How to surf bigger waves

If you want to surf bigger and heavier waves, you’re going to have to expand your comfort zone. Here’s your guide on how to do that:

Increasing Your Physical Capacity

Having the physical stamina, paddle fitness, and the ability to swim to shore if your leash breaks is going to play an important role in building your confidence in bigger waves. 

If you aren’t surfing regularly (4-7 times a week), there is a good chance that you’ll lack this solid base of fitness. 

If you can’t surf regularly, a good place to start is by increasing your cardiovascular fitness. 

Swimming is the best alternative to surfing and being prepared for a long swim in but if you can’t get to a pool, rowing, using a ski erg, cycling, and running 2-3 times a week are also good options.

Incorporate a mix of high-intensity interval training (to help with handling the impact zone) and aerobic training (to improve general paddle fitness).

The Importance of Skill and Technique

You can't jump from surfing 3-foot waves to 10-foot waves overnight. It takes time to build the necessary skills. 

Before you head out in any large surf, ask yourself:

• Can I read the type of wave?
• Do I have the right board for the conditions?
• Do I know where to position myself for the takeoff?
• Are my pop-ups reliable enough to avoid going headfirst into the reef?

Skill and technique development takes time. Surfing a variety of waves with different steepness and speed will help you gain the skills needed for bigger waves.

Mental Readiness

Some surfers preach breathwork and relaxation techniques to help with stress and anxiety. I personally like to take some slow, deep breaths whilst I’m in the lineup to help reduce my heart rate and calm my nerves.

Additionally, being patient and not paddling for every wave will also help with staying relaxed and maintaining composure.

Getting back in if you lose your board

Because of the danger of a leash snapping and losing your board, the general rule is that you shouldn’t paddle out unless you feel comfortable swimming back in. The key is to make sure that you:

• Have strong swimming skills and are comfortable swimming in heavy water for extended periods of time.
• Plan ahead. Map out your game plan in advance of how you’ll get back in if the worse case does happen. Certain spots have clearly defined entry and exit points depending on the layout of the reef so you want to make sure you have those mapped out in advance.
• Understand where the rips and currents are going. Recognize when there’s a lot of water moving around that the current and rips may make your first option obsolete so make sure you have backup options. At certain spots I’ve surfed, I’ve had to mentally accept that I may have to swim several miles down to the next bay where there’s no reef. When surfing in a bay, recognize that sometimes the currents going in a certain direction may take you into the rocks on the opposite side, but then heavy close out waves make it impossible to paddle out and escape creating a death zone. Several spots I surf regularly have these death zones that take the lives of a few people each year.
• Avoid losing your board in the first place. Make sure your leash string and your leash itself are in good shape and don’t be wearing a comp leash in big waves.
• Consider Additional Safety Gear. If you’re really concerned, wear an impact vest with some flotation.

Incremental Approach

The last thing to mention is that because things can go bad really quickly in the ocean, it’s best to take an incremental approach to leveling up into larger and larger waves. Jumping straight from 3 foot waves into 10 foot waves is for most people is too big of a jump. Get comfortable surfing waves just a couple feet bigger than your previous limit, and make sure you’re solid before taking it up another incremental step. Going gradually is very important.

Conclusion

Surfing bigger waves requires physical fitness, skill development, and mental readiness. Progression takes time and experience. Focus on gradual improvements to safely push your boundaries and surfing abilities. Recognize that you may not only be putting yourself at risk, but also the lives of others who may have to rescue you. I’ve seen people have to be resuscitated on the beach and nearly die, you don’t want that to happen to you.