioning from prone (lying on your front) to the press up (on your hands) to standing on your feet is one of the most athletic movements in surfing. It is also the first manoeuvre you will learn - yes the pop-up or take-off is a surfing manoeuvre. Because surfing doesn't begin once you stand up, surfing starts once you have committed to the wave. So transitioning from prone to standing is something you do once you are already “surfing” the wave - therefore there is no rush to stand, no pressure, no need even. This may seem counterintuitive as you were probably encouraged to stand up straight away during your group lesson. But t group lessons at surf schools are not targeted to people who are wanting to be lifelong surfers. Most surf school surf lessons offer the “tourist experience”. If you want to set yourself up for long term surfing success then follow these steps.

Surf your first 10 waves prone - lying down with bodyweight mostly through your chest

Surf your next 10 in Up-dog. “Whats Up-dog? Not much dog, what's up with you?” 

Up-dog is a yoga position where most of your bodyweight is through your hands, kind of like pushing pause between prone and standing position, get used to surfing, controlling and stabilising the board in this position.

The natural progression now is to bring your front foot up and place it in between your hands and stand. Don't stand too tall though, keep your knees a little bent, hands out for balance and look where you are going. 

These are 2 fundamental skills that are always overlooked, slow down and work on them.

Common Barriers and Reasons Why People Give Up:

Despite the joy and thrill that surfing brings, there are common barriers that often discourage beginners from continuing their surfing journey. These barriers include:

  1. Fear of the ocean: The vastness and unpredictability of the ocean can be overwhelming for some beginners. It is crucial to develop a healthy respect for the ocean while also understanding the safety measures and precautions necessary to enjoy the sport.

  2. Physical fitness: Surfing demands a certain level of physical fitness and stamina. Lack of fitness or strength can make it challenging to paddle out and catch waves, leading to frustration and discouragement. Engaging in regular exercise and building core strength can greatly enhance your surfing abilities.

  3. Time commitment: Surfing requires time and dedication to progress. Balancing work, family, and other commitments can limit the time available to practise regularly. It's important to carve out dedicated time for surfing to make consistent progress and build the necessary skills.

  4. Initial difficulty: Learning to surf has a steep learning curve, and the initial stages can be frustrating. Wipeouts, missed waves, and struggling with balance can lead to self-doubt and frustration. It's important to remember that everyone goes through this phase, and with persistence and practice, progress will come.

  5. Lack of community support: Surfing can be a solitary sport, and starting alone without a supportive community can make it harder to stay motivated. Seek out local surf communities, join surf clubs, or connect with other surfers to share experiences, gain knowledge, and find encouragement.

Principles to remember.

  • Never surf alone

  • Don't surf the conditions if you can't swim the conditions

  • Identify safe white-water surfing areas

  • Identify your local hazards

  • Surfing starts once you commit to the wave, not once you stand-up

  • Remember, surfing is hard, it takes much longer to learn that most other endeavours, because every wave is different (even white water waves)

  • Surf everyday

Conclusion:

Starting the exhilarating journey of surfing is a rewarding experience that offers countless moments of joy and connection with the ocean. By following these five steps, understanding the common barriers, remember the principles and you can overcome initial challenges and set yourself on a path to becoming a confident and capable surfer. Embrace the learning process, stay persistent, and remember that the best surfer is the one having the most fun. So grab your board, hit the waves, and enjoy the incredible world of surfing!

For more infö listen to episode: https://surfmastery.com/podcast/howtostartsurfing

For more advice book an online coaching session.


H.I.K. 3 Things All Great Surfers Have

Hope. Icons. Knowledge

  1. Hope - Dreams, self-belief and a mastery mindset.

 “Don't be such a pussy you weak caarnt, of course you can surf out there, you just need to have a crack, how do you think he learnt?” Barry (Bazza) explained to me as we watched a local get barreled at a shallow reef slab. I had just mumbled negatively how lucky the surfer was to be so talented as to surf such a wave. “Its bullshit” Baz continued. “This is why you weak kiwi farks aren't on the pro tour, no balls or self belief, you have a human body just like him, you can learn to surf out there” 

At the time Barry was just on another drunken aussie car park rant, but what he said was true, and it changed my perspective. I ended up surfing said wave everyday and have had some of the best rides of my life out there.

