How to Maximize a Surf Trip - Top Three Paddling Focus Points

How to Maximize a Surf Trip - Top Three Paddling Focus Points to get the most waves during your week (and to last your whole week)

We just returned from a week in long right point break waves in El Salvador while co-coaching with Dan Mori from Encinitas. It was an amazing week of progression and fun, and a proper blog article about it will be coming next month.

But one of the first things we discussed was how to last throughout the whole week, and consequently, how to get the most waves during the week.

Yes, fitness plays a role. But I say it all the time, you could be the Incredible Hulk, but if you have forty parachutes tied to the back of your surfboard, don’t you think it’s smarter to cut a bunch of them to move more efficiently? And then also use that strength in the correct places in the stroke so you aren’t wasting energy? I digress. The point is, fitness is important, but there are other aspects that should be thought of first.

When coaching surfers in general I have one main goal – how to teach them to catch the most waves with the least amount of effort. Between my Level 1 and Level 2 courses and coaching, this goal is achieved. So all of the below information stems from that goal and from those courses.

In general, there are three main areas where surfers use the most energy. My courses are designed to teach surfers to use the least amount of energy so they can apply the saved energy for when they are riding the waves, similar to how pros approach lineups and movement. Expend the energy only when necessary, and only as much as necessary.

So here are the three areas where surfers use the most energy (and what Level 1 and Level 2 are designed to optimize):

1. Paddling out and around with poor paddling technique.
2. Wave catching - paddling too hard for a wave (and getting it), paddling too hard and not getting it, falling on takeoff, stumbling the pop up, getting pitched. Essentially, using too much energy to catch a wave (or not catching a wave).
3. Making poor decisions on the way back out to the takeoff area (i.e. putting yourself in situations which expend lots of energy).

Do these three areas make sense to you? Have you spent waaaaay too much energy and time in these areas? I would venture the answer to that is yes.

So how might we reduce using the energy used in these three areas? That’s what Level 1 and Level 2 are designed to do. But here are a few solutions I shared on day one of our El Salvador Co-Coaching Trip.

Paddling out and around with poor paddling technique

Solution/focus:

When I spoke to the group, I shared three general solutions or focus points to consider. We were surfing a long right point break. There will be times where they will be caught inside, and there will be times when they are out in the channel. There will be times when a set will be bearing down on them, and a time when there are no waves coming. When it came to paddling back out, I wanted them to focus on three main paddling techniques to reduce their energy use (more were shared throughout the week but these three kicked it off):

A. Focus on reducing stroke rate by entering and gliding in the efficiency stroke as much as possible.

Stretch out each stroke into the Lift Phase of the stroke and replace that arm with the next stroke, staying long and smooth. Once you master this technique, you will be able to move between different gears in the stroke – 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd gears, with each one resulting in an increase in speed while still remaining efficiency in the movement and a lower than average stroke rate.

Focusing on distance per stroke is the key, even if you end up a bit slower in velocity. Of course, if a wave is going to slam on top of you, kick into the power stroke, but when there is no threat, glide.

Most of the surfers were mid-length or shortboard surfing so the efficiency stroke technique was the same. The longboard efficiency technique is different but the same general philosophy would apply.

Don’t rush the stroke rate. Keep it long and relaxed. Maximize distance per stroke.

B. Only use power stroke for four strokes before reverting back to the efficiency stroke.

I showed the group the difference between the power stroke and the efficiency stroke in the pool. The main difference is biomechanical with the power stroke not including one phase of the efficiency stroke. All of the other paddling techniques that go along with the efficiency stroke are also present in the power stroke (biomechanically).

In the power stroke there is some increase in stroke rate (naturally because a phase is removed from the stroke), and some increase in stroke force. But in general, the key here is to make sure the surfer isn’t performing the higher energy power stroke for more than four strokes at a time before getting back into a smooth, relaxing efficiency stroke. Even if they have to alternate at times of more chaos occurring around them (larger set arriving, crowds, etc.), they remain calm and measured in their movement.

