Author: thesurfinstitute

There are many elements of a longboard that make it ride the way it does. In this episode we’ll talk about rocker and fins.

There are many elements of a longboard that make it ride the way it does. In this episode we’ll talk about rails, tails, and the nose.

Surfing differs greatly from other sports. Longboard surfing especially, most resembles the art of dance. Dancers who perform choreographed maneuvers with grace and proper technique are those who also glide effortlessly across the floor.

Riding switchfoot is exactly as it sounds: switching the stance to ride with the opposite foot forward. The biggest benefit to being able to switch one’s stance is that it offers the rider more options for reacting to varying wave conditions and situations, especially for surfers who consistently ride on their backhand…

There’s great satisfaction in riding a green faced wave from it’s beginning to it’s end. To do this you must navigate the various sections of the wave with bottom turns, cutbacks, cross steps, and roller coasters.

When the average person thinks of surfing they may think of the pumping motion seen in shortboarding. Many try to replicate this motion by bouncing their bodies up and down, which not only looks silly, but has absolutely no function. The function of pumping on a shortboard, or what is referred to as the roller coaster in longboarding, is to generate speed from the energy rushing from trough to crest.

Noseriding is easily considered the epitome of longboarding. You MUST have the toes on the nose. Finishing the maneuver with the foot inches away from the nose is considered bad form.