#1 - copy
Online surf coaching for beginners & intermediates
#1 - copy
Online surf coaching for beginners & intermediates
There are many different types of top turns. In this article, we simply focus on the basic top turn: how to ride up to the top of the face and how to turn back down properly. Note that the bottom turn is critical and dictates how you will draw your top turn. If you haven’t paid attention to the bottom turn yet, click here before going deeper into the top turn.
According to your experience level, you will aim different parts of the wave during your bottom turn. Softer shoulders allow lower-intermediates to practise basic top turns like cutbacks. More advanced surfers can do tighter bottom turns to reach steep and powerful sections of the waves, near the lip. The steepness and power of the curl in the “steep area” is what makes possible manoeuvres like off-the-lips, airs, snaps, tails slides, etc.
After your bottom turn, look and aim where you want to go up on the face. Most of your weight should be on your back foot to help you turn.
Your head is your steering wheel. Where you look, you will go. The turn is initiated with your head, then your shoulders, arms and hips should follow, pointing in the direction you want to go.
As you start coming up the wave, decompress by slightly unbending your knees and straightening your upper body. Keep your head centred over your body.
Note how the surfer’s hands are over each rails through the turn: the right hand is over the right rail, and the left hand over the left rail.
When you get to 3/4 of the wave’s height, you should already start to look down.
Notice how the surfers upper body is centred over his front foot, his head centred over his body, and how each of his hands are still over each of his rails. The surfer focuses on shifting his upper body: chest, shoulders and arms to face back to the beach, his surfboard naturally follows this rotation.
Backside top turns are very similar to the front side ones. Just like with the frontside top turn, you need to look where you want to go, leading with your head, shoulders, arms then hips and legs.
The difference is that your back is facing the wave as you do your top turn. This actually makes it easier to turn back down because as you go up the face, your chest already faces down the wave
7-day surf coaching retreats
7-day surf coaching retreats
10-day surf coaching retreats
10-day surf coaching, intermediates only
10-day surf coaching, intermediates only
Surf better, faster
Get news about our latest Tutorials
& Surf Coaching Retreats
Leave a comment