This four stroke power stroke maximum is a general rule when I coach and when I paddle. Rarely would any surfer truly need more than four power strokes at any given time. If the efficiency stroke reduces energy use, then focus on using that technique the most during your trip/week.

C. Focus on technique - progressive force.

Too often I see surfers apply too much force too soon. I even have an abbreviation for my notes when I analyze a surfer’s stroke – THTS (too hard, too soon).

When a surfer applies too much force too soon in the stroke, often times the surfer’s stroke slips. Slipping, in it’s simplest definition means that a surfer is spinning the tires when they hit the gas. It’s like they can’t get traction (even though technically it’s not “traction”).

I’ve written a separate blog article on slipping which you can read here Paddling Technique Slipping Explained if you want to learn more about what it is. 

The point is, when a surfer slips, the potential for maximum force is reduced. The peak of the force curve is essentially limited and the surfer will require another stroke to accelerate forward. Taking another stroke takes up more time, and in certain situations, this becomes critical (i.e. when catching a wave). Taking another stroke also uses up more energy.

But the main culprit of energy zapping comes from applying too much force in the stroke and having that energy not return a good investment (i.e. moving forward is the return on our investment). Therefore, slipping become an ineffective way to move forward.

Building the stroke from front to back typically reduces the number of times a surfer will slip. A surfer doesn’t always eliminate slipping by doing this. However, they do eliminate slipping in the first part of the stroke which is the most detrimental to shoulder health and maximum peak output.

Using a progressive force from front to back, peaking in the Back Propulsive phase of the stroke is the most ideal and effective technique. And that will save a surfer loads of energy over the course of a week (and in their surfing life).

Wave catching - paddling too hard for a wave (and getting it), paddling too hard and not getting it, falling on takeoff, stumbling the pop up, getting pitched.

Solutions/focus:

When it comes to the wave catching sequence, there are many scenarios that can occur. However, what is common that energy will be wasted if a surfer paddles too hard for a wave (whether they get it or not), if they fall when getting to their feet (and consequently end up in the impact zone), and if they get pitched altogether (the impact hitting the water and the following rag-dolling they will experience).

There are many specificities to what causes these problems. But we can all agree, a lot of energy is spent if this happens.

Because so many scenarios would cause this, I tried to keep the focus/technique as simple as possible for this one; and demonstrated in the pool what these looked like.

I shared the following two techniques/focus areas to reduce energy here:

A. Conduct a 3-Stroke Burst when the wave lifts the tail of the board. But make sure you build one to three momentum builders before then.

In my blog article A Case for the Three Stroke Burst I explain more detail into why a 3-stroke burst is all that we really need. But there are certain circumstances required in order to make sure it is as effective as possible. Because of a limit on time in the moment, I kept it simple. I challenged them to keep wave catching to the 3-stroke burst; but make sure a few momentum strokes were built prior.

This instruction was suitable for day one, and was further refined as specific scenarios were experienced. But in general, this technique/focus held for the entirety of the trip and will help you keep your energy use low when wave catching.

B. Press chest from the 3-stroke burst, or at the latest right before getting up - dependent upon the wave development acceleration.

Another recent blog article explained this as a key technique for steep waves, and you can read and watch Kolohe do this here: 3 Techniques to Make Paddling into Steep Waves EASY - with Kolohe Andino.

The importance of this technique cannot be understated. The chest press will almost always be used at some point when getting into all kinds of waves. The magnitude and timing of the technique is what varies. Sometimes it is applied immediately in the momentum builders, or in the 3-stroke burst, and sometimes it is only applied right before beginning the pop up sequence. Performing this without adding drag is the key and Dan and I showed the group throughout the week the technique in the pool and in the ocean.

Making poor decisions on the way back out to the takeoff area (i.e. putting yourself in situations which expend lots of energy).

Solutions/focus:

This area where surfers use a lot of energy really baffles me the most when I began thinking deeply about it. And I can admit, I did this too until I realized what I was doing.

