Slow and low? Maybe not quite that low;)

One of my biggest surf coaching topics with clients is around having a relaxed body. In the early stages of surfing (actually it simply keeps going in all the stages!), having a relaxed body is key to having a balanced prone position on the board while paddling,  as well as transitioning smoothly to your feet upon catching the wave. Those first few waves often amount to “sensory overload,” which then leads to a tense body with all that anxiousness and/or fearful energy.  A fearful mindset usually leads to a hesitant, inaccurate motion,  and an overly excited mindset usually leads to overpowered and very inaccurate body mechanics. Either way, things get much easier if you can simply focus on a smooth, deep breath; noticing tension in your arms, legs, back, neck and jaw. Relax your body as much as possible, and move “slow and low.” Practicing this will help you instill proper surfing instincts as you build the mind and body of a surfer.

Here is one of the best quotes ever regarding surfing as a life practice…

“Surfers are the ‘throw-aheads’ of mankind, not the dregs; they aren’t the black sheep of humanity, but the futurists and they are leading the way to where man ultimately wants to be. The act of the ride is the epitome of ‘be here now’, and the tube ride is the most acute form of that. Which is: your future is right ahead of you, the past is exploding behind you, your wake is disappearing, your footprints are washed from the sand. It’s a non-productive, non-depletive act that’s done purely for the value of the dance itself. And that is the destiny of man.” -Timothy Leary