Surfing Waves

Hey all,

I am having a little trouble doing cutbacks. When I am surfing frontside, I tend to fall over backwards when I turn back down the face. I know on bottom turns the you apply pressure to your back foot as you lean in. Which foot dominates (in terms of pressure applied) when I reach the top of the wave and want to turing back into the curl? Thanks for any tips.

Hi Biggles when I see a question like yours on top of aother questions I try to look at the whole package of where you are in learning surfing!
I base my answer on how I see you surfing, from what you are saying I imagine you are not generating enough speed ,you may make a bottom turn of sorts ( how much speed does it give you?) then make your way to the top of the wave losing speed and then think maybe I should turn now and then without much speed sort of lean down hoping to create a balanced turn!

Does that seem correct?
Here's how to start doing bigger topturns and cutbacks, increase the power and speed of your bottom turn ( the engine room for everything that follows), try various levels of turn toward the top of the wave whilst still on the face,, make them small at first and then gradually increase the power you bring to the turn.

Yes I forgot to mention that I am close to stalling at the top of the wave. Any tips on better bottom turns? Upon viewing pro surfers in bigger waves, it almost seems as though they are way out in the flats then they start their turn. In addition, it appears as though about 3/4 of their boards are out of the water and they seem to pivot on their tail.

It's funny, I have been an avid snowboarder for a decade (i live in the north east of america), and when I turn, I can just lean back and crank out a nice clean carve. Unfortunately I tend to approach surfing the same way.

p.s Since I started surfing I have little to no interest in snowboarding!

Hi Biggles, i have a similar problem to yours as well....when trying to create a turn i am usually off balanced and with the lack of speed i bog a rail and the ride is over.

So speed is everything with most of the turns done on a wave (i hope i am correct in saying that?). As far as a bottom turns goes, i find that it all depends on the wave size and power, heading straight down will generate more speed but if you run too far down and into the flats you may not have enough speed to go back up the face (once again depending on wave size and i usually surf anything between 2 - 5 foot waves). As Jaffa said, try turning mid wave or higher, small turns first then with the increase in speed you will be able to head further down the wave and maintain the speed through your bottom turns.

I am still trying to wrap my head around it myself though but logically that sounds the way to go. Let us know how things go and if you come right then perhaps drop a few pointers for the others who may be struggling as well. Stay stoked! (love that saying)