A goal or a mentor is pointless if you lack self-belief, if you don’t truly believe you can improve.  - if you have zero self-belief you probably wouldn’t even be reading this, if you had ample… ditto. 

The foundational belief must be; I am human just like any other surfer, so if I gain the skills, knowledge and experience necessary be a great surfer. 

Setting realistic goals and having relatable icons is key here. Relatable qualities that are relevant for average surfers to aspire to. (Examples in the next section)

  1. They surf an appropriate surfboard for the conditions - as opposed to most pro surfers who stick with shortboards all of the time

  2. There is plenty of footage of them surfing average waves - the types of waves most of us surf

Note: Never compare yourself to your luminaries & mentors, you must compare yourself to the surfer you were yesterday or last month, improve a little bit each time you go surfing. That is the mastery mindset. Luminaries are there to inspire you, mentors, coaches and teachers to guide you.

2. Icons - surfers they look up to.

When I was surf coaching in California I had a client - successful businessman, very wealthy and a respected leader in his field. Terrible surfer though, and he had been surfing everyday for 3 years. Of course he loved surfing, but was understandably becoming frustrated with his lack of progress. I asked him who his favourite surfer was, “I dont have one, I don't even watch surfing, I just go surfing because I love surfing so much” he replied. I asked him who he looked up to in the business world, “Steve Jobs, Richard Branson,  John - my favourite lecturer at business school, but most of all, my business mentor Paul. Paul is not only a successful businessman he is within my industry and helps me with general and specific advice ” he said. 

How successful would your business be without the inspiration and education from these people I asked. “I’d still be in start-up mode” he replied. His laissez-faire attitude to surfing had him stuck in start-up mode, whilst he respects and admires pro surfers on tour, he was uninterested in the way the pro surfers like Kelly Slater surfed because they are unrelatable and he doesn’t surf those kinds of boards or waves. So I introduced him to a few alternatives - he chose Devon Howard and Torren Martyn and he doubled down on surf coaching sessions and time with his personal trainer. He now enjoys surfing more than ever, and within 6 months became 5X the surfer he was and confidently booked a trip to Fiji.

For him Devon and Torren both exemplify the type of surfing he wished he could do, and because of the types of boards and waves they ride they are very relatable. “I want to do a top turn like that!” he said as we watched Torren surf his twin fin on a medium onshore wave.

Great, now we have something to aim for, direction, a goal to focus on. And an instagram page to turn to when you need some inspiration or an example of good technique.

You see, for the pros surfing is a sport, but for most of us surfing is an artform, like music. If you are learning to play the keyboard and love pop music then you can appreciate Beethoven, but he is not an ideal icon. So choose your surfing icons wisely.

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” - Mark Van Doren

We need education and inspiration in any endeavour we pursue, surfing is no different. Find some mentors and teachers to guide and excite you, we all need direction, without focus we are distracted.


3. Knowledge -  they know about all aspects of surfing. 

In 2002 I tore my ACL (blew my knee) and didn't surf for 12 months, yet I continued my obsession with surfing - I watched surf films for hours everyday, studied meteorology and surf forecasting, read the surfing magazines, read books on athletic development, learnt about nutrition, I even went on road trips with my surfing friends and took photos of them and filmed. It motivated me to stay healthy and to do my rehab exercises. 

I remember my first surf back, and much to my surprise I was so much better at surfing. How? Many hours of watching surfing videos - during which you are imagining yourself as the surfer (visualisation), and gaining wave reading experience. All the time spent filming friends helped with knowledge of the breaks I surf. 

Mentors and coaches are essential, however there is only so much you can learn from one individual, surfing is a very complex and varied sport/art/lifestyle that true mastery requires you to broaden your perspectives and education.

Great surfers understand surfboards, weather, tides, wetsuits and other equipment, surf etiquette and culture, surfing history. 

All great surfers went through a stage of their lives obsessing about everything surfing. Accept and feed the urge to be obsessed with surfing, consume the media, read the history, try/buy different boards, find the brand of wetsuit that fits you best, get some coaching and learn correct technique, watch waves breaking, get your body strong and healthy, learn basic sports psychology, surf every spare moment you get, watch old surf movies, do all the online surf courses, listen to surf podcasts, YouTube ‘learn to surf’ and get all the different opinions, book a surf trip in the tropics, go to a wave pool, meditate, start skateboarding… fully immerse yourself for one year.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - William Butler Yeats

The two most important things are surfing technique and correct equipment. This article is about perspectives so I won't go into detail here, but the following perspectives are paramount.

