Twist

Just twist at the waist if you want to turn
I have heard some people tell beginner surfers to " just twist at your waist if you want to turn your (surf)board "

While that is some part true, turning goes from top to bottom. Eye, neck, shoulder, (then) waist, knees and lastly feet.


She is dropping down the face, looking forward and away at the oncoming lip


her board goes from Inside rail to transition to the flat bottom of her board. But notice she is looking ahead to her landing spot. WHERE YOU LOOK IS WHERE YOU GO.


Now watch this surfer's arms. Back hand is readying to swing forward


Notice you can see more of the bottom of the board, that is " being on rail ". Her eyes are focus on the part of the lip she wants to hit. Back arm is now coming across her chest area


at the top of the turn she rips her back arm down to swing the board back down. Eye, then neck, then shoulders


Here is a great approach. Wind up of the eyes and arms look good. But ......................


She only turned the top portion of her body. Her board stayed FLAT. Remember you need to go Down, Up then Around. She never transitioned from inside rail to outside rail and back. her body turned but her board is keep going straight.


again, Surfboard turn more like Motorcycles. Not flat like cars turn. Both surfboards and motorcycles lean to turn. The more pressure and greater angle the stronger the turn. That does not mean to Turn Harder.


setting up. looking at the lip. board is trimming on the inside rail


she turns the nose to the right as she gets on the tail to pivot off the fins and set her rail. ( how can you spot a good surfer ? you can see the fins on their turns )


BOOM ! explodes off the top. Notice her green front arm is leading the action. Her boad is transitioning from the flat bottom to outside rail.

Turning a surfboad is more than " twist your waist ". If that was true, then golf must be easy becuase you just need to " hit the little white ball ". ( and it even is not moving ! ).

If you want to turn your board, do up-and-downs, cutback etc. I can teach you.

in the mean time check out http://starb.on.coocan.jp/ for good turns and flat turns