How To Body Surf

If you are looking for the thrill of surfing but you don’t have the budget to buy those pricey surfboards, then why don’t you try body surfing? Surfing is considered an extreme sport by others, but with surfing enthusiasts, it’s just a way of relieving stress and being one with the waves in the ocean and communing with nature. So how do you learn to body surf? Is it just like when you start to learn how to skate?

1. Learn how to swim. Since you will not need any equipment, it is adamant that you learn how to swim so you can body surf properly, and for your safety as well. So start with the basics like floating, paddling, etc. then move on to the strokes. The basics are the most important, especially the freestyle stroke, so be sure to learn them really well.
2. You need the proper clothes. It is only fitting that you should have the right gear. With this in mind, the right clothing like wetsuits for men and women, or for the men, they can wear board shorts.
3. For beginners, it would be good if you bring along a friend to learn with you or just to be there with you. It is not wise to go alone, especially if you aren’t an expert swimmer. Accidents still happen.
4. Check out a nice location where you can body surf. Find a beach that is not so crowded, and be sure that the water is quite shallow. A less crowded beach will help you avoid colliding with other beachgoers too.
5. Wait for a nice wave that you can ride. Not all waves are good for body surfing. Catch a wave before it crests and crashes. The wave must be around 1-4 feet high and should crash out far into the water and not right on the beaches.
6. Stand with your back to the wave and the beach in front of you. When the waves are only a few feet away push off from the bottom and start to kick both of your legs.
7. When you are lifted by the wave, your body must be angled facing down, and the lower half of your body should be rising above the upper half.
8. Once you are sliding on the wave, make your body long and straight, then keep both of your legs together straight with your hands outstretched above your head. Your back must be slightly arched so that you slide mostly on your chest.

Hawaii is a great location for body surfing, because it has body surfing beach spots where you can join other body surfing enthusiasts out there. You could also watch videos about body surfing so that it is demonstrated to you and you can visualize how your body should be angled and what you can do better. You could also try out a body surfing camp and get some lessons from body surfing instructors. So what are you waiting for? Check out the weather forecast for today, grab your swimming gear and head out to the nearest beach with your friend and learn to body surf just like in the movies.