You see that dark blue peak coming toward you from outside. You quickly whip around towards the beach and put your chin down onto the board to super paddle into position…it’s looking like a beautiful right hand wave peeling off in front of you. You gracefully make the drop and look at the big open face ahead…you start to pump to get your speed up and go for the cutback and BAM you fall…. What happened?? Did your front foot get too far on the rail? Maybe your legs were too straight? Perhaps you were too far out on the shoulder when going for it…
Words below by Surf With Amigas instructor Emily Wratschko…
I found myself at crossroads with my surfing several years back. I had all the basics down: catching the wave, riding and pumping down the line, but when it came to doing some more stylish and radical maneuvers I just couldn’t get consistent with it. Sometimes I would do what I thought was probably a cool turn and land it, but it was a mystery to me how it happened. Other times (especially with the frontside cutback) it would be the same mistake over and over again. I just couldn’t seem to comprehend what i was doing wrong in the matter of seconds I was on the wave. Honestly, it might be safe to say I was somewhat losing my excitement to surf everyday!! Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than paddling out in the early morning and enjoying the waves and beauty of the ocean; however it is only natural to want to be able to progress at something that you enjoy doing. And if you feel like you have stopped improving it can be frustrating.
I realize so many of us go through this in our surfing. It’s like hitting a wall with improvement. You feel stagnant. Uninspired. But, there is a solution! Through Holly and Surf With Amigas I was introduced to the wonders of seeing myself surf on video. The first look at my footage was of course a shock to the system realizing my cool turn didn’t look anything like I imagined, but it was so very helpful. I was able to start really working on my technique and I can tell you that the turns have improved and I’ve got my excitement back! Now as an instructor for Surf With Amigas, I have seen so many women seriously improve their surfing whether it’s their first week on a board or they’ve been doing it for years, all with the use of video feedback.
For these reasons we use video analysis as an important teaching tool at all Surf With Amigas retreats. Analyzing the footage allows us to pinpoint exactly what you are doing wrong, and being able to put the tips into practice on the very next session out in the water is what shaves months of trial and error off of the learning process.
It is amazing to see the improvements Amigas make just in a week’s time. Seeing yourself on video really forces you to look at all aspects of your surfing, down to the smallest detail. We can notice certain habits that can have adverse effects on their surfing and point them out clearly to the Amiga, going over it in slow motion. It could be anything from foot placement to wave selection to paddle technique. Slowing down the footage really helps you see the effect of some of those potentially bad habits that you probably wouldn’t notice in the short amount of time you are on the wave and can be hard for an instructor to even catch while in the water with you. The video doesn’t lie! Think you’re bending your knees? The video might show you otherwise!
Not only is video coaching good for spotting those sneaky habits, it also gives Amigas the opportunity to look at the wave differently. You can watch how you rode the wave and see what other options you had. Maybe you should try doing more cutbacks and drawing out your lines rather than just pumping straight for the shoulder. Or maybe completing your wave with a floater instead of letting the wave take you out would be a good idea for next time.
Another great aspect of the video coaching is to catch those moments that felt great and you wouldn’t have needed to do anything different. You rode the wave to perfection, staying with the power and doing your cutbacks in the right spot. Those are the clips you watch over and over again so you can visualize that becoming the norm. They are also fun to share with friends or disbelieving boyfriends when you get back home!
Being able to see and analyze yourself surfing is the key to getting to that next level. I have experience as the surfer on the receiving end and as the coach witnessing the improvements in front me. There really is no better tool and Surf With Amigas is one of the only All-Women’s surf camps that uses this on a daily basis.
