Learning to catch waves: where to position yourself to catch more waves?

Learning to catch waves correctly has its tricks and requires a lot of practice. The right location will not only allow you to catch more waves, but will also improve your safety and enjoyment in the water.

Learning to catch waves can be a long process, it is crucial that you give yourself the time necessary to integrate everything you learn in each session. Since, it is one of the most important skills for any surfer.

One of the most common questions for beginners is where to position themselves to catch the most waves. So in this article, we will explore in detail how to learn to catch the waves better. Tea we give some advice To learn how to catch more waves, taking into account where you should be positioned in the sea, write down the tips!

Is there an exact science to catching waves?

Who has not seen surfers in the water who Are they always at the right time and place to catch a wave? That even before a wave disturbs the horizon, they are positioned perfectly in the place where the wave will rise, and gently carry them on a long journey to the shore, what envy! TRUE?

They are surfers who are either very lucky or every cell in their body is in tune with the sea. This “sixth sense”, as some call it, exists and develops over time.

As a good mystical element, it cannot be explained in traditional scientific terms (and that is where the “non-physical” dimension of surfing begins).

Surfing scholars can conjecture that the experienced surfer's degree of understanding of the ocean is due to predicting its behavior based on previous patterns.

This hypothesis is very interesting, since we are taking concepts and a neuroscientific approach to describe a “sports” activity (concepts that I will not go into detail on this occasion). Even more so, when you ask the surfer how he has achieved it and you find a brief: "I don't know, you just feel it."

How to catch more waves? Discover the phases of the waves to put yourself in the right place

At this point, how can you catch more waves considering the sea? To do this, we will have to pay attention to the ocean, we are going to review the phases of the waves so that start surfing don't be so complicated:

How to catch more waves: phase 1 – full phase

It is where the wave just forms (angles between its wall and the horizontal from 170º to 120º). It can be seen on the horizon as a barely visible disturbance that advances (hopefully towards us), but that does not have the capacity to push us or carry our board even with our best efforts.

How to catch more waves: phase 2 – training phase

When the wave begins to take shape (angles less than 120º), and the peak of the wave rises. It has excellent "surfing" potential if we paddle properly. The mass of water begins to make contact with the bottom (sand, rocks, etc.).

This is the phase that you should look for in your sessions and always try to position yourself and paddle in it. You will find a wave that will push you gently and a perfect ramp to go down the wave at an angle of 120º or more, with the time necessary to get up. This is the most “inhabited” place of the wave and where everyone wants to be, so don't expect loneliness in Phase 2.

How to catch more waves: phase 3 – closing or breaking phase

In this phase, the wave already formed (angle of 90º or less) advances quickly and strongly, the upper vertex (or peak) surpasses the base of the wave and begins to break. This can break neatly into sections and other times closing the entire wall. The wave continues to make contact with an increasingly shallow bottom.

Conclusions

Very Important Surf Tip!: It is possible to catch waves at this stage, but requires superior skill, agility, and observation. The wave is very strong and many times you require very little or no paddling to be able to take it. Many times it only takes a correct positioning of your body to prevent the wave from lifting the tail of your board above the horizontal.

What depends on how long each phase lasts? Mainly from the bottom of the beach where you are surfing. The shape of the wave is a direct reflection of its bottom. Therefore, waves with bottoms that change abruptly will have phase 1 of full and fast breaking (phase 3), with often a non-existent or very short formation phase (phase 2).

Remember! Waves are dynamic elements, so the phases are constantly changing according to where you are in the line-up. For example: at moment A you can be right in Phase 1 and at moment B in the middle of phase 3 without having physically moved from the place. As you improve your sophisticated skills, you can get closer to the main break and peak. This is where you will often find a clear area that many prefer to avoid due to the disastrous consequences it implies (vertical falls from the peak of the wave, or direct hits against the bottom for example).

Tip, always watch the phases of your local surf. Study, learn to read it and over time you will understand it perfectly, managing to anticipate its movements and situate yourself in the right place whenever you want.

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