Learning to turn is essential for controlling your surfboard and riding along the wave face. Turns allow you to change direction, speed up, slow down, and position yourself effectively on the wave.
Basic Principles of Surfing Turns
Doing turns in surfing fundamentally involves using your body weight and movements to guide the board. According to insights from the reference, the key actions for executing a turn involve leaning, rotating, and extending your body through that maneuver. As you finish that maneuver, you should compress low. These principles apply whether you are turning on your forehand (facing the wave) or your backhand (facing away from the wave).
Key Body Mechanics for Turns
Successfully executing a turn relies on coordinating several body movements:
- Initiation: Start by looking where you want to go. This helps initiate the rotation. Simultaneously, shift your weight and lean in the direction of the turn.
- Execution (Leaning, Rotating, Extending): As you move through the turn, continue leaning into the rail you want to engage. Rotate your upper body, shoulders, and head towards your desired path. Extend your legs and body through the turn to drive the board and maintain power. The reference highlights that you should be "looking leaning. And rotating and extending my body through that maneuver".
- Completion (Compressing): As you come out of the turn and prepare for the next section of the wave or maneuver, finish by getting lower on your board. The reference states, "as I finish that maneuver. I'm going to compress low." This compression helps you regain control, absorb bumps, and prepare for future movements.
These mechanics are consistent regardless of whether you are turning on your forehand or backhand side. The reference explicitly mentions, "And it's the same on your backhand."
Applying Turns on the Wave
Turns aren't just about changing direction; they are how you navigate the wave.
- Bottom Turn: A crucial turn initiated at the bottom of the wave after dropping in. You lean, rotate, and extend to drive up the wave face. Finishing low prepares you for the next section.
- Top Turn: Executed at the top of the wave. This can be a cutback (turning back towards the breaking part of the wave) or a re-entry (turning sharply off the lip). Again, body mechanics like leaning, rotation, and extension are key, with compression often used to absorb the impact or set up for the next move.
By mastering the combination of leaning, rotating, extending, and compressing, you gain better control over your surfboard and can ride waves more effectively.
