Skateboarding + balance = Fundamentals for Surfing?

[DoorM4n]

Hey,
I am a bit new to the site so I'm testing the congeniality of the members by asking a "kooky" question.


My girlfriend and I are new to surfing but understand the techniques to sustain a descent stance and posture while on the board. Balance seems to be one of the most difficult elements in surfing at the moment and we are looking for tips on how to maintain good balance. Here is my simple question.

Would learning to balance very well on a skateboarding help us balance very well on a surfboard?

Thanks for reading!

[Rico]

I think speeding downwards and turning could feel a bit bottomturnish, but I see no big similarities in any other aspect. I got a skateboard, im not the king but always dream of surfing when skating

a carve- or longboard could increase the feeling.

it'll improve your balance, sure, why not. Try indo board, havent tested yet but seems to be a cool thing.

[DoorM4n]

Well, let's say she has no experience on any kinds of boards and is having a large balancing problem on a surfboard.

Will skateboarding teach the balancing variable needed for surfing?

[drowningbitbybit]

Hmmmm.... kinda...

Any balance training (skateboard, indoboard, unicycle...) is good and will help your surfing. But as for actual 'technique', not really, no (well, maybe a bit).

Learning to surf is mostly about learning about the techniques to get to the waves, get onto the waves, and being able to stand up. Once you can do all those right, then the balance bit will be easy.

A board moving down a green unbroken face is a lot more stable than one bucking about in the whitewater, and a lot easier to balance on.

So skateboarding is unlikely to do a massive amount for your surfing (quite good for practising carving turns though) but worth sticking with.

As for the surfing balance - just keep at it. It'll come. Eventually

[DoorM4n]

Excellent advice. Thanks a million; I will try to get her to balance well on a skateboard for a "standard" balancing premise, but not to influence the idea that it will be very similar. Thanks again.