Long Beach Island Surf

        Want to learn to surf but don't know where to start? Surfing lessons are all about taking your surfing to the next level regardless of how much experience - or lack thereof - you may have. It's all about conquering fear, learning water safety, expanding your ocean and wave knowledge, and returning to the true essence of surfing - fun and relaxation! You're never too old to learn to surf. People of all ages are drawn to the majesty of our beautiful oceans. If you feel the call of the sun and surf pumping through your veins, it's time to find an instructor!

Learning to Surf - Finding an Instructor
The internet is a great place to find instructors and research their backgrounds and qualifications. Regardless of your reason for seeking out a surfing instructor there are a few things that you should consider mandatory: A long history of surfing (preferably professionally to some extent), up-to-date first aid certification, proven (preferably certified) surf rescue experience, and a thorough knowledge of wave, weather and wind conditions (which should be commensurate with the instructor's experience, i.e. The more time that they've been spent in the water, the greater their understanding of the ocean and weather conditions). There are many excellent surfing instructors throughout the world. Many have been involved in competitive surfing of some description or have at least spent enough time in the water to have a sound knowledge of the demands of the sport. If you're on holidays at the seaside and just want to experience surfing as a holiday activity then you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a local surfer or local surf school that can give you a quick rundown of the basics and give you a quick ride or two on a board. In some of the more renowned surfing spots you'll likely even be able to find a pro surfer to guide you to your first wave. If you're a little more serious about your surfing, or want the complete surfing experience in the hands of a true professional, there are many professional/ex-professional surfers who can guide your development as a surfer and help you to get the most out of your surfing experience. Surfing greats such as Nancy Emerson, Corky Carroll and Frieda Zamba offer surfing lessons at some of the world's most beautiful beaches. Whether you're a beginner and very wet behind the ears, or a professional surfer in your own right, these experienced professionals can help you hone your skills and develop your style, giving you more confidence in the water and in your ability to navigate waves and the surf zone. Depending on how serious you are about the sport, you'll be able to choose from surfing lessons of a couple of hours at a time to surfing clinics and camps for more intensive training. You can learn to stand on a board and catch a small wave in a day, or work on form, style and ocean awareness with surfing legends over the space of several days to a week or more.

Going It Alone?
You may be fired up and ready to surf, but don't jump the gun. It might be tempting - especially in a beachside location or if you have friends that surf - to just grab a surfboard and go for it. This is a bad idea for two reasons: One, it's much easier to learn the right way to do things initially than to rectify bad habits and, two, you don't want to spend your hard earned money on surfing gear (and, in particular, on a surfboard) before you've had some training and experience, because you won't know what board best suits your style of surfing. Many surf schools will provide equipment for you to learn with. If you come across one that doesn't then it's usually possible to hire the necessary equipment from a surf shop. Have a couple of lessons first, maybe try a few different surfboards of various shapes and sizes (on hire from the surf shops), and then think a little more about what board is best for you. Your instructor should also be happy to give you some advice about where to start. Another good reason to not go it alone initially is because surfing, like any sport, can be dangerous for the uninitiated. The awesome power of the ocean doesn't discriminate according to experience and even small breaks can have dangerous rips and currents. It's far safer at all times to only swim and surf in the company of fellow beach goers. That warning stands for both new and experienced surfers - an unknown break is always potentially dangerous. Any surf instructor worth their salt will make sure that you only surf in conditions that are safe for your level of experience. Aside from the possibility that a serious spill might put you off surfing for good, big water surfing without the necessary experience is irresponsible at best, suicidal at worst -- never surf in conditions you aren't ready for, and only experiment under the watchful eye of a professional surfer or an experienced buddy! Most surfers will tell you that surfing is more than just a sport; it's an existential experience, the ultimate rush, and it can be addictive. So get yourself an instructor, suit up, grab a board and hit the beach!

        It's always good to feel your surfing is improving. One of the greatest feelings is pulling off a move you've never done before! However sometimes you might find yourself trying so hard to do something new but it just won't happen. This is another time when it's good to use the power of the mind in addition to the physical energy you've been throwing into it. If you have been trying the move for a while with no success it's a good idea to break it down into two stages; clearing the blockage, and then visualizing completion.

Step1 - Clearing hindering believes
This stage clears the backlog of thoughts you have about the move and your ability to do it. If, for example you are trying to do a backhand air and you've already attempted it 50 times without landing it, your probably not going for it with the same enthusiasm as you did the first few times. The thoughts you have from these failed attempts can hang over you like a cloud and cause more frustration. We need to get rid of this cloud and to do this we need to identify the thoughts that are blocking the sun. Ask yourself these questions, what do I think and feel right before I attempt the move? What about after a failed attempt? Do I think about what I did wrong or what I did right? If I think about or try to picture myself doing the move right now, what feelings arise then? With these answers you can start to see what is holding you back. Let's look at the backhand air example again in terms of the above questions. So before the move I think "I can't do these but I'll just try it", and "My feet will slip off the board". After it I think "I can't do them, my technique is wrong", I paddle back out feeling bad about my surfing. When I think about the move I feel frustrated and unconfident, I think my technique is way off, I doubt I can improve it. Now that we have identified those hindering thoughts we can move forward. It takes discipline and practice but we stop giving our energy to those unhelpful thoughts and put the energy into something more useful and positive. Before you go to the next step, consider a baby that is learning to walk. When it falls down it doesn't worry about what it did wrong, or whether its technique was correct, and it doesn't dwell on the mistake. It knows that the learning was in the process, the mistakes don't need to be analyzed, it focuses all energy on the next attempt and charges back into it! Always try and remember that you learn something from any failed attempts instinctively. Let go of any hindering thoughts and know you can achieve whatever you focus on.

Step 2 - Visualizing the specific move
Now we have all this energy which we have claimed back from negative thoughts, feelings and over analyzing our mistakes and technique. That alone will improve your surfing, but if you channel this energy into supporting yourself, you will really be on your way to pulling that new move. We can do this with visualization. Firstly we need to get a strong visual image of what the move looks like. Watch a DVD or look at a magazine, find the move and take it in. Hit slow-mo if you want, soak up the technique but don't stress about it, just absorb it with full awareness. Now, go somewhere quiet and relax, close your eyes and imagine you are going surfing at your local break. Try to be as realistic as possible, think of the sound of the waves, smell of the ocean, how the water feels. Imagine yourself catching a wave and feel the sensation of riding it, then when you are ready visualize the move. Imagine how it would feel, your body flowing through the movements, your board firmly under your feet, your excitement as you complete it perfectly. If you feel any negativity coming up that's ok, let it pass and try again, all you are doing is getting the feeling of completion. There might be a certain part of the move you usually mess up, stay with it until you see yourself flowing through that movement with perfect technique. Visualize every last detail so it becomes alive. Once you have a good feel for the move, try visualizing it from another person's perspective, as if you are watching yourself surf. Make the scene as realistic as possible again, see yourself catch a wave, surfing confidently and completing the desired move with ease. Do these visualizations regularly, they will build confidence and a sense of possibility in your surfing. You'll soon be approaching the move with full commitment and believing that you will make it. Previously you may have been giving it your best but the negative thoughts were sabotaging your efforts, meaning your best was less than 100%. Now you will be running at 100%, you will completely expect success, and I bet you will see some drastic improvement, both in your surfing and the amount of fun you will have. Visualization alone is not enough though, so its time to hit the water again and have some fun. Practice enthusiastically, transformation happens through action. As mentioned earlier, affirmations are another technique that can be used to complement the visualizing. These are particularly useful while you are out in the water, they remind you to focus on the positive side. Revisit the questions from step 1. What negative thoughts did you identify? Take those negative thoughts and turn them around to form your own positive affirmations.