  1. Surfing is just like any other sport or artform i.e. music, tennis.  In order to improve you must spend some time practising, and some time playing.

  2. Choosing the right board for the conditions and the style of surfing you want to do. As opposed to surfing the same board all of the time.

As you educate yourself with surfing knowledge, immerse yourself in surfing, surf everyday, surf all conditions. Knowledge + experience = wisdom.

Have faith that you can improve as a surfer, define what that means and choose an icon, learn the knowledge and skills to get there and surf heaps.

To learn more; book an online coaching session. https://surfmastery.com/life-coaching


"How listening to a Podcast Might Actually Make you a Better Surfer"

(This article was published by The Inertia in 2017)

SURF

How Listening to a Podcast Might Actually Make You a Better Surfer

WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017

Michael Schoaff

Surfer

COMMUNITY

Mick Fanning enjoying a very special moment on earth for himself. To be shared with as many people as possible a few months after said frame was snapped. Photo: Rip Curl

For anyone that appreciates a great surfing podcast, I’d say Michael Frampton’s Surf Mastery podcast is a must subscribe.  It’s a podcast that provides listeners with insightful methods to enhance and develop their surfing, making it a functional part of improving rather than just hearing a couple guys talk about how much they like waves.

Michael’s interviewing approach allows each episodes guest to share their expert wealth of knowledge in succinct nuggets of surf related wisdom. He researches his topics and guests extensively before each interview, making discussions seamless, thought-provoking, and enjoyable. Uniquely qualified to be leading voice in performance surfing, Michael currently trains surfers one on one in and around the Northern Beaches of Sydney, where he specializes in surf-specific training focused on strength and conditioning for the movements of surfing. As a surf coach, Michael also uses video analysis, performance neurology, and skateboarding to fast track motor-learning and refine surfing technique.

Episode 005 with Matt Scorringe was my personal favorite. The author of “The Art of Surfing” waxes poetic on building a solid foundation of fundamentals for a sound surfing approach. He then adds some finer points for improvement from his extensive surf coaching and instruction background.

Surf Mastery Podcast Episode Library
021: Ben Macartney – Chief Surf Forecaster at Coastalwatch
020: Michael Gervais – High-Performance Psychologist
019: Karl Attkins – Big Wave Surfer
018: Ru Hill – Surf Coach and Founder of ‘Surf Simply’
017: Dr. John Demartini – Performance & Behavior Specialist
016: Jarred Hancox – New Zealand National Champ (35+) 2016
015: Nam Baldwin – Director of Breath Enhancement Training
014: Clayton Nienaber – Surf Coach, Ex-Pro Surfer, Surfboard Shaper
013: Richard Bennett – Performance Psychologist & Author of ‘The Surfer’s Mind’
012: Rob Case – Surfing Paddling Coach
011: Cris Mills – Surf Strength Coach
010: Tom Carroll – Big Wave Surfing & Surfers Ear
009: Martin Dunn – Surf Coach Former Head Coach Team Australia (’09-’13)
008: Peggy Hall – ‘Yoga for Surfers’ founder details what Yoga can do for your surfing
007: Nathan Hedge – Pro Surfer – breaks down the essence of performance surfing
006: Pete Evans – Chef, Health Coach and Author talks about nutrition and surfing
005: Matt Scorringe – Ex pro turned Surf Coach and founder of ‘The Art of Surfing’
004: Dr. Jeremy Sheppard – (Former) Head of Strength and Conditioning/Sports Science Manager at Surfing Australia
003: Matt Griggs – Elite Performance Coach talks about surfing better, mediation, and flow
002: Tom Carroll – 2x World Champ shares some insights into how he got so good
001: Matt Grainger – NSW High-Performance Coach talks about surf training and how to better yourself in the water.

Originally published on The Inertia 2017 - https://www.theinertia.com/surf/how-listening-to-a-podcast-might-actually-make-you-a-better-surfer/

Author Michael Scoff