Why, for example, does a surfer immediately paddle back out after catching a wave when a set continues to roll in?

I get it if there is a situation in which the shoreline is dangerous. But that is a more rare situation than many might think.

But it really doesn’t make sense – think about it. You’ve just surfed a wave. Two separate studies have found that your heart rate is the maxed out at the end of a wave. And you immediately paddle straight back into the power of the set approaching you.

The wave’s energy dissipates as it rolls into the beach after expending most of its energy upon the first and second impacts. So why are we paddling to meet it at its peak energy? At the impact zone? When our heart rate has already maxed out after finishing our previous wave?

In the situation in which the surfer doesn’t make it to the end of the wave it’s even worse. A close out stops them from making it to the channel. Now they are caught inside and yet they decide it’s smart to paddle to the impact zone, attempt a duck dive, get destroyed and pulled backward, paddle back to the impact zone, get destroyed again, get pulled back again, paddle back to the impact zone, etc. What’s the definition of insanity again?

Therefore, I shared to techniques and solutions to focus on to help with reducing energy caused from this problem:

A. When on the inside, caught inside, etc, notice where the energy is, and where the energy is not, and move to where the energy is less, not towards where the energy is more.

Seems like a simple one right? Our brains are funny though. Sometimes, we feel like we can beat the ocean. Let me share something that might help. Most often than not, we won’t beat the ocean. So don’t fight it as much.

Finding where the wave has less energy with will save you loads of energy. While on our trip, I noticed a portion of the reef that showed a “saddle”. A saddle is where there are two peaks and a low point in between. This means there is deeper water and the wave’s energy is reduced. If a wave broke further out from this point, the rolling whitewater would reach the saddle (i.e. the deeper water) and back off. Rather than staying in the area where the reef was shallow, I would head towards where the saddle was and duck dive a weaker whitewater. Sounds so simple, and yet, surfers were constantly heading for the shallower areas of the reef to duck dive a higher energy whitewater. But not our group!

You will be surprised what you can find when you just look for where the wave has more or less energy. The key hint I can share is that waves will have more energy in the shallower bottom features than in the deeper water features. It’s all about the wave height to water depth ratio.

B. Sculling to hold ground while you wait for the sets. Understand the rhythm of the ocean.

Sculling is one of those techniques I teach in Module 3 of the Level 1 course, and is constantly revisited in Level 2 to aid in bring more power to the stroke.

But it also has ancillary uses which sometimes yield greater short-term benefits. One such ancillary use is to scull when waiting for a set to pass. If a surfer is caught inside, instead of paddling towards the impact zone to be sent back again, and instead of taking paddling strokes (which expends more energy than sculling), simply scull in place to hold your ground. When the whitewater arrives, take one to three relaxed strokes to set up the duck dive. Once you breach the surface, scull again to gain balance in the turbulent waters, take a few stroke to get to calmer water then begin sculling again to hold ground. Once the set passes, paddle back out.

If you know ahead of time the rhythm of the ocean – e.g. you know there is a long period swell and only that swell is in the ocean that day – then you can make better decision to hold on the inside during a set; or to attempt a different strategy to remove yourself from that situation. Paddling out to the outside is not the only solution! Often times there are other directions you can go (remember the last solution/focus?).

But if you are stuck inside, sculling reduces energy use and is a much more efficient technique to hold your ground while you wait out a set. Of course, as long as you are in a generally safe area (i.e. a good enough distance away from the rocks behind you or hazard behind you).

On day one of our trip, I shared these common problems and these solutions. I also demonstrated what they looked like and by day three, almost everyone in the group mentioned at one point or another they attempted them with great affect. Some even said they were game-changing. So why not give them a whirl on your next trip (or next surf). See if you can reduce the amount of energy you use. Reduce effort so you can maximize your energy while riding the wave. You might end up progressing your surfing a lot faster than before.

Until next time, I’ll see you